History in the making
Similar in some ways to the likes of Guild Wars and Elder Scrolls, in that it's a fantasy RPG, EverQuest was bold early experiment in the realm of online MMORPG which provided fantasy fans with most of what they craved in such things. Although many of its ideas now seem the norm, you've got to remember this was released a while ago now so it actually contributed a lot to the genre and for that it's worth remembering. As is typical for such things, you start out by creating your character, choosing from a variety of familiar and unusual races, as well as classes and tweaking your avatar's appearance. You then head out into the game world, the land of Norrath, where things really get going. Again, the gameplay is typical stuff, consisting of exploration, battling monsters, completing quests, trading and all the other sorts of things RPGs are known for. The game placed a heavy emphasis on team play which is where it's main appeal lay and venturing forth in teams was a very satisfying experience. EverQuest really was something of a special game. Although in terms of essential gameplay it perhaps wasn't as amazing as it might have been, there was something about it which transcended any basic flaws and which made it a truly enthralling experience that really sucked you in and refused to let go. The pace of things is very slow so if you are the sort of person who craves instant action, it probably wasn't for you but for those of a more thoughtful nature, it was highly compelling stuff. Certainly worth a note in history.
