Corum Online
Review
It may seem like just another knockoff, but manages to hold its own against the more well-known games
by zr122
reviewed on PC
Detailed music and graphics
Though Corum Online doesn't provide the intricate designs and orchestrated musical numbers of more well-known MMORPG's, there is a certain amount of professionalism attached to the game in terms of music and graphics. By no means do they compare to games that require monthly payments to play, they do give Corum a life of its own, and make the experience that much more enjoyable. The musical score is quiet enough not to distract from the actual game, but has enough of a presence to make the gamer aware of it. While each song is by necessity a tad repetitive, the unobtrusive qualities of the song in general prevent the common feeling of annoyance at having to listen to the same few beats. This is not a game whose music invades your sleep, but whether that's a compliment or an insult, I have yet to determine.
The graphics, while nowhere near the quality of ist recent peers, is akin to those shown in the Diablo series. The game is shown in the same third person overhead view but with the additional ability to alter the camera's angle at will. A welcome change to the quite standard location of the game camera. Each locale in the game has its own theme ranging from the starting city where each street is cobbled, to the far off desert city complete with sandstorms and an oasis off to its side. The dungeons sport a ruins-esque quality, with eroding walls and rock floors that have been covered by grass to mark the passage of time.
Corum Online falls victim to a common technique that has caused no little strife with gamers around the globe. When creating the monsters found throughout the game, GPotato has reused sprites for several enemies. While this is a common technique, GPotato takes it to a new low by not even changing the color scheme to signify a new enemy. Thankfully, your character will never find himself in an area populated by multiple enemies using the same image while sporting different names and statistics.
"I feel like I have played this game for years... literally"
Point-and-click is the most common control system used in computer games and Corum Online has stayed with this tried and true method of controlling your character. The left mouse button sends your character to whatever location the mouse was pointing at. If a monster is selected your character instigates an attack with whatever weapon is currently equipped. You can also assign an ability or skill to the right mouse button, be it a long-range spell or a powerful two-handed bash. While all the menus can be selected on the screen via the mouse, there is also the option to use shortcuts on the keyboard, allowing for two-handed play. While this does seem slightly pointless -as everything can be done with the mouse- it does shave off a second of time if the keyboard is used instead of having to click.
Corum Online does not aspire to any form of greatness, nor does it seem to want any sort of status in the online community. That lack of ambition may just be its saving feature as it manages to rise above mediocrity, creating an enjoyable experience worth the time it takes to get it running.
7.0
fun score
No Pros and Cons at this time
