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Get into the Neverwinter beta by pre-ordering Torchlight II
Synergy and cross-promotion are what make the corporate world go 'round, so try not to boggle too much as you read the following sentences. Perfect World and Runic Games have teamed up to give you a unique way to access the Neverwinter beta. All you need to do is to pre-order Torchlight II. The closed beta access comes with a couple provisions. You'll have to specifically pre-order through Perfect World to get beta access, as a Steam pre-order won't reap the same results. Also, it's important to note that Runic Games says that the "exact date of [beta] access will vary." Runic Games is a subsidiary of Perfect Worlds, which also owns Cryptic Studios. We found ourselves incredibly impressed with Neverwinter after getting our hands on it at PAX East, so it's great to have a guaranteed path into the beta. Make sure to read up on our impressions of this upcoming title from Cryptic. [Thanks to Jay for the tip!]
Eternal Blade posts a teaser site and class Facebook pages
Eternal Blade, if you hadn't heard, is a free-to-play action MMO due out later this year from gPotato. We had a chance to preview the game briefly at GDC, and the team behind the game has stepped up promotions with the addition of a new teaser site for the game. The developers have also finalized the class lineup, but the classes aren't getting pages on the teaser site; instead, each class now has its own individual Facebook page. The Soul Summoner, the Knight, the Archer, the Mage, the Thief, and the Berserker pages each have some photos of the relevant class in action as well as a description of why it's the best out of the six classes. If that doesn't get you interested in the game, the teaser site also features a video showing off cinematics and gameplay. More news on beta testing and launch as it develops. [Source: gPotato press release]
PAX East 2012: Hands-on with Perfect World's RaiderZ
TERA isn't the only upcoming MMO to feature big-ass monsters and action combat. Perfect World Entertainment showed us a demo of RaiderZ at last weekend's PAX East, and producer Mark Hill was pretty enthusiastic about the game's level of polish. He also made a point of highlighting the amount of free gameplay the company will be making available to fans later this year. "We really want to blow people away with how much free content they're getting out of a really top-notch game," he said. Join us after the cut to see what RaiderZ has to offer.
Massively's Easter event roundup: 2012 edition
Whether you're an Easter traditionalist or you simply need an excuse to eat a chocolate bunny, it's that time of year again. It's also time for a few of our favorite MMO devs to don their silly hats and introduce all manner of egg hunts and contests into games like RuneScape, Runes of Magic, and World of Warcraft. That's just the tip of the Easter event iceberg; you'll find several more festively inclined titles in our roundup after the cut. Before you hop on over, have a look at the two bunnies above and repeat after us: d'awww.
PAX East 2012: Neverwinter discussion and impressions
Many words come to mind when you mention Dungeons & Dragons, but "action" is not usually one of them. So at first glance, Neverwinter might seem like a bit of an odd beast. The game is meant as an action-based MMORPG that takes place in the distant future of the beloved Neverwinter Nights series; it's being developed by Cryptic Studios and published by Perfect World Entertainment. While the game isn't yet in open testing, the early version was playable on the floor of PAX East, and we had a chance to sit down with Cryptic Studios to discuss the game's development. I came to the show with no real expectations about the game beyond the fact that I knew the companies involved and was distantly aware of the game's development. I walked away more than a little impressed by what I had seen. However odd the collection of elements might seem, the game itself certainly piqued my interest.%Gallery-152607%
PAX East 2012: Cryptic shows new Neverwinter trailer
The first reveal of PAX East 2012 belongs to Cryptic and its Neverwinter title. The game began its life as a co-op RPG in 2010 but was then converted to a full-fledged MMO when Cryptic was acquired by Perfect World Entertainment last year. If you're heading to the Boston convention, the game is playable on the show floor. If you can't make it, feast your eyes on the new CG trailer that we've got for you after the break, and look for our report on the game itself later this weekend. Massively's on the ground in Boston during the weekend of April 6-8, bringing you all the best news from PAX East 2012. Whether you're dying to know more about TERA or PlanetSide 2 or any MMO in between, we aim to have it covered!
Perfect World demoing Neverwinter and RaiderZ at PAX East
If you're heading out to PAX East next week and your dance card is getting full, you may want to save a foxtrot or two for Perfect World Entertainment's booth. The company has announced that it will be showcasing two of its upcoming titles to those lucky few who make it out to Boston. At Perfect World's booth (#736), both Neverwinter and RaiderZ will offer demos so that players can see for themselves whether these are games worth anticipating. As if the early glimpse weren't enough, participants can discover special loot while they play that will transform into real-world prizes. Perfect World will also hold raffles for the chance to win gaming equipment. Senior Vice President and General Manager of Game Publishing Yoon Im sees these two games as the most exciting of Perfect World's future lineup: "We are proud to showcase RaiderZ and Neverwinter at PAX East. Our strong partnerships with developers worldwide have allowed us to expand our diverse portfolio of impressive free-to-play games and strengthen our position as a leader in the business of online games. Both RaiderZ and Neverwinter are looking spectacular and we can't wait to show them off." Massively will be on location at PAX East with an in-depth look at these games! [Source: Perfect World Entertainment press release]
Vindictus brings out a dragon with accompanying ink
In any fantasy game, downing a dragon is what you want. Sure, there might be other monsters that are technically stronger, but nothing else has quite the feel of straight-up slaying a dragon. Nexon realizes this, which is why the strongest foe in Vindictus' latest game update, is the massive dragon Elchulus. Players will need to have quite the team to bring down this massive foe, as a full raid of 24 characters at level 40 are required to slay the beast. The update also adds a lower-level raid for levels 20 and 30 as well as some brand-new tattoos to help signify your battle against the scaly menace. You can buy new tattoos, or you can face off against the new bosses and have a chance at winning one for free. Not quite convinced? Then take a look at the dragon in action just past the break, and see if you don't have a sudden urge to put a flying lizard in its place.
Tencent grows its empire with SURA Online
If you haven't heard of SURA Online yet, well, consider yourself enlightened. The online action title is renowned for its fast-attack combat system inspired by martial arts cinema, and ThisIsGame reports that SURA has been picked up for worldwide distribution by Chinese mega-publisher Tencent. SURA boasts three races and six classes, and TIG compares its fighting mechanics to the Tekken series (you can see an official gameplay trailer after the cut, below). Tencent is a major player in the global MMO market; much of its revenue stems from the sale of virtual goods via its Q Coin currency. Interestingly enough, the company also acquired the ZAM Network in February.
The Daily Grind: Would you play a Witcher MMO?
I've finally conquered CDProjekt's The Witcher 2, and yeah, I'm one of those guys who devours single-player games and thinks about whether they'd make successful MMOs or not. I played the original Witcher RPG many moons ago, and one of the few things I remember about it is the tacky naked wench trading cards. Thankfully, the sequel is a superior (and less juvenile) game in every respect, and in fact it's one of the more impressive PC RPGs I've experienced in a number of years. Yeah, it's high fantasy, but it's fairly original, it's for adults, and it features fascinating lore rife with factional conflict (and a unique take on traditional elves). Would The Witcher 2's cinematic presentation and unforgiving combat translate to a traditional MMO? I don't know, but I'd definitely pay monthly for a Temerian "action MMO" akin to Vindictus. What about you, Massively readers? Would you play a Witcher MMO? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
Rusty Hearts adding 'first true raid dungeon' on March 22nd
If the name "Dead Man's Valley" doesn't give you pause while looking up places to travel on your next vacation, perhaps consider a luxury cruise through Rusty Hearts' territory this spring. The hack-and-slash MMO is prepping a major update to the game for March 22nd that will add "the first true raid dungeon" for the game. Dead Man's Valley is an eight-person raid that will represent some of the most challenging content in the game. Also coming with the update is the latest playable character: a man trapped in a boy's body (insert your own role-reversal jokes here). Edgar Grosvenor is joining the crew of Rusty Hearts as a fierce melee combatant whose skill with the scythe and magic sword are completely at odds with his schoolboy demeanor. You can see the highlights of both Dead Man's Valley and Edgar's combat technique in Perfect World's latest video right after the jump!
TERA website updates with Elin lore, video
Last week TERA's North American website updated with some new information on the game's Castanic race. Today the site examines the Elin, and there's quite a bit of lore-centric text on display in addition to a new video. Despite their child-like appearance, the Elin are actually quite dour and mysterious. "Their speech is often dark, forthright, and otherworldly, and their sense of humor can border on vicious," the site explains. The goddess Elinu originally created the Elin in the image of Arun's daughter (Arun is one of two titans who created the world of Arborea, for those of you not up to speed on TERA's backstory). The Elin generally have one goal, and En Masse says that "they repair, protect, and preserve the world they live in and love above all else." Head past the cut to view the video.
World of Warplanes' Soviet tech tree revealed
Ready for World of Warplanes' third tech tree reveal (and a load of in-Soviet-Russia jokes)? It's here, and Soviet aircraft take center stage in today's update. Twenty classic warbirds have been added to the action combat game, including the La-5 fighter and the renowned Il-2 Sturmovik. As with the American and German tech trees, Wargaming.net says it will add additional aircraft to the Soviet tree as the game nears launch. World of Warplanes is currently undergoing global alpha testing, and you can sign up to be a part of it at the game's official website. Before you go, though, have a look at the new Soviet tech tree and a new video clip after the cut as well as new screenshots in our WoWP gallery. [Source: Wargaming.net press release] %Gallery-130862%
Vindictus has the beatdown, and so do other players
Vindictus has long given players a variety of ways to smash enemy creatures into the ground, and it's had plenty of players. But remarkably, the game has been missing ways to smash those players into the ground, an oversight that the game's new PvP patch is addressing through obvious means. Having just hit the live servers, the new patch allows for a variety of skirmishes between players as well as offers the obligatory rewards for settling disputes like violent, heavily armed men with poor impulse control. The game offers two options for PvP. Capture the Relic is... well, replace "relic" with "flag" and you probably have a good idea. Monster Brawl, meanwhile, pits two teams against one another with each team fighting alongside a boss monster -- keep your monster alive while killing the other team's beast and you win. Players can also unlock powerful rewards in the form of buff items, a nice incentive for those not already motivated by the simple joy of smashing another player's face in.
Beware of BAMs in TERA's Feral Valley
If you haven't ponied up for a TERA pre-order or scored an invite to the game's ongoing closed beta weekends, you might want to head to MMORPG.com and check out the newest zone preview video. Even if you are gearing up for another jaunt through Arborea this Friday, the clip is worth a look because it shows off more of the game's gorgeous environment, character, and mob visuals. Feral Valley is the setting, and lest you think the location is mislabeled, one of TERA's ubiquitous big-ass monsters calls the place home (and throws his weight around quite handily as wave after wave of player characters attempt to take him down). See for yourself after the break.
World of Planes renamed, evolves 'beyond pure aerial combat'
Gaijin has renamed its forthcoming aviation-centric World War II action MMO. The title was formerly called World of Planes (not to be confused with World of Warplanes), but will henceforth be known as War Thunder: World of Planes. The official website has been redesigned to reflect the change, and most interestingly, Gaijin states that aviation is no longer the title's sole focus. "This name change is significant because the online multiplayer universe Gaijin is developing has evolved beyond pure aerial combat. The massive historical battles featured in War Thunder cannot be fought with aviation alone -- World of Planes is only the beginning," the site says. What this means is anyone's guess, since Gaijin has not offered any details regarding ground- or sea-based combat as of yet. The company has released a new screenshot gallery, though, and you'll find that and more at the new official site.
Max Schaefer talks Torchlight II development, potential MMO plans
There are a lot of people eagerly anticipating Diablo III, but there are also several people looking forward to Torchlight II, the followup to the hugely successful spiritual sequel to Diablo. A recent interview with Max Schaefer, co-founder and CEO of Runic Games, discusses the development of the sequel including some of the contrasting points between it and Diablo III -- including the lack of any sort of virtual item shop. As Schaefer puts it, the team wants to put together a good game that stands on its own, and if it's successful the developers will look in the direction of an expansion rather than a straightforward shop. Schaefer also discusses a potential MMO coming out of the studio, something that's long been among the studio's plans -- one of the big reasons that Runic partnered with Perfect World Entertainment was due to its expertise with running an MMO. He claims that it's definitely still on the table, but it would be a big change for the studio, since the company has focused on staying small and launching an MMO is a very long-term commitment. Somewhat sad news for those hoping that Torchlight II's launch would spearhead MMO development directly, but the possibility certainly remains.
Elsword unleashes a new update for the new year
The new year may have lost a little of its luster, but it's still pretty new. So what better way to enjoy it than with new content? Elsword's developers have apparently decided that there's no better way, bringing players a trio of new dungeons to celebrate the new year and provide plenty of action-based enjoyment for the game's fans. And of course, new dungeons means new enemies to tear apart. Each new dungeon is meant to challenge players at a variety of skill levels, from experienced veterans to relative newcomers. Players who find that even the hardest challenges of the dungeons aren't enough can also turn on "Hell Mode," which promises to give players exactly what it says on the tin. A trailer for the new dungeons is just past the break, showing off the new areas and new enemies included in the update -- and really, who wouldn't like a new fistfight for the new year? [Source: Kill3rcombo press release]
New TERA video features Castanic race
The excitement surrounding TERA ramped up a few levels with the recent announcement of the title's May 1st release date. The action MMO from Korea's Bluehole Studio has been a long time in the making, and En Masse Entertainment has hinted at more details to come over the next couple of months. Today the company has partnered with IGN to release a new gameplay video focused on the Castanic race. The clip runs for about a minute and a half, and features a smattering of action vignettes starring our favorite horned warriors. Check it out after the break.
Free for All: The still-satisfying world of action MMOs
Look, I'm a red-blooded American gamer. I even call it 'Merica. So it should be no surprise when I feel like getting down with a melee-based chop-'em-up or have the desire to leap, jump and bounce my way through countless levels. In other words, action. We 'Mericans love our action games. I have my particular favorites, for sure, and within that list are my favorites of favorites that get the nod for different reasons. Honestly I'm not into action-based games just for the challenge. I don't need to make repeated attempts at downing a boss to have fun. I enjoy the immediate response that an action game gives me. I love to click the mouse button and see my character's sword swing or gun fire. It's satisfying. Of course, action games can have their drawbacks. Not only do they tend to produce a euphoric haze that can only be described as "stoner glare" and an open-mouthed state of hypnosis, but they can take a toll on delicate, drum-beaten wrists like mine as well. I take the good with the bad, I guess. Click past the cut and I'll let you know my favorite F2P action MMOs.
