Publisher: Perfect World Entertainment
Developer: Perfect World Entertainment
System requirements: Windows 2000/XP/Vista/Win 7, 1 GHz Intel Pentium IV or faster CPU, 1 GB RAM (2GB for XP, 3GB for Vista/Win 7), 8 GB hard-drive space, 256 MB GeForce 6200/Radeon 9550 or better graphics card with Shader Model 2.0 support, DirectX 9.0c compatible sound card
Genre: MMORPG
ESRB rating: Not rated at press time
Release date: TBA

Perfect World International is best known for its flagship game, Perfect World, but it has more than a few others to its name. Forsaken World is their latest upcoming MMO, and in an industry saturated with free-to-play games, it manages to make itself stand out. After playing through Phase 1 of the beta, I’ve come to two conclusions: I’m really looking forward to the final release, and I’m really going to miss my characters after the final beta wipe.

Forsaken World sports an interesting and refreshing character race and class setup. Some races and classes are standard MMO fare, while others are new and unique. Races include the usual Elves, Dwarves and Humans, but also include the Stonemen and the surprising Kindred, or “vampires.” Classes include Vampire, Warrior, Assassin, Mage, Protector, Marksman, Bard and Priest. Of all of these, by far the most unusual is the Kindred Vampire setup. While the Kindred race are vampires, the Vampire class is the only one that actually makes use of vampiric abilities and blood magic, though it’s interesting that the class wields giant cruxes.

Aside from classes and races, Forsaken World has some gorgeous graphics and a very sexy art style. Clearly aimed at older players, the game’s character fashion is skimpy and impractical. If that doesn’t bother you, the designs are great and the environments are downright gorgeous. Monster and enemy designs are unique and interesting and keep the game from feeling like every other MMO out there. Even the skill graphics effects are well done.

The item mall hasn’t been implemented yet in this early beta phase, but I look forward to seeing what they make available and the kind of prices they charge. Forsaken World shows a lot of promise, and I’m excited to see the final release. If you like MMOs, it’s more than worth a look.