Fileplanet have released beta keys for Section 8 via their website for subscribers only. The closed beta keys were released some time ago but the beta is now open if you are a fileplanet subscriber.

Dates for the beta vary depending on your location. If you want a key and don’t yet have one (and you’re a subscriber) get in now because the keys always disappear pretty fast!

Section 8 is also an FPS MMO so if you’re into first person shooters, this is the game for you!

Fileplanet’s website is here.

I blogged about Fallen Earth some time ago and since then I’ve had some quality time with the beta. I’ve discovered that it’s going to be a relatively fun game to play if they can sort out the bugs and server stability.

The nearest comparison I can make to any game is probably to that of Fallout – post apocalyptic environment and storyline where you are a clone that is on a mission to save yourself from dying. Well, that’s the introduction, the game plays like any other MMO where you’re given sub-missions (or quests) to level up and gain ability points (which you can then add to various abilities or tradeskills).

In Fallen Earth you’re a clone,  so technically you can’t really ‘die’ – you’re basically resurrected (just like the cylons), which is pretty cool (but is essentially the same as any other MMO where you are ‘rezzed’ by a healer or some such). So no real surprises there. The one very cool thing about Fallen Earth has to be the use of mutations.

During beta I was only given access to the ‘Alpha’ stage of mutation. I am guessing the higher you progress in the game, the more powerful your mutations become (the dialogue between NPCs hints towards some characters being able to turn themselves into human flame throwers!). The gear you acquire also points to psionics being accessible which I am very keen to see in action. Currently, my main character is running around in pretty nifty looking 3-d glasses (just like the ones you get at the movies) which apparently help against psionic attacks.

Questing in the game is straight forward and will be common place if you’re an MMO player. The quest lines are very easy to follow (chain quests in other games are impossible to navigate) but are harder than your average MMO at lower levels. And when I say hard, I mean don’t expect to be able to play much of Fallen Earth solo. If you want to do it that way, you can but it will probably take you a while to level up if you don’t interact with other players. Dying is annoying and although the penalties for dying weren’t obvious to me in the beta, it’s annoying enough having to rely on others just to kill one person at level two!

In some ways I see this as a good thing (assuming this level of difficulty continues into the finished game). The last thing you want is everyone leveling up to level 40 in a day. But you also want to give players a bit of hope that they won’t always need to be part of a group to complete tasks and quests. Solo game play can be very rewarding (think of all the loot you get to keep!) so the option to choose how you play needs to be retained.

I’ll blog more about character classes, mutations and tradeskills in my next post but so far, the game is looking very promising.

Well, sort of… you see I’ve been playing Warhammer Online consistently for about 11 months now but the game seems to have lost its… zing (for lack of a better word). And tomorrow I begin the beta testing for Aion, the new MMORPG released by NCsoft.

I knew nothing about the Warhammer universe before I started playing Warhammer. And apparently, as far as games go, it has a very vast and rich history for many gamers worldwide. Which is cool and all that but means little to me. As a gamer and a journalist that writes about games (and subsequently rips them apart, pixel by pixel if I’m in the mood), the history of a game doesn’t seem to have anywhere near as much impact on me as the presence (or absence) of a good storyline, non-stop action (whether that be campaign or multiplayer), strong characterisation, good dialogue, intuitive AI and graphics that won’t suddenly disappear on me, turn black or turn my screen into a behemoth of pixels!

The factors that make or break an MMORPG (especially when you’re paying for the game monthly) seem to always come down to server stability, lack of developer input and support (bug fixes that never get fixed or break even more things!) or the biggie – lack of content to keep players interested and immersed. I feel that Warhammer Online is coming close to exhausting all of these areas, especially in the content department. And I could go on and on about the intricacies of game play that I am now beginning to totally despise but I will spare you that awful experience.

What I will do is continue to write about these two games and compare them as much as possible (without breaking any NDA’s) so that you, the gamer won’t make the same mistakes I have made with some of the MMORPGs I’ve decided to play (and pour hours of gaming time into, not to mention money).

Of course, there is only so much comparison one can make from a fully realised (and released) game versus a beta, but I’ll do my best to remain fair and objective in my comparisons. Beta testing for Aion starts tomorrow so wish me luck!

I’ve already blogged about this but here’s an epic video clip that I’m sure will get hearts pumping… and if not, perhaps Star Trek Online is more your style? Either way, Star Wars: The Old Republic is going to be HUGE. Dare I say it, bigger than World of Warcraft and in all honesty, as much as I <3 Blizzard, I would love even more to see a game topple WoW in the MMORPG department. Something needs to, so why not Star Wars?

Afterall, if you’re not a Star Wars fan, something’s wrong… Sith > Elves any day of the week!

Thanks to IGN for the clip.

“The old world is dead… welcome to the new one – welcome to the Apocalypse”

That’s right, it’s Fallen Earth stress testing time for me… well, it actually begins officially on the 23rd of June and I am blogging about this in anticipation of the event. I’ve beta tested a few games in my time (and previewed a few more before release) and I’m dead keen to see how Fallen Earth stacks up in terms of MMORPGs. I feel there is a consistent lack of good MMORPGs on the market today, but there are some pretty good ones on the horizon (along with Star Wars: Old Republic, Fallen Earth seems to fit into this category).

I’m looking for a break from Warhammer: Online and I think Fallen Earth with its post-apocalyptic setting may just be the trick.  I’ll be sure to let you know what I think of the game as I get some quality time with it.

Watch this space for updates!

Drool fest galore!!! This is the game I’ve been waiting for, this is the game I will more than likely give up my first born child to play… The Old Republic is the latest MMO from LucasArts and BioWare and will probably dominate my life when it releases

If you can guess what side I’d play on (Jedi or Sith) I’ll give you a cookie In the meantime, here’s the trailer from YouTube for you to drool over recently released at E3 in LA.

I simply cannot wait for this…