This review is original from Casualtygamer, which was posted by aeren944. Duels is a new kind of strategy game. A free, player vs. player (PVP) fantasy role playing game, Duels allows you to control your own destiny as you combine the detailed character building and advancement of massively multi-player online role-playing games (MMORPGs) with the strategic and collectible elements of collectible card games (CCGs).

Duels, by Challenge Games, may be the ultimate time sink for most casual browser based game players. This strategic RPG offers a lot of content, with great presentation, and a broad player base to boot. Duels is a game in which the player duels other players and NPCs in order to get better equipment, higher levels, and general bragging rights about who is best of the best.
In this post World of Warcraft era, Challenge Games seeks to bring an MMO feel to their game complete with character classes, skill trees, and equipment. Numerous quests, player actions, and an avatar based chat system contribute to making the game stand head and shoulders above most browser based games today.
Make no mistake, however. This game is all about one versus one combat, pure and simple. The quests are simply about defeating certain NPCs, one by one. Game play is extremely easy to get into, and the game tends to suck you into it right from the start.

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...(Passed over)
From the very beginning, you’re able to graphically select your avatar from a number of different colors and styles (another nod to MMOs). This character will be how other players will see you throughout the game; however, your appearance will change as you wear the different armor and weapons you’ll come across during the game. It’s very refreshing to see such graphical detail from a browser game.
...(Passed over)
Gaining levels gives you more points to “spend” in the loadouts screen. Each item that can be bought has a Power Rating associated with it. This power rating cannot exceed your total power. So, as you gain levels, your total power increases and you’re able to wear better items. With each level, you’re able to spend skill points that contribute to a number of different things. The skill system is very diverse and clearly thought out. Each skill provides a specific boost to certain aspects of your character.
...(Passed over)
Events such as tournaments and ladders make the competition even more fierce, since winning an event or gaining a high stature in a ladder can lead to large token rewards. The system even keeps track of your win-loss record and allows you to scout other players to learn their most used strategies and abilities.

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For a browser based RPG, Duels is a refreshing step in the right direction. From the graphical content and the MMO style equipment system, it’s easy to see why Duels is often referred to as the ultimate time killer. The interface is easy to understand and the combat is deep enough to provoke enough tactical thinking from most casual gamers. All in all, Duels will steal quite a few hours away from anyone. Challenge Games has committed itself to providing quite a bit of content, and they tend to provide updates every week. If you’re a casual gamer, you owe it to yourself to take Duels for a spin.
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