Weighed, measured and found wanting
Like I said about two weeks ago, I have this habit of revisiting some of the MMORPGs I’ve played before. Tantra Online, a massively multiplayer online role-playing game developed by HanbitSoft of South Korea, is no exception.
Tantra Online, published in the Philippines by Amped Games (formerly by ABS-CBN Interactive, an arm of broadcasting giant ABS-CBN), was good for its time (circa 2004-2005). Now, sadly, its just a shell of its former self.
Now, before you start firing off hate mail after hate mail, let me clarify that I’m speaking as a former player of the game and that I sincerely wish for some improvements to what should be one of the best MMORPGs to hit the shores of the Philippines.
This isn’t the first time I revisited Tantra Online; it’s actually the second. The first time I reentered the game was early last year in my capacity as writer for a local video games magazine.
I remember being excited. So I played, and played, and played. Unfortunately, I stopped after about a month of playing because of problems with my Internet connection. I enjoyed every minute of playing Tantra, though.
That’s more than I can say about my most recent visit. I now find the game sluggish. Oh, sure, my character levels fast, but there’s no real motivation. I’m sure players who own high-level characters are having a hell of a time slugging it out with mobs in deep dungeons, but for newbies like my Kjeldora, it’s simply an exercise in futility.
Yes, I’ll continue giving Tantra Online a chance. Maybe I’ll even level my character to at least 30 or 40 just to find out what the game has in store for me. I’ll keep you posted.
Here’s a little background on the game, thanks to ever-reliable wikipedia, for readers who don’t know what the hell I’m talking about:
Tantra Online is an MMORPG developed by HanbitSoft, the Korean distributor of Starcraft. It’s largely based on Hindu mythology, with some influence from Buddhism. This is apparent through many aspects of the game’s universe, from the names of the principal deities involved in the back story (Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva; the Hindu trinity) to the magic system (using mantras, or “words of power”) to the various playable classes (Devas, Rakshasas, Asuras, Garuda, etc., all demonic, angelic, or otherwise celestial beings in Hindu and Buddhist traditions). Like other MMORPGs, you have to create a character by choosing one of the eight tribes and kill monsters to attain higher levels. Leveling can be done either by going solo or creating or joining a party.
The verdict is in: Tantra Online’s sounds, graphics and gameplay need a drastic overhaul, IMHO.
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POSTED IN: Amped Games, Asian MMO, My World, Random Rants, Tantra Online
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