Almost three years after the release of the original version of the game, Square Enix released Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn last week. I’ve already talked at length about the game’s mechanics, gathering and crafting systems and dungeons, but that was all during the various beta weekends. This time the game’s live for everyone to join and there’s no cap on how far I can progress, so it’s time to see just what FFXIV: ARR has to offer for MMO players. While there’re still a number of quests I’ve yet to complete, classes I haven’t touched since Closed Beta 3 and dungeons I haven’t unlocked let alone run, I have seen enough of the current content (both new and updated versions of what I saw during beta) that I feel confident giving my opinions on the game.

It’s been over a month since Cryptic’s new free-to-play MMO, Neverwinter, went into open beta. Many players have taken the plunge into the world of Faerûn, leveling one of the five launch classes to 60 and partaking in the quest/PvE/PvP content available. Many of the writers here at ZAM have been playing through the game on our own characters, including me. I’ve made no effort to hide the fact that I’m a bit of a Dungeons & Dragons nerd. I’ve mentioned it in news posts, there was that long and rambling “what classes might we see next?” post during closed beta, and I even admitted to being a DM when I wrote that post. Considering that I had a fairly glowing preview of the game during the beta weekends, has the game managed to keep my attention these last few weeks as I progressed past what I saw in those first twenty levels?

Sequels are a peculiar thing. Sometimes they manage to build on the original, improving in almost every way. On other occasions they merely continue with the theme, extending the lifespan of a franchise. And then there are rare occasions where a sequel sinks badly, which is why there is only one movie called The Matrix.

Such is the tightrope that Logitech’s G400s Gaming Mouse, part of a new line-up from Logitech, finds itself on. Will it continue the legacy of the MX 518, a mouse held in high regard from the early days of PC gaming? Or will it fall into the abyss of obscurity? After close examination it’s safe to say that this is both firm and functional, without being a radical departure from previous mice in the same category.

When I started out in PC gaming some twenty years ago, the hardware landscape was pretty bleak. Excluding some minor tinkering, I’d use whatever came in the box until it became time to junk it and buy a replacement. It wasn’t until my University years that I started building my own, tailoring my rigs to deliver gaming power.

It’s probably why I developed a soft spot for my first gaming-related computer purchases. The Orchid Righteous 3D and SoundBlaster AWE32 are what started my search for Gaming Nirvana, but it was Logitech’s G15 keyboard that took it out of the case and on to the desk. With this keyboard I could see who was talking on Ventrilo or check to see if FRAPS was recording. In a sea of single-screen gamers I became a god of knowledge.

With Logitech’s latest gaming line-up featuring a successor in the form of the G510s, would I be lured back to the joys of an LCD screen? Or had the siren call of mechanical keyboards, exemplified by the G710+, tempted me away? For me, it’s a tough decision to make.

I’ve been itching to try out the Razer Naga Hex for some time. With six mechanical buttons on the side, Razer claimed it was ideally suited for MOBAs and Action RPGs. But I had a sneaking suspicion it would also be fantastic in more recent MMOs such as Guild Wars 2, where the game’s limited action set would lend itself to the reduced number of buttons.

I shouldn’t be surprised, but the Naga Hex worked flawlessly with every game I threw at it. MOBAs, limited-action MMOs, shooters and RPGs were all ably assisted by those larger, more responsive and more tactile buttons. Available in Razer Green, Wraith Red (reviewed), and now a League of Legends Collector’s Edition, there’s a version to suit most desktops.

The Razer Taipan is an unusual mouse for ZAM to review. It’s not specifically designed for MMOs; the precision sensors and solid grip make it more suitable for first person shooters. But if you’re a left-handed gamer that’s been left out in the cold, or the mass of macro buttons on the Naga don’t appeal, the Taipan is one weapon you’ll want to wield.

It terrifies me how much time I spend pushing buttons. Whether it’s slaying undead in Guild Wars 2 or butchering grammar in Microsoft Word, my hands are usually hammering keys of one sort or another.

This makes finding the right keyboard a struggle. I want a keyboard that’s packed with enough features to cope with my gaming demands, yet comfortable enough to use for hours at a time. With dedicated macro keys and a gentle typing profile, Razer’s Anansi keyboard offers the best of both worlds.

In the past, designing an MMO mouse was all about cramming in as many buttons as possible. Today, with the proliferation of subscription-free gaming, the landscape is very different. We have a wider selection of MMOs to choose from, and tend to dip into more titles. For the modern MMO gamer, a dedicated mouse needs more than just buttons.

Entering this rapidly changing arena is veteran mouse-maker Logitech, with the G600 MMO Gaming Mouse being its first targeted squarely at MMO fans. At first glance it might look similar to other MMO mice already on the market, but underneath that unimposing exterior are some significant differences. Despite being more aesthetically restrained than other gaming mice, this is a strong contender for a spot on your gaming desktop.

Available in white or black, the G600 is wide in a way that provides a comfortable grip for my large hands, with a gently angled top that slopes down from thumb to pinky. Suitable for both palm and claw grip styles, the 4.7 ounce unit feels solid and robust, with wide feet ensuring a smooth glide. That unadorned housing also gives the G600 an almost business-like appearance, with the 6.5 foot braided cable being one of the few hints that this mouse is all about gaming; the other being a customizable backlight behind the thumb button grid.

The G600 is one of only a few MMO mice ready to work straight out of the box, with a profile of keybindings and settings stored internally. Downloading the Logitech Gaming Software allows this on-board profile to be tweaked, as well as enabling per-game profiles to be used instead. Profiles can hold three different modes, each with its own set of key bindings, DPI settings and thumb button backlight color, making it easy to tell at a glance what mode you’re in. Logitech offers a range of pre-built profiles for most games, even offering to sweep your hard drive and configuring matches.

I’ve always been a little sceptical of wireless mice. Back in the early days of World of Warcraft I was raiding a boss in Molten Core, when suddenly the batteries died. Without a spare pair of AAs to hand, my evening’s onslaught toward Ragnaros was crippled. At that moment, I swore never to be hobbled by a wireless mouse again.

It’s taken the first wireless mouse from SteelSeries to persuade me to give them another go. With a built in lithium-ion battery and the option to go wired if the battery dies, the World of Warcraft Wireless MMO Gaming Mouse promised to overturn my preconceptions. After putting it through a barrage of tests I have to admit: I’m impressed.

Alongside the mouse, I also tried out the SteelSeries QcK Panda Monk Edition mousepad. With high quality artwork based on Blizzard’s latest expansion, I was eager to find out how mouse and pad would work together to provide the control and precision needed – not just for Mists of Pandaria, but for other popular MMOs as well.

I’ve been watching the storm clouds gather for half a year now. Since the announcement back in June I’ve seen feature reveals, from new Souls to new mechanics. I’ve interviewed developers and sat on roundtable discussions. But after the eyes-on and hands-on, the weather has finally broken; RIFT: Storm Legion is here. 

At ZAM we carve up our MMO reviews, sharing our experiences as we climb toward level cap and highlighting key features. After being knee-deep in planar creatures for just over a week, this is the first in a series of reports from the new continents of Dusken and Brevane. As my journey through Trion’s first expansion continues, I’ll keep you updated with what to expect in the later stages. 

After having mixed opinions on classic RIFT, I was apprehensive heading into this expansion. Would a cavalcade of new features be enough to keep pace with the rapidly evolving MMO genre? Would a new story arc, a dire warning from a faraway land, be enough to lure me to adventure? Would two new continents, that triple the size of the world, dazzle and amaze me? So far, the answers to these are both yes and no.