Massively

Latest Elsword patch introduces enhanced PvP, grouping incentives

Matt Daniel — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 19:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Patches, PvP, News items, Free-to-play

Kill3rCombo's anime-style sidescroller Elsword has just received a brand-new update that adds a few new features for players to enjoy. PvPers will surely be overjoyed by the newly enhanced PvP system, which boasts new matchmaking functionality and the addition of Arena Points. Arena Points are earned by players through participation in matchmade games and can be used to purchase new weapons.

Social players will find that partying up now grants increased experience points, which should provide greater incentive to adventure as a group. The final two Velder town levels are now available, and so are two new pets which will assist players on their adventures. To get in on the fun, head on over to Elsword's official site.

[Source: Kill3rCombo press release]

Latest Elsword patch introduces enhanced PvP, grouping incentives originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 10 Nov 2011 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Isometric DarkEden vampire MMO enters closed beta

Jef Reahard — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 11:30:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Horror, Game mechanics, MMO industry, New titles, News items, Free-to-play

Quick, name a vampire-themed MMORPG other than CCP's long-awaited World of Darkness. If you said DarkEden, you get a gold star. The isometric hack-and-slash game debuted way back in 1997 and while none of its various versions really caught on in the western market, that's not stopping Ignited Games from attempting to reanimate the game for a modern audience.

The game features three races and "distinctive gameplay mechanics and methods for character progression such as the vampire's need to drink blood to gain experience points," according to a new press release. DarkEden's closed beta phase is currently live, and you can sign up for a chance to test at the game's official website.

[Source: Ignited Games press release]

Isometric DarkEden vampire MMO enters closed beta originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 08 Nov 2011 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New hack-and-slash MMO Core Blaze discusses boss fights, platforming details

Matt Daniel — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Interviews, New titles, News items

What is Core Blaze? Well, to be honest with you, we weren't entirely sure either. But from the looks of things, it's an upcoming Unreal-Engine-3-powered action MMO from Gamania and RedGate Studios. "Big deal," you might say. "There's a ton of action MMOs out there already," you might also say. So what separates Core Blaze from the chaff? RedGate Studios' chief operating officer Jacky Chu sat down with PC Gamer to try to answer that very question, and then some.

Chu claims that the key factor that will separate Core Blaze from other hack-and-slash MMO titles is its cerebral nature. He emphasizes that the game is "much more than a mindless adrenaline rush." Boss monsters are designed like "a puzzle that can be solved in multiple ways," requiring players to work together to develop and execute a strategy rather than running in sword-swinging and spell-slinging until one side isn't standing. Chu puts emphasis on the fact that players should have ultimate freedom rather than being restricted into one optimal build, one optimal equipment set, one way to kill a boss, or one way to traverse a level. Players looking for an action-based MMO with a great degree of personal choice should likely keep their eyes set on Core Blaze, though no North American release date has been announced. For the full interview, head on over to PC Gamer.

New hack-and-slash MMO Core Blaze discusses boss fights, platforming details originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 26 Oct 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Win big in the Rusty Hearts beta giveaway

Justin Olivetti — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Contests, Free-to-play

For some people, just getting to take part in a beta is reward enough. But not for you, right? No, you have higher standards than that -- you want to hit the jackpot as well! It's OK, ambition is an admirable trait, and apparently the folks at Perfect World think so too, since they're giving away an awesome prize pack during the Rusty Hearts beta.

Three Rusty Hearts limited prize packs are up for grabs, each containing a Logitech G510 keyboard, a Logitech F710 gamepad and a limited edition Rusty Hearts bear. This prize pack is valued at around $170, and it can be yours by simply redeeming a beta key. Players who enter in their Rusty Hearts beta key by July 3rd have a shot at this package (specific rules are on the official forums).

Don't have your key yet? We've got you covered -- head on over here to snag a key to this hack-and-slash title! Rusty Hearts' closed beta will begin on July 27th.

Win big in the Rusty Hearts beta giveaway originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 30 Jun 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dragon Nest open beta date announced

Matt Daniel — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, News items, Free-to-play, Dragon Nest

Action RPG fans, rejoice! Nexon has announced that the newest member of its MMO stable, Dragon Nest, will be entering open beta on July 26th. You may remember that we had some hands-on impressions with the game at this year's E3, but what exactly should players expect from Dragon Nest?

From the looks of things, players should expect equal parts adrenaline-pumping action and good old-fashioned dungeon crawling. Players get to take on the role of one of four (gender-locked) classes -- Cleric, Sorceress, Archer, or Warrior -- and dive headlong into some combo-based hack-and-slash combat in search of phat loot and all that jazz. If this sounds like your proverbial cup of tea, head on over to the official site to register.

Dragon Nest open beta date announced originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 30 Jun 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rusty Hearts announces closed beta date

Matt Daniel — Sat, 25 Jun 2011 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Trailers, Video, News items, Free-to-play

Rusty Hearts, the upcoming side-scrolling hack-and-slash MMO from Perfect World Entertainment, has finally been slated to enter closed beta. On July 27th, players will be able to jump into the cel-shaded dungeon crawler (with which our own Beau Hindman was able to go hands-on at E3) and start slicin' some baddies.

According to the press release, players should expect "a thrilling gaming experience and epic dungeon crawling fights led by the unique heroes of Rusty Hearts, each with their own compelling backstory," a game in which they can smack their way through multiple dungeon difficulties in search of shiny loot. And finally, to commemorate the beta announcement, PWE has released a brand-new gameplay trailer for your consumption, which you can check out after the cut.

Continue reading Rusty Hearts announces closed beta date

Rusty Hearts announces closed beta date originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 25 Jun 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rusty Hearts announces E3 debut

Matt Daniel — Fri, 06 May 2011 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: New titles, News items, Free-to-play

Perfect World Entertainment announced in a press release today that its upcoming title Rusty Hearts will make its North American debut at this year's E3. Presented in a crisp, clean, cel-shaded style, the game is described as a hack 'n' slash dungeon-crawler and allows players to take control of one of many pre-made heroes for a fast, furious and combo-filled brawl through a number of dungeons. It will also include PvP in the form of arena battles, guild battles, and tournaments. And for those of you who prefer to let your thumbs do the work, the game will provide full support for PC gamepads.

Keep an eye out for more information on Rusty Hearts from the upcoming E3, and feel free to hit the game's official site to sign up for the beta.

Rusty Hearts announces E3 debut originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 06 May 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mythos European open beta starts today

Jef Reahard — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, New titles, News items, Mythos, Free-to-play

It's been a long road home for Mythos, the free-to-play hack-and-slash MMO from HanbitSoft and Frogster. The game, which enters its European open beta phase today, originally began its life at ill-fated Flagship Studios and was resurrected after the company's dissolution.

After a lengthy development cycle, Mythos has officially thrown open its doors to all registered players (over 100,000 of them to date) in preparation for the game's April 28th launch day. A Frogster press release indicates that additional optimization and localization will continue throughout the open beta, and considerable new content will be introduced as well. The level cap will be raised from 27 to 50, and adventurers will be able to explore the snow-capped Umbral Peaks.

Players can download Mythos for free at the official website or pick up a retail box version at stores or online retailers. The box copy includes several bonus items as well as a two-day head start on the game's official release.

Mythos European open beta starts today originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 12 Apr 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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First Impressions: Spiral Knights

Beau Hindman — Sat, 26 Mar 2011 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Puzzle, New titles, PvE, Opinion, Free-to-play, Casual, Humor, First Impressions, Kids, Family

If you were one of the lucky few who grabbed a Spiral Knights beta key recently, then you will appreciate the joy I feel when talking about this game. It's simply a toy -- a ray-gun or a tin robot. It does what it is supposed to do and does it on a variety of machines without many issues. It is mechanized fun, simple and to the point, yet somehow also endearing and even sweet.

Perhaps the tiny robots and adorably destructive weaponry implemented by the folks at Three Rings help to bind the game to our hearts, because I found myself worrying that the little robot I was aiding would never find the materials he needed to escape from the dreadful gearworks and steam engines I was forced to investigate.

Confused? Well, go log in and try it out or click past the cut to hear my explanation!

Continue reading First Impressions: Spiral Knights

First Impressions: Spiral Knights originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 26 Mar 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mythos announces European launch information

Eliot Lefebvre — Thu, 17 Mar 2011 16:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Launches, News items, Mythos, Free-to-play

The hard part of anticipating a game early in the development process is the question of when you'll finally get a chance to see it released. Mythos has thankfully killed that part of the anticipation with the official announcement that the game will be going live as of April 28th, 2011. But if you can't wait that long to start in on a hack-and-slash bonanza and haven't been fortunate enough to get into the beta testing, how about a nice shiny box copy?

Before you get your credit card information out, it should be noted that as this is still the European release; the box copy itself is being sold through Amazon.co.uk and will thus be rather limited for American players. For the European contingent, however, buying the box will allow access to the game on the 26th, two days before general release. Mythos players still have time to enjoy the closed beta for now, and as previously noted, open beta will begin on the 12th, if you're still up in the air.

Mythos announces European launch information originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 17 Mar 2011 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Open beta en route for Mythos Europe

Eliot Lefebvre — Sun, 27 Feb 2011 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, News items, Mythos, Free-to-play

If there's been a single unifying thread for our last several beta giveaways for Mythos Europe, it's been a wail of anguish that the keys have vanished quickly. (Like cheap beer on a college campus, if you'd like an analogy.) But while we can't conjure new keys out of thin air, we can console those unable to get one with the news that the open beta is on its way. On April 12th, the servers open to everyone for testing and enjoyment.

For the open testing phase, the level cap is being raised to 50, giving players the opportunity to explore new abilities and new zones. The game's third major area, Umbral Peaks, will be accessible in the last testing phase with the raised cap. Current beta players are also in luck, as servers have been added for several languages, including English, French, and Turkish. Mythos is getting closer and closer to launch, and starting April 12th, everyone gets to take part in putting on the final pre-launch testing polish.

[Thanks to Blake Linton Wilfong for the tip!]

Open beta en route for Mythos Europe originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 27 Feb 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mythos closed beta date announced

Jef Reahard — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Events, in-game, New titles, News items, Mythos, Free-to-play

Add another title to the standing-room only MMO beta crowd crammed into the first few months of 2011. HanbitSoft has just announced that its free-to-play hack and slash Mythos title will slice and dice its way into closed beta on February 8th. Beta signups are currently ongoing at the game's official website, and the devs have also let slip that a special sneak peek event will take place for registered beta participants between January 27th and 31st.

During testing, Mythos players will be able to explore the Greenreach and Bloodbristle Desert regions as well as level their characters to 27.

Mythos was originally developed by the now-defunct Flagship Studios before being picked up by and completed by HanbitSoft. Frogster is handling publisher duties for the game's European launch.

Mythos closed beta date announced originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 24 Jan 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mythos quest system detailed

Jef Reahard — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Galleries, Screenshots, New titles, News items, Mythos, Free-to-play

The developers behind Mythos are billing it as "the first worldwide hack 'n' slash MMO" and to that end, the upcoming free-to-play fantasy title is crammed full of randomly generated dungeons, items, and upgrade potential. Mythos is also crammed full of quests according to a new press release dated earlier this morning, and HanbitSoft's game will lead players on a journey across the world of Uld that is heavy on the traditional types of MMORPG tasks with which we're all familiar.

Mythos also boasts several unique factions, and raising your character's reputation will grant access to special merchants and a selection of powerful equipment.

Mythos was originally developed by Flagship Studios prior to HanbitSoft taking the reins in 2009. The Korean F2P company, in concert with publishing giant Frogster, expects to bring Mythos online in early 2011. Learn more at the official website, and check out our screenshot gallery below.

Gallery: Mythos

Mythos quest system detailed originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 11 Jan 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Webzen celebrates Archlord and S.U.N anniversaries

Jef Reahard — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Events, in-game, News items, Free-to-play, Soul of the Ultimate Nation

Noted free-to-play publisher Webzen is celebrating not one, but two MMORPG anniversaries this week. FIrst up is Archlord, the PvP-focused title that offers players the chance to become the titular ruler and indulge in perks such as controlling the server's weather and riding a dragon mount. Webzen has created a special anniversary zone inside the game which will spawn special mobs as well as a gold drop buff for players under level 60.

Soul of the Ultimate Nation (S.U.N.) is also celebrating an anniversary this week, and to mark the occasion, players will receive a 200% XP buff. S.U.N. features hack-and-slash combat, a unique Battle Zone System where players create their own instances, and music by Academy Award-winning film composer Howard Shore.

Webzen celebrates Archlord and S.U.N anniversaries originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 21 Oct 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Newest class revealed for Mythos encourages others to give blood

Eliot Lefebvre — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 22:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Classes, Game mechanics, Previews, News items, Mythos, Free-to-play

Mythos, the upcoming Diablo-style action MMO, has not shown its first three classes to be subtle creatures. The first two revealed, the pyromancer and the gadgeteer, both showed their aptitudes for wide-scale destruction. However, the newest class reveal is even more direct -- the bloodletter. It's both a class name and description of what the class specializes in doing. This class is a master of blood and causing grievous bodily harm to everything within range, and it seems quite well-suited to doing just that.

As with other classes, the bloodletter has three different specializations available. The crimsonate gouges opponents and derives sustenance from their injuries, the red hand uses a necromantic control of blood to summon minions and turn corpses into weapons, and the martialist discards pseudo-mystical abilities in favor of brutal expertise with weaponry. Take a look at the full class page for preview screenshots as well as short movies demonstrating the class capabilities, all fine demonstrations of what to expect from what may be the most direct class in Mythos.

Newest class revealed for Mythos encourages others to give blood originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 29 Sep 2010 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dungeon Fighter Online hits open beta

Kyle Horner — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, New titles, News items, Dungeon Fighter Online

Dungeon Fighter Online hits open beta today, so anyone wondering whether or not they'll like the game can give it a shot. If you need a little more encouragement than that, we can tell you that the game feels like a cross between classics like Golden Axe and Diablo with an MMO bent for good measure. You can even hook up an Xbox 360 wired controller to your PC if you'd rather not use a keyboard.

Sure, it's a free-to-play game and that brings certain negative assumptions to some peoples' minds, but we think the juice is worth the squeeze. Fruits never hurt anybody, unless you're smashing a lemon into your face, and then you're just asking for it anyhow.

Dungeon Fighter Online hits open beta originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 22 Sep 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Soul of the Ultimate Nation finally makes its way to America

Seraphina Brennan — Wed, 20 May 2009 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, MMO industry, New titles, News items, Free-to-play, Soul of the Ultimate Nation

It's only two years late, but hey, we're not complaining! Ijji.com has reported to us that they've obtained the rights to publish Webzen's Soul of the Ultimate Nation in North America and that the game will release somewhere in late 2009.

Soul of the Ultimate Nation, called SUN for short, is a hack and slash MMO developed by Huxley creators Webzen. The game was originally slated to be published in North America in late 2007, but the game's status went silent and slowly slipped off of everyone's radar.

SUN features a quicker style of gameplay, more akin to a game like Dynasty Warriors than your standard MMO. To perform this feat, the game breaks the world map up into zones created by players in towns, very much like creating your own match in a first-person shooter. Players create these fields in order to hunt down monsters, solve missions, or complete quests.

Players can also take objectives to assult areas in a siege-esque manner, where many players create rooms to assault one objective. In these cases, successful and unsuccessful sieges affect how the other in-progress games play out, altering the difficulty of the battle to show the turning tide of one side winning or losing. The game does feature persistent cities where players can mingle, much like it's first-person shooter brother, Huxley.

Soul of the Ultimate Nation finally makes its way to America originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 20 May 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Shadowbane dev studio to create MMO for the Wii

Akela Talamasca — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 09:30:00 EST

Filed under: At a glance, Game mechanics, New titles, News items, Shadowbane, Consoles

Here's a weird Venn diagram for you: those of you who remember Shadowbane with fondness and also love the Nintendo Wii will be totally excited about this piece of news. Stray Bullet, the Austin, Texas MMO developer, have announced that they're working on a new MMO. At the same time, they've posted a few openings on Gamasutra's JobSeeker board, one for a Senior Programmer for an un-named Wii project, and the other for a Gameplay Programmer for an MMO project. Neither posting mentions the other, but chances are, they're for the same project.

Really, there's no bad time for wild speculation, so let's get the ball rolling! We're envisioning, obviously enough, actual hack and slash combat with the nunchuk and wiimote. Maybe crafting might take on a whole new dimension with the use of the motion-sensing abilities of the Wii. Maybe it'll be a massively Mii experience! Whatever's coming down the pike, we'll keep our ears to the ground for more info. With this on the way, can the Animal Crossing MMO be far behind? Hey ... what're the odds that this is the Animal Crossing MMO?

Shadowbane dev studio to create MMO for the Wii originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 22 Apr 2008 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mythos trailer #2 now showing

William Dobson — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Video, New titles, Previews, Mythos, Free-to-play

The next trailer for hack-and-slash freebie MMO Mythos is available to view, and shows off what the game is all about -- hacking, followed by some slashing. Okay, and some pew-pewing.The simple fact is that the game looks and is just plain fun.

The first trailer for the game featured input from a producer at the team behind the game, Flagship Studios, but number two is basically just showing you a day in the life of a dungeon-crawling hero. Even without all of the commentary, the message is the same -- Mythos is the addictive little point-and-clicker you've been looking for.

Mythos trailer #2 now showing originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 17 Jan 2008 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mythos CM handing out beta invites in IRC and forums

Mike Schramm — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 16:03:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Forums, New titles, Mythos

Mythos beta invites are starting to fly out hot and heavy, and West Karana has two ways for you to get in on the Diablo-inspired hack-and-slash fun. As of yesterday afternoon, the community manager for the game was hanging around in their IRC channel (#mythos on irc.forthegamers.org) giving out invites, and if you (like me) missed that opportunity-- although it might be worth a try just to sign in and see if there's any left-- then supposedly a post in the Mythos Guru forums' Official Invite thread will get you hooked up with an invite.

Now, I signed up on their website way back when, and I'm a little bummed that they didn't send an invite to me via email before tossing them around random IRC channels and forums. But then again, I guess it's a rat race out there-- every beta tester for him or herself!

Mythos CM handing out beta invites in IRC and forums originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 13 Nov 2007 16:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mythos buzz and beta invites

Mike Schramm — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 13:15:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Video, Game mechanics, New titles, PvE, Mythos, Free-to-play

Both Tobold and West Karana are buzzing about Mythos, the free-to-play hack and slash RPG from Flagship Studios subsidiary Flagship Seattle. It's supposed to be good, clean, monster-killing fun Diablo style, with random customizable dungeons (as in, ask for a solo dungeon and you got it, or ask for a group dungeon for your level, and you got it) and lots of fun spec choices and loot. I've played a bit of Dungeon Runners, and enjoyed it, but as fun as it is, it still sticks a little too closely to MMO conventions, and it seems like Mythos just might be the simple hack-and-slash refresher to the growing ever-more-complicated MMO genre.

Unfortunately, the game is still in invite-only beta, but as we reported the other day, invites are getting spread around pretty fast, so your chance to check it out should be coming around soon. In the meantime, Flagship is accepting signups on their site. As we said before, it's not clear how the microtransactions they plan will work, but from everything we've heard about it, the free-to-play part of Mythos is more than worth a look.

Update: Bildo claims in our comments that he's the one that turned everyone onto Mythos, and he's got a good writeup, too. Plus, he's apparently getting more beta invites soon, so we make nice!

Mythos buzz and beta invites originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 02 Nov 2007 13:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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