Hello Kitty and Sanrio fans unite! Thanks to Level Up Games, the same company who brought us Ragnarok Online, possibly the cutest MMORPG (Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game) ever is now in the Philippines.
Unlike Ragnarok Online, Hello Kitty Online is targeted to younger female players aged 10 years old and above. Install the game in your computer, make sure you have internet access, create your account, and you're good to go. The first thing you have to do is create your own character. You can customize everything from the name, gender, and blood type to the physical characteristics like skin tone, eye color, and hairstyle.
After you create your character, you get to explore Sanrio World. There's a built-in world map to guide you in your travels. Basically, you talk to NPC's (Non-Playable Characters) in the game like Pochacco, Usahana, and other Sanrio characters and you do quests to earn rewards. There are also simulation games like farming and crafting, arcade-type mini-games like surfing, and interaction with other players via the chat window. It's a very cute and addictive game which will surely have you glued to your seat in front of the PC till the wee hours.My main concern about Hello Kitty Online, or HKO, is the moderation with regards to player interaction. Here you are with a very cute and wholesome game little girls will surely love and yet it is unavoidable that you have some people who just aren't supposed to be there. I call them the pasaways. I encountered a couple of them this morning. I was walking around when a player suddenly asked an inappropriate question on the public live chat window. She (I only assume she is a she since she was using a girl's name) asked if Hello Kitty was a virgin. I immediately typed "Please keep it wholesome as there are younger players logged in.". The "girl" continued her inappropriate line of questioning and badgering other players about Hello Kitty's um... status. I was beginning to sound like their mother telling them that it was really not the appropriate venue to discuss such matters because what if 6-year olds are logged in? Anyhow, some of the other players supported my insistence in keeping everything wholesome so eventually the "girl" left in a huff.
I actually expressed my concern over the possibility of inappropriate player behavior during the launch as I have experienced a lot of that playing Ragnarok Online. Level Up Games assured me that they will enforce stricter rules and have more focused moderation on HKO. I just hope they can actually deliver. I'd hate to see such a good game go to the dogs. At the time of this posting, I am sending screencaps of the inappropriate player behavior I encountered earlier to the LUG admin. While it's not nearly as bad as it was in Ragnarok Online, I know I wouldn't want my child playing in such kind of environment.
If you want to play Hello Kitty Online Philippines, you can simply go to http://www.levelupgames.ph/hko/index.php, download the installer, and register for a free account. The game is currently in its beta phase and slots are limited, so better hurry if you want to experience HKO. Alternatively, if you can't or don't want to download it, you can get installer DVDs from Netopia and Gift Gate.
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