Published by Aeria, Stone Age 2 is a simple game who’s main emphasis seems to be on pet ownership. Players catch various pets, train them, feed them, and teach them new skills. I’m not quite sure why but every 2D turn based MMORPG seems to follow this formula. There’s Myth War 2 Online, Fairyland Online, Wonderland Online and Elf Online just to name a few. Luckily, Stone Age 2 has a unique setting; prehistory. The cute, bright anime inspired graphics and varied character models do make Stone Age 2 an attractive game for those looking for a simpler MMORPG.
Despite being a graphically simple game, Stone Age 2 manages to take up a whopping 1.3 GB of disk space once installed and patched. I’m not quite sure why it’s so big, there are only two resolution settings and the graphics, character models, and effects all look pretty basic. It does rain, snow and turn from day to night as you play which is a nice touch that adds a bit to the immersion. The intro music is fitting and upbeat but there’s too little of it in-game. Character creation is also impressive for a 2D game, there are a total of 12 character models to choose from ranging from little girls to giant buff men. Each of these models has several hair color schemes but as far as I can tell all the characters are identical save for appearance. Players are given 20 stat points to freely distribute among the games 4 stats; Energy, Strength, Quickness, and Spiritual. A few eye and mouth shapes are also available to flash out your character before choosing a starting location. Stone Age 2 has three beginner areas to chose from; the coastal town of Shefa, the snowy village of Maquina, and the grasslands of Halbol.
When you first enter the game, after character creation, you’ll be prompted by a nearby NPC on whether or not you wish to enter the tutorial area. This is completely optional and if you’re at all familiar with Stoneage2 Gold, MMOs, or video games in general it is entirely optional. The tutorial consists of half a dozen or so NPCs scattered around a small area. Each specializes in a different feature available in Stone Age 2, for example the Den Instructor tells you about the game’s player housing feature. The only NPC worth talking to in the tutorial area would have to be the Quest instructor who’ll send you out to kill a few monsters, combine some meat, than talk to another NPC. This short quest line completes the tutorial and brings both the player and his or her pet to around level 4 by the end. Movement is done through the standard point and click method with keyboard short cuts available for opening menus.
