Sony Online Entertainment invites gamers from all over the world to once again visit the beautiful but dangerous landscapes of Norrath. Yes, Everquest II, the sequel to one of the most highly acclaimed and commercially successful massively multiplayer online role playing games (MMORPG) of all time, is finally upon us. New adventures await. New perils hide in the shadows. New experiences can be enjoyed. And new prizes can be claimed.

Here are some tactics you could employ to gain prominence in the lovely and lethal world of Everquest II.

1. When playing a scout character, regardless of race, always remember to keep your distance. Your melee skills are pretty non-existent, so you have to hit enemies from afar. Take advantage of Everquest II's 3-D terrain. Look for an elevated structure near spawning points and snipe at monsters from there. The elevation will give your projectiles additional damage as well, as elevation is factored in with this MMORPG system.

2. When playing as a mage or as a priest, try your best to partner with a fighter or other advanced melee characters. They could serve as your 'tanks,' that is, as characters who would hit a monster first and divert its attention while you kill the monster with your meager power. In due time, as is the case with other MMORPG systems, your mage or your priest would level up their intelligence and you'd possess fantastic magic skills. Every party needs a mage and a priest, and you could expect your powered-up character to be in high demand when he gains a sufficient amount of levels.

3. Prepare a plan even before you build your character. Have an end goal in mind. Everquest II is a very deep MMORPG. It offers close to 24 professions, though only 4 are available from the start. As you progress to level 10 in this MMORPG, new professions will be opened, depending on the class you have initially chosen. Thereafter, as you reach level 20 in Everquest II, new professions would once again become available depending on what you have chosen to pursue at level 10. It's a tree-like structure of choices, and you have to know where you're headed beforehand to get the profession you desire.

4. More powerful monsters can be found after every two square feet of game space in Everquest II, so it would serve you well if you'd always stock up on healing potions or spells, in the event that you inadvertently wander off to where your current level doesn't allow you to venture. Carrying healing items or spells is a must for any MMORPG system, for that matter.

5. There are no Player Vs. Player (PvP) servers at the time of this writing, though Everquest II's programmers are planning to add some. Intra-server competitions can be found in the prominence that guilds get through the MMORPG's proprietary Writ System, where the guilds themselves can earn experience points (a first in MMORPG history!). If you want glory at the expense of other players, joining a guild and committing your characters to them is the way to go.

6. Everquest II is not built for soloing (single player campaigns), though lonesome adventures can still be had. Much of the fun and the rewards in this MMORPG can be gained by partying with fellow gamers. Once you reach level 17, it is highly recommended that you start looking for a guild to join.

7. Master 'heroic opportunities.' Heroic opportunities are super combos that are initiated via a series of moves by all the party members. They come in different forms, depending on the character class you have in Everquest II. These are just some of the many things that distinguish Everquest II from other MMORPG systems. It would serve you well if you'd use them for your advantage.

8. Avoid dying! This is a given, but as with other MMORPG systems, death is as inevitable as downtime. Don't worry, though. Death in Everquest II is not as punitive as death in the first Everquest. You won't have to lose all your belongings and acquired experience points. You'll just be penalized with a certain percentage of experience loss, and your items' durability will be reduced to zero. In Everquest II, your item's durability can be restored by bringing them to the blacksmith and paying a stated price.

9. Use your journal. Norrath is a very big place, and there will be many. Many quests to pursue in Everquest II. Your journal will keep track of them. Everquest II's journal, in fact, is the most powerful record-tracking interface in the MMORPG scene.

10. Don't just use your eyes. Listen. Everquest II's ambient sound is one of its best aspects. If there's a monster behind you, and your point of view restricts you from seeing it, you'll be able to hear its approach. This would warn you even before the peril could strike your back.

Everquest II is one of the leading MMORPG programs today. It provides for an enjoyable gaming experience that would last for many, many months, if not for many, many years.