MMORPG Review: Wonderland Online

I have tried many MMORPG's over the years. So many, in fact, that they all started to look the same after a while. In the beginning, they would be fun, but once I got past the level 20 mark, all that was left for me were repetitive quests and mindless grinding to level. These games were doomed to be abandoned and lay in a corner on my hard drive, collecting metaphorical dust.

As of now, I doubt that Wonderland Online will have the same fate. This MMORPG features cute anime art and monsters, and charmingly improper use of the English language. Here, like in many other MMORPG's, the objective is to complete quests and level up your character. You select the attributes of your character and how you want them to level. You also select their element, which determines the kinds of skills they will have.

But all this is nothing new. Standard-issue MMO formula. However, Wonderland Online has a number of unique features that set it apart from its competitors, and ensures long-lasting gameplay that won't lose the player's interest.

One of Wonderland Online's interesting features is the compound system. Through a special menu, you can combine almost any item in your inventory with another. Combine wood with wood, and there's a chance you'll get a spear. If you're lucky or if you have a high enough alchemy skill, that is. If not, there's a chance you'll end up with a common stone, or a straw mushroom. Keep compounding to raise your skill level. There's a list on the website of some of the basic formulas. But be careful - you never really know what you're going to get.

Another interesting aspect of Wonderland Online is the player's tent. Open your tent on the field or in a town to enter and rest in safety. But that's not all a tent is good for. Using different tools found in your tent, you can create items, weapons, and even vehicles. Every new tool you make opens the possibilities for more new tools and objects to be manufactured. Sometimes I'll spend more time making new things for my tent than leveling or doing quests. This system is a complex and very entertaining twist to general MMO gaming.