There's been some buzz surrounding the upcoming free-to-play title Aika, a large-scale PvP game with some interesting features (which turn normally mature bloggers into immature children due to pronunciation, but that's not the point.) The game's first closed beta went fairly well, and as a result a second phase is planned, running from February 24th through March 2nd. It's not a long test phase, but it's going to bring several elements into the game that weren't available during the first phase.
Full-scale castle sieges are one of the major additions to this part of testing, allowing players to take control of the heart of the game's five nations. Similar to the setup of Lineage II's sieges, the leader of the victorious guild will attain the title of Lord Marshal and be responsible for coordinating further attacks for dominance. The PvP isn't all that's being stirred up, however -- more solo areas and content will be added throughout the world, ranging from the crags of Mt. Hessian to the snake-filled Tabazra desert to the city of Cirrugor nestled high among the clouds.
The game certainly seems on-track for its projected "official" launch in the spring. Aika fans will want to keep a close eye on the game as it prepares for the full opening, and definitely should get ready to register for their entry into the second closed beta test.
