I don't know if you noticed but you were just flaming this MUD. If you accuse LTS of doing it why do it yourself? Anyways, it looks to me like everyone was flaming him, not the other way around. They were all giving him crap for no reason at all. I recommend this MUD to anyone who enjoys hack n' slash. Im not writing in a biased opinion. I never have and probably never will enjoy hack n' slash MUDs but this was surely the best one I have ever played, mainly because the immortals were so nice. Right when I entered the game I was assisted by the head immortal (LTS) Great guy. He helped me out with a lot of things. Being the first to reach level 10 I received a pretty good weapon. Everyone was treated equally and fairly. There are idiots on every game. Maybe you just happened to run into the one of this MUD? Anyways, I encourage everyone to play this MUD.

I watched this game for awhile, reading the super long thread that lurked around here for a long time, watching LTS, the so-called admin make an ass of himself and flame everyone in sight. Then I read thier review section and see what are obviously the same 2 people writing biased, rehashed reviews every 10 days or so. Finally, though, I decided to take the 'challenge' and check out the Mud. Sadly, I fell into his trap, and now feel the need to punish myself. The Colors, one of thier most vaunted aspects of the game, were no better than any other stock mud I've ever seen. At times the use of color was almost 'gaudy'. While one player tried to help me out, and show me a bit, he was all but 6 years old, couldn't spell, and took 45 minutes to explain the stats and score command, which anyone in thier right mind could see was absolutely stock. Then, when I told him,"I'm not a newb to mudding, friend. Just show me around." He threw a fit and cursed at me, telling me to find my own way then. Fine with me, moron. Mud School was STOCK, Thier Colors Sucked, thier players morons, and the Immortals are immature jackasses, if 'Less than Sacred' is any example. The one new quest I saw while here didn't work correctly, and was very out of place in the STOCK areas. SO, in conclusion, I would most definately NOT reccomend this mud to anyone but someone I hate.

Dark Hope mud is a completely enjoyable experience that I would recommend to anyone. The areas are bold, colorful and thoughtfully laid out. The quests are fun and challenging. Playing the game is a dream. Unexpected suprises abound. The combat system is a particular high point. With the ability to reel off combos and break bones, combat becomes less about killing your opponent and more about total anihilation. On numerous occasions I found myself saying things aloud like "That is so cool!" There are these things called "mascots" and, while I haven't experienced one for myself as of yet (players need to be above level 50), from what I've seen they look very cool. Mascots are a type of pet, but not really. They have special powers, can gain levels, and each class has a different type. So to wrap this up; Dark Hope mud is well worth the look for anyone on the lookout for a friendly, relaxed, and original mud. --Meterica, Master of the Dark Art

I've been mudding a very long time and have seldom found a mud good enough to review, let alone suggest to others. Dark Hope MUD is one of those few cases. When I first logged on to DHM, I really didn't know what to expect. At first glance it seemed to be pretty standard fare. Upon entering the game I found myself at the popular Merc Mud School. This is where things started to change, dramatically. I hadn't taken more than a few steps when I began to notice small changes. Then out of the blue I ran into a mob who offered me a quest. "Hrmm" I thought "Quests in Mud School. Okay." And from then on the game reveals just how different and original it is. Not only had Mud School been redone with new mobs, colors, and quests, but every stock area that I encountered had undergone the same treatment. I was impressed at just how much time and work had gone into redoing the old areas. That was nothing compared to the 100 or so original areas that the mud has. I have yet to run out of new places to go, and thanks to the maps navigation is simple. As far as gameplay is concerned, I was very impressed. Unexpected suprises, such as the combo system, abound. Normally, when new to a mud, I know just what questions to ask. Like: "Does this mud have remort?", or "Are there clans here?". On DHM, I never got to ask these questions because quite frankly, I never knew what to expect next. From the very start the other players made me feel welcome and at home. Another all too rare trait on muds these days. Questions that I did have were usually answered quickly and courteously. Unfortunately, DHM has a small player base. Which is really quite a shame seeing how fun the game is. All in all I would have to say the DHM deserves a serious look. The players and the mud all seem to do things a bit differently than the rest of the mudding world. Seemingly pointless, yet cool skills and items abound. Pointless, until you realize that everything was done in the name of fun. And isn't that kind of the main point, anyway?

If you're looking for a new mud to play, then I would certainly have to recommend Dark Hope. I loved it! The areas are bright and colorful, some neat things have been added to the game, and the players are the best I've seen. Almost from the start I was doing quests and exploring this vast mud. I found the game very easy to learn and there are also many detailed help files. There's so much to see and do that it's easy to get lost in the experience. I found myself doing something I haven't done on a mud in a long time: Having fun. Dark Hope is definately worth a look.

This is by far the best hack n' slash MUD I have ever played. Usually I dont play hack n' slash, but this one was far better than the rest. I've played over 200 MUD's and this one outbeats them all. Especially a great immortal staff. Come play, you won't be let down.

I've been playing this mud for a while now and this is my review of Dark Hope as I see it. Atmosphere: No other mud I have played even comes close to Dark Hope's atmosphere. It's very relaxed and it seems that the immortals have recognized that atmosphere is a very important part of the game. From the very begining I noticed that this mud felt different from others I've played. Friendliness: Once again, Dark Hope is at the top of the heap. The imms are helpful, friendly, as most of all involved. I felt welcome and a part of the crowd minutes after arriving for the first time. This was a pleasant suprise as most muds who claim to be "newbie friendly" are far from it. Gameplay: Some very nice ideas have been implemented. The game itself seems very stable and easy to catch on to. The spells and skills are logically laid out and while gaining levels is a challenge, it's never a burden. There is always something to look forward to. Being able to break bones and pull off combos during a fight are a sweet addition that is not to be missed. Areas: The areas are...uhm...colorful. Still, it's easy to see that a great deal of work went into them. Most of the areas I've never seen before so I must assume that they are original to Dark Hope. As a very bright spot the areas are laid out very methodically. The lower, more familiar places, are closer to the center and the further out you go the higher, more advanced areas can be found. Quests: Man, at all the quests! If you like to solve puzzles and quests, then Dark Hope will surely give you a run for your money. The quests are logical but at times can be quite hard. The payoff is always nice though. Players: There aren't many players, but the ones that do play regularly are very helpful and it seems that everyone gets along very nicely. It almost seems that when you play the others accept you as a member of the family. Very nice. Overall: A very nice mud to play. The relaxed atmosphere makes it feel like you don't have anal imms standing over your shoulder all the time. The game is easy to learn yet has come nice features that just rock! The areas may be bold and bright but thanks to the maps it's fairly easy to navigate and learn. I would highly recommend this mud to anyone looking for a breath of fresh air from the normal, stuffy muds.

AWESOME MUD, IN NEED OF MORE PLAYERS! COME SEE!!! I have been playing Mud for almost a year now, I found this new Mud, Dark Hope. I really like it, if you like to bash and smash the bad guys, (or even the good ones) hehe just give it a chance. Its really easy to get around and a hell of alot of fun to play. The staff is helpful and kind and oh heck what more can I say. We truely need players!!!! The more we bring in the more fun its going to be, Please Please just give it a chance and I bet you stay and love it as much as I do. Theo is the greatest!!!!

Heyo, So I decided to give Merc-type a try (being an admin for an upcoming LP) and I found my experience somewhat delighting. Dark Hope MUD plays like the hack 'n slash LPs that I grew up on. I enjoyed my stay there and have some comments about the gameplay and style of play. IMMORTAL(s?) The one immortal that I saw residing there (Theodryck) is a cool dude with big hopes in mind. He regularly chats and does stuff for the players and asks them how things are going. I believe it would be very hard to keep a mud running by yourself, so it probably is, but also, it really casts a low ceiling for the MUD's expansion. More people = more idea = better gamining (usually). CONCEPT Mostly stock stuff I saw in the beginnings really. The MUD's history has a good basis for a game, but the MUD doesn't uphold the history itself, other than its name. This definitly needs an overhaul. QUALITY CONTROL Items on Dark Hope, for the most part, all have a generic description (A %N lies here on the floor/is lying on the ground, You see a cape of great but cheap craftsmanship. Imprinted on the side is: Merc Industries, etc.). There's not much to look at and most of the areas I saw were stock areas. (Midgaard town, etc.) The purgatory system is also in place requiring you to look for your corpse after death (movement points can be a real pain). DESIGN Carriage returning in at a pretty big time loss here. During combat, skills and other lines don't return to a newline like they should (certainly). The autosac/exit/loot/gold features are neat. They definitly stop trigger-happy MUDders from screwing up and looting other people's corpses. The history of the MUD doesn't seem to fit in anywhere with the gameplay and the background is kind of fuzzy. Also, there's coulor everywhere at the start, that doesn't appeal to many MUDders I know, certainly not I. BALANCE I'm not really sure if this is an issue there, but it's really difficult to tell what is going on is terms of what-armor/weapon-is-better. The score command tells a lot, even gives a vague description of your armor class (ie. armored, heavily armored, etc.) The autolevelling system's exp numbers are in tune with the game. Each level earns your practices you can use to either raise a stat (each with different effects at next level), or practice a skill some random % (totally vague). There aren't any guilds yet at this time either. Theodryck did add a cool feature (if you like realism); bone-breaking. If hit hard enough, you will break a bone and you'll have to see good 'ol Dr. Clyde to have it mended. NPCs in town give buffs for some reason, don't know how balanced that is, but they sure do effect gameplay noticeable (the buffs). OVERALL Now I've been on a lot of MUDs and I always submit a review... Read More

I stumbled upon this mud while looking for a new one to play. I've been playing it a little over a week now and I have to say that it's really a great mud. The game itself is very easy to get into. The intuative coding and areas all combine to create a great atmosphere leading to a more in-depth experience. I like the extra classes, especially Squire. The skills for this class are original and downright ingenious. I haven't tried the others yet, but I plan to after I get my current char to level 100. I'm interested to see how dual class works. There aren't many players on this mud yet because they have only been open for a little more than a week. But from what I was told this used to be an established mud that was brought down for remodeling. I have to say the result is quite impressive. Normally I play leveless muds, but this one has me hooked for a while. I'd have to strongly recommend this mud to anyone looking for something fresh and not the the same 'ol thing. Tylinus - The knight in training