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Hands-on with The Secret World's mission system
So The Secret World's mission system treads well off the beaten MMO path. It's pretty cool, actually, though portions of it may irritate quest-grinders who just want to blow through zones on their way to the game's equivalent of a max-level toon. For the rest of us, there's a nifty interface, some challenging puzzles, and plenty of well-written quest text and dialogue to keep us entertained for weeks at a time.
Hands-on with The Secret World's Illuminati experience
Dark days are upon us, and I, for one, couldn't be more pleased. For the past few days I've had the pleasure of exploring the dark corners of the press beta for Funcom's upcoming horror-fantasy MMO, The Secret World, and now the embargo is up and I'm finally able to share my impressions with all of you. You may recall that I got some hands-on time with the title at PAX East earlier this year and came away from the experience fairly pleased. But that was an hour of playtime at the most, so how does the game hold up with extended play? I decided to hop into the (rather stylish) boots of an Illuminati initiate to find out for myself.
The Secret World announces first beta weekend
Beta weekends are all the rage these days, and now Funcom is getting in on the action. The studio has announced that its upcoming fantasy-horror MMO, The Secret World, will be the subject of a series of weekend beta tests, the first of which is beginning this weekend. From Friday until Sunday, players who were lucky enough to get their hands on beta keys via preorders or giveaways will be able to jump into the boots of a Templar initiate. After undergoing the proper procedures for joining the less-than-secretive secret organization, players will be whisked away to Solomon Island, New England, where they will be tasked with finding the source of the ancient evil threatening Kingsmouth. The full details of the beta weekend, including a handy-dandy FAQ, can be found over at The Secret World's official site.
PAX East 2012: Exploring the dark corners of The Secret World
As anyone around the Massively offices can tell you, I am eagerly-bordering-on-obsessively awaiting the release of Funcom's latest entry into the MMO market, The Secret World. I'm all about the supernatural, occult, and paranormal, and The Secret World's "all the myths are true" philosophy is right up my alley, so when I heard that there would be a playable demo at PAX East 2012, it was all I could do not to squeal like a 12-year-old girl (and I may have done so anyway). Of course, many people are hesitant about the title. Between The Secret World's subscription-cum-microtransactions business model and Funcom's track record of poor launches and bug-laden games, some gamers are finding themselves hesitant to get hyped up for the game's June 19th launch. Of course, I'd be lying if I said I weren't at least a bit cautious myself, regardless of my enthusiasm for the game. So how is the game shaping up? Well, sit down, grab yourself a drink, and let me tell you what I think.
Funcom shows off new Secret World location video
Funcom has released a new location video today showing of the Savage Coast (no, not that one). We're talking about the The Secret World's Savage Coast, and the two-minute clip takes us on an atmospheric journey around the waterways and backstreets of Kingsmouth and Solomon Island. Along the way, we see glimpses of previous location reveals including the Kingsmouth lighthouse, Innsmouth Academy, the Accursed Woods, and Atlantic Island Park. According to the clip's narrator, evil has always lurked in and around Solomon Island, and Funcom's editing results in many classically influenced scenes of dread and foreboding. The video finishes up with a few seconds of combat, intercut from a variety of group and solo encounters. While there's not a lot new here, the production values are so high that we can't help but be creeped out and anxious for the next reveal. Check out the full clip at CryGaia.net.
The Secret World unveils the Kingsmouth Lighthouse
There's something spooky about your average lighthouse, particularly when viewed through the gloomy gauze of a dark and storm-drenched night. It's no surprise, then, that The Secret World will feature a lighthouse or two, and Funcom's latest location reveal centers around the beacon located by the port town of Kingsmouth. This particular lighthouse was built by the Illuminati in the 1700s. The purpose was two-fold. First was obviously the desire to see ships safely into the harbor. Beneath that benign exterior, though, lurked "a clear and powerful statement: This was Illuminati territory, their eye was all-seeing, their light shone brighter and stronger than any other." Today, the Kingsmouth Lighthouse still holds its share of secrets. The facility was automated at some point in the past and has since fallen into a state of neglect. A hidden staircase is rumored to exist somewhere in the rock at the lighthouse's base, and bronze panels inscribed with warding symbols have been reported as well. Eccentric author Sam Krieg has also taken up residence, and while we could tell you more about this eclectic location, there'd be no reason for you to visit the official Secret World website.
The Secret World reveals new Accursed Woods location
The Secret World's third location reveal of the week is here, and we're once again back in New England for a look at the Accursed Woods. The new blurb on the game's official website kicks things off with a rather unsettling quote from H.P. Lovecraft, an author whose works have inspired both the story and the visuals of Funcom's forthcoming opus. The Accursed Woods play host to some sort of gnarly, nameless terror, but Funcom's prose makes it clear that players will know the true nature of the evil that lurks beneath the forest floor soon enough. "Soon, very soon, these horrors beyond horrors will leave the woods, and quaint Kingsmouth will fall to their chittering chorus," the site says. Bring your bug spray and head to the official Secret World web destination for more.
The Secret World unveils Atlantic Island Park
Funcom may not be previewing The Secret World at this week's E3 convention in Los Angeles, but you can bet on a couple of reveals designed to keep the horror-conspiracy MMORPG fresh on everyone's mind. First up is a new location blurb update on the game's official website. Atlantic Island Park is a creepy-crawly outdoor area oozing with dread atmosphere. Originally built in the 1970s by industrial tycoon Nathaniel Winter, the place was beset by freak accidents and ghostly sightings from the beginning. Kingsmouth locals opposed the construction due to the dark history of the Henderson farm, on which the park was built, but development continued. Apparently, so did a blood curse, night terrors, and various and sundry scream-inducing phenomena. Check out the details on the official website.
Secret World Twitter accounts offer possible clues
You know it's a slow news day when we're writing about The Secret World blurbs from the deep, dark recesses of the Twittersphere. It's not that we think Funcom's conspiracy-laced Lovecraftian zombie skill-based thing is vaporware, it's just that there's been very little information released on the game since the London hub video several months ago. Now, one of the game's Twitter pages has been updated with a cryptic message that states "they are coming back." Who "they" are -- and why the avatar is now an image of bees and honeycomb -- is anyone's guess. Ten Ton Hammer has also observed that the Twitter accounts of a few Kingsmouth residents, namely Helen Bannerman, Danny Dufresne, Andy Gardener, and Carter, have also been updated. So what's the thread that ties all these clues together? Is this more marketing misdirection or the lead-in to a larger reveal? We'll bring you the latest as soon as we figure it out ourselves.
Interview with The Secret World's Martin Bruusgaard
Looking forward to The Secret World? Funcom has been great lately about giving us bits of information to tide us over, and the latest news is no exception. TSWOnline.de recently chatted with Martin Bruusgaard, Lead Designer for The Secret World. Bruusgaard delved further into the game, expanding on small details we already know, such as the Lovecraftian influence of the game, and the (slowly) marauding zombies. While Lovecraft, zombies, and Kingsmouth are known elements, things don't stop there. Kingsmouth is just a tiny sample of game regions all around the world that are available to play, and zombies are just the tip of the iceberg: "We've based the population in every region on myths and urban legends in that particular country, which gives us a huge spectrum of scary monstrosities to play with." Bruusgaard has plenty more to say, both about in-game events and some promotional things we might be able to look forward to. The full interview is well worth a read. For more news on The Secret World, keep an eye out for our interview with Ragnar Tornquist at GDC this week as well!
Tornquist gives more juicy details on The Secret World
To date, the development team of The Secret World has almost been a secret society unto itself. We've heard whispers and tantalizing tidbits that have piqued our curiosity, seen teaser sites, and caught the occasional tweet from the front lines. Now, the floodgates are starting to open, and more details are coming to light for those craving information. An interview with Ragnar Tornquist has just gone up on IGN and it is chock-full of tasty details about what players can expect from The Secret World. Along with the interview, there's also a pile of eerie concept art illustrating some of the many different monsters we'll see in the game -- from brain-munching zombies to mutated boss monsters. There's also some great news on how the development is going, owing in part to the work already done for Age of Conan. So if you've been hungry for more details and a sneak-peek into more of the terrible things that await us as we take steps into The Secret World, then you'll want to head over to IGN and check out the full interview. It looks like Tornquist and the team at Funcom are creating a fascinating modern-day monster of an MMO for us to enjoy.
ARG! The Secret World community uncovers hidden 'Monster Blog'
Let us never say that Funcom doesn't know how to run a good Alternate Reality Game, or ARG. The community surrounding the upcoming modern-day MMO has discovered a personal blog named Monsters of Maine. How, you might be wondering? Through the oft-maligned Twitter, that's how. If you're willing to sift through a 50+ page thread over on The Secret World's official forums, you'll find a transcript of a the Twitter conversations between the fictional people of Kingsmouth. Yep, this community pretty much rocks. So what's the blog all about? Well, it's run by a user named Cryptoinvestigator -- who's revealed via that Twitter convo as Tyler Freeborn, a "crazy" who believes all sorts of evil things are taking place. One of his more ominous blog posts reads, "The Pale Men will return. Not today, not tomorrow - but soon. I can FEEL them. I can smell them." Several of his other posts contain some really awesome peeks into what we can only assume are pieces of game lore and screenshots cloaked in ARG craziness. The most recent post by Freeborn says he's got evidence to prove his claims, so we'll be keeping an eye out for that. Hmm, we can feel ourselves becoming more obsessed with this by the minute.
Building The Secret World: An interview with Ragnar Tornquist
As the buzz surrounding Funcom's upcoming title The Secret World increases, we continue to hear more from the developers in the form of things like concept art and some spooky game footage. The latest dose of information is an interview with Funcom's Ragnar Tornquist. He spent some time with Gamasutra recently, and their interview tells all about building a cozy little corner of hell in Kingsmouth. The discussion ran the gamut from fantasy genre oversaturation to the creation of a game set in the real world. The extensive interview is well worth a read for anyone interested not only in The Secret World, but in the thought process behind game design as well. Tornquist explores his history as a gamer and how it helped to shape the way he is creating The Secret World. The interview covers quite a bit of ground and reveals plenty of new information about TSW. It can be found here -- enjoy!
The Secret World broadcasts footage from the streets of Kingsmouth
What horrors lie in Kingsmouth when the fog comes to rest? Well that's for you to find out! Thanks to a tip from a certain Erling Ellingsen, we've been pointed to a brand new trailer for The Secret World. It seems that someone has hacked into the security cameras around Kingsmouth, giving us a look at the town's various areas. All of this is set to an unknown narrator explaining exactly how Kingsmouth turned from a small, All-American town into the black pit that it is today. It's important to note, however, that this video is only a preview of the Kingsmouth location -- it's not a gameplay trailer. Erling attached this "quotable quote" in his e-mail: "This is a part of a ramp up of the communication we're doing around The Secret World. We wanted to give gamers a very quick glimpse into the game and the universe, without giving away exactly how the game looks in motion and in all its glory. We're saving that for GDC actually." So GDC it is then! We'll be there! But, while you're all waiting for GDC, go on over to Gamespot and learn more about Kingsmouth. (Also, we saw your Lovecraft Lane street sign! We see your references!)
The Secret World revealing more secrets soon, Funcom confirms Kingsmouth connection
Sources have told us the Kingsmouth website is in truth connected to the enigmatic developer known as Funcom. They've also informed us that this is just the beginning of a new The Secret World initiative from the mysterious developer. In fact, those very same dark forces- er, sources, told us that you can expect to see a significant reveal happen this very weekend. We asked Funcom's Erling Elingson for a comment on these shadowy happenings, "The recent release of the Kingsmouth website is just one of many unique initiatives that will be happening around The Secret World in the next few weeks. Not only are we teaming up with a major site this weekend to give gamers a unique glimpse into the game through new and never-before-seen footage, but there are also other secrets lurking under the surface waiting to be discovered. The ever-growing community surrounding The Secret World did a great job deciphering the clues that led to the discovery of the Kingsmouth website, and they will have plenty more to play around with in the next few weeks!" Success! Our dark lord's ancient powers worked wonders. Wait, we mean uh, our highly charismatic and soothingly baritone voice made them talk, yes. So, you'll want to keep a lookout this weekend TSW fans, and don't stop investigating for clues. If you did, the all-knowing master would be very upset...
Funcom's The Secret World gets a weird website
Since it was first revealed back in 2007, there really hasn't been a lot of information released about Funcom's upcoming MMO The Secret World. We've learned a bit about its factions, enjoyed a handful of screenshots and watched a couple of nifty trailers (embedded after the break, for your convenience). Now, Funcom has opened a website for one of the game's locations, a sleepy New England town (yes, another one) by the name of Kingsmouth. The website is designed as though it were made by an actual chamber of commerce, including plenty of low resolution photos and awkwardly placed Google ads. According to Joystiq's sister site Massively, the site is also full of references to H.P. Lovecraft, which seems appropriate given the otherworldly nature of the game. There is what appears to be a handful of screenshots in the site's gallery section, and the news section also mentions planning for "Kingsmouth Day 2010," which is set to go down on Saturday, April 3. Whether or not anything will actually happen on that day is anyone's guess. %Gallery-72472%
All hail the Kingsmouth Horror: The Secret World pays homage to Lovecraft
For a while now, the community over at The Secret World has noticed things in the game that are distinctly influenced by the writings of horror master H.P. Lovecraft. From the original poster that revealed a beast that reminded many of Cthulhu to the whole idea of secret societies and monsters that exist beyond time and space. So when The Secret World community members stumbled upon a website for the fictional town of Kingsmouth, many weren't surprised. Kingsmouth, a mash-up of Lovecraft's Kingsport and Innsmouth (and, to an unnamed extent, Arkham), is the typical New England town that Lovecraft so loved to talk about. It's sleepy, it's quiet, it's community is entrenched, and there are probably more monsters than people. Lovecraftian references are abound from the aptly named Miskatonic River (see Miskatonic University) to the town's presence as a port on the coastline. Of course, with the addition of a brand new website, new puzzles are bound to pop up. The Secret World community is already pouring over the website, so jump into the discussion if you think you found something. Of course, for those of you who aren't into the whole conspiracy angle, we got the screenshots of Kingsmouth for you below. Beware though, the originals are small, as apparently the Kingsmouth locals don't know how to upload quality pictures. %Gallery-72395%
