Exclusive: New Hero:108 developer diary

Hero:108 Online may have been presented as an MMO for the younger set, but it's attracting a bit of attention from MMO gamers of all ages, thanks to its lighthearted presentation.

The Hero:108 Online team is pretty happy with how the story and character lineup has turned out, and has shared an exclusive developer diary with us here at Massively. The diary serves as an introduction to the heroes in the game, the backstory, and some poorly-made dumplings.

This information comes complete with a few new screenshots to give a visual idea of the game. Follow along after the jump to begin learning about the world of Hero:108 Online.

When war rages between the kingdoms...
when animals seek revenge on humankind...
when the world's darkest hour has come...
eight heroes will arise...

...and form the craziest band of warriors in the history of herodom! Straight from the popular Cartoon Network series and right onto your computer, the heroes of Hero:108 are here to save the Hidden Lands from the evil High Roller and his misguided minions. To face an evil this bizarre, you'll need to choose from some equally zany characters, and Big Green's eight finest are as varied in fighting style and personality as it gets.

Almost everyone in Big Green is gaga over the beautiful Water Mage, Mystique Sonia, but she's only got eyes for her beloved Yaksha, her multi-talented hat. Not only does Yaksha serve as a handy-dandy zit-popper, portable chair, and excellent mode of transportation, it's Mystique Sonia's constant battle companion. While Mystique Sonia uses her water magic expertise to drench and freeze foes, Yaksha keeps the hits coming by simultaneously unleashing furious melee attacks. And with just one kiss from Yaksha, Mistique Sonia can instantly refresh all of her abilities. With this duo in your party, not even the biggest bunch of baddies stands a chance!

If you'd rather flambé enemies than freeze them, look no further than Mighty Ray the Fire Warrior. By gulping down a banana, Mighty Ray can super-charge his magical eyeballs and turn the battlefield into an electrified barbeque pit. His devastating lightning and fire attacks will leave enemies in a constant state of agony, while his outstanding attack and defense power will keep him at the front line of battle, barely breaking a sweat. The fiery Mighty Ray has an equally explosive personality. Impulsive to a fault, he often blurts things out or charges into situations head-first, oblivious to the consequences.

Mighty Ray isn't the only one with talented eyeballs. Lin Chung, the Air Ranger, possesses a legendary ability known as "Panther Vision." With it, he can send bamboo shoots from his pole gun zooming toward his enemies with deadly accuracy and speed. And if his foes get a little too close for comfort, Lin Chung has the skills to slow or silence them. Although he's the most skilled warrior in Big Green, and has achieved true closeness with nature, not everything comes easily for Lin Chung. Try as he might, his drawing skills still need lots of improvement. Just don't tell him that, or he'll transform into a lump of sadness for weeks!

Another of Big Green's skilled marksmen is Archer Lee. Give him some arrows and a target, then keep your eye on the sky. Archer Lee lives up to his name by sending an unrelenting shower of arrows in any direction, all with amazing precision. Archer Lee is best-suited for targeting enemies from afar, but if they get too close, his arsenal of traps will keep them occupied while he relocates. Archer Lee is one of the more quiet and cautious members of Big Green. Even in the blazing sun, Archer Lee foregoes comfort to protect himself with layers of thick armor. You can never be too careful!

Like Archer Lee, Hurricane Lee is also good at protecting himself. This naturally beefy guy can withstand any assault by creating a barrier around himself or increasing his health before entering battle. With Hurricane Lee in your party, enemies will spend more time trying to figure out how to put a dent in his armor than actually succeeding. As good as he is at being impenetrable, Hurricane Lee is terrible at cooking. His dirty dumplings make better projectiles than they do food. But no matter how disgusting they are, his Second Squad members will eat them, out of respect for their teammate.

Another Big Green hero that garners a wealth of respect is the commander of First Squad, Mr. No Hands. It's Mr. No Hands' job to help the heroes stay in top condition both on and off the battlefield. While he may seem stoic on the outside, deep down he cares about each of the First Squad members, and strives to help them reach their full potential. Mr. No Hands can provide combative help in battle, but his true strength comes from the multitude of Earth-based defensive and healing skills at his disposal. With Mr. No Hands nearby, your party can focus more on fighting and less on dying.

Second Squad's commander, Latifah, is just as fiercely proud of her team of warriors, and even louder about saying so. She won't rest until her Second Squad wins the title of "First Squad," so that everyone in Big Green and beyond will know just how powerful she and her team are. Don't let her girlish good looks fool you, this lady is a natural powerhouse! With her spiked mace and unmatched strength, Latifah will knock your enemies into the next kingdom!

Another fierce member of Second Squad is Kowloon. As his nickname, "Nine Dragons" suggests, he can kick some serious behind in a variety of ways. Kowloon's weapon of choice is the long staff, which he can wield with as much deftness as Lin Chung. But Kowloon doesn't always need a weapon; sometimes he likes to let his fists do the talking. Although he enjoys provoking his rivals, Lin Chung and Mighty Ray, Kowloon is level-headed and isn't as likely to make rash decisions. Maybe that's why he's considered the best hero in Second Squad.

Each warrior is powerful enough to face enemies alone, but their combined powers can be truly devastating. You can choose to shoulder the burden of restoring the Hidden Lands yourself, or team up with your friends to bring a variety of sheer pain to High Roller's henchmen. Become the next hero of Hero:108 Online and restore the peace between the kingdoms!