September 19, 2008, 10:43 a.m.

Fargo: I've put about ten hours into both the Chaos and Order sides on two different servers, and so far, the experience is really positive. If I were to pin down the three things that make Warhammer Online stand out, and hold my interest, I would say:

1. Public Quests: On servers with active populations, these are a great way to get involved in group action with no overhead. You can participate in a fun quest with a big payoff and nice rewards without the bother of putting a group together. I have reservations (I'll blog about those later), but in the meantime, this is my favorite new mechanic.

2. Dual-Targeting: A terrific mechanic for healer or support classes that glues you to the action and doubles your effectiveness. It'll be hard to go back to games with normal targeting after this.

3. PvP for Everyone: Multiplayer combat is the heart of Warhammer Online, and the game ensures that PvP action is literally a click away. Most importantly, you can participate at any level. The game puts its best foot forward, and you don't have to grind away for weeks to appreciate it.

None of these game elements are revolutionary, but they all significantly contribute to a solid product overall.