Planet Calypso Review

Planet Calypso is a massively multiplayer online (MMO) game designed by MindArk as part of its online virtual universe known as the Entropia Universe. This game allows players to purchase in-game currency (called Project Entropia Dollar or PED) that can be redeemed into U.S. dollars at an exchange rate of 10:1. So, virtual items acquired within the game possess a real cash value, and players can, at any moment, convert their accumulated PED into U.S. dollars and withdraw them. However, they need to have at least 1,000 PED for a withdrawl.

Gameplay:

As a new player, your life begins in Thule, the tutorial area. Through a story-driven series of missions, you will get to know the basics of gameplay. You also acquire plenty of free equipment and skills which will be helpful in higher levels. Also, you may select a profession such as hunting, mining or crafting. Players may also indulge themselves in trading assets such as land, buildings, equipment and so on. Some assets can be really expensive just like in the real world. This game created the Guinness World Record for the most expensive virtual object ever sold when a player named Jon Jacobs sold a virtual resort for 5,000 in November 2010.

Graphics:

Since its inception in 2003, this first-person shooter game has seen many improvements in the graphics department. Built using the CryEngine 2 game engine, the game features spectacular visuals. When it comes to landscape, it is evident that the game’s creators paid great attention to even the tiniest details. Whether you’re exploring the snowy mountains or the valleys, the landscape simply leaves you open-mouthed. The character models are a little underwhelming though. Over the years, Planet Calypso met with wide acclaim and won several awards. It was named twice as the MPOGD game of the month.

Community:

Planet Calypso has a great community of players. Whenever a player is stuck or has a problem with a mission, there’ll be someone to assist him/her. You may not find this elsewhere. This is a free MMO worth playing for the friendly people alone, unlike a lot of less mature free to play communities. The game also has inbuilt features to socialize with other players and have fun. As a player, you get ample opportunities to make money by doing jobs and buying/selling virtual assets in auctions. Additionally, there is a lot of player created content in this sandbox driven MMORPG.

Character Creation:

New players need to choose a name for their avatars which should include a first name, a nickname and a last name all of which can be seen by other players. The name must not have any profanities and may never be changed. Now, the players will be allowed to customise their respective avatars. MindArk asks for a player’s personal information which is used to verify his identity when he wants to make a withdrawal of PED from his account. It is not shared with other players.

Overall, Planet Calypso is a fantastic MMO game if its particular set of features appeal to you. It never stops surprising you with its seemingly endless list of amazing features and can be played for free.