Ancient Anguish
Address:
Db Size:
(Unknown)
Players Connected:
1 (an hour ago)
Maximum Connected:
18 (last 30 days)
Status:
UP
Version:
LPMUD
Average Connected:
8 (last 60 days)
Minimum Connected:
1 (last 30 days)
Location:
Theme:
Category:
Description:
Looking for a huge world to explore? Tired of clumsy pay-for-play games disguised as "pay-for-perks"? Bored of enforced role-playing and looking for a place where you can indulge in wanton slaughter or clever banter with good company? You've come to the right place! Ancient Anguish is a vast, free, and incredibly engaging MUD that has since 1992 retained a friendly and loyal playerbase. The world is constantly expanding, adding new challenges, fun new highly developed classes, and more ways to pass the time than you can swing a hobbit at. Home to an average of 40 players at a time - any time of the day or night - you're never hurting for a partner in genocide, a room full of poker buddies or just someone to chat with. Ancient Anguish received the prestigious MudConnector "Mud of the Month" award in November 1995. One of the things that really sets Ancient Anguish apart is its commitment to both balance and diversity. Each race, class and guild is genuinely unique, every combination providing the player with a different set of strategies and perspective of the world. While the necromancers raise one of their many powerful undead minions to annihilate anything that stands in their way, rangers prefer to raise a wolf from a pup as a lifelong companion that will eventually grow to enormous proportions! There's no end to the amount of strategies you can use to enjoy the game, and you'll play for years trying all of them out. But our engaging gameplay is only the beginning. Ancient Anguish is an open ended story, a fantasy novel come to life, a perfect place to escape from reality. An adventurer weary of hack and slash can relax in a posh restaurant, fish for giant squids in the ocean, engage in a game of trivia, plant and nurture unique herbs, woo sultry exotic dancers in hidden desert cities or compete in an elf tossing contest. The possibilities are endless! Ancient Anguish is not just a mindless treadmill to run on, it is a magical world waiting to be explored. So if you're looking for a place to cure your bloodlust, a wonderful and beautifully described place to explore, or just a friendly game of chess, AA is the place for you. Join us at anguish.org on port 2222!
[1]
Looking for a huge world to explore? Tired of pay-for-perks games which are nearly impossible to get ahead in without paying? Bored of enforced role-playing and looking for a place where you can indulge in wanton slaughter or clever banter with good company? Want a world where you can explore to your heart's content, then become a wizard to create new places? You've come to the right place! Ancient Anguish is a vast, free, and incredibly engaging MUD that has since 1992 retained a friendly and loyal player base. The world is constantly expanding, adding new challenges, fun new classes, and more ways to pass the time than you can swing a hobbit at. Come try out the latest class, jaochi, added this year as part of our 25th anniversary celebration! Home to an average of 30 - 60 players at a time, you're never hurting for a partner in monster slaying, a room full of poker buddies or just someone to chat with. One of the things that really sets AA apart is its commitment to both balance and diversity. Each race, class and guild is genuinely unique, every combination providing the player with a different set of strategies and perspective of the world. While the necromancers raise one of their many powerful undead minions to annihilate anything that stands in their way, rangers prefer to raise a wolf from a pup as a lifelong companion that will eventually grow to enormous proportions! There's no end to the amount of strategies you can use to enjoy the game, and you'll play for years trying all of them out. But our engaging gameplay is only the beginning. Ancient Anguish is an open ended story, a fantasy novel come to life, a perfect place to escape from reality. An adventurer weary of hack and slash can relax in a posh restaurant, fish for giant squids in the ocean, engage in a game of trivia, plant and nurture unique herbs, woo sultry exotic dancers in hidden desert cities or compete in a gnome tossing contest. The possibilities are endless! Ancient Anguish is not just a mindless treadmill to run on, it is a magical world waiting to be explored. So if you're looking for a place to cure your bloodlust, a wonderful and beautifully described place to explore, or just a friendly game of chess, AA is the place for you. Join us at anguish.org on port 2222!
[2]
A very high-quality virtual world, emphasizing battle and level advancement. Strict quality controls make this one of the slickest and best designed MUDs out there. And now featuring Pueblo support!
[3]
Ancient Anguish is designed to appeal to all kinds of players: Roleplayers problem-solvers, explorers, hack'n'slash players and those who enjoy social interaction. When Ancient Anguish in 1992, there were many other muds that were equally popular, but many of them have disappeared or resemble ghosttowns, with hardly any players logging in any more, but Ancient Anguish is still going strong, with over 100 players at peak times, and rarely falling below 30 in the off hours. So how come we are still here after more than 10 years? Well, consider for example the following features: * An internally consistent storyline and background. Most of the areas do not feel like they could be placed in every fantasy mud - they all (OK, not quite all, we are not perfect) relate in one way or another to the history and theme of the world. * Original, high quality code. All of our areas (and there are quite a few of them) are unique and we have a large number of immortals actively working on creating new areas, items, activities, classes or guilds. However, before any code actually makes it into the game it must go through a thorough review and improvement process by the World, Balance and QC teams. * The world is laid out in a logical way - not just areas attached to one another like pearls on a string, but a huge world of 5000 map rooms where the areas are placed. This means you can wander between areas in any way you like, not just follow a single route between any two locations. (And if you get lost, just ask Lorius, the guide NPC who will do his best to guide you home). * Our Describe all policy. We strive for detailed, high-quality descriptions, where players can actually examine, touch, smell, taste and listen to the items mentioned in the room description. * Exploration-oriented players can join the Geo society and gain points in a friendly competition, by claiming rooms of different types for their guild. * Various classes, each with their own special abilities. A ranger may tame wolves, making them his fighting companions, forage for various items all over the world, even distill his own perfume and make his own sleeping bag from the feathers and pelts of the animals he kills, in addition to a number of other activities. A shapeshifter may assume various forms, including a granite boulder, an oak tree, a panther or perhaps just a timid frog, each form with its own special strengths and weaknesses. A necromancer may invoke various dark powers with an undead servant at his side. Then there are the paladins, the mages, the rogues and clerics, all with their unique abilities. * Several guilds, some of which are only open to certain race/class combination. Those guilds include the noble Knights, the Courts of Chaos, the Monks of Antana, the Black Bear tribe, the Eldar and the Scythe. All the guilds offer their members some unique advantages and the opportunity to socialize with other like-minded individuals. * Limited player killing for those that want it. There are those that prefer living opponents and the Society of Killers (SK) was created for them. SK members may freely fight each other without interference from Law, but beware - if you join SK, it may not be easy to leave. * A large number of powerful unique weapons, armours and other items, which appeal to those wishing to have the best items in their hands (or on their body). * Fun activities. We regularly run games of Trivia and Stars, but you can also play poker, chess or checkers with other players. * A special communication line for newbies, with a group of people available to assist those new to the game or to the world of Ancient Anguish. * There is Mortal Council, with representatives of all classes elected by their fellow mortals. The members of the Mortal Council get the chance to test areas before they are made available to the general player base and they provide feedback to the coders. * In addition we have auctions, easter egg hunts, the Commodity Exchange (a way for low-level players to earn money and experience without fighting), the deep see fishing, the tattoos, the elf-tossing tournaments, treasure maps sold by dark strangers in various bars, and numerous other activities - it is not only monster-bashing. So, if you want to see what makes a MUD last, come and take a look. --Adinos, QC Arch of Ancient Anguish
[4]
- MUDConnector.Com
- TopMUDSites.Com
- Pueblo/UE World List
- Mud Magic
I've been playing this game for over 20 years now. Basically, whenever a new modern game comes out for PC or consoles that I'm interested in, I take off from Ancient Anguish and go play it. Then, after a while I get bored and come back here. I'm not sure how to explain the feeling, but Ancient Anguish has that old RPG feel that you get while playing the really good games from us older people's generation. I'm talking about Final Fantasy, Lufia and the Fortress of Doom, Shining Force, Shining in the Darkness, Breath of Fire, Diablo 1, Summoner, etcetera. There's a very fun nostalgia feeling you get while playing. At its core this game is a hack n' slash, dungeon loot crawler with a ton of additional activities and RPG elements. If you were to combine Dungeon Siege 1, Diablo 2, and Neverwinter Nights you'd pretty much have the modern version of Ancient Anguish.
– MudConnector.Com Review by on Jan 21, 2020
Ancient Anguish is not suitable for children. The admin would like to claim otherwise, although they do NOTHING to control the environment to protect minors from being exposed to adult material. They do not own up to their tolerance of obscene materials, refusing to warn parents by categorizing themselves as 'adult'. The players are often found having sexually explicit conversations on public lines without consideration to who else might be reading the text. There are always conversations about drug use to be found, encouraging others by example to try them. The vulgarity is not censored, and yet the administration claims it to be a family mud. Even the webpage now shows a very realistic picture of an elven woman wearing nothing from the waist down.
– MudConnector.Com Review by on Jan 21, 2020
I think you're making a very misdirected and inaccurate complaint. The administration, Law specifically has always been very vigilant in this game. But you cannot censor or catch everyone, it's impossible and unrealistic. You also cannot hold the game responsible for the actions of the players that connect to it. That's something that every single game and internet-connected environment has to deal with. Your complaint is against people, not the game. You should withdraw this post, it's deceptive. There isn't an online game out there that is free from the things you said.
– MudConnector.Com Review by on Jan 20, 2020
I have experience on 5 different MUDs. I originally came to AA in 1998 through a friend's recommendation and have stayed ever since - I went on a hiatus for a while, but came back when I ran into a blog-post-like essay that I knew only my friends on AA would appreciate. The place remains as the social context where I feel I can really be myself, both in the sense of being able to take more roles than just the one that has grown on me from a given social group, and because the international multi-guild environment means that the cultural norms are flexible. I think it's important that role-playing is encouraged but not enforced; it's alright to just hang out too, there is no need to continuously be performing your role. As a note that I think is still underappreciated, Ancient Anguish has vastly improved my social skills by providing a safe place to practice things like assertiveness, competitiveness and even nonserious hostility (your guild is against my guild, you shall go down, Scyther!), none of which are particularly easy to try out as a girl for social and traditional reasons but that have definitely come in handy later. I've honed my leadership skills in there too. :) Not to forget some of the inevitable drama of teenage, nicely sandboxed away from my home doorstep, the first loves and the first frights of being misinterpreted and actually pissing someone off (and the world turns out not to end after all!). I had before that watched a popular Finnish mud and found it way too visually noisy (colourful) for my tastes. One other mud I abandoned for being entirely too illogical (you're in a glacial room with penguins, go one south and find yourself in a desert? AA is strictly thematic, so I'm spoiled for quality), another for both being the only person on and too many 'realistic' restrictions like what I can't do if my hands are full. A third one I left pretty soon from partially because it also had awkward realism (when it's night, you cannot go on the streets as a newbie because you do not have a light source, so you cannot get anywhere) and because the areas were just chained together and you had to rely on following directions in corridors. And it was more silly than cool like AA's in-depth fantasy world with greater-than-life quests and tensions between factions in the world that the player could choose different sides on. I used to love ADOM (a nethack-like game) because it had a 'wilderness', so I fell totally in love with AA's grid-based map that had areas you enter from the map. (As an extra bonus, playing AA would not get me a) starved or b) corrupted to death for playing it for too long, like ADOM did.) There's also magical maps that show where you are on the grid, but I didn't even find out about them for years, got... Read More
– MudConnector.Com Review by on Mar 15, 2013
This MUD is simply too vast to ever get bored. I have been here since 2000 and I have never stopped making discoveries. There are just so many ins and outs. Even the pure hack and slash aspect has so many avenues to explore. Each time I tried a different class, it was a whole new world. A cleric can outlast almost any opponent if he uses the healing power of his gods. A necromancer can bring down huge enemies quickly, as long as she can maintain control of her undead warrior. Whichever class you play, your experience will be different. The total uniqueness of each class means that there isn't a formula for the best character, and each class is rewarding. You cannot be satisfied until you have played every class, and you cannot master this game; New records are inscribed at the hall of heroes all the time. The exploring side of the game is just enormous. There are many areas with interesting stories that do not get ravaged by warparties and also many that do. What makes this game so great is that even high-adrenalin areas are fully described, and all npcs are a part of a story. The world feels real and it is impossible for a wizard to insert big monster #247 with the best sword. There are also miniquests littered all over the game. Curious players can spend a few minutes or a few hours racking their brain, and often there is a reward. The more vicious killers can ignore them altogether. Everything is woven together, yet nothing stands in the way, whatever your playing style. Ancient Anguish stands apart because everything is quality and original. You do find big scary monsters, but they also have a history. There are areas to gain experience FAST, but they are well described. There is powerful equipment, but it is hard to get. Nothing ever feels familiar the first time you see it. Ancient Anguish is high quality game that caters to killers and explorers equally. Warning: If you try it, you will be addicted.
– MudConnector.Com Review by on Apr 18, 2007
I've been playing AA for 8 years now, and I'm still not tired of the place. It's HUGE and still growing (well over 20,000 rooms), and I have yet to see everything there is to see. Not to mention many of the new areas added contain unique and fun challenges (as well as some incredibly dangerous ones!) to tempt even long-time players. Combine all that with the rigid standards that everything must be describe-all, well-written, and properly balanced, you have a beautifully described world with multitudes of places to visit that gives you a feeling of total immersion. Add in a fun-loving, mature population (who can actually type well!) and you'll never want to leave. So stop on by. If you see me there, send me a tell! I'm always happy to assist a new player. :)
– MudConnector.Com Review by on Apr 18, 2007
I've been playing AA for over 10 years. I've played other muds but few compare to it. For the explorer sort, this mud packs quality into its areas like no other mud. Pretty much everything can be touched, smelled, sniffed, tasted, searched. The NPCs being made for the game keep getting smarter. The classes are top-notch, it has the fewest bugs and typos I've seen in any mud, and the players are extremely friendly and fun. For the competitive sort, there are many top ten lists to compete on, from killing to discovering new areas to being the best player at trivia or poker or chess or flaghunting or any of the other myriad of games available. In the past year or so, AA has seen some pretty major improvements. We have an entire new continent, with dozens more areas, higher level monsters to go with our new levels (up to level 50 now!), some truely epic creatures that are akin to WoW raid size. We have mining, we have a new guild up north, new quests and miniquests, and best of all, a new class. The artificer class has finally hit AA. About 7 years in making, worked on by a number of people, the class is one of the hugest, complex and most compelling classes I have played in a MUD. You can produce just about everything, specialising in one of two different areas - spellforging, and spellcrafting. You can build mechanomagical monstrosities, enchant wands that rain fire, or just make lots of money forging different items for people. I definitely recommend trying it. Some guilds are more newbie friendly than others (don't jump right in bed with the war-mongering Scythe clan!), but bears, knights and snowfolk are extremely friendly to newbies. For those that have tried the game, come back and see what's on offer now!
– MudConnector.Com Review by on Apr 18, 2007
Recent developments on AA Ancient Anguish is a well-established MUD with a rich history stretching back to 1992. As can be expected from a game that has lasted this long, it is well-run, stable, addictive, huge, immersive, possesses excellent and consistent quality, offers excellent gameplay and rich social interaction. The game is going through a phase of rapid development and expansion at the moment. A new major area or project comes into the game at least every fortnight, and these aren't just token half-baked overpowered or typo-ridden areas you see on other MUDs. Considering our arduous quality control and balance process where each project is reviewed by between 3 and 7 administrators, the projects are of the highest quality and each provide many hours of gameplay. There's never been a better time to come play AA. For the new players, we have recently introduced a new tutorial for new players to AA and several other features to help new players to the game learn the basics. For the returning players, the deluge of new content will keep you glued to our game for all the free time you have. Finally, the stability issues referred to by the previous reviewer have been resolved, with the game experiencing no crashes for the whole of 2007 so far. So come join us and see for yourself all the fun that you're missing! - Dafeon, Arch of Quality Control
– MudConnector.Com Review by on Mar 25, 2007
I've been playing Ancient Anguish off and on for over 10 years. It is far less daunting to the newcomer than many others MUDs out there. There IS, however, a LOT to see and do. Between the 10 classes (Artificer {new class}, Adventurer, Cleric, Fighter, Mage, Necromancer, Paladin, Ranger, Rogue {if they existed}, and Shapeshifter), the 6 Guilds (The Realm of the Black Bear, The Courts of Chaos, The Eldar, The Knights of Drin, The Monks of Antana, and The Scythe), and the 5 races (Dwarf, Elf, Half Elf, Human, and Orc), you have a LOT of choices for your character. The MUD is immense, I have not even approached seeing all the 'rooms' in the MUD. Even more areas are added regularly by the Wizards. The Wizards were players like you and me who have demonstrated an extreme level of knowledge about the MUD and are given the opportunity to make additions and changes. I've had a few friends and many guildmates make it to Wizard status (Hi Fairydust!). Though they have not told me what they had to go through in their wizard training, I do understand that the rules for additions and changes are VERY strict. The quests in the game are some of the best kept secrets. You may not discuss them in any sort of detail. Do a web search on 'Ancient Anguish Quests' and you will have a lot of trouble finding ANY spoilers. Quite an accomplishment for a MUD that is over a decade old. There are many very good maps of AA available out there to aid your wanderings. I mostly use Methos' map, to keep from getting lost! :)
– MudConnector.Com Review by on Dec 10, 2006
I've played Ancient Anguish rather actively since 1998, and been a wizard (part of the coding staff) since about 2000. I still play actively, and I love to explore new and old places and draw maps - there's a lot of AA to map out, I've got a couple of notebooks filled with notes and maps on areas and a map of half the wilderness (continent of Anguish) that takes 6 A4 pages of squared paper. We actually have one more guild since this review was written, the Snowfolk of the far north. ;) The process of becoming a wizard involves exploring areas and solving a percentage of the quests, and I decided it was for me because I wanted to take the job of running the bimonthly local newspaper, The Canticle. Tymbir mentioned about the process of getting new areas in: it involves having the area checked so that it fits in with the AA history and theme, and a thorough spelling and code check so that bugs won't inconvenience players. I've been to a couple of other muds and was kind of disappointed at the minimal descriptions which weren't internally consistent. In AA, I feel I'm living inside a fantasy book (or series) that's had a really good editor. :) Besides that, I think the things I like the most are all the great friends I've made there, and the exact right amount of seriousness - I can role play, but I don't have to, and most of our areas have bits of subtle humour that you keep running into, while not being tacky. To balance it out, we're kind of bad at upkeeping websites and suchlike (we're too busy having fun on the mud side, maybe? X-)), but don't let first impressions on externalities turn you away. ;)
– MudConnector.Com Review by on Dec 3, 2006
This is a great mud, however, since you don't save even basic equipment, untill the issues with the server you should avoid. Upon moving there have been huge ammounts of crashes causing characters to be deleted which require an arch to restore from backup. You lose the equipment you had stored before the crash. Until this problem with server crashes is fixed, it'd be better off to avoid.
– TopMUDSites.Com Review by on Aug 3, 2006
A little song about AA: AA's Wonderland (Sung to the tune of "Walking in a Winter Wonderland" and 'submitted' by Aias on Christmas Eve 1998) "Doorbell rings, I'm not listening. From my mouth, drool is glistening. I'm happy although, my boss let me go. Happily addicted to AA. All night long, I'll sit clicking, Unaware time is ticking. The beard on my cheek, same clothes for a week. Happily addicted to AA. Friends come and shake me saying 'Yo man! Tonight's the senior prom why aren't you dressed?' They ask me if I'm coming I snarl 'No man! - Not 'til I finish off this @#$%en quest!' I don't make calls, I don't send faxes. I'm behind on rent, and owe on taxes. But I'd rather fight Blor, or for Gaius explore. Happily addicted to AA..."
– TopMUDSites.Com Review by on Jan 6, 2006
This is graet place for adults to hamg out. It si not a place for chidlren, thuogh. If you are a paretn and want further proof of theis, please check uot the following links: http://www.freewebs.com/villara/quotes.htm http://anguish.org/tools/showcurrentboard.php?id=23
– TopMUDSites.Com Review by on Dec 5, 2005
Small introduction to AA: * Huge world seamlessly built together with enticing and original stories. Everything is described, down to the smallest speck of sand, and the rigorous requirements on the areas give every npc and area it's own story and background - leading you into a world of rich history and adventure. * Started in 1992, hosting a completely original world created by players, for players. * The MUD is made by players for players, and owned by the players. No single person has God status or decides on the future of the MUD or any one person on it. This provides for a pretty conflict-free environment. * Completely free to play. There's a donation system if you happen to want to support the MUD, but it's completely optional and doesn't give 'extra powers'. Okay, so now for the good bits. I would personally rate AA as THE mud for killing time, and monsters :) The MUD isn't roleplay-enforced, meaning you can have genuine interaction with people; all while grouping together to take down for example Alton the master mage, who will chase after you, or pick up things like heals from your dead teammates and using them all while laughing at your puny attempts to kill him. Or you can go solo, as a shapeshifter, turning into a powerful tree swinging your sharp branches and piercing orcs on them. Or playing as a necromancer, raising your newly slain enemy back to life and leading him into battles to do your bidding. Or you can be the ranger, who thrives on nature, killing game and collecting its usable parts to make weapons, armours, heals and many other things that you can either sell to other players or use yourself. Or you can find a wolf puppy to be your eternal friend, raising it into a powerful battle companion who will viciously attack your enemys. These are just some among the classes on AA that you can choose to play in. Additionally AA hosts a completely unique skill system, where you will become more powerful using a weapon the more you use it. Each class has a specific learning rate for different weapon types, and as you progress in your skill, you can use more vicious and damaging weapons to slay bigger game. The true side of AA comes forward when you group together with people to kill monsters. Whereas you can easily solo and kill things and make a pretty good living out of it, grouping will quickly double or triple the amount of power you can dish out on unsuspecting monsters. As mentioned before, AA is completely original and described. All the areas in the world are designed by players themselves who have risen to the ranks of Wizards and continued their time as developers of the MUD. With the rigorous demands the 'World Team' set, every area has its own history and purpose, and ties in seamlessly with the rest of the world. The environment... Read More
– TopMUDSites.Com Review by on Aug 25, 2005
As a player on this MUD for the last 10 years as well as a Wizard (Dev) for the last 8, I thought I'd give my input on it. The MUD has a comprehensive homepage at: http://www.anguish.org Ancient Anguish has a long history in MUDs, being over 13 years old now! As such an old MUD it has come to be in a slow decline of players, whereas we used to host over 100 players at peak times every day, we now host around 50-60 players at peak times. This can be blamed (?) on the generational cleft left with the old and aging playerbase moving on with life and leaving the world of MUDs behind as well as new graphical games stealing players away. This being said - I still believe this MUD has a lot to offer for new and experienced mudders looking for a new challenge. AA would probably rank as a semi-difficult MUD where learning how to play gives you the edge in the game. To date, nobody (!) has reached the highest level attainable in the MUD, which will prove a constant challenge to all players involved. The MUD has a comprehensive describe-all system, which leaves no piece of rock or blade of grass undescribed; effectively immersing the player completely in a fantasy world with little logical gaps and incomprehensible themes. Everything ties in well together, and you really feel like it's a world of its own right. The large continent of Anguish is seamlessly built together with a huge amount of map rooms containing forests, lakes, rivers, mountains that exist in a cohesive theme. That is, there's not just a straight road going from place to place, you can go anywhere and choose any way you want to get from place to place as long as there's not a natural phenomenon blocking your way, like a mountain or an ocean. For a mostly complete map of the realm in ASCII (in the style of the maps on the MUD) you can check out: http://anguish.org/gameplay/aamap.html AA is built on the concept of hack'n'slash, interesting and challenging quests, and exploring in mind, which gives all players of any preference a challenge. It has a meticulously balanced skill system where every player starts out completely unknowing in all weapon styles, and by using weapons in the appropriate style and range for their class and skill respectively they will advance their knowledge in the weapon and learn to use it better. This allows you to progressively use more powerful weapons to kill bigger game - and it works like a beauty; without a doubt the most interesting aspect of this MUD. It has a range of classes to choose from, all changeable at any moment in the players life, at the cost of a level and some experience points. The people of this MUD are kind, interesting and very social. It has been described as a social MUD in many reviews; but this is biased, it... Read More
– TopMUDSites.Com Review by on Aug 18, 2005
I've played this game off and on for the past 10+ years. I haven't been able to really play in over a year, but I do still log in to talk to a lot of the wonderful friends I've made playing this game. It's true that the player base has drastically declined in the past few years. The game is still fun if you give it a chance. I hated it at first, but it gets very addictive. I love the descriptions of everything, it gives you a great mental picture of your surroundings. It's worth giving it a chance if you're just stumbling across this game. Feel free to ask me questions if you are a newbie. I may not be able to answer you, but I'll try. I have severals alts, and I'm not on as much anymore... but if you see Karizma, Disarray, Amisu, Berlin, Bliss, Serenity, Senrea, or Tatum feel free to say Hi. =)
– TopMUDSites.Com Review by on Jun 1, 2005
This game rocks.
– TopMUDSites.Com Review by on Jun 1, 2005
AA is a world riddled with political turmoil, an Administration that cannot effect necessary change, a declining playerbase and all of the ingredients to not exist in the next 18-24 months. That said, I've been there for more than a decade and met some fantastic people. What once was a tremendous hack and slash environment has slowly but surely become, over time, one of the most verbose chat rooms I've ever seen. Problems abound, with some hidden gems for the true adventurer. If you're looking for the classic mud feel that so many are lacking, continue looking. If you're looking for a substitute for AOL Instant Messenger without the silly emoticons, AA is for you! Cheers!
– TopMUDSites.Com Review by on Apr 25, 2005
If there is any one constant to Ancient Anguish, it is passion. Most surviving text games are either churned out by paid coders or painstakingly toiled on by a group of overly-dedicated people who have been around for as long as they can remember. This is certainly an example of the latter. To many of us who play Ancient Anguish, it is home. A home that we fight for and fight over just like anything truly loved. As a new player, Ancient Anguish can be almost daunting in its vast and immersive expanse. Though Ancient Anguish is not a strict roleplaying mud by any means, tight Balance, World, and QC standards set it apart from any other. While a few of the oldest areas still exist, great care can be seen from the moment players step from the Ancient Inn into the world of Anguish. All Immortals are players who proved their knowledge of the world of Anguish before helping to extend its story. Anguish is not a world based on a myriad of races and classes, but rather a handful of classics given robust development. The game-play is geared toward intricacies and depth rather than simple pellet rewards. While certainly one can run through in the hack-and-slash style, and many do, it is difficult even then to miss the vast variety of strategies and opportunities. For even the most thorough explorers, it is virtually impossible to do everything available. With an enormous number of rooms and rich description, even after years of gameplay there is always something new to discover. I am passionate about Ancient Anguish. I invite you to find the same passion. - Dracul
– MudConnector.Com Review by on Apr 10, 2005
Dear Ancient Anguish, Thank you for the many friends and opportunities you presented me. Thank you for the sense of community, even with all its little pitfalls. I can never give back to you what you gave me. I wish the best for you. Why should someone play Ancient Anguish now? There's a rich environment, there are fun classes, there are tough puzzles and monsters. Sure. But what has always been most important to me is the part of AA that just needs a bit of love. The unique part of it that gives back much more than any one person ever put in.
– TopMUDSites.Com Review by on Mar 14, 2005
I just started playing and I have to say I was surprised by some of the reviews i read about players being rude and unhelpful. Soon after I made my character I was quickly assisted by a friendly Knight who even though I had already decided to become a Necromancer helped me get the hang of the haunted house and provided me with some decent equipment. I've been looking for a Mud this well coded with such detail.
– TopMUDSites.Com Review by on Feb 25, 2005
Take the time to check out AA. It's one of the coolest muds on the face of the planet. One of the best features of AA is the way you can partner up with a group and go out and complete quests that you never would have been able to solve on your own. There are a lot of people on AA who have been here for years, and they all are willing to help you get started. It's also easy to get into some of the best guilds in the game. If you show that you are dedicated and trustworthy, people will be happy to help you out. Check out AA for the mud experience of a lifetime!
– TopMUDSites.Com Review by on Feb 16, 2005
I wanted to present a counterpoint to the previous review of Ancient Anguish. Disgruntled ramblings by a player that’s been there for a decade or more are perhaps a textbook example of “familiarity breeds contempt”. When scrutiny of a game has gathered that much time and effort, the flaws will become blatantly obvious. I agree the game is not without its faults, but in my opinion they are far outweighed by the truly imaginative, creative and quality of programming I’ve experienced in my own ten years of playing Ancient Anguish. The very possibility of playing the same mud for ten or more years stands a monument for its uniqueness. The player base may be on a downward spiral but the truth is, that text-based gaming in general is on decline. In my own experience, people I’ve played with for years have “graduated” to Everquest, WoW or other graphical rpg’s but never switched muds, AA being their home text-mud that all similar games are measured by. “I love Worlds of Warcraft because that is how I imagine AA to be if it were to become graphical” –these types of statements have been said more than once. Wizzing/coding on AA is not for everyone. I too, like the previous poster share an aversion to the red tape politics that accompany every volunteer, self-governing, organization on the planet. AA has a focus on quality not quantity. Even if you were the best code-monkey in the world, there is a structure for putting things in place; those who can’t squelch their ego are the one most likely to complain. Whenever curiosity gets the best of me and I log on to other top 20 worlds on this list, always regretting having done so, mostly because I’m amazed at the lack of newbie features -a huge contrast to AA, but there’s always a feeling of something missing. To say it’s all been done is an understatement, AA has done it, done it better and is always up, always free and the best place to be, but don’t take my word for it.
– TopMUDSites.Com Review by on Feb 7, 2005
This is a pretty long accounting of what is happening with AA right now having actively played for over a decade. Say hello to a mud on the downward spiral. As mentioned, player base now hovers between 20-50 mortals. If it is a good day, it could reach 70. If you enjoy the push towards areas where you explore (looking at, touching, tasting, smelling, listening to items in the description of a room and having pretty much the same message given back to you everytime unless the coder has taken the extra step (which is very rare)) then you might enjoy the remaining year(s) this game has left. There is a rich history that can be learned. And there is a new very small addition every fews months if you are lucky (in fact there was just a new one, probably a new NPC to chat with in a special little house of her own). Most of those players you do see logged in on a regular basis are those who were hooked long ago, back when the focus was on more of the hack and slash areas and atmosphere created by other players. Now those poor players are stuck logging back in out of habit of seeing the poor husk of a game that AA has become (I'm one of those). So, typically, players actually player range from 10-20. There is a fair amount of stuff to do as people mentioned, but if you were particularly motivated, you could really do most everything in the game within 24 hours. Of course, a newbie won't be able to do that as some areas require a fight to get deep into them. And once you done something, there really is not need to do it again. Very rarely is there any variety. Someone mentioned becoming a wizard (coder) as being a interesting part of the game to explore. I would strongly advise against it. Firstly, you must play the game to gain levels and explore before you can even be considered to advance to the realm of wizardhood. Now, say that you can do so, if you plan on it, you had better like one type of playing (exploring) to be accepted among this bunch of poor rejects who probably couldn't even compete with those players who do fairly well actually playing the game. As a result, they try to level the playing field so even a newbie can easily become as powerful as one of the few elite players who have studied the game for years. This is what AA calls Balance. The same misguided chap has been running this committee for the past 6-8 years (its hard to think of someone else holding the position its been so long) and has pushed this agenda hard. AA has been rather stale for the past few years. Rarely does a large area with lots to do (by lots to do I don't mean lots of scratch and sniff but... Read More
– TopMUDSites.Com Review by on Jan 29, 2005
I don't know what mud the last reviewer was playing but it wasn't Ancient Anguish. He was right about it being fun but not much else. And in response to the reviewer before him, a mud that doesn't lead you by the hand isn't by default crap, just harder to learn. Spend a little time acclimatizing and you'll see that despite it's flaws this game is large enough and deep enough for anyone.
– TopMUDSites.Com Review by on Jan 8, 2005
Ancient Anguish is the 1st mud I tried, and it's always going to be my favorite. We have 18 classes and 14 races and the combinations you can create will keep you occupied for years, if you wanted to try them all out. There are tons of skills and some that are only known to a few. There's always something new to discover and if you like to stay close to home, there are things you can do also. The people here are nice and the gods are always working to make the game better. You should try ancient anguish if your looking for a mud that is fun and exciting.
– TopMUDSites.Com Review by on Jan 8, 2005
This is by far one of the WORST muds I have ever had the misfortune to log on and try to play. You get dropped in the middle of nowhere, nobody around for any kind of help, totally useless help file system, lack of comprehensive rooms. All in all, it's practically impossible to make any sense of what you're doing, with a complete lack of guidance of any kind. Not even any kind of pointers during character creation, it just asks you for a new name and password and drops you in.
– TopMUDSites.Com Review by on Nov 13, 2004
Are we talking about the same MUD?? My God! I was brought in about sheesh, 8-9 years ago? I lived and breathed this MUD until I got a grip on myself and pulled in the reigns a bit. I have too many friends there to count. Yes, I know some people get a kick outta pullin pranks on newbies, but think of as your initiation. It happens on alla the MUD/MUSH's. Personally, I've showed dozens of newbies the ropes. I give them a nice little bankroll, answer their questions and remain available as long as they need me. I challenge any MUD out there to try to match the endless opportunities to interact. Go get a permanent tattoo you design yourself, or have something pierced. Go to the haunted house where you'll find all levels of mobs, from a defiant frying pan to a surprise battle while you bathe in the bathtub upstairs. you can find candy bars, treasure maps, a petshop, water balloons, lots of secret cubby holes, alley's and other hiding spots, a wedding shop that includes everything you need (including permanent rings, well permanent until you file for a divorce anyway) whether you're planning a grand celebration with a big cake and cases of champagne or a quiet ceremony down by the seashore. there's even a boxing ring you can use to build up some impressive hand-to-hand skills by either boxing another consenting player or one of the inhouse fighters. Depending on your char, you can become adept at making armour outta furs, remotely donate items to your guild, sneak into an area unseen, get your own horse, collect scalps to wear on a belt around your waist, attend secretive rituals or join SK and try to outwit, hunt down and pk other fellow SKers. You can solve quests, each one more challenging than the last, leading to an administrative position as a Wizard if that's what you desire, awarding you the honor of coding your own addition to this diverse world. Of course if you are a power player, you can go concentrate your efforts on conquering mobs and winning treasure and exp's alone or by forming a band of formidable marauders combining your skills to go for the toughest battles obtaining magic weapons and armour to use, sell at a shop or at the auction house. This is only a fraction of what you will find at Ancient Anguish. I could go on endlessly. The experience is what you make it. It is everything you want and lots of what you never expected. Come over, look me up and if i'm logged on, I'll take you around and before you know it we'll feel like family and you won't be able to stay away. I promise. Princess Satire of Chaos (evil) aka Lren, Jolen (furry) and Lice (exoskeletal)
– TopMUDSites.Com Review by on Oct 9, 2004
Although I hate to have to say it, the mortal population of Ancient Anguish has shrunk noticably in the past couple of years from highs of around 90 to now being around 40. This is a real shame as the quality of coding and gameplay are among the best I've found in any of the muds I've played in. All I can say to anyone reading this is to just give it a couple of hours of your time and see if it rubs off on you. (And try not to let the dated webpage put you off :) ).
– TopMUDSites.Com Review by on Sep 9, 2004
The most recent review of Ancient Anguish, by Lusiphur, is just too negative to go unanswered. AA is a complex world, and takes some getting used to. The reward is a world that you can inhabit for years and still find to be fun. There are indeed players who will not give a newbie the time of day. But there are plenty of friendly players who are willing to help someone get started. There is a newbie line, and you can join the Black Bear Guild or the Monks of Antana. Both of these are very friendly. Avoid the Scythe Guild until you know what you are doing - they are lots of fun but not tolerant of newbies. Just be sure to carefully read "help newbie", "help newbie2" and the rules to get started. As far as evil wizards taking over the MUD, that is absolute BS. The major complaints are from miscreants who feel that they are being unfairly treated by Law (a group of wizards with the unpleasant but important task of making sure the rules are followed.) The wizards running the MUD have been a very stable group over the years.
– TopMUDSites.Com Review by on Aug 2, 2004
Everyone on ancient anguish has the attitude that if you are a newer player than they are, that you are fair game to be treated without respect. If you find a nice, helpful player, you'll be lucky. They do exist, but you must then return the help with neverending devotion to that player. If you are too uppity or independent, they will put you in your place. You are only to speak when spoken to. There are many better muds out there. This one just isn't worth the time. It used to be one of the greats, but too many abusive wizards came into power and destroyed the mud. You cannot save it. I tried. It is a losing battle. The only thing to do is to pack up and move to a friendlier place.
– TopMUDSites.Com Review by on May 29, 2004
I have played AA, for a very long time..10 years, since I was 13 years of age. It has changed drastically since then, but has always changed in a way that improves the over-all feel of the game. It has evolved into it's current state, which I must say is rather impressive. The world is very continuous, and does not bombard you with random areas that do not make sense. Every class is very different, and well-balanced, so if you put the time in, you can achieve quite a bit. Basically if your looking for a challenge come to AA, if you want a new mud come to AA, or if you just want something that is not a jumbled stock mud, come to AA. And if you don't like AA, e-mail me at parithes@yahoo.com, or even if you don't understand it. I will personally set aside time to explain AA to you, or even show you in game how to do things..
– TopMUDSites.Com Review by on May 3, 2004
In search of something new, yet again, I got this real bad itch to try out a MUD with a western/cowboy theme. I came up with one based on cowboy bebop (anime, nothing to do with cowboys) some ones with mixed worlds (I passed) and one that made my eyes light up, but it wasn't open yet. Then I resorted to using web searches just in case an odd one was in existence but not listed at topmudites. I stumbled across some player logs for Ancient Anguish. What's this? A dwarf smoking a cigar. It's not a cowboy but I'll give it a try for the heck of it. Here lies the rare true review so few MUDs receive, keep two things in mind however 1. This is a true review. Not just spouting out all the good things, nothing is perfect and I've taken it upon myself to nit-pick to dig up negative things. If I found nothing bad, I'd look harder or Not write anything. 2. I have a warped sense of humor. -------------------- This is what I fully believe to be what happens, realistically, prior to your character being created. As a young boy you are apprenticed to an adventurer. Eyes shining and eager with enthusiasm you ask If you shall be taught to wield a sword or cast mighty magics. The man shakes his head and tells you that you must learn about being an adventurer in general first. You ask what duties you shall perform for him in the learning of this life. The man tells you that you'll pack his pipe for him. Later in time you can pack a pipe in the blink of an eye without even looking, you have underwent meditation (no not to improve your mind) to prepare your body to function without any food or water almost indefinitely, and can chain smoke a dozen cigars without even getting queasy. The man you are apprenticed to tells you that you are now a true adventurer and offers you a beer in celebration. You drink of the drugged beer and fall unconscious. When you awaken you find yourself in a bustling inn. -------------------- Very well, enough of the cracks (for now) here is where you start the game. You check your skills and find you have none then see your inventory also barren and lastly your score. So starts your life as an adventurer, naked, broke and skill-less. In Ancient Anguish there is No Newbie School to guide you, in the least you are instructed to read 'help newbie' which in turn advises you to read 'help newbie2'. For this, plopping you confused and in the middle of the busy inn of Tantallon may not of been a good idea since the two of them roughly are about 16 screens in length. Here you stumble about and find the place where you get ahold of a special carving that allows you to use the newbie channel to ask I'm... Read More
– TopMUDSites.Com Review by on Mar 27, 2004
Ancient Anguish...all I can say is this mud is perfect. Instead of making a bunch of stupid classes like Death KNIGHT! or Hell angel or anything like that, it has taken all the basic classes such as Fighter, Mage, Rogue(not supposed to know about these), Cleric, Paladin, Necromancer, Ranger, and I have a feeling I might be missing one. But at any rate, they have taken the basic classes and made the skills not only extremely interesting and versatile, but worthwhile. You won't max your character out in a day, or in a week, it will take time, but the entire timeline from when you start is extremely fun. When you do max out your stats and levels, the fun doesn't stop. There are so many different things you can work on, be it guild- specific by raising the amount of Karma you have, or being the best explorer in the realms. If you only have an hour or two to play the mud, it's still worthwhile, heck, a couple mins is worthwhile. I would try to list all the things Anguish has, but lets just say it's taken them 11 years to accomplish what they have. It's huge, and every room you're in probably has some smaller details, that could lead to other things. The player base is large and constant. You might not get to know those who are from the other guilds in the realms, and if you're in some guilds you might already have a general dislike for them. These are the fun times of Ancient Anguish, its one of the only truly exciting muds out there, and with the wizards that are extremely strict against helping any players, players cheating, etc... You can guarantee that it will stay this way.
– MudConnector.Com Review by on Feb 22, 2004
I have been playing Ancient Anguish for... wait, let me count... 8.5 years now *boggle* and I can safely say that I expect the mud, and me with it, to be around for another 8.5. I stumbled upon it in a university computer lab one day and I have been hooked ever since. Things I like about AA... roleplaying is encouraged, but it's OK if you don't. If playerkilling is your thing, that's available (albeit with some restrictions), but if you want to avoid it, no problem. Do you like having guilds to join and having like-minded friends to socialize and adventure with? There are plenty of opportunities for that, or you can do just fine as a lone wolf as well. Other things I like... high level players are overwhelmingly nice and helpful to newbies (except for those Scythers ;)... EVERY player has the opportunity to become a wizard and contribute to the game by learning to code and implement new areas and ideas... all new areas are extremely well thought out and held to very high standards of balance, quality control, and keeping in theme with the world. Many players you'll run across have problems with administration, but I certainly prefer it the way it is. There is no one all-powerful "god" figure. AA is administered by a team of around a dozen Senators and Arch Wizards, with plenty of checks and balances in place. Adventure, friendship, fun, an incredibly addictive, immersive world... all these things can be yours by stepping into Ancient Anguish. Tip for new players... when you enter the world, read 'help newbie' and 'help newbie2', and then go a couple of steps south from the entry inn and pick up a carving, which will give you access to the newbie line, where you can ask questions and get help. Warning: uncontrolled addiction can be detrimental to grades, job performance, and/or family life. ;) Sachsen
– TopMUDSites.Com Review by on Dec 17, 2003
I have been playing this game for about 3 years now and since then the population for it has dropped by about 50%. The law team is becoming unfair by changing punishments or punishing people with a large punishment, like banishment, without a warning and for a small action. About 30% of the players now also just sit in one spot and idle. I don't actually hate the game I just dislike how it is run.
– TopMUDSites.Com Review by on Oct 19, 2003
Ancient Anguish is the most unique MUD on the internet today. It is completely original, has a large player base, has an incredibly intuitive command interface, and has a rich and detailed history. If I had to play only one game for the rest of my life, this would be it.
– TopMUDSites.Com Review by on Aug 22, 2003
I was reading the recent reviews, and came upon the review written by 'Elizabeth.' Within this review she had stated claims of being sent to deathtraps and other unfriendly situations. I would just like to clear up a couple things however... 1) There aren't deathtraps in AA, I've never once seen an insta-death room or any of those types of death traps. 2) The entire mud isn't newbie-friendly, no mud is entirely newbie-friendly, because eventually you become a more skilled player and do not need newbie-oriented areas. However, there are many newbie-areas that help you become oriented and enough to continue to help you if your a little "slow" not to mention that you can ask a wizard or resort to the help command. And even the different clans could probably be broken down into skill levels, with the Bear Guild being extremely friendly, and the Scythe guild being made up of more hard-core players. 3) The girl perversion claim.... I'd say this is also false. I've been in about all of the different guilds, and there are plenty of girls that get a long fine playing the mud. Granted, if you are a girl and your in the newbie manor learning the game, another newbie guy might try and hit on you, but I'd say once you join a guild/clan, you can easily make friends and you don't have to worry about that. Finally, I just had to post this because I hate to see a mud that is at the quality of Ancient Anguish be shot down with baseless arguments. I would go indepth to why AA is so great, but I could type for days on that alone, I'd say just come and try it out, don't be afraid to ask for help, and if a player is an asshole(which mud adminstration can't really control, unless it becomes harassment on there part) then just ask another person.
– TopMUDSites.Com Review by on Aug 5, 2003
This is not a newbie friendly environment. You ask questions and get mean replies and sent into death traps. People talk down to you and act arrogant. If you start a female character, you will get hit on every single day. There are perverts waiting in every wing. Do not let your children on this mud. It should be listed in the adult sites.
– TopMUDSites.Com Review by on Jul 25, 2003
Ancient Anguish... all I can say is this mud is perfect. Instead of making a bunch of stupid classes like Death KNIGHT! or Hell angel or anything like that, it has taken all the basic classes such as Fighter, Mage, Rogue(not supposed to know about these), Cleric, Paladin, Necromancer, Ranger, and I have a feeling I might be missing one, but at any rate, they have taken the basic classes and made the skills not only extremely interesting and versatile, but worthwhile. You won't max your character out in a day, or in a week, it will take time, but the entire timeline from when you start is extremely fun. When you do max out your stats and levels, the fun doesn't stop. There are so many different things you can work on, be it guild- specific by raising the amount of Karma you have, or being the best explorer in the realms. If you only have an hour or two to play the mud, it's still worthwhile, heck, a couple mins is worthwhile. I would try to list all the things Anguish has, but lets just say it's taken them 11 years to accomplish what they have. It's huge, and every room you're in probably has some smaller details, that could lead to other things. The player base is large and constant. You might not get to know those who are from the other guilds in the realms, and if you're in some guilds you might already have a general dislike for them. These are the fun times of Ancient Anguish, its one of the only truly exciting muds out there, and with the wizards that are extremely strict against helping any players, players cheating, etc... You can guarantee that it will stay this way.
– MudConnector.Com Review by on Jun 25, 2003
Ancient Anguish... all I can say is this mud is perfect. Instead of making a bunch of stupid classes like Death KNIGHT! or Hell angel, or anything like that, it has taken all the basic classes such as Fighter, Mage, Rogue(not supposed to know about these), Cleric, Paladin, Necromancer, Ranger, and I have a feeling I might be missing one, but at any rate, they have taken the basic classes and made the skills not only extremely interesting and versatile, but worthwhile. You won't max your character out in a day, or in a week, it will take time, but the entire timeline from when you start is extremely fun. When you do max out your stats and levels, the fun doesn't stop. There are so many different things you can work on, be it guild-specific by raising the amount of Karma you have, or being the best explorer in the realms. If you only have an hour or two to play the mud, it's still worthwhile, hell, a couple mins is worthwhile. I would try to list all the things Anguish has, but lets just say its taken them 11 years to accomplish what they have. Its huge, and every room your in probably has some smaller details, that could lead to other things. The player base is large and constant, you might not get to know those who are from the other guilds in the realms, and if your in some guilds you might all ready have a general dislike for them. These are the fun times of Ancient Anguish, its one of the only truely exciting muds out there, and with the wizards that are extremely strict against helping any players, players cheating, etc... You can guarentee that it will stay this way.
– TopMUDSites.Com Review by on Jun 23, 2003
The best mud I have ever played the layout of the text is great. Others just jumble everything together. Rules to rogues and character stats are almost perfect. This mud was put together well and the way you advance as a wizard is creating more rooms or more stuff in the game so, there is always something new and exciting to this game. I believe this is the top mud for medevil fantasy out there. Play it you will have fun, and if you are new to this mud, they have a lot of things in the game to help newbies like a newbie line where you can ask questions rules against rogues and cheap armour and weapons to begin with. www.anguish.org is the place to be.
– TopMUDSites.Com Review by on Feb 7, 2003
First of all, I would like to comment that Ancient Anguish is the very first MUD (Or MU* of any kind) that I ever connected to. I connected here roughly 4 1/2 years ago, when the internet was still new and fresh. Before I found Ancient Anguish, I was content to Roleplaying in Cheeta Chat/Yahoo rooms and found any form of game based around ASCII (including computer games that were/are sold) to be simply pointless. What could I get out of a text based game that I couldn't get out of a graphical computer game which I spent $30.00 for? Soon, I found out what. My first connection was with a name that didn't even make much sense to the theme, but I received no insult or yelling for this. After reading a few of the very detailed, and super helpful, help files---a friend, the one who brought me there, pointed that I should pick a new name. I did. The first day I connected, I wasn't even at home, I spent lost. After the first 15 minutes I got lost in one of the lower level areas and quickly found my way into areas where I was little more then cannon fodder. During the first testy days, I died several times. Though, something else happened. I became hooked. I was hooked on the shear size of the game. Hooked on the the massive amount of time people had put into the descriptions. I was hooked on how combat was. I found a player base willing to help. People who were willing to take time from whatever they were doing, and assist me, the most annoying lowbie ever. The fact that this game had so much detail and a player base that was as nice as they were, made me stay. The every expanding world and changing players keep me there still today. After four and a half years, I've probably only seen 75% of the world and it is ever growing. For new mudders: I would suggest Ancient Anguish. It's a great mud with a newbie friendly player base. A nice play to grow and expand. For Old, hardcore Mudders: I would also suggest Ancient Anguish. The skill system is great. The combat system also a wonder. The size of the game assures you will be able to spend hours exploring and having fun. The player base size allows for one-up-menship. The things you can do here are endless and limited only by yourself. For the PK'er: There is a group just for you guys. If you think you are the baddest mofo ever to step foot on a MUD? Come stand corrected.
– TopMUDSites.Com Review by on Jan 30, 2003
AA is a CLASS ACT, all the way around. Particularly impressive is the weapons list, the map, the great combat system, the TONS of commands and feelings, and the ease of playability. Tell me ("Tell Xapax _______") if you log in and I'll be happy to show you around. or, at least buy you a drink. ;)
– TopMUDSites.Com Review by on Sep 3, 2002
The players are helpful to newbies. The quest are challenging ,many areas to search and explore. Treasure hunts allow characters to gain better weapons and gain good expiernce points to grow. Several guilds to join and gain help from others. A very great site to start with and remain.
– TopMUDSites.Com Review by on Aug 16, 2002
I've been playing Ancient Anguish for a while now, and I feel that, along with the other MUDs, it's high time I reviewed it. For starters, AA is one of the better MUDs I've played. Though there isn't a huge amount of races, the classes are pretty much standard (with the exception of the Shapeshifter class), and you won't find too much in way of original areas, there are some things that makes it stand out. There are two reasons why I find this MUD so appealing. First of all, the newbie atmosphere is very friendly and helpful. This is one of the first things I look for in _any_ MUD. The second is the drive to succeed. You start out weak, and you will remain weak until you claw your way up to the top of the ladder with hard work and perseverance. This is a MUD that you will happily spend hours, days, and weeks on trying to attain your ultimate goal. It doesn't give you everything you want on a silver platter. In conclusion, I'd recommend this MUD to anyone who seriously wants a good play. If you're an ambitious gamer, you've found the right place. Happy Mudding, folks. -Fal
– TopMUDSites.Com Review by on May 6, 2002
Hay. Who is this final-fantasy-monster-named-idiot... DOING in a place like the mystic lands of anguish. We are 10 years old now, and Foojinn is one of my more well known, and i have had the honor of playing aa for almost half of the time that it has been around, and i am glad to say that, aside from some minor squabbles with the law wiz's, I have not lost intrest in the game at all. There are tons of things to do. trivia is one of my favorite, and when you win, the entire mud gets a tell from the game show host of trivia, letting everyone know that you have won! that is 75-125 people giving you props on being a total nerd case and quite frankly, knowing your shit. all of the quests will be enough to give you a terrible headache, and then make you kick yourself in the butt for not seeing how terribly easy the damn thing was! anyways...if you have never played aa, or any muds, and you decide to try the mud out, type {finger foojinn}, and if i am logged in, send me a tell and tell me your case, and i will help you out, hook you up with some coins, and get you some experience, and skills, because...i am the man. thats right! i am the man! K. Bye. oo ooo oo! i forgot to tell you about the flames board where you are about to talk smack about anyone who pisses you off, and use any descriptive words you want...as well as a board for every class, and every guild, and some wierd shit too...philosophy board is kinda sketchy. ok...now im done making janet reno, and ted turner twitch with my bad words...they control the internet too! its a conspiracy...trust no one.
– TopMUDSites.Com Review by on Apr 3, 2002
I've played AA for about three years now, and I'd like to say I've seen it all. Truly, I never have, and I probably never will. This MUD is so deep, so vast, that I continually find something new almost every day. This alone would be enough to turn me onto to any MUD, but it's not enough to keep me hooked for three years. So what then? The large number of classes? The different races, weapon skills, quests? None of those. I always come back for the players. AA has one of the best atmopheres that I've ever encountered in any other MUD that I've played. Granted, there are a few bad apple. Every place has those. But the players were so helpful, so generous to me when I was a wee newbie asking silly questions. This, I think, is the most important quality a MUD can have, and others are sadly lacking in it.
– TopMUDSites.Com Review by on Mar 30, 2002
Live in a story of your choosing each and every time you log in. Want to be a powerful adventurer vanquishing evil from the world? Want to be a rich poker player? In search of people to talk to? Role play if you like, be social or not. Be part of a community by joining one of the guilds. The richly described world, carefully qc'd and balanced, frees you to experience game play. I've been around for years, and nearly every time I log in, I discover something else and meet new people. A few of them are obnoxious, but every world has that, and Law does its best to keep things nice. Most of the players are awesome people. I have been honored to meet quite a few. Many people have been playing there for years. A mud that holds its players' attention span that long must be good.
– TopMUDSites.Com Review by on Mar 16, 2002
I have played on this MUD for approximately 8 Years. I have seen it grown and florish it to the most addictive MUD I have ever played. I have tried many many other MUDs and I still come back to play this one. The average player online makes this a MUD with many people to interact with as well as many many things to do, places to see. I have played every character in many combinations. My favorite being Dwarven Ranger. I have slain many NPCs, quests for hours and hours, and best of all, chat will the many many friends I have made over the years. I have been from the begining to the end, and back, I have also the pleasure of creating objects and places for this wonder MUD and am very proud to call this place home.
– TopMUDSites.Com Review by on Feb 28, 2002
Played a lot of MUDs, coded for some, this one can't be beat. I've been playing Ancient Anguish for a long time now, over 5 years now and I still haven't gotten bored. I've had many alts, been every class (with the exception of the new shapeshifter), and been in every guild (except Ravens, they weren't around when I was a theif (now called rogues)) and I still love to play. If you get bored with just fighting you can quest, bored with questing then try chess, maybe a nice friendly game of poker would be more fun for you. I wish there were more MUDs like this... then I'd have another option.
– TopMUDSites.Com Review by on Feb 13, 2002
lol okeys i liek tihs mud it has graet cybar!!! lol cheikc it uot okey i gota go my mom says i need to wash teh dishas but i alradyed did yestarday!! k thx by
– TopMUDSites.Com Review by on Feb 5, 2002
As with all muds this place is a arena for emotional manipulation. The immortals on there are a very tight group of perverted coders that shun newbie wizards and mortals alike. I've played there for 9 years and seen it all from the mortal to the immortal. Step out of line there and be prepaired to have all your hard work taken away and your character purged. I couldn't think of a bigger waste of time than to mud at ancient anguish.The wizards there are really mean stipited and the senate is just as bad. Ancient anguish is a good example of how NOT to run a mud. I have nothing good to say about that place and after 9 years there that says alot.
– TopMUDSites.Com Review by on Feb 5, 2002
I started playing Ancient Anguish a year ago Christmas Day. When I started, I began to just stop two friends from pestering me to play. I absolutely hated it! Now, one year later, I'm an Apprentice Wizard and learning to code for the same game that I've grown to love. I found the interactive story quality to it to be addicting. Not only was it easy to learn and captivating to the mind, the people there proved to be the best. I've made lasting friendships there that have been an constant source of amazement to me. If you ever wanted an environment where everything held something to be discovered, where there was always something to do, where the people were great... treat yourself to Ancient Anguish! If you do, be sure to say "HI!".
– TopMUDSites.Com Review by on Dec 25, 2001
I started playing Ancient Anguish a year ago Christmas Day. When I started, I began to just stop two friends from pestering me to play. I absolutely hated it! Now, one year later, I'm an Apprentice Wizard and learning to code for the same game that I've grown to love. I found the interactive story quality to it to be addicting. Not only was it easy to learn and captivating to the mind, the people there proved to be the best. I've made lasting friendships there that have been an constant source of amazement to me. If you ever wanted an environment where everything held something to be discovered, where there was always something to do, where the people were great... treat yourself to Ancient Anguish! If you do, be sure to say "HI!".
– TopMUDSites.Com Review by on Dec 25, 2001
I've been here over 4 years now and there's just something about AA that you can't find anywhere else. It's huge, the areas are great, the wizards are doing a great job and the classes and guilds are very well-thought, constructed and coded. I love the place. Just try it.. look for me as Stargirl or Analei and i'll help you out with anything. :)
– TopMUDSites.Com Review by on Dec 23, 2001
This mud is honestly the best text-based game I have ever encountered. I've played all the classes, been a wizard, attempted to code an area(although not enough to get it implemented, because - trust me - it's hard to get something into the game... there are just so many requirements.. your area has to be practically perfect), and I've been a part of the Mortal Council which is a group of mortal representatives from each class who plays on the test mud and tests areas soon to be implemented. I've also explored much of the mud, although nowhere near all of it. There are just so many cool things to do on this mud! If you don't feel like killing everything you see, you can prospect for gold, go fishing, raise your seduction ability, take a bath in the public baths, solve a puzzle, and MUCH more. It's hard to get bored playing Ancient Anguish.
– TopMUDSites.Com Review by on Dec 20, 2001
The first mud I ever played. My testament to its quality is that I rarely stay away long, and have spent nowhere near the time on all the other muds I've played combined than on AA. Hack and slash, quests, exploration, r.p. I've done all. Made friends, and lost them. Made enemies and had them become friends. Chat boards, social guilds, new areas all the time, new class of shapeshifters is awesome! Worldwide player base. Very responsible Wiz's. There are not enough superlatives. S'great! You'll love it! Come on by! Nicholai, Aalric, Durin, et. al.
– TopMUDSites.Com Review by on Dec 1, 2001
My, let me try and remember... It's been... 8 years since I first walked the lands of Anguish. I have tried many times to play another mud, (most notably the very rare times when AA went down for maintenance) and I am yet to find a mud with the sheer magic of AA. AA calls itself fully descriptive, and that it is, and much more besides... but how to tell you about the way my heart beat rapidly in my chest, the day I almost drowned in the Quarry? How to tell you of the sheer culinary delight that is Oblivos? How to tell you of the utterly delicious and sneaky, sneaky sense of humour to be discovered in the areas of AA's brilliant coders? How to tell you what sheer delight it is to go fishing on the shore alongside the ruined remains of Lord Merrick's castle, and experience the awesome atmosphere conjured up by a few words? I can't tell you, but I can encourage you to experience it for yourself!
– TopMUDSites.Com Review by on Nov 4, 2001
Races, classes, guilds, skills, quests - most muds have all of these, implemented with differing levels of user friendliness. What really makes Ancient Anguish stand out is the level of detail, and the map. Once you leave town, you can wander in the four cardinal directions, until you meet the sea, a river, the mountains, or find an entrance to one of the 160+ "areas". The map itself is peopled by beasts and wandering NPCs, and many rangers choose to spend the majority of their time "in the wild" living off the terrain. The "areas" offer the higher level of detail, and the highest level of bug-free interaction in the thirty or so muds I have encountered in the last five years. Yes, you can ask other players for "the path to" a given area and different players may give you different answers - each of which can work! But you can also explore and learn the whole game by wandering around with a magic map to show the terrain around you. The only question remaining is: do you have the time?
– TopMUDSites.Com Review by on Oct 28, 2001
One great MUD. If I had to pick one word to describe it, I would pick fantastic. The world is truely gigantic with an enormous map and just when you THINK you fully explored all the areas you find you're not even close. The helpful Wizards who have strict quality standards, are constantly upgrading their areas or adding new areas and/or quests. No 'crises-maintenance' here folks!! All new areas are fully tested and balanced prior to implementation. So you're playing time is strictly fun not fighting 'bugs'! The quests are not easy and are not 'class' friendly, even the mini-quests are tuff. It has a skills system which is well balanced. Players are very friendly and helpful. Once you've played here, you'll be hooked.
– TopMUDSites.Com Review by on Oct 15, 2001
A great MUD. There's no other way to describe it. Truely Gigantic with an enormous map which would be impossible to ever fully explore, responsive Wizards who have strict quality standards, many mini-games, such as Poker, Yahtzee, Stars (A Wheel of fortune-like game), Trivia, Chess, Checkers, etc... Frendly social guilds, a wide variety of classes, and a selection of different races. Lots (and I do mean lots) to explore, at last count 23 different quest, with many more mini-quests, areas for all levels, from low, mid , and high. It has a skills system which is well balanced. Once you've played here, you'll be hooked.
– TopMUDSites.Com Review by on Oct 12, 2001
Awesome MUD, by home for many years already and I've made a large group of friends there. I have to warn everybody, it's very dangerous to start playing here, it's very addictive...
– TopMUDSites.Com Review by on Oct 8, 2001