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Kitsu Saga begins open beta testing
Kitsu Saga closed beta testers, you're about to have to reroll, but it's for a good cause. Closed beta characters are wiped and open beta has started, allowing everyone to join the insanely cute Kitsu fox tribe in the fight against the Golden Dharma King. If you participated in the closed beta, you'll be enjoying a few extra rewards as a thank-you for your help along the way. Keep your eyes open for some unique in-game items that will help you out during your adventures in Kitsu Saga. The character wipe from closed beta is the last one -- open beta characters will carry over into launch, so consider this your head start on Kitsu Saga! %Gallery-105063%
One Shots: Kitsukawaii
Once in a while it's fun to post a One Shots offering a peek behind the scenes into what someone here on the Massively staff is playing. Today, it's my turn! While I've been playing Vanguard as my primary game for Choose My Adventure, I've also taken a bit of time to dabble in Aeria Games' newest offering, Kitsu Saga. What can I say? I can't resist ridiculously adorable little foxes. This image was taken outside of my kitsu cottage where I have a handful of adorable foxes who work for me by gathering materials and crafting things. In return, I give them treats and lots of attention. (I'd give them snuggles and scritchies, but I haven't found either a snuggle or scritchie button as yet.) Here you see one of the kitsu sages explaining things to my noob character while my kitsu combat companion, RiceBowl, looks on. Are you trying out a new game -- perhaps even a beta? Well, so long as there's no NDA in place, we'd love to see what you're up to. Email your screenshots in to us here at oneshots@massively.com along with your name, the name of the game, and a description of what we're seeing. Please make sure your image is at least 1024px wide and has as few visible UI elements as possible. It might wind up as the next One Shots! (Oh, and by the way, if this image piques your interest, we have a few more Kitsu Saga beta keys available!) %Gallery-85937%
Run with the foxes: Grab a beta key for Kitsu Saga here
Tomorrow's the beginning of the closed beta phase for Aeria Games' Kitsu Saga, the MMO in which cute, cavity-inducing foxes roam free. You may recall that we here at Massively have run two exclusive behind-the-scenes peeks into the game, but now's your time to check out Kitsu Saga instead of just hearing us talk about it. Aeria has been kind enough to send 2,500 keys our way, so why delay giving them away any longer? Skip past the break to learn how to grab and redeem a key for yourself before they're all taken!
Legendary Champions enters open beta
If you like your MMOs with a hefty dose of camp, we've got just the MMO for you. Aeria Games introduced Legendary Champions back at the beginning of July, then promptly fell silent until just recently. With that announcement, the game managed to tickle the funny bone of many who saw it. Legendary Champions has been in closed beta, and the combination of fun and combat is now available to everyone. The free-to-play game has entered open beta, so everyone now has the opportunity to see a chainsaw-wielding Beowulf. Sign up and check it out on the Legendary Champions site.
Tear through mobs galore in Dynasty Warriors Online
Had a frustrating day? Just in the mood to feel obscenely powerful? Like lots of hack-and-slash? If you answered yes to any of those questions, then we've got an MMO you'll want to keep an eye on. The newest update from Dynasty Warriors Online features a preview video chock-full of crazy fighting action. We're not just talking interesting moves, here -- we mean these weapons seem to cut through mobs like a freakin' lawnmower. Dynasty Warriors Online from Tecmo Koei and Aeria Games offers lots of old-school weapons like nun-chucks and staves, as well as more imaginative weapons like the Beast Gauntlets. Giant swords, maces, and axes feature in the action too, if you prefer something a bit larger-than-life. Sound like your kind of stress-release game? After you've checked out the screenshots below and the video behind the break, head on over to the shiny new Dynasty Warriors site to sign up for beta. Gratuitous slaughter awaits! %Gallery-99390%
Kitsu Saga shows off character options and a preview trailer
Kitsu Saga, the newest free-to-play game from Aeria Games, is currently still in the midst of beta. While we were a bit unfamiliar with the game when it was first announced -- which is to say completely unaware of it -- we've just been given both a preview trailer for the game (embedded after the cut) and a small gallery of images showing off the range of body types available to players during character creation. According to the development team, characters can be aged as well as having different body types, which has a direct impact on the character's abilities. A middle-aged and heavily muscled man will have better physical stats at creation than a willowy little girly man, for example. Aside from character creation, both the gallery and the trailer show off the clean and cartoonish style of the game's graphics. Take a look past the cut for the trailer, and keep an eye as more news comes out about the coming Kitsu Saga. %Gallery-102068%
Exclusive: Dynasty Warriors Online shows off new screens and customization video
Looking for a free-to-play brawler with above-average character customization and visual flair? You might want to check out Aeria Games' Dynasty Warriors Online, which is currently accepting closed beta signups. Dynasty Warriors Online is the latest title in the popular Dynasty Warriors franchise (which dates back to the 1997 Playstation fighting game), and looks to bring its unique blend of action and strategy to the MMORPG space. Aeria has teamed with Massively to bring you an exclusive gallery of environment screenshots for the game, showcasing locales that include courtyards, taverns, crafting facilities, and more. Aeria has also released a short teaser showing off aspects of character creation as well as a brief glimpse of PvE combat. Have a look at the video after the cut, check out the exclusive screenshot gallery below, and don't forget to sign up for beta at the game's official website. %Gallery-101828%
Kitsu Saga marches into closed beta
You've been eternally patient, young grasshopper, but now your wait is over. After several years of nail-biting anticipation, Aeria Games' Kitsu Saga is finally in closed beta, and you're invited to join in on the adventure -- if you have the right stuff to save the world, that is. So take the next week off school or work, and prepare to play until your eyeballs explode with joy! OK, we've never heard of this game either, but that doesn't mean it's not worth a bit of MMO recon work. So go forth, Massively scouts, and let us know what this Asian martial arts title is like! Kitsu Saga is being developed by X-Legend, which also made Grand Fantasia. Players join a faction and train as fledgling martial artists under the care of their masters. They also are befriended by a Kitsu -- a mischievous fox spirit of sorts that travels with adventurers and lends a hand (or at least color commentary). Aside from the Kitsu companions, the game also features little bonuses like being able to choose your character's age. You can enter the beta over at Aeria Games.
Aeria games reveals new Dynasty Warriors Online screenshots
Dynasty Warriors Online gained some interest earlier this month when Aeria Games announced it would be publishing the free-to-play MMO in North America. While there is no official date for closed beta yet, signups are being accepted and the forums are fairly busy with conversation between fans and developers. Aeria provided a series of screenshots with the original announcement, offering a preview of Dynasty Warriors Online's graphics, and the company added to that lineup this weekend with three more images. Check out the gallery below for the newest look at the game, then check out the site to sign up for the first round of closed beta testing. %Gallery-99390%
Dynasty Warriors Online set for American release by Aeria Games
The Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history is one of those settings that people just can't seem to get enough of, with other free-to-play games mining the territory with vigor. The Dynasty Warriors franchise, however, has quite a bit of pedigree, with a long tradition of character-based storytelling and impossibly large battles. American fans of the franchise can take heart, as it has just been announced that Aeria Games will be publishing Dynasty Warriors Online in North America, with the game currently accepting beta applicants. Fans of the series will be happy to know that the game hasn't lost sight of its roots, with the engine focusing on allowing player-created characters to face off against huge hordes of NPC opponents. The game will also allow players to have a direct influence on the historical setting, with the outcome of battles affecting the delicate balance between Wei, Shu, and Wu. Naturally, there will also be the same psuedo-historical personalities made famous in the series and in the source novel. Dynasty Warriors Online is set for an official launch later this year, and if you're on the fence, take a look at the gallery below to get a feel for the game's appearance. %Gallery-99390%
Dynasty Warriors Online coming to North America and Europe
A recent press release has announced that Aeria Games' free-to-play MMO Dynasty Warriors Online will soon expand its borders beyond Japan as part of a new licensing agreement with Tecmo Koei. The online hack-and-slash is now set to launch in North America and Europe as well, though no timetable has been placed on its arrival. Hopefully, the interim will give us enough time to figure out what the hell is going on in this gameplay video. If you can't wait to try your hand at reaping vast fields of soldiers with the help of some remote accomplices, keep an eye out for Dynasty Warriors Online's beta, which the press release promises will be "testing soon."
Rise and Shiny recap: Dream of Mirror Online
Each week Rise and Shiny asks you to download and try a different free-to-play, indie or unusual game, chosen by me, Beau Hindman. Some of the games will be far out of your gaming comfort zone, and some will pleasantly surprise you. We will meet each Tuesday and Friday night at 9 p.m. EDT (8 p.m. CDT), followed by this column the Sunday after. I welcome any suggestions for games, either in the comments or at beau@massively.com or Twitter me @Beau_Hindman. At some point in his life, every man has to attempt to grow a beard. I am not talking about a finely chisled goatee, or one of those odd looking Robin Hood-type deals. I am talking about a full beard, a substantial mound of hair rooted in our face -- an escape-attempt by the very testosterone that makes us a man in the first place. I knew I had a chance this time when, after suggesting to my wife what I would attempt, she only shrugged. Normally she pulls on any scruff that pops out of my chin and says, "You look homeless. Shave." As you grow this beard, there will be times when you will be very conscious of it. When you first step out of the shower When you are eating and food falls into it When you are playing MMORPGs Some MMOs are better suited to a beard: EVE Online, for example. EverQuest II will feel all right. World of Warcraft? Only while PvPing. If you're like me, though, and spend most of your time within balloon-bright cartoon-fests like Dream of Mirror Online, then you might be surprised at how it feels while playing bearded .
Kingdom Heroes shows off PvP in new screens
Aeria Games wants players to know what to expect out of Kingdom Heroes, and one of the biggest draws can be explained in three letters: PvP. More specifically, large-scale PvP that features up to 100 participants on each side, culminating in the bloody Kingdom Wars that are shown off in a new set of official screens. The first picture in the gallery is a brief moment of calm before the storm, with the subsequent images showing off just how bloody the fighting can get. Set during China's Three Kingdoms period -- the setting for Romance of the Three Kingdoms and the Dynasty Warriors series among others -- the game is still in open beta, with a variety of weekend events running to help entice new players. If you're fond of the historical setting (with some exceptions made for the sake of gameplay) or just fond of large-scale PvP, take a look at the gallery and consider giving Kingdom Heroes a shot. %Gallery-97107%
Aeria Games announces newest MMO
Forget the Batman vs. Superman debate. Who would win if Joan of Arc fought Mulan? No, really -- you can do that soon with the newest MMO offering from Aeria Games. "The barriers between worlds have been torn asunder, and the battlefield is suddenly awash with strangers from distant lands and times," says the Legendary Champions site. The game allows you to play as over 60 famous figures, including Dracula, Beowulf, Erik the Red, and more. While there is a heavy PvP presence in the game, you can also team up with friends and take on powerful monsters. The game is scheduled for release late this summer, and beta signups are happening now. Check out the trailer and gallery below for a first look at Legendary Champions. %Gallery-97089%
Rise and Shiny recap: Hello Kitty Online
Each week Rise and Shiny asks you to download and try a different free-to-play game, chosen by me, Beau Hindman. Some of the games will be far out of your gaming comfort zone, and some will pleasantly surprise you. We will meet each Tuesday and Friday night at 8 PM Central time, followed by this column the Saturday after. I welcome any suggestions for games, either in the comments or at beau at massively dot com. This week I asked my readers to man (or woman) up and download Hello Kitty Online by Sanrio Digital. I'm a firm believer in the old saying "Looks can be deceiving" and have tried to keep that in mind as I look for games. After all, what is the difference between fluffy pink and white bunnies and giant robots that throw hissy fits? In fact, if I were to ask my readers what makes up the difference between a game like Hello Kitty Online and a game like Lord of the Rings Online, they might only shrug and say "C'mon, Beau, you can see the difference." Remember, though, that we can still pull emotions out of cartoon characters just like we can out of more realistic ones, and it has been shown that many moviegoers actually feel more connected to stylized characters over super-realistic representations. I wonder if Hello Kitty Online can inspire the same strong emotions that a hardcore raider feels?
Spiritual Mixing: MegaTen cooks up a special update
If engineering has taught us anything, it's that combining two awesome objects via welding or duct tape will most always result in a double-awesome item. Three objects welded together? A thrice-awesome gadget! So whether it's that shark-flamethrower-ninja you've always wanted, or the remote control-Princess Leia gold bikini-pudding cup that will make the neighbors sit up and go "Boy, howdy!", a trio of objects slammed together is a recipe for dreams to come true. It's with this notion that we bow to Aeria Games, which has pushed out a major update for Shin Megami Tensei: Imagine Online (or MegaTen if you're on a casual first-name basis) that contains a rather unique system of crafting. It's known as Spiritual Mixing, which, despite the name, has nothing to do with religion or Iron Chef. Instead, players can combine up to three pieces of gear to form a new high-level item. There's more info on the nitty gritty details of Spiritual Mixing on Aeria's forums. This hot 'n hearty update also contains a new residential zone, the next chapter of the game's storyline, more quests and dungeon updates. We've appreciated MegaTen for a while now, so head over to the website to check out the game and this oddly-named update.
Kingdom Heroes scoots into open beta with weekend events
After a short couple weeks of closed beta, Kingdom Heroes has announced their transition into the open beta phase. This would be the "historical" MMO that teaches you all sorts of fascinating "facts" about ancient China, such as how their female warriors fought in elegantly revealing bikinis (at least according to the front page of the site). While they're currently only stress testing a single server in NA, Kingdom Heroes has plans to open a EU server in the near future. As part of the open beta celebration, Aeria Games is hosting a number of special beta events for this upcoming weekend. GMs are coming out of the woodwork to run hide-and-seek games, statue dance contests, secret giveaways and awards for special milestones reached. Yes, once again we learn the insidious truth that our high school history textbooks kept from us: ancient Chinese armies were bolstered by their elite breakdancing skills. So if historical breakdancing and entire armies playing hide-and-seek thrill you to your very core (or you just want to check out an interesting-looking MMO), then head over to the Kingdom Heroes website and download the open beta today.
Touring the battlefield of Kingdom Heroes
I was very excited when I was invited to take a tour of the new MMORPG Kingdom Heroes, made by Aeria Games, one of my favorite publishers. When I first read the details of the game, I pictured players controlling hundreds of soldiers at a time, without ever considering how the game could possibly run with more than several players (and their armies) on the screen. Instead, each player controls between two and six soldiers in his "army," and once I saw how quickly these smaller groups add up on the battlefield, I was convinced that Aeria made the right decision. The game is set in the era right after the Han Dynasty, often considered to be the "Golden Era" of Ancient China. The trees and buildings, and especially the water, are rendered beautifully. It's a wonder that the game runs with almost no graphical lag, even during battles (more on that later). There are four standard classes to choose from: the Warrior, the Fencer (a ranger type), the Tactician (a cleric/buffer type) and a Conjurer (mage). You can pick from several hairstyles and faces, and can make your character child-like or adult. Of course, being an Aeria game, you can pick from several crazy hair colors as well.
We're giving you closed beta keys to Kingdom Heroes, so you too can die to Lu Bu
Let's face it -- you can't defend that gate from Lu Bu. No matter how many times you try, he's just going to come in and clean the floor with your face. Your AI solders are nice to have along during your trek through the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, but they're not always bright enough to get out of the way of Lu Bu... or do anything useful for that matter. Just remember, Lu Bu is the Chinese Chuck Norris. Don't pursue him. So wouldn't it be nice to have some intelligent players around you while Lu Bu wipes the floor with your face? We think so. Then, at least, others can share in your pain. That's why today we have 5,000 keys for you, so you can access Aeria Games's latest MMO, Kingdom Heroes -- an MMO set in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms. So, if you've gotten tired of playing Dynasty Warriors and wish to take on a character of your own, then look no further. Come for the ability to command a small army of your own, stay for the ability to own hundreds of people on the battlefield (except Lu Bu.) Plus take a leap after the break to check out a video of the game in action, so you can decide if this is a game you want to jump into.
Kingdom Heroes marches into closed beta on May 18th
Fantasy MMOs may be a dime -- or less -- a dozen, so there's something special about a game that sets the action in a historical period instead. It's always a side bonus to learn something educational in MMOs, if only to use as ammunition when you want a loved one to pony up cash for another month's subscription ("But I'm learning, mom!") Players looking to stomp around ancient China will have their chance on May 18th, when Kingdom Heroes smashes into closed beta. Kingdom Heroes is striving to hit a sweet spot with engrossing PvP, topping the usual buffet of choices with a few choice gems, such as ship battles, siege engines and customizable armies. Four classes -- warrior, conjurer, tactician and fencer -- and four body types (hm, do you want to be a "maiden" or a "beauty"?) are the tip of the customization Kingdom Heroes sports. The game is set in the era of the Three Kingdoms, and players will choose which kingdom and dynasty to fight for and (repeatedly) die in their name. An ancient Chinese secret no longer, gamers can get their mitts on Kingdom Heroes by signing up for the beta and counting down the days until closed beta on May 18!
