Turbine Games Microsoft * Pentium 166 MHz or higher processor * Microsoft Windows 95 or Microsoft Windows 98 with DirectX 6; Microsoft Internet Explorer version 3.02 or higher, or Netscape 4.0 or higher * 32 MB of RAM * 150 MB free hard-drive space (25 MB of additional space may be required for Setup to complete successfully) * Quad-speed CD-ROM drive * SVGA monitor (16-bit color), 800x600 display with 1 MB video memory * Sound card recommended, but not required. * 3D accelerators supported * Internet connection Tested on a Celeron 333MHz, Windows 98 PC with 128 MB of RAM, Soundblaster 16, and an ATI Xpert 128 16MB graphics card. ----- Asheron's Call is an online 3D graphical role-playing game, based on adventuring and exploring the world of Dereth. As a player in the game it is up to you to define your character's role in life, be it as a life mage, healing those in need or a valiant warrior, rushing into the dungeons that surround you. Though a little difficult to master in the beginning, Asheron's Call could definitely cause you to rack up your online hours as you play together with over a thousand other gamers in the word of Dereth. The set up of the Microsoft Gaming Zone was one of the only things I really don't like about this game. There are quite a few screens to go through JUST to get the game started, but once you're in, you seem to forget about the time spent getting there. Also, the character creation process is a wonderful bonus. Unlike some other games of this genre, you have quite a bit of control over your character's starting appearance: hair style and color, eye color, skin tone, clothing type and color and facial features are all customizable. You also get control over your character's beginning skills (you can train any skill you like) and stats (boost your mana, increase your strength, etc). The name of your character and starting city are also completely left to your whim. You enter the world at the city of your choosing and enter a 3D world of buildings, bad guys and fellow players. I was impressed with the graphics, especially the sky as the time of day changed. My first main character was a sorceress, and the action and spell-casting animations are dazzling in comparison to similar games. Your character's appearance also changes as you acquire new items of clothing and armor, however I was not lucky enough to run into any higher level players to see what they would look like after much more adventuring than I had done. Another difficulty I had with Asheron's Call was with the keyboard layout; the multitude of hotkeys kept me guessing constantly which key was responsible for what action. I like the way the screen is laid out however, with the text box and all your other buttons at the bottom, and your statistic bars along the top. My last gripe about the game was the seeming lack of community; I seemed to find more solitary players than groups. Unlike EverQuest where you can shout across your current zone that you're looking for someone to adventure with, you actually have to run around until you find someone and then ask them to group. While this may seem more realistic in a role-playing sense, it makes for some occasionaly lonely adventuring. As the game is still in beta testing, this may definitely change after it is released and more people are playing. Comparing again to EverQuest, there are also a few prominent advantages to choosing this game. When you wish to set your home point (the place you return to when you die), you need only to find the nearest lifestone, touch it and you're ready to run off again. In EverQuest however, if you cannot find a spellcaster to help you set your home point, you may have a long run ahead of you if you die far away. Also, unlike EQ, Asheron's Call really does not have zone lines (the game pauses as you load the next zone) unless you step through a portal. Otherwise, you can run anywhere you like, without ever having to stop, wait for the next city to load, and then continue on. I enjoyed playing Asheron's Call, and won't be shelving this game anytime soon. Overall I give Asheron's Call 4 out of 5 joysticks. I also look forward to the public release of the game, as I think the world of Dereth will be a more interesting place once it is available to the consumer. Asheron's Call was reviewed by Da Gameboyz Contributer Sapphire