Dark Age of Camelot Review

Written by: Joseph G. • Edited by: Michael Hartman
Published Dec 4, 2008 • Related Guides: Mmorpg Games | Mmorpgs

In this nostalgic review of DAOC, we take a look at what made this MMORPG game so great in its prime, and we examine the state of the game in 2008. The first game with RvR combat, it's fair to say that even if it were released today it would be considered an innovative, quality game. Long live DAOC!

What's the Story on DAOC?

Dark Age of Camelot was released in 2001 by Mythic Entertainment. Mythic was one of the first companies on the MMORPG scene, and DAOC was their first creation. DAOC was released at a time when MMORPG game designers could afford to integrate innovative gameplay elements into their games, and DAOC is an example of the kind of gaming quality that can be made when a company is not afraid to do something new.

The most innovative feature in DAOC was RvR, otherwise known as Realm vs. Realm combat. The three player factions in the game, Albion, Midgard, and Hibernia, were locked in a battle to the death over dominance of the servers in DAOC, and this was where the gameplay really hit a high point. The RvR in DAOC was implemented in such a way that the playerbase of each realm banded together, forming large groups around planned invasion times, led by players who became legendary in their own right within the server communities. There were great thrills to be had, as your war party went off sieging keeps and trying to stay one step ahead of the hordes of players in the other realms on the server. RvR was what made DAOC great, and no game in history has managed to implement it as well as it was implemented in DAOC.

DAOC in 2008
Rating

It's been seven years since the release of DAOC, and I'm sad to say that the years haven't been kind to this once illustrious game. Many people would say that DAOC's decline over the years is due mostly to new games coming out, as well as to some of Mythic's game design strategies. There were population imbalances on the servers, newly released classes oftentimes were quite overpowered, and many of the expansions to the game took the game in a totally different direction than the playerbase would have hoped for.

At one point Classic servers were released, which took the game back to the state that it was in before the expansions, and this did draw players back to the game. These servers were at full population for some time, but there were still issues such as population imbalances and overpowered classes. I can't help but think that DAOC would still be going strong if these issues had been addressed in short order.

DAOC in 2008 is essentially dead. The servers are barren, and Mythic's promise to create a new server type, Origins servers, doesn't seem to be coming to fruition. We'll miss you DAOC, it was a great run.

DAOC in its Prime
Rating

I think it's only fair to give DAOC a rating for that period of time when server volumes were at the max and giant RvR battles were happening all across the landscape of every server. This was the golden age of DAOC, and most of those who played the game in its hayday will gladly tell you that it was one of the best MMORPG experiences to be had anywhere. I've heard mixed reviews for Mythic's followup to DAOC, Warhammer Online, and I haven't tried it myself, but I am definitely tempted to give the game a go.

DAOC is Dead, Long Live DAOC!

So, is there any future for Dark Age of Camelot in 2008, 2009, or 2010? We can only hope that Mythic will either find some way to revive the game, or that they will one day release the source code. Ultima Online is an example of a game which continues to exist long after most MMORPGs would have faded away, with a ton of different servers to play on, each with unique rules. Perhaps one day we will see the same thing with DAOC. It would be wonderful if we could some day, and it doesn't hurt to dream of such a thing. Whatever ends up happening, Long Live DAOC! It was a great run.

DAoC_Lover Oct 19, 2010 5:16 PM

DAoC is the best ever!!

I too played DAoC from the beginning, and stayed with it until the Atlantis stuff ruined it. I played WoW for years, but in 2008 went back to a classic server and tried DAoC again. Even then, it was better than WoW, but the deserted servers made it impossible to play, so I went back to WoW after leveling a couple of new toons to 50. If only Blizzard had made World of Starcraft, with its 3 races, instead of World of Warcraft.....sigh

CNAB Jun 12, 2010 11:00 PM

Nostalgia

I started playing DAoC about 4 months after release and continued to play 5 long years. I ran Mid on Bedevere the whole time, with 3 accounts. I was gm of a guild that had one of the biggest alliances on the server and saw the beginning of a lot of great guilds. i loved playing and this was my first mmo. but I'll never get over how imbalanced the realms were and the in game issues that were never fixed. I would LOVE to see this revitalized and reborn to the world of MMO's but i think Mythic is too busy with its new baby Warhammer. the chance of a DAoC revival is looking bleak.

Jessie Feb 19, 2010 3:43 PM

Still kicking

I'm a new player to DAoC as of about 2 months ago. I missed the much-vaunted glory days, bu in its current state the game still grabbed me when all the other MMOs I tried left me cold, one way or another.

Post- the Ywain server-merge, there are easily 3,000 players on in the US at peak times; often more. It doesn't feel empty at all--on the contrary, people clamor for the swift-vanishing spots in battle groups that fill up almost as soon as their formation is announced. Albs still zerg, Hibs still tend towards individualism over mass solidarity, and the Mids still seem to yearn for a Valhalla earnable only if they die killing either enemy.

It's great fun, extremely challenging, and a marvelous game both marked by and requiring real intelligence, skill, and heart.

'S good. 'S still very much alive; and hopefully will remain so.

James Aug 24, 2009 6:37 AM

DAoC

I also played DAoC very early after release and for about 2 years. I then stopped and played around with a few other games.

But now I am back playing, actually on a Freeshard server called "Uthgard". It is more an EU population than a US one, but there is no TOA/SI - things are basically Classic, and now they are bringing out Old Frontiers which people seem pretty excited about.

Hopefully the Golden-Age DAoC can maybe come back!

Marty Jul 10, 2009 10:15 AM

DAOC in future

I am one of the early DAOC players who recently came back to the game because of the superb RVR. It is sad to see the english servers are almost empty. However the German servers are very alive.

Currently the Clamorgan cluster has lots of people on, and theres enough RVR action every nigt, like in the old days. Only setback is the german language. There are however more and more english speaking people moving to the german realms, and its getting easier to find english speaking guilds.

Dark Age of Camelot Review

What's the Story on DAOC?

DAOC in 2008Rating

DAOC in its PrimeRating

DAOC is Dead, Long Live DAOC!

Comments

DAOC in 2008
Rating

DAOC in its Prime
Rating