DESCRIPTION

At launch, the focus of Vanguard: Saga of Heroes is on Thestra, an area of Telon that is cursed by an undead menace. You begin your adventure in Thestra, picking from among 19 available races and 15 classes, then customizing the look of your character. Become a goblin bard or Elven rogue, and then walk into the sunlight of the area to greet other players looking for a battle, quest, or just a chat. Over time, other continents become available to explore including Qalia and Kojan.

Once you earn cash, you can buy a horse, a dragon, or boat to help you get around the large world of Telon. You can also purchase a house and put it in a zoned area for a safe place to keep your things, or use the land to harvest resources, set up a vendor's shop, or even build a factory to manufacture items. Skills such as blacksmithing, alchemy, and shipbuilding could make you a vital contributor the Telon economy, or bankrupt you and leave you with just the clothes on your back. Do you have a knack for public speaking? Become the leader of a guild, or start a new city that houses the best merchants, hunters, and entertainers in the entire area.

The landscape is much like the Earth of today and features plains, oceans, islands, swamps, deserts, mountains, and fields to explore. Creatures are as diverse as the environment of Telon, and include thinking animals with the ability to understand religion, and animals that are just there for the kill. Keith Parkinson designs the fantasy world of Telon, and Mystic's Emotion FX real-time animation technology fuels the game's character generation. It is intended to give characters distinct, unique, movement yet still allow for the sharing of most animations. ~ Gracie Leach, All Game Guide