redbana-usa
Latest
CardMon Hero offers up colorful new trailer
While CardMon Hero went into open beta last week, the teams at Hanbitsoft, T3fun, and Redbana have just put out a new video offering up some gameplay from the game for you to check out. Why did they wait so long? Well, perhaps they hoped to lure you in to all the card-building dueling action, or maybe they just wanted to film some fun fights featuring players running around the world. Whatever the companies' reason, if you are curious for a look at this fast-paced free-to-play MMO, and haven't had a chance to check it out, we've tucked the newest video behind the break. With complex card strategies, crafting, and some pretty wicked-looking henchmen to collect, it's a brightly-colored MMO-offering for those who remember playing insane amounts of TCGs in their youth. Also, we've added our gallery full of concept art, screenshots, and more from CardMon Hero for you to enjoy. If you're ready to get into the action, head over to the CardMon Hero site and get signed up! %Gallery-107151%
Second round of CardMon Hero beta starts tonight
Searching for something different amidst the recent hullabaloo involving imminent MMORPG releases? Try CardMon Hero on for size, as the free-to-play card-summoning MMO might be just what the doctor ordered. Today marks the start of round two of closed beta testing, and you can sign up on the game's official website and get in on the action starting tonight at 7:00 p.m. EST. CardMon Hero allows players to create and summon various mercenaries via a deck of cards. The mercs will work in concert with a player's skill cards to further adventures and clobber challenging foes through 70 instances and hundreds of quests. You'll find lots more information at the CardMon website, and you'll also want to check out our earlier coverage for a gameplay video and assorted screenshots.
CardMon Hero wants to deal you in on the second round of closed beta
If you're looking for adventure in a new MMO, then Hanbitsoft, Redbana, and T3fun have an option for you -- CardMon Hero! They've taken the feedback from the first round of testing and done a bunch of fixing and polishing. Now it's time for the second round of closed beta testing to start on January 5th, and they're looking for all sorts of testers to get in and give this free-to-play game a good solid thrashing. It's all about finding the bugs and fine-tuning the fun for all. (If you were in the first test, you're automagically in the second test, too.) In CardMon Hero (also known as Camon Hero in other territories), players collect and level up different card summons to create a powerful army to fight for them. However, it's not just about the monster cards. CardMon Hero also features skill cards that allow players to create deadly decks capable of vanquishing foes and dungeons alike. If that sounds like fun, you can pop over to the CardMon Hero site and get signed up for the next round of beta testing. In the meantime, we've snagged a bunch of new screenshots for our gallery below and embedded a new gameplay trailer behind the break if you'd rather check out how the game looks first. %Gallery-107151%
An early look into CardMon Hero
For those who have ever enjoyed collectible card games, the idea of an MMO that features collectible and playable cards might be intriguing. Well, if you're in the market for a new game, Redbana, T3fun and Hanbitsoft have a treat for you. Their newest free-to-play game, CardMon Hero, offers a system that is heavily based on building up certain cards and playing them in the world against mobs and other players. Not only will players get cards for skills, but adventuring through the world will net special monster cards known as mercenary cards, which are picked up via questing, crafting, and drops. As of this evening, the game is entering closed beta as well. We had a chance to take a look at CardMon Hero with Redbana's Project Manager, Damien Moreno, who gave us an early peek at some of the things players can expect within the game. Many of the systems present will be fairly familiar to veteran MMO players. Movement is handled through either click-to-move or WASD. Also present are familiar UI options like action bars, maps, a quest journal, character sheet (with a cosmetic pane) and the like. Eventually, a cash shop will also be implemented, although Moreno informed us that it is being worked on to provide a plethora of cosmetic and helpful options, as opposed to gear or weapons that will create game-breaking imbalances between paid players and free-to-play gamers -- a very important thing to many Western gamers. For more on this free-to-play game, join me after the break, or check out the gallery of concept art and in-game screenshots below! %Gallery-107151%
CardMon Hero gearing up for closed beta, again
When it comes to free-to-play MMOs, we're used to seeing lots of imports. That said, this has to be one of the first ones we've seen imported three times to the West, only to keep changing hands. CardMon Hero, developed by Hanbitsoft for the Korean market, was initially picked up and ported by Gamengame. Earlier this year, we saw the game announced as part of the lineup for T3/Uforia, and now it's purely being published by T3 Entertainment/Redbana, along with a rebranding from Orka to Camon Hero and now CardMon Hero. The principles of the game remain the same: players who enjoy card games can travel around the world, picking up cards that will allow them to summon henchmen to fight for their side. The closed beta will start on November 10th, and signups are open if you'd like to take a whack at some thrice imported card-summoning MMOness. Perhaps the third time will be the charm for the game. In either case, we have a new trailer beyond the break for you to check out and decide if this triple-take title is your flavor of fun.
HanbitSoft plans Hellgate: London relaunch and new expansion
The Hellgate: London IP saga continues. While we had some dire news that the servers will go dark at the end of January, we also know that development for the title is still being done in Redbana's California office... just not for which region. The latest word we've received on this seems to indicate the continuity of Hellgate: London, but to date this is only confirmed for service in Asia -- so we cannot (yet) offer a definitive, "Yes, HG:L will continue for North America and EU." That being said, Gamasutra has picked up on company blog posts by HanbitSoft's Global PR Manager, Janelle. One is a definitive announcement that HanbitSoft owns both the Hellgate: London and Mythos IP, while the other is more telling. Janelle republished an email sent from Hellgate: London's Product Manager about the future of the title.The message in its entirety, as shown on the Game Espresso site for HanbitSoft, is reprinted below the cut.
Are all MMOs just extended vaporware?
Massively multiplayer online games can be a difficult industry to break into and succeed. For every Blizzard or Sony Online Entertainment, there are several smaller companies brimming with ideas about how to inject change into the MMO market. Some succeed by breaking from the World of Warcraft paradigm. Most do not. Writer James Matson writes about these titles that begin full of promise but ultimately meet a chilly reception by MMO gamers, in an article at Atomic. He touches on the fact that the sometimes high price of the box sale paired with monthly MMO fees, sustained over some months, leads to some serious disappointment when the MMO fails and the servers go dark. Matson specifically cites the examples of Auran's Fury and (what is currently Namco-Bandai's) Hellgate: London. "This would appear to the be the first tendrils of a new kind of gaming plague that's arrived with MMOs, games that can be rendered useless due to mismanagement, poor sales or just bad luck," Matson writes.
