Dofus

"Chess with style!"

So, if you're like me, you often find yourself bored with MMORPGs after a little over a month or so into the game, mostly because you try out all the different things and can't seem to find a style that suits you. From free games such as Eternal Lands to World of Warcraft and E.V.E., I've played nearly all of them and nothing keeps me entertained quite like Dofus.

Graphics 8/10: Recently redrawn, each of the icons are done in a way that gives a laid back and at ease feel to the game, a must if you use games as a stress reliever or a way to burn time. It doesn't create a hyped up environment or make you feel pressured. The colors, though lacking in extreme shadow detail, are bright and cheerful. Childish? Possibly. I'm not exactly sure what the target age group for this game is as it does have a little suggestive content amidst itself.

Sound 5/10: Okay, maybe not as epic and fitting as Halo's music but it's not something that will get on your nerves. It's easy to get so wrapped up in the game that the music may seem like it's not playing. But if you turn it off, you will most likely think to yourself, "The music isn't playing." Again, it seems to be more child oriented. In most cases, the background music is a flute. As for sound effects, I believe they fit flawlessly in with the gameplay. Each attack has it's own unique sound, adding to the uniqueness of each and every class. Unfortunatly, it doesn't fit with the game so much that it makes you want to continue playing for the rest of your life. It can become repetitive at times and a simple click or two can remedy the situation.

Gameplay 10/10: The heart and soul of a game is highly dependent upon gameplay and how much entertainment it provides. In most MMORPGs, the level of entertainment almost always revolves around making friends and spending time with them rather then playing alone. If you love chess, you can spend weeks playing this alone and enjoy the plotting of each and every move for unmatched power. Joining a guild and taking on other players brings the challenge to it to an unmatched level, however. PvP is done so that almost every class has a class it is weak to and a class it is strong too. For example, a Sacrier, a masochist class that uses short range attacks and takes on damage to boost it's stats while maintaining a very high HP pool, tends to be week against Sadidas and Xelors, both of which are long range attackers, yet are a great way to take out, say, an Iop, a short range fighter class that focuses on damage.

Interactivity 9/10: Though not dependant upon interacting with others unless you consider marketing off your stuff, it can have incredible benefits. Selling equipment to players is, without a doubt, the most effective way to earn a little Kama (Currency in Dofus) as for fighting itself, no, you CAN solo through a large portion of the game if you are either very strong compared to the monsters or very good at using strategy to your advantage.

Overall 9/10: I find it slightly difficult to leave the Dofus community forever. I love playing chess and this game is a very good substitute considering you must use each move with consideration to the consequences a few turns down the road. Why only nine, though? Simply put, over a long period of time, monsters can become too predictable and that's not a good thing if you are easily frustrated with PvP. Simply take a break for a day or two and you will be back begging for more.

Side note: Don't worry about your computer not being able to handle it, the game is made with Flash so, more often then not, you can run it so long as you have the most recent macromedia player.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 09/15/08

Game Release: Dofus (US, 09/01/05)