May 10, 2005 - Vanguard: Saga of Heroes is the debut project for Sigil. However, the team is among the most experienced we know, including many members who previously worked with CEO and President Brad McQuaid to create one of the massively multiplayer category's seminal landmarks, EverQuest. They call their new title third-generation because it seeks to build on both the trailblazers of the 1990s and the current group.

Commendations
The developers are aiming to craft a gameworld in which there is content for small, large and raid-sized groups, one that emphasizes challenge and reward while addressing annoying and frustrating issues like camping and undue down time. They've talked about having advanced approaches to elements such as encounter systems and travel, and about implementing other ideas and plans that may prove revolutionary. The visuals shown to date, rendered by a modified version of the Unreal technology, have been impressive, and the glimpses they've furnished of the overall art direction indicate this will also be a strength. As noted, the team has lots of experience, and not just as individuals; many are used to working together.

Reservations
Although Sigil's principals have stated that it takes at least three years to produce a persistent state world, the project is approximately that old now, and still apparently some months from release. A number of key systems have only been discussed in relatively general terms, making it difficult to envision how they'll really function. There's lots of competition in the fantasy realm, and the overall buzz level seems fairly moderate.

Considerations
It seems safe to predict that Vanguard: Saga of Heroes will be a good, solid game. Based on the current state of what's known, however, there are still unanswered questions as to whether and how it will truly stand out.

Screenshots




[First Views are intended to provide initial impressions. Unlike our full previews, they do not require trying different characters, strategies et al. They may be based on limited playing time, presentations, demos, previously revealed information et al. - Ed.]