Ragnarok Online 2 (Part One)

Just a couple of weeks ago, while surfing the web, I happened to come across an advertisement of Ragnarok Online 2's Open Beta. And since Ragnarok Online was amongst the earliest few in my MMO gaming history, there was no doubt that this new release piqued my interest. Note, however, that the game appears to have regional restrictions and IP bans put in place due to licensing rights.

Now for the sake of a little history...According to my memory, Ragnarok Online Open Beta started in around 2002-2003. And when I first got wind of its English version release, I created an account and participated in it.

There were plenty of people in the game running around then and with its cutish avatars, customizable game interface and good assortment of background music for every few maps (based on its area theme - desert, forest and caves etc...), it didn't take long before it was a renown hit with localized servers sprouting all over like jRO (Japanese Ragnarok Online), mRO (Malaysian Ragnarok Online), pRO (Philippine Ragnarok Online), rRO (Russian Ragnarok Online) and kRO (Korean Ragnarok Online).

A few years later, news of a sequel "Ragnarok Online 2" being created was announced. Sadly however, I did not have the luxury to try it out since it didn't survive too far beyond open beta testing I think and was promptly scrapped. Apparently, that version of RO2 was known as "Ragnarok Online 2: The Gate of the World" and isn't the same RO2 that I am now talking about.

Developed in its stead is "Ragnarok Online 2: Legend of the Second" which is a new version of the game that kept its predecessor's 3D engine (now changed to Gamebryo engine though) but reverts back to the systems and mechanics of the original Ragnarok Online (or so it was said according to Wikipedia's article on it).

Anyway, the thing is that I happily downloaded the game and proceeded to try it out over the course of the next few weeks but unfortunately, my impression of this new RO2 ain't pretty. Somehow, I feel that this "sequel" failed to inherit the traits and beauty of the original RO.

Sorry that its this abstract cause its just a feeling and I can't really pinpoint what went wrong. But what I can tell you is that there are some major discrepancies between the original Ragnarok Online and this new version Ragnarok Online 2: Legend of the Second.

So over the next few articles, as I introduce to you the new version's features, hopefully you might be able to grasp the feeling that I was referring to.

Next: RO2 (Part Two)

Posted in: Ragnarok Online 2