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Only the tough survive in this aptly named expansion pack.
Among things you can expect here are more spells, more items, more beats, more zones and a level cap increase (from 60 to 65).
One of the bigger updates in the game is the Plane of Knowledge. You can access the Plane of Knowledge from many locations throughout the game world. Once you enter this (you don’t need to be a particular level) you can venture around it to find new spells, sharper your trade, or the biggest thing: transport from one area of the massive game world to another.
Before, you had to travel places and even with teleports and the like, it still took a while to get to a new area. Thankfully, you can now go to any of the major cities or the moon via a simple click. No waiting time at all. That makes it pretty darn awesome and while some diehard EverQuest fans complained when this feature was announced, I’m thrilled. It really saves time.
The meat of the game is the Plane of Tranquility, which has a level limit in the 40s. Once you’re here you can enter more Planes to show your skills in. Some of those Planes require more than a level though. You’ll need to find entrances or go on particular quests to find those entrances. This means that higher level characters will have tons of new stuff to do but it means that lower level characters will not be able to fully enjoy the expansion. Besides the aforementioned Plane of Knowledge, players below Level 45 won’t find much to do.
The visuals didn’t change much from the engine upgrade of Shadows of Luclin.
There is a new sound engine though, and many of the bugs in the previous engine were removed. The audio is now pleasant thanks to the upgrade and new background music.
Game Price and Fees
You can buy EverQuest: Planes of Power by itself for $19.99, according to EBGames. EverQuest: Planes of Power is also included in EverQuest Evolution which also includes EQ: Classic, Ruins of Kunark, Scars of Velious, Shadows of Luclin and Legacy of Ykeska for $29.99 according to EBGames.
Macintosh gamers can experience EverQuest:Planes of Power in EverQuest for Mac which retails for $49.99 and includes EQ: Classic, Ruins of Kunark, Scars of Velious, and Shadows of Luclin as well.
You’ll need to pay $12.95 a month. The first month you have your EQ account is free. The 3-month subscription rate is $35.85 ($3 savings) and a 6-month subscription rate is $65.70 ($12 savings). This fee lets you play all EverQuest expansions.
Also, you can subscribe to the Sony Online Entertainment All Access Pass which goes for $21.99 a month. This includes premium SOE content (EverQuest, EverQuest Macintosh Edition, PlanetSide, EverQuest Online Adventures, The Station Pass, and the upcoming EverQuest II).
Conclusion
Overall, if you’re in a high enough level, you’ll definitely want this expansion.
Minimum Requirements:
Windows 98, 2000, ME, XP; 400Mhz Processor, 256MB RAM, GeForce 1 or Radeon 7200 or equivalent, DirectX 8.1 compatible sound card, 4x CDROM, 28.8kbps internet connection, 2.5GB free hard drive space
Recommended Requirements:
Windows 98, 2000, ME, XP; 400+Mhz Processor, 512 RAM, GeForce 3 or Radeon 8500 or equivalent, DirectX 8.1 compatible sound card, 16x CDROM, 56kbps internet connection, 3.0GB free hard drive space
Review written with help from official EverQuest fanatic, Johnathan Hernandez. -- Jose Liz, PGNx Media
---- Sep 24, 2003
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