Product Description

EverQuest II: Desert of Flames is the first expansion pack for the massively multiplayer online game EverQuest II. Explore the world with two incredible new features: PvP action for EQ II, and the ability to move vertically. Continue the quest for exciting, ever-shifting adventure in the exotic Desert of Flames, where 8 new zones and more than twenty new epic encounters combine to challenge and exhilarate players of all levels. Test your combat skills in battles with over 40 new fearsome creatures

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #17537 in Video Games
• Brand: Sony
• Model: 40892
• Released on: 2005-09-12
• ESRB Rating: Teen
• Platforms: Windows 98, Windows 2000, Windows Me, Windows XP
• Format: CD-ROM
• Number of items: 1

Features

• Expansion pack for online role-playing game EverQuest II
• Adds more than 40 new creatures and exotic landscapes from the Desert of Ro
• Play up to level 60
• Climb up cliffs and over obstacles
• Requires the full version of EverQuest II and an Internet connection

From the Manufacturer
Sony Online Entertainment is excited to introduce Desert of Flames, the first expansion pack for the company's newest and critically acclaimed massively multiplayer online game EverQuest II. This expansion promises exciting adventures and provides a rich future of in-depth gameplay our 300,000 fans expect to find only in EverQuest II.

Climb walls, play up to level 60, and fight for the title of Arena Champion

The salt flats, mesas, spires and dunes in EverQuest II Desert of Flames provide the backdrop for exciting new adventures that will tell the tales of the people and creatures found in the Desert of Ro. Players of all classes can collect new creatures and pit them against each other in special arenas in the newly discovered city of Maj'Dul. Rather than watching the battle from the sidelines, players become the champion, slinging spells and wielding weapons in a variety of combat scenarios. Player characters can also take their chances against these fearsome creatures, or even challenge other players in battles for fame and glory.

Discover a desert city, towering mesas, and pleasant oases

For the first time in an MMO, players will be able to scramble up crumbling cliffs in search of treasure and adventure in thrilling new zones all set within this colorful Arabian Nights theme. As players battle over 40 new fearsome creatures, many will enjoy the level range increase to 60. Players can also express themselves with new spoken emotes and share loot with others through special guild vaults. With new epic encounters designed for levels 45 and up, and the rumor of fearsome twin metallic dragons, there are plenty of exciting new activities for everyone to enjoy in EverQuest II Desert of Flames.

Key Features

• Arena champions: Take the form of new exotic creatures, or fight as yourself, in battles for glory against other creatures or players.
• New movement: Search for treasure and find adventure in new areas by climbing up and down walls for the first time in an MMO.
• Voice-over emotes: Express yourself in battle or expand your social circle with new voice emotes.
• Guild vaults: Share the loot of a hard won battle with the rest of your guild members.
• Level range increase: Now play up to level 60!
• New land: Discover over a dozen new zones and epic encounters.
• New creatures: Test your combat skills in battles with over 40 new fearsome creatures.

Note to Customers: This expansion pack requires the full version of EverQuest II to play.

Customer Reviews

Countering Lies
I play EQ2 and want to counter some of the lies by previous reviewers.

You can sell while offline, you don't need to be logged into the game to sell. If you stay logged in then people can come to you and not pay the 20% broker fee, giving those merchants an advantage in big transactions. But the person stating that you MUST stay logged in is 100% wrong.

I pay the basic fee and get more than four characters. If you pay the extra fee you do get more characters but you also get many features like being able to talk with guildies while you're not logged in and free access to the mini-expansions. The statement that you only get 4 characters is 100% wrong.

At no time in this game has SOE charged $10 for content. The basic subscription covers a lot of updates, all received for free. As of this writing, Live Update 18 has been in place for a while. SOE occasionally introduces "mini-expansions" called Adventure Packs that they charge a few bucks for, or that you get for free if you subscribe to the bigger plan (see above). If I remember right, one Adv Pack was $5 and the other was $7. Whether they're worth the price is a matter of opinion. The statement that you must pay extra for updates is 100% wrong.

Zone times really depend on your PC. It's not a seemless process like it is in many games, by the same token you always have somewhere to run to for safety. Zoning for me generally takes 15 seconds for a smaller zone, 30 seconds for a larger one. Only someone with a very slow PC will see the 1-2 minutes the original poster stated and if you have that slow a PC, you really won't enjoy raid level content until you upgrade.

The game can be played solo but it will take you quite a while to reach the level cap if you do. The best way is a mix of solo and grouping. Some classes solo better than others (caster and hybrid fighter classes mostly) and some are more designed for grouping (pure fighter and healers mostly). There's a variety of styles supported but soloing to 60 will take longer than some other games do. A good group can really get you moving and I don't have much problem getting groups unless I'm in during a light population time.

/agree with Countering Lies
I've been playing EQ2 since launch. I bought the expansion the day of release. I also pay the extra fees, so I get the extra character slots, for a total of 10. A regular subcription gives players 6 slots. Everything Smash said in his review, entitled Countering Lies, is 100% true. I'm not sure what information the other reviewers are basing their reviews on, but they're not only wrong, but lying. Anyone who did a little research on the SOE website, would see for themselves. Don't believe the lies.

EQ2 - the truth
EQ2 is one of the more difficult mmorpgs to master, but is also pretty easy to play. If you want to master advanced EQ2 tactics, you can, but you don't have to.

EQ2 has a great community. The people there are generally more friendly than in any other mmorpg I have played (I've played almost all of them). I think this is exactly because it is more challenging to master than other games.

The bottom two reviews in this thread are ridiculous, just plain wrong. For example, Guild Wars doesn't charge a monthly fee - I love some aspects of GW by the way but you do get what you pay for. You don't have to be online to sell in EQ2. Zones are not a big deal. Expansion packs are not like paying for the two zones listed - they are like paying for two new zones that didn't exist before, something WoW players have not had the chance to experience.. It's like buying a D&D module. Since WoW doesn't ever add much to the game, there really isn't anything to compare it to there.