Blizzard launched, and is maintaining, the most popular online game ever produced. The number of active subscribers, and the income from this game have crushed every other release since the beginning of the genre. When a business produces a viable, profitable product, you can stand and see the tidal wave of copycat product that is bound to appear. 

I have been playing 4Story for a few days now, and I can't figure out for the life of me whether it is a really good game, bent on working in the features that Blizzard made popular (and arguably borrowed from earlier games), or whether it is a mindless grind-fest that just looks, feels and sounds like World of Warcraft, but isn't.

Your character creation, UI, and skills and quests all feel and play like WoW. The character movement, combat and even death is almost exactly like World of Warcraft. Now, I am not saying this is necessarily a bad thing, as 4Story gold has a different background story, different races and different ways that your character can work their talents, but is it different enough to make a unique and enjoyable playing experience?

I have to say no.

I wanted to like this game, and enjoy myself immersed in a new, viable gaming world. Instead I found myself grinding up a Warrior, that for all intents and purposes could of been my troll warrior on Nazgrel. It felt the same, and I just could not shake the slight feeling of deja vu. I have been here before, killing boars and collecting their teeth...

So, I was going to write a great review for 4Story gold, but I just can't. I will tell you it is fun, and if you like World of Warcraft, you would be entertained for a few minutes, but that is all. You would have more fun rolling up an alt on your server of choice, and getting your main ready for the Wrath of the Liche King.

With all that Blizzard can offer you, 4Story gold  just does a poor job of imitating it. If you want to eat steak, you don't order a hamburger and be satisfied.

I just hope that in the future, this seeming impending trend of WoW copycats (4Story gold,Runes of Magic) will pass us by with a whimper and we can move on to bigger and better games. I can respect that it is free to play, and that some people will take that option. I will pay for quality when it is there, and am not ashamed to spend my money on a product that treats me right.

I see a disturbing trend in newer online games, they seem to be pumped out as fast as possible, with flash and bang but very little substance. I know that the most discerning and critical people in the world are gamers, and I don't know why developers and studios don't remember this. If they put out a product that is sub-par, they will get called on it. It is what is happening with AoC right now, and it will happen with other games.

In closing, try out 4Story gold for yourself, but if you are looking for something original, move on by. It just isn't there