Because the Mabinogi movie has the really annoying habit of bursting into song when all you want to do is read the article, I’ve hidden it beneath the fold. So click through to read how EQ2 could take some lessons from Mabinogi in making their world seem fun and inviting.
EQ2 horse movie:
Mabinogi horse movie:
Both games have horses. They’re even pretty similar horses. But one tells a story, and one looks a whole lot better than the other. Granted, the EQ2 movie is from EQ2’s beta, and Mabinogi is a much newer game, but can you imagine EQ2’s stellar gameplay matched with an art style that’s a little more fun?
Even four years in, EQ2’s world looks drab compared to its competitors. But then it’s my feeling that system-straining, high-overhead games are not a good match for MMOs anyway. While I don’t think EQ2 should go for the anime style of Mabinogi or the cartoon style of World of Warcraft (sigh, hello spammers…), I’m sure the SOE artists could come up with something cool. The Agency, for instance, looks a little more stylized, a little less demanding of your computer. Something like that.