When a little known studio named Snowblind combined the addictive nature of Diablo-style hack-n-slash gameplay with the mythology from Dungeons and Dragons' Forgotten Realms series (which also spawned the Baldur's Gate games on the PC), the only thing anyone could really comment on was the water. This is in no way a reflection on the game, since it still ranks as one of the best of the PS2s early line-up, but the water just looked that good. Snowblind has since moved on, taking both its amazing water effects and equally amazing gameplay away from the worlds of Dungeons and Dragons and into the world of Everquest.

Screenshots do not do the game justice. What looks like a top down refugee from the PC world is actually a truly brilliant game when seen in motion. Each world is littered with little details that really help to bring them to life such as flickering torches, rats scurrying around dark dungeon floors and birds flying overhead. Character models are also intricately detailed and fun to look at, even if every other character looks like another one. The variety of unique armors found in the game help to set players apart from each other and allows players to add a bit of personal touch to their characters. Special effects really help to make the game stand out from the rest. Magical items feature a soft glow that helps to set them apart from normal armor. This is a big help later on in the game when you are trying to be selective about which items to loot. Magic spells and fires sport some really amazing particle effects that give them that extra punch. The only thing more satisfying that smacking a goblin down with a club is watching sparks fly from its magical enhancements.

The music found in Champions of Norrath is brilliant. The musical scores are fully-orchestrated and really help to add to the game's atmosphere. Grunts and primal music echo through the halls of troll lairs. My only real gripe with the music is that it sometimes felt a little out of place. The serene, pastoral music that played during my journeys through the woods sounded great, but did not feel right as I took on hordes of goblins. Though a minor gripe, I found it hard to really get into combat without up-tempo music to accompany the ass-kicking I was dealing out. The voice acting is top notch as are all of the other ambient sounds found in the game.

Champions of Norrath is a whole new way to experience the Everquest universe. Instead of sinking hours and dollars into exploring Norrath, you can now just lose hours. Unlike the other Everquest-based game found on the PS2, Everquest Online Adventures, Champions of Norrath is more of a single-player experience in the vein of Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance. In fact, Norrath actually plays more like a sequel to Dark Alliance that Dark Alliance II!

Players take on the role of 10 (five male, five female) champions summoned to help stop an evil force from spreading over the land of Norrath. Each of these characters represents one of five classes featured in the MMORPG, each with their own strengths and weaknesses (something that will become important later on). The barbarian is a good melee class that can wield any weapon or armor in the game. However, he is also cut off from using any sort of magic. At the same time, the wizard can wield powerful magic, but cannot take a punch. Other available classes include ranger, shadow knight and cleric. A number of races are also featured in the game, such as wood elf, human and high elf. The downside to this is that each race is already associated with a class, which means you are not given the ability to mix and match races and classes. Although it helps give the game a 'jump right in' appeal, it would have been fun to try out different race/class combos. The differences between classes help to make the game a different experience every time, but also give the game's multiplayer component an added layer of depth, but we'll get to that later.

A majority of the game is spent roaming randomly generated areas in search of hordes of enemies, treasure and other randomly generated dungeons. Between adventures, you can return to the level's hub area where you can sell your looted goodies at the local shop and use that money to purchase new equipment and supplies. All the while you are also completing tasks which will unlock new areas to open. Is the game that deep? Not really, but it is still fun to play. The added depth comes from not only selecting which weapons and armor you will arm your character with, but in choosing which abilities they will master. As you progress through the game, you will obtain more powerful items to equip your character with. Some of these items are just stronger versions of normal weapons, but others are imbued with magical powers that give you sat boosts like faster mana regeneration or additional health/stat bonuses. Items like jewels can also be found which allow you to add magical abilities to items. As your character develops, you are given the option to place skill points into abilities on a tree. After reaching a certain level, your character can unlock new, more powerful abilities. You are given a limited number of skill points per level, so choosing which skills to master is a tough choice. It is possible to become a jack-of-all trades and put a few points in every skill, but any seasoned Diablo player can tell you that it is usually better to master one realm of skill sets.

As much fun as the single-player game is, multiplayer is the way Champions of Norrath was really meant to be experienced. This is also where class differences become important. The key to success is finding the right balance of pros and cons in your party. A tandem team of wizard and barbarian or barbarian and ranger is sure to be more effective than that of a ranger (whose skill lies in ranged combat) and wizard. With this in mind, some classes actually serve as better support classes than main classes. This does not mean that you cannot take a ranger or wizard solo through the game, but it will not be an easy trip. The multiplayer experience can also be taken online, allowing up to four players to tackle the game together, complete with voice chat via the USB headset.

Champions of Norrath is only as hard as you make it. The game features a challenging play experience, but choosing the right skills and making the right choices can make it a whole lot easier. As mentioned before, this is where most of your success or failure will stem from. You simply have to learn to play to your characters strengths and weaknesses. Charging head first into a melee battle with a wizard is a sure-fire way to see the game over screen quickly. But, if you choose your battles and try to take out as many people as you can from a distance, you will do well. Keeping your inventory well stocked with health and mana potions, as well as a few Gate Scrolls, is also a very good idea.

When playing online, or in multiplayer, the game gets a little harder due to the added number of enemies. Provided your party knows what they are doing, this shouldn't be much of a problem.

As fun as I found the multiplayer experience to be, I noticed that it was also one of the game's bigger weaknesses. The online game essentially plays like it sounds: an online version of the single-player game. Instead of traveling through the game's levels by yourself, you have a party. During gameplay, this mode is a blast; it is what happens between games that is a pain. Saving your game online is like saving it in a single-player game. Once you start back up, you will end up in the same area you were before. The problem is that you enter in a much harder area by yourself. Unless you have a dedicated group of players to play with at the same time, online play is difficult. Things would have flowed much better if Snowblind had followed the example set by Phantasy Star Online and given players a central hub area where they could meet and form parties.

Granted Champions of Norrath is primarily a hack-n-slash game, so the controls are very easy to master. The X button serves as your primary attack button while the other face buttons are used as hot keys for skills and magic attacks. Pressing the R1 button blocks while the analog stick moves your character. The D-pad is used for switching between your melee and ranged weapons (provided you have both equipped). I had few control problems and most of the ones I had were a result of having to get used to the control scheme. This does not take very long, and you'll find yourself cleaving trolls and goblins like a pro in about ten minutes.

Like Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance a few years ago, Champions of Norrath once again sets the standard for hack-n-slash RPGs. Anyone looking for a good adventure, especially those looking for good multiplayer games, can't go wrong with this one.