Gods and Heroes: Rome Rising

The closed beta for the massively mythical online role-playing game, Gods and Heroes: Rome Rising has just opened up to the public. Although you can expect a lot of the usual kill quests and delivery errands, the game's designers are keen to improve on two important aspects of the MMO genre: partying and combat. As a servant of one of twelve Roman gods, you'll eventually be able to enlist over a hundred different NPC minions to your cause over the course of the game. While details are still sparse regarding how many of these minions you can bring with you into combat, the idea of being able to raise and manage your own army of warriors seems like a nice upgrade from the usual one or two pets most other MMOs give to select classes.

A lot of attention is also being paid to the detailed animations of your character and enemies in combat. Don't expect the usual generic swing-and-wait-to-be-swung-at battles that are the norm these days. Instead, expect to see a variety of stabbing, slicing, smashing, and dodging that gives the game's battles a more visceral and cinematic look.

You can catch up on the latest regarding Gods and Heroes by checking out our hands-on preview. In the meantime, head here to sign up for your chance to score an advanced look at this mighty new MMO.

June 1, 2007