Game play in Dreamlords consists of a area map broken into dozens of territories. Players can move their Dreamlord to from one territory to any adjacent territory but must then conquer that territory before moving on again. Each player is on their own individual map and cannot be invaded by other players. But more on PvP later. This unique map is there for each player to conquer and in doing so players expand their territory and collect loot from the monsters they defeat. Oddly, each territory does not have a unique geography, instead there are several pre-made design that are randomly chosen each time players enter a territory. The problem with this is two fold. Firstly, the geography of any location is inconsistent which, I feel, detracts from the 'persistence' of the Dreamlord universe. Secondly, there are only a few designs which means players will end up playing the same basic scenario dozens of times. Add to this the fact that almost all units move at a sluggish pace, and the fact that it takes several hours to be in a position to have multiple units, and you've got a slow paced game that will likely deter casual gamers.

Now for the part that really differentiates Dreamords from Saga. In order to build new structures of research new technologies, players must visit the official website. (don't worry - a button in the game interface takes you directly to the site) The website page is simple to navigate and understand, but just what buildings to build, what technologies are to be researched, and what traits should one acquire are left to the player to figure out. For construction purposes, there are three main resources. They are: wood, metal, and stone. The common currency is called 'Soulshards', and another element called 'Tribute' which can be used to acquire special spells, equipment, and other features. Tribute must be purchased using real money, though players start with a set amount.

Dreamlords is one of the few games in the MMORTS genre, the other two being Saga and Shattered Galaxy. Dreamlord seems to be much more in-depth than its rivals, though it requires far more commitment from its players. Each unit can be equipped with various pieces of gear, and there are literally dozens of 'traits', and technologies to choose from. Don't expect anything approaching a functioning economy or army in the first few hours of game play. Be prepared to spend hours clearing identical maps of identical NPCs for territory and resources. Only after hours of repetition can players participate in PvP. PvP is very much clan based, which in Dreamlords are called Convergeces. By joining a convergence, players can conquer territory on the special PvP areas, which reward extra resources and Tribute to members of the Convergence in control. Since Tribute is such a powerful resource (which must otherwise be purchased), control of PvP territories is very important to a nation's progress. Dreamlord is not a game for the casual MMO gamer, but that shouldn't stop anyone interested in the genre to give it a try. To fans of games in the Civilization or Total War series, Dreamlords is a great free experience that will keep you occupied for hours on end and so is highly recommended. If the half game, half web browser aspect of Dreamlords is unappealing, try Saga which plays similarly but handles base management in-game.

Review Mister Massive
October 9, 2009