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WAKFU offers an overview of unique gameplay
WAKFU, a tactical turn-based sprite-animated free-to-play game from Square-Enix and Ankama, is among the more interesting offerings heading toward launch. It's precisely because of that unique blend of flavor, animation, and stylized design that it's also attracting a fair bit of attention as it approaches release. And while the beta for North American players has been a bit delayed (it's starting elsewhere on April 27th), the new trailer should help salve the pain... or possibly make it even worse. While it's only a two-minute trailer, this offering gives players a broad overview of how the game will work, from character creation to the customizable battle system and the playstyles of the 14 different character classes. It also talks about the game's ecosystem, a unique feature whereby damaging the landscape will have long-term repercussions. If you're excited to get your hands on WAKFU from what you've seen and heard so far, the trailer is well worth the time it takes to watch.
DOFUS introduces Rogue and Masqueraider classes
Class-based fantasy games aren't unusual these days; in fact, they're the standard. It's rare that such a title has more than a handful of classes, though. Then there's DOFUS. The six-year-old free-to-play title recently added Masqueraiders and Rogues, bringing the game's class total to a whopping 14. Rogues function a bit differently than the rascally backstabbers you may be used to from other games. Rogues effectively dictate actions on the battlefield through the use of bombs and walls, which direct enemy movements and function as a form of crowd control. Masqueraiders take their power from a variety of wearable masks, which allow the player to adopt several fighting styles. Three masks types are available: the cowardly mask (ranged damage), the psychopath mask (close combat damage), and the classic mask (crowd control). Finally, Masqueraiders can also avail themselves of several buff-type spells including plastron, tororuga, and trance. Head to the official DOFUS website for all the details.
Wakfu's beta delayed in North America, potentially for Rogue activity
Wakfu has captured more than a few eyes of late, and for understandable reason. The game features distinctive and detailed sprite graphics, a tactical battle system, and a world that reacts to your actions. Details have just been released on the game's explosive and underhanded Rogue class, specializing in disrupting enemies with a variety of elemental bomb spells while avoiding damage with quick movement. Unfortunately for players looking forward to the game's beta, it might be a bit further away than it seemed, at least in North America. The international open beta was previously announced to be starting on April 27th, but word has been released that details on open beta in North America will be announced on a later date. While the game is set for a worldwide simultaneous release, if you're here in the US, you might have to wait just a little longer to get your Wakfu on. Fortunately, some brand-new screenshots -- including a couple of roguish ones -- should help ease the pain a little. %Gallery-116491%
Wakfu open beta starts April 27th
If you haven't managed to snag a closed beta key to Square-Enix and Ankama's new Wakfu free-to-play opus, don't sweat it. The companies have just announced that open beta is coming in late April (the 27th to be precise), which, given the fact that it's already almost mid-March, will be here before you know it. Wakfu, which many are referring to as Dofus 2.0, is a turn-based tactical MMO that boasts 14 character classes and three nations that can either work together or go to war, depending on how players choose to proceed. Wakfu also features an in-depth political system complete with a player-occupied governor position as well as the ability to set laws and taxes. Check out some spiffy new beta screenshots in our gallery below, and head to the official website for more info. %Gallery-116491%
We've got more Wakfu closed beta keys for you!
The Wakfu closed beta is continuing, and the game has captured the attention of quite a few MMO players. Our recent beta key giveaway highlighted that interest -- we had 1,000 closed beta keys, and they were gone at no time at all. We got in touch with the folks at Square-Enix, who generously provided us with 1,000 more keys to share. The process is the same as last time -- claim your key at our Wakfu closed beta giveaway page, then visit the game's site (note that these are the NA servers) to create an account. Once you've done that, go to the code entry page, log in, and enter your key. Once that's done, you are free to install the game and play Wakfu!
Get into Wakfu with our closed beta key giveaway!
Wakfu has been generating some buzz both here at the virtual Massively offices and among the general MMO community. Ankama, the creator of Dofus, has teamed up with Square-Enix to bring us this tactical MMO. The game is currently in closed beta, but don't let that stop you, because we've got a pile of beta keys to share. Check out our Wakfu closed beta giveaway page, then visit the Ankama site to create an account. Once you've done that, go to the code entry page, log in, and enter your key. Download the client and you're good to go -- enjoy Wakfu's closed beta!
Massively's first impressions of Wakfu
If you are a fan of Dofus, you might be familiar with my current mania. I was asked to take an early look at Wakfu, the game that could be called "Dofus 2.0," and I was given permission to talk about it. That's right, if it were a horrible menace to my free time, I would be able to tell you. If it didn't run, or if it were nothing but a mess of bugs, I could tell you that as well. Of course, I wasn't forbidden from telling you how much I might have liked it or how confident I was that the game truly felt like a "2.0," so I might just do some of that. Remember, this is a closed beta I am about to talk about. Let's keep that in mind. OK, OK, I just have to say that -- sort of like an article disclaimer to do away with any responsibility I might have for my opinion. Now, I don't want to give you any spoilers, and I want you to promise to read to the end of the article, but let's just say that, closed beta or not, this game is really tight. But let's go ahead and click past the cut, mkay? I want to tell you more. %Gallery-116491%
Square and Ankama gear up for Wakfu closed beta
Lest you think Square-Enix is solely committed to sprawling, spikey-haired, single-player productions or much-maligned MMORPGs, we're here to tell you that the famed development firm is gearing up to unleash Wakfu on an unsuspecting gaming populace. The new tactical MMO will be opening the doors of its closed beta on January 31st, and Square is inviting you to check out the game's 14 classes, turn-based combat, and an evolving eco-system in which killing a monster may mean ridding the game world of it for good. While Square is handling publishing duties for Wakfu, the brains behind the game is a company called Ankama, better known to international MMO fans as the creators of Dofus. Aside from a propensity for wacky titles, Ankama is making a name for itself via the various multimedia projects surrounding the release of Wakfu including comic books, card games, and an animated cartoon.
Rise and Shiny recap: Dofus
Years ago I had to find a job in my new home state of Texas. Luckily for me, my wife hooked me up with a friend who helped me get hired at Starbucks. At first, I hung my head in shame. Later, though, I enjoyed dealing with customers and the free coffee. I had a co-worker, a real chin-scratching, coffee house wanna-be intellectual who would often spend more time dreaming about some game than about getting people on their breaks. He even brought his Macbook to work to sneak in time in the game. I glanced over his shoulder one day and was delighted to see an odd-looking, cartoony, turn-based game on his screen. It turned out that the game was Dofus. I tried it immediately and fell in love with it, but that was years ago. I still found time to revisit the game, but once I started working at Massively, most of my time became dedicated to every other game in the world. Well, it's time to visit it again. During the first part of this week, though, I thought this was going to be a disaster. I stayed strong and battled my way through bot after bot, spam message after spam message, and eventually found the great game I remember. Click past the cut to see exactly what I found!
Free for All: Four games I'm dying to play in 2011
The year 2010 was a great year in gaming. If anyone tells you any different, look him in the eye -- you've just met a madman. In fact, 2010 did so much for me, personally, that it might be hard to top it for a while. I actually started getting paid to write my blog entries this year, discovered so many wonderful new developers this year, and played more hours than in all of the previous years combined. As luck would have it, there are already several new games being announced that are making 2011 look like an even bigger year for me. Browser-based technology is only growing more robust and rich, indie gaming is finally starting to get a lot of the respect it deserves, and I now have the ability to contact almost any developer I want for use in my columns. All of this adds up to some exciting times ahead, for sure. All thanks to Massively, of course. There are four games in particular that I am very excited about. More will come, I'm positive, but these four have already cast huge spells on me. Click past the cut to see what you should be excited about, too!
DOFUS brings the holidays to players, then blows them up
The colorful world of DOFUS seems well-suited to a holiday celebration, especially with the amount of character embedded in the game's graphics. And one is taking place on Kwismas Island, beyond a shadow of a doubt. But there's still something else for players to look for, something that's far less merry than the dungeons of the island (whose merriness is already a rather dubious quality). It's the newest class of the game, the Rogue, a class focused on guns, explosives, and the use of both in tandem. Capable of summoning a variety of elemental bombs as well as making elementally charged pistol attacks, Rogues are the 13th class in the game, available as a premium feature now. All DOFUS players can enjoy Kwismas Island, however, previewed in our gallery just below. Take a look at the Rogue teaser video past the cut, and consider the possible combination of holiday dungeons and heavy explosives. (It beats fruitcake and caroling.) %Gallery-111466%
Massively's tour of Dofus 2.0
Dofus is a game that's been around for a while now, first in its 1.0 form, and now as Dofus 2.0. It's a tactics-based game (many players have pointed out that it has a Final Fantasy feel about it), and while it's not as flashy as many of the graphics-heavy games on the market today, it's got a fair amount of substance to it. Dofus 2.0 offers a nice variety of combat areas, diverse and specialized classes, even crafting if that's your thing. Recently we were lucky enough to take a tour of Dofus 2.0 with Ankama's own Elissa Dukes. Follow along after the jump to see what we found.
Dofus opens their new version, Dofus 2.0, to simultaneous praise and worry
If you're a gamer looking for a tactical approach to MMOs, then you're pretty much going to want to play Dofus. Dofus is the MMO that takes a real-time strategy approach to combat, letting characters move in cells and conduct attacks in turns, very similar to the classic combat system of Final Fantasy Tactics. Recently, the Dofus team has ripped open the packaging on Dofus 2.0, a huge update that gives the game improved graphics, new areas, gameplay, and much more. However, the update hasn't been released without a fair share of criticism. Ankama Games had made the decision to launch Dofus 2.0 while simultaneously keeping Dofus 1.26, the prior version, online on separate servers.
Ankama's Islands of Wakfu headed to XBLA, PAX
Click to enlarge Read the headline above, and you know about as much as we do. Ankama Games, known for its 2D MMORPG, Dofus, has announced that it's bringing its upcoming XBLA title Islands of Wakfu to the Penny Arcade Expo next month. Beyond that, we've only got a handful of screenshots and the company's modus operandi to work with. We're unsure what relation Islands of Wakfu has to Ankama's similarly titled PC game, Wakfu. It could be that the XBLA version is some kind of spin-off, perhaps a retooled version of the previously announced DS version of Wakfu. We've contacted Ankama to see if the company can clarify. In the meantime, check out some Islands of Wakfu screens below, and a trailer for the PC Wakfu after the break. %Gallery-70260%
Microsoft partners with Ankama Games to bring Wakfu to Xbox Live Arcade
If you have heard of Dofus or Wakfu, then you've heard of Ankama Games, the people Microsoft has just turned to for a new Xbox MMO-esque game. In their partnership announced today, Ankama will be bringing a new title, Islands of Wakfu, to Xbox Live Arcade late next year. Islands of Wakfu will keep the current cartoon style of Dofus and Wakfu, but utilize a more adventure/beat-'em-up style instead of the top down tactical style. Also, it's going to be more of a team play game, where two players work cooperatively together, rather than a full on MMO. The game promises to be set in the same universe as Ankama's other games and reveal new information about the world itself.So it's not a full on MMO, but the offer certainly does open the doors of hope. Having a known MMO developer working on Xbox Live Arcade titles with their unique IP may herald other game developers to do the same. Who knows, we might end up with a Wakfu MMO on the arcade anyway![via TenTonHammer]
Better, faster, prettier: Dofus 2.0
Have you played or do you currently play Dofus? If so, Ankama games has something they'd like you to see. They've been in the process of completely upgrading the entire game with the Dofus 2.0 update, as you know. However, now they can finally show you what they've been working on with a video and information page! The game code is being rewritten for improved performance all around and the visuals are -- as you can see -- getting a very nice overhaul as well. Our only complaint is that characters in-game are still incredibly small, which is something of a bother for players who love to customize and stare at their avatars for hours on end.Ankama is promising more information soon, but they did make it clear that no characters will be reset and no servers will be shut down. This is only a visual and internal upgrade, it's like an MMO version of a face-lift only not as painful and probably more effective overall. If you're really jonesing for more information you can check out the Dofus 2.0 devblog.
New Wakfu screenshots display more UI palettes
We're looking forward to Wakfu, the new 'tactical' MMORPG from Ankama, the makers of Dofus. Exactly how Wakfu will differ from Dofus in gameplay isn't entirely clear just yet, but visually, it's got a gorgeous look, much higher-res than its predecessor. Video of gameplay shows small but noticeable improvements, like grasses swaying in the wind, and water levels advancing and receding.The latest batch of screenshots on gamershell.com show more user interface elements, including the customary inventory screen, armor and weapons window (with player character included, something new), and others. If you can read (and understand) French, maybe you can puzzle out what's going on in the others. Still no release date for the beta, so let these beautiful shots appease your hunger for now.
DofusPOCKET to take over cellphones in June
DOFUS is set to jump into the MMO-wherever-you-go trend, with a recent press release from developer Ankama stating that a cellphone version of the game can be expected in June this year. Called DOFUSPocket, this edition of the game is being tested by a small group of players at the moment, but all DOFUS users should get a chance to try it out before the release.The CEO of Ankama, Emmanuel Darras, has promised brand new content and features for DOFUSPocket, saying, "We do not wish to simply make a shorter version of DOFUS for mobiles." Some possibilities mentioned in the press release include "user to user" applications between cellphones, and text message alerts for in-game events.[Via Ten Ton Hammer]
DOFUS's Livitinems
If you're having trouble reading that word, I'll admit that I do too. It's pronounced 'LIH-vih-TIH-nem'. But when my eyes glide over it, I just keep wanting to say 'living items', which must be the point, 'cause that's what they are!Livitinems are benign critters in the world of DOFUS that live in your clothing items, whose only purpose in life is to change the appearance of your wardrobe. They don't confer bonuses or extra protection, they just sit there on top of you and occasionally comment on your adventures. An interesting thing about Livitinems is that they eat items; capes eat capes, amulets eat amulets, etc. When they've been fed enough, they evolve into a new appearance; Ankama says they can evolve up to 20 unique appearances. How do you get a Livitinem? Either by subscribing to DOFUS, buying them, or exchanging them with other owners. There are those who may think the idea of a living hat that eats other hats is a little creepy, but just think of it like it's the Minish Cap -- cute! Wait ... they might be trying to say 'live it in 'em' instead. I'll find out and let you know!
Dofus embraces permadeath with new hardcore servers
Richard Bartle once said, "Do you want permadeath or pedophilia? Both seem equally attractive to most players." In other words, permanent death in MMORPGs is pretty much unheard of, and most people who hear the idea are horrified that it should even be suggested. A few MUDs have it, but in the graphical world, there's almost no such thing. The original Lord of the Rings MMO that was developed by Sierra and eventually canceled was going to have it. That's the closest we've gotten to mainstream MMO permadeath.The developers of Dofus, then, are either completely insane or just very daring. They've announced plans to open up "hardcore" servers in December. On hardcore servers, player characters will receive significantly more experience and gain new items and abilities much faster than on normal servers. But when they die, that's it. They've passed on. They are no more. They have ceased to be. Bereft of life, they rest in peace. They've joined the bleeding choir invisible. They are, in their entireties, ex-Dofus toons.At various stages in an age-old debate, proponents have suggested that if executed in the right way in a certain kind of game, permadeath could enrich the online gaming experience. Battles would be more intense and PvP would be more meaningful, for example. Will you play on Dofus' hardcore servers, or is permadeath an affront to everything you believe in?
