Shaiya Eternity

There aren’t many MMORPG’s that stand the passage of time. Most will last 3 or 4 years at best, before players move onto the next big thing. Shaiya is one of the few to have lasted, having been released in 2007 by Aeria Games. The game offers players the choice between good and evil, and once the choice is made, immerses them in a fantasy world where their goal is to become strong against the opposing force.

Features

Some of the key features that have made this game a long-term investment of time, effort and money for a large player-base are:
• Easy to navigate interface and efficient combat controls – The game interface itself is user-friendly, and the combat controls are based on a simple point and click attack – but hotkeys can be assigned to skills, spells and certain items to create a flurry of attacks, buffs and debuffs to demolish your enemies.
• 4 character races to choose from – Though 4 may not seem like a great deal of choice, the available races have been constructed to compliment class selection.
• Class – Once the player has chosen a character race, they are invited to select one of three classes best suited to that particular race.
• Difficulty modes – Although many players mourn the changes made to the difficulty modes, with easy and hard mode having been removed, most new players are content to play Normal mode, then switch to Ultimate mode when they desire more of a challenge. Ultimate mode allows a character/player to gain more stat points and skill points per level, though each level now requires more EXP to attain. There are also Ultimate mode specific items and skills, which can only be unlocked in this mode.
• Site and in-game malls – For players wishing to purchase better equipment or useful items with real money, an “Item Mall” is integrated into the game itself, meaning quick purchases can be made without having to exit and restart the game. There is also an “Item Mall” on the game’s main website, for those who wish to take their time and peruse their options.

Comparison

These days, there are a plethora of MMORPG’s out there – the average player is spoilt for choice. Though Shaiya, in its heyday, was a unique and captivating game of the genre, there is now a lot more choice in this particular style of MMORPG, and most of them are truly Free to Play.

Conclusion

In conclusion, whilst Shaiya will remain strong in the hearts of many a player, newer players would do better to spend their time searching for games similar to Shaiya, instead of wasting their time on what Shaiya itself has, sadly, become.