Ok, let's talk about Datang first Datang is developed and published by Netease, a company who is apparently not interested in publishing any of products overseas.
Also, almost all of Netease's games, including Datang is not free to pay.
General consensus is that Datang is a flawed game due to difference between the developing team and management, as of 2007, most of Datang's core developers have already resigned.

Netease established it's reputation through Fantasy Westward Journey, a 2.5D MMORPG which is the top Chinese online game.
Unlike most Asian games FWJ is almost completely free from bots and no private server is known to exist. Even for a pay by time game, there's always at least 6 times the number of FWJ to Perfect World players online at any moment.



I played Zhu Xian a fair bit and will try to give a fair comment.

Firstly, you have know the game has not yet reached version 1.0 even now.
It used a more graphics intensive version of the Wulin game engine I mentioned a few posts before.
Framerate is higher in this engine, but picture quality is chunkier and has a "painted on art" style similar to WOW.
Instead of pets, every classes get a artifact which orbit around himself. You will receive an artifact at a early level (before you choose a class), another when you pick a class, and find others if you are lucky.

The following video shows a Green Cloud class with its artifact (the spine like thing) in action:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uc7QWzy1Ttc

As for internationalization, I don't think it is suitable palate for non-Chinese, so I think they will forgo other translations. Classes in Zhu Xian would be even more unfamiliar to non-Orientals than PW since they are hybrids. For example you can made a "priest" a tank or very good in PK if you know what you are doing.

Gameplay wise, I like it less than similar themed Chinese games. PvP in Zhu Xian is however more fun than Perfect World.

If you are interested in other free to play Chinese fantasy MMORPG the one to look out for is Zu Online and Fantasy Journey Online.

Also, Perfect World is releasing Chibi in 7 days time featuring an improved "Perfect World classic" engine and the Perfect World expansion 1 pack in Feb

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Master of the Pearly Tower

Woah! An improved "Perfect World classic" engine and Perfect World expansion 1 pack? Once again TW I bow down to your knowledge on the latest chinese MMOs. I just wonder how long that will take to arrive in the PH and MY-EN versions. Hopefully you can show us some pics when its out in China.

Lordfin i think he means a normal expansion but maybe a whole new engine? a new engine for PW will maybe make me a bit more interested and a few new classes would be awesome

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Thanks for the siggie Armorking ^^

Towermaster that sounds great! i'm looking forward to the PW expansion because i find PW pretty boring right now.


EDIT: Can i get the link for the english Fantasy Journey Online site?

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Thanks for the siggie Armorking ^^

Ok

Yeah it's more then just the lagg in PW the graphic is to hard nothing is really smooth and all the quests are the same....Go kill that then come back and speak to me so will i tell you what to kill next.
Or so are the quests like : Go speak to him so will he tell you what to kill.

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Thanks for the siggie Armorking ^^

Hehe i might try Zu later Currently downloading the Pirates of The Bruning Sea beta ^^ (been downloading for around 11 hours now...)

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Thanks for the siggie Armorking ^^