Free PC Gaming Blog

We’ve been getting a lot of info here lately on free to play MMOs. It’s nice for a change to get some news on a newly released freeware PC game. You can download both the original and the Last Of The Patriots sequel here. Here’s the press release:

Last Of The Patriots II now available on PC

Edinburgh, Scotland - March 28, 2008 - Paul Davis author and creator of the prototype series Last Of The Patriots has announced that Last Of The Patriots II is now available for download on PC. The game features new concepts in story-telling techniques, and switches between the two main characters as they seek the truth behind the corporation.

The series is a prototype for future games, that revolve around plot and character and less on action, with an emphasis on deeper underlying meaning. The main premise of the game is to show war in a realistic way never before seen in games. "The game is a prototype, but we hope this can add something both for the industry and players alike" said Paul Davis the games creator.The game has been released as freeware and is now available for download.

About Paul Davis

Paul Davis has been working in the industry for eight years, and has worked on titles such as GTA-San-Andreas, GTA4, and the Manhunt series. He has set out to create free prototype story-based solutions to promote games with deeper meaning.

Paul Davis, Director
+0790-9887157
paul@last-of-the-patriots.com
http://www.last-of-the-patriots.com

The closed beta of Sho Online has officially come to an end. The free to play MMO based on the chinese tale called the ‘Bong-shin-yeon-ui’ will be going into open beta sometime in April:

Sho Online CBT, just the tip of the ICEBURG?

Seoul, Korea – March 26, 2007 – Lizard Interactive ended a successful closed beta testing of Sho Online on March 25, 2008. Sho Online is a free MMORPG game based on the war between the Yin and the Zhou in 11th century BC and the struggle between good and evil.

In the Closed Beta Testing, players started out as villagers of either the Yin or the Zhou dynasty. They explored their surroundings, hunted monsters, collected items and started quests as in other games. However, this peaceful atmosphere was quickly broken when one Yin player was attacked by a group of Zhou players. The Yin player managed to get back to their village and this was the beginning of long lasting brutal war. As the game progressed, battles quickly escalated into wars and sieges on 11 castles and 36 territories. In the game, more territory means more resources for your side.

Most of the players knew that the game was based on a great war which took place in ancient China between the Yin and the Zhou dynasties.

During the 7 day test of ‘Sho Online’, the siege war system, rank promotion system, faction system, item enhancement system were introduced to the testers with much success.

CEO Sang-Wook Lee said “This is just the peak of the floating ICEBURG. There is much more to come.”

The ‘Sho Online’ Team reported that the CBT ended without any major problems and they will start Open Beta Testing by late April which is earlier than scheduled.

For further information on Sho Online, a globally played game, please visit www.shoonline.net.

Press Info: Tae-Sun An
Global Marketing Team
Lizard Interactive Co., Ltd.
E-mail: tsan@lizardinteractive.com

About Lizard Interactive Co., Ltd.
Lizard Interactive Company, Ltd. was established in 1996 and has quickly gained official recognition as one of the leading game software developers in Korea. Lizard Interactive has won numerous government awards for its many contributions to the game industry, the most recent being for innovation in game software development. Lizard Interactive has successfully developed and launched 4 Mud games including the very popular ‘Warrior’s Vow’. These successes and a bold decision to invest in the development of a 3-D graphic engine led to Lizard’s first MMORPG title “croNous” which currently has over 2,700,000 users around the world. With plans to launch its second MMORPG game ‘Sho Online’ to world users in the first quarter of 2008, the creative process never stops at Lizard Interactive.

Along with a brand new web site, Ping0 announced a new 3rd chapter for the Free to Play MMORPG Mythos. Unfortunately, it is still in a closed beta, but the site claims that an open beta is coming soon. Those that are in on the beta have some big updates coming your way:

Discover The Secrets Of Uld - With Chapter Three Of MythosTM

Flagship Studios Seattle releases new chapter and launches redesigned site for highly anticipated free casual MMORPG

San Francisco, CA (March 26, 2008) - Ping0, LLC, a joint-venture between Flagship Studios and HanbitSoft, Inc., today announced the introduction of the third chapter for the closed beta program of the highly anticipated massively multiplayer online role-playing game Mythos™. A new official website has also launched. (www.mythos.com)

Mythos’ third chapter introduces the Umbral Peaks and the towns of Mistglade and Arcled and includes quest content that will allow players to progress to level 30. New features include the introduction of a new Cyclopean character race, a crafting system, in-game mail, socketable armor, trinkets, and stat bonuses for skill tier investment. For the first time, players can participate in PvP dueling thanks to a dedicated PvP world, the Shadowlands.

"We are excited to announce the next stage of the Mythos closed beta with new content and a redesigned official site," said Max Schaefer, Development Director of Mythos and founding member of Flagship Studios. "With new environments to explore and quests to complete, the third chapter will keep our dedicated Mythos community busy for quite some time."

Mythos is an online, action role-playing game that is free to download and free to play. Set in the land of Uld – a fantasy world arising from the ashes of an epoch-long war of darkness – players assume the roles of fantasy heroes as they explore, adventure, and quest through entirely randomized dungeons and environments. With an elegant point-and-click interface and an accessible "isometric" perspective, Mythos is poised to have near-universal appeal. The game allows thousands of players to interact within the same world while using mostly "instanced" dungeons to create unique gaming experiences suited for both solo and group-minded players.

As players journey into Mythos’ ever-expanding universe, they select one of four races (Human, Satyr, Gremlin, or Cyclops) and opt to play as a particular character class using a huge variety of skills and items. Through heroic quests players search for gold, gems, armor, and weapons, while unlocking the secrets of Uld. Mythos presents a constantly expanding, continuously updated world where something new lurks around every corner.

Mythos is an online role-playing game developed by Flagship Studios Seattle, a division of Flagship Studios. Mythos will be digitally distributed in North America and Europe in 2008 by Ping0. HanbitSoft, Flagship Studios’ partner in Ping0, will be responsible for distributing Mythos in Asia.

For more information please visit the official Mythos website at: www.mythos.com

###

About Flagship Studios
Flagship Studios is a creator of innovative entertainment software, designing games that focus on ease of play, replayability, and fun. The studio was formed in 2003 by former executives and developers from Blizzard North® and represents the creators of the worldwide, best-selling Diablo® franchise. With members that are renowned within the gaming industry, Flagship Studios and its Flagship Seattle division embody a team that has worked together for over a decade and have numerous #1-selling games and multiple Game of the Year awards to their credit. For more information about Flagship Studios log onto www.flagshipstudios.com

About Ping0, LLC
Ping0 is a company dedicated to connecting online gamers worldwide. By combining proprietary software solutions with innovative hardware and service partnerships, Ping0 provides a unique and powerful online infrastructure for the purpose of digitally publishing, hosting and servicing massively multiplayer online games. Founded in 2006 by Flagship Studios and HanbitSoft, Inc., Ping0 offers a unique combination of talents and experience in the realms of online video game services and publishing.

I’ve never really gotten into any MMOSGs (Massive Multiplayer Sports Games) at this point, but I guess they make a lot of sense. For the free gamer baseball fans out there, the free to play Cal Ripken’s Real Baseball is for you. Here’s the press release:

Cal Ripken’s Real Baseball Announces Plans For Big Opening Day Tournament

Free MMO Sports Game Tournament to Involve Teams From Around The World Competing Head to Head

Diamond Bar, California – Cal Ripken’s Real Baseball, the world’s only massively multiplayer online sports game (MMOSG) for baseball, announced today they will host a large tournament scheduled to begin on March 30th, Opening Day for Major League Baseball. For more information, people can log on to PlayRealBaseball.com and go to the “EVENTS” tab.

Real Baseball will host numerous tournaments throughout the year. Yesterday (3/17/08), a 7 versus 7 St. Patrick’s Tournament began at 6 p.m. (PST). Players that have reached Level 10 with their character are eligible to participate in Real Baseball events and at that time, they are also allowed to join a team or create a team.

Tournaments for Real Baseball can include 8, 16, 32, 64 or 128 teams. The events are Level based tournaments and grouped into the following categories: Minor, Major, All Star and MVP. Tournaments are either single elimination or double elimination and the bigger events sometime offer a prize.

“We are excited to be hosting our first big tournament of the baseball season,” said Andy Wang, founder and CEO of Netamin Communication Corporation. “We hope players will continue enjoying the head to head competition and build their experience points and virtual trophy case.”

Tournaments are usually scheduled three-to-five days a week. Real Baseball seeds their tournament based on a first to register first seed basis. This means that if your team registers first, then your team will automatically be seeded number one for the tournament.

About Real Baseball (www.PlayRealBaseball.com)

In Real Baseball, baseball enthusiasts and gamers compete in 3D virtual stadiums. With stunning graphics and surround-sound audio reactions from the crowd, participants control customized characters for each position and compete together against other Real Baseball gamers. Players use an avatar to bat, pitch, field, run, steal and perform any baseball action. Participants can practice, play pick-up games, join or found their own teams, compete against rival teams, play in specialized tournaments, and win league championships in post-season play. Gamers create their own characters and build their skill level (player stats) through successful play on the field against other real human players. Unlike current video games that aim to simulate professional sports, Real Baseball delivers a first-person perspective of a character, created and developed by the player, interacting online in real-time with teammates and opponents.

About Netamin (www.Netamin.com):

Netamin Communication Corporation, a pioneer in Massively Multiplayer Online Sports Games (MMOSG), is headquartered in Diamond Bar, California with additional operations in Korea. The company has launched its first MMOSG title, Ultimate Baseball Online, with subsequent titles planned in the team sports genre. Founded in 1998, Netamin is a privately held corporation aiming to provide an online virtual playing field for all major sports. For more information, please visit www.Netamin.com.

Tales of Pirates has been in beta for a long time now. Now, it’s about to open up and they have announced the official release:

Tales of Pirates: Officially Released

IGG has announced that their prized 3D MMORPG, Tales of Pirates (http://top.igg.com), has completed the development and will have been officially released on March 24, 2008.

Tales of Pirates started its’ Alpha Test on March 15, 2007 and its’ Open Beta Test on March 29, 2007 respectively and during the tests they received tons of encouraging comments while the number of players online climbed significantly.

IGG has promised that they will continue doing their best to perfect the game and offer the best services. Additionally, to celebrate this important moment, they have prepared many online and offline events for players.

For more info about these events visit: http://top.igg.com/info.php?articleId=935.

Free to Play MMO First Person Shooter War Rock from K2 Network has expanded with new maps and modes:

K2 updates War Rock

Two new maps and a 4vs4 mode added to the game

IRVINE, Calif. – March 13, 2008 – K2 Network, Inc. (www.k2network.net), an online game publisher, announces the release of 2 new maps and a 4vs4 game mode for War Rock today. War Rock is a Free to Play military based MMOFPS and can be downloaded at www.gamersfirst.com .

Information about War Rock is listed below. Screenshots, renders and movies are available from the Gamespress.com
The description of the maps/game mode is as follows.

4v4 Deathmatch
The 4v4 Deathmatch mode is for intense, fast paced missions where small groups of seasoned veterans battle for supremacy. Teamwork and communication is the key to victory in this mode of play

Operation: Red Clover
A small, tactical assault team from the Derbaran Military has been sent into the N.I.U. controlled stronghold at a remote desert oasis. Featuring tight quarters and limited cover, the team with the best reaction times and communication will prevail.

Operation: Cold Cave
Even underneath the cities of Derbaran, the civil war rages on. Derbaran troops must assault the N.I.U. defending position in the subway system where they are gathering supplies for a massive strike against Derbaran. Fighting from train car to train car, only the most elite soldiers have a chance at survival

War Rock Information -

War Rock is a military tactical first person shooter (FPS), featuring state of the art weapons, team or solo based play and unbelievable missions and maps! Provided as Free to Download and Free2Play, players have the option to purchase access to a wide variety of game play enhancing items and services - or play the game as it is without ever paying a dime!

Intense with action and competition, War Rock is populated by thousands of players at any given time in servers all over the world. With a wide variety of customizable weaponry and vehicles, intuitive controls, and multiple battle modes, War Rock is a blast for seasoned FPS veterans and first-timers alike.

5 modes of Play

Close Quarters Combat - Smaller maps whereby the missions from each team are to set detonations at strategic points and completely eliminate the opposing team. Play at your own risk as no respawn points exist until each scenario has completed!

Urban Ops - Providing only strategically placed vehicles, the real fighting in this mode takes place on the front lines with foot soldiers, snipers and man to man combatants! Medium and Large size maps make for perfect battlegrounds while the ultimate objective is to neutralize your enemy and minimize their claim to mapped territory!

Battle Group- Vast expansive maps lead way towards some of the most exciting battles yet! While players are certainly permitted to play on foot, the use of highly armored and finely tuned military vehicles will be the preferred method for players traversing the widespread maps in this mode. Take control of the map and eliminate opposing forces by land, by sea and by air!

Free For All - Free for All is a fast-paced, cutthroat death match where each soldier is his, or her, own army. In this mode, the one and only objective is to score more kills than every other player in the room!

Conquest - Conquest is a team-based battle where teams fight for control of a map. The more flags you capture, the faster you win. The action goes back and forth as every flag on the map has the potential to be captured. Close in on your enemy and wipe them out, or you may be surrounded and suffer the ultimate defeat.

Character Customization

5 strategic character classes to tailor your combat strengths:

1. Engineer - Always a must have when using armored vehicles! Standard equipment includes Colt 45, MP5 and Spanner. Primary function is to repair and maintain vehicles.

2. Medic - Through healing wounded team members, this unit can make or break success of each mission. Standard equipment includes Colt 45, MP5 and Medic Kit. Primary function is to provide medical aid as needed.

3. Sniper - Infiltrate enemy lines and secure rooftop positions for prime Sniper kills. Standard equipment includes Colt 45, M24 and K400 Grenade. Primary function is to provide information on enemy units and long distance cover fire.

4. Assault - The front line of any squad! Be prepared for gut wrenching action and split second reaction times! Standard equipment includes Colt 45, K2 and K400 Grenade. Primary function is to provide close range combat and support for other branches.

5. Heavy Trooper - Usually called in to take out the big guns! This unit is essential to effectively neutralize the heavy artillery of the enemy side. Standard equipment includes Colt 45, Panzerfaust and TMA-1A Landmine. Primary function is to immobilize enemy vehicles and armor.

Constantly upgraded game and community content

1. Live Events - New exciting contests and events run weekly!

2. Clan Matching Service - Revolutionary Web-based service makes it easy to jump right into battle!

3. Website based scoring system -Ranks you against players worldwide! Battle your way towards being ranked #1!

4. Premium Content Updates - Players look forward to new exclusive maps, weapons, items and features.

5. Tournaments - Does your team have what it takes to be the best? Form a clan and compete against other clans from around the world. Compete for fun, prizes and the right to be called War Rock’s top rated clan!

About K2 Network, Inc.
K2 Network publishes and services highly engaging online games and cultivates dynamic player environments. The company puts GamersFirst™ by giving them free access to compelling titles, supporting their amazing communities, offering creative pricing models and updating games based on player feedback. K2 Network currently has over 16 million registered users and offers War Rock, Knight Online, Global MU Online, Red Stone and Sword of the New World: Granado Espada. K2 Network has an operational presence in the United States, Korea, and India. Read more about the company at www.K2Network.Net and find all of their games at www.GamersFirst.com.
K2 Network also has an affiliate program that you can take advantage of to earn up to 50% commission. For more details please visit us at http://affiliates.k2network.net

A new MMORPG coming out of Korea, Sho Online, is about to launch in beta:

‘SHO ONLINE’

Publisher’s Name : Lizard Interactive Co., Ltd. www.lizardinteractive.com (Korean)
Developer and publisher of MMORPGs in Seoul, Korea.
Developed MMORPG ‘Cronous’ and servicing worldwide
www.cronous.com

Developer’s Name : Lizard Interactive Co., Ltd. www.lizardinteractive.com (Korean)
MMORPG developer and publisher in Seoul, Korea.
Developed MMORPG ‘Cronous’ and servicing worldwide
www.cronous.com

Official Game Site : www.shoonline.net (Will be opened 14th March 2008 GMT)
Users may download the client starting the 14th of March 2008.

Trailer Movie : It can be downloaded at the following URL.
http://lizard.globalgamecdn.com/lizard/VOD/ShoOnline.asf (to view)
http://lizard.globalgamecdn.com/lizard/VOD/ShoOnline.zip (to download)

Possible release date : 1st CBT 18th of March 2008 / OBT April / Service April to May.

Price to play the game : Free of charge

Texture Overview of the game :

‘Sho Online’ is 3D MMORPG for PC. Based on true Chinese epic tale of the brutal and merciless war which took place between the two nations ‘Yin’ and ‘Zhou’, the game will take you to the mystic world of Taoism in the 11th century BC.

Players start the game by selecting the nation of their choice between Yin and Zhao. Once players choose their destiny, all must fight with honor to defend and conquer the 80 mutual territories based on true historical locations. More territories you gain more hunting grounds you secure for your nation. Players are to expand their territories by going through various quests and challenges that they encounter throughout the game. Players will fight for their fame, wealth, and honor till the day they are acknowledged as heroes. Depending on their active participation at the battle ground, rewards and earned fame will differ from one another.

‘Sho online’ brings you several special features that differs from other MMORPGs.

- Battle System between the two rival nations naturally lead players to bond within their own community, but hostility to grow towards their enemy. When defending and attacking the enemy territory, players can transform into siege weapon such as catapult, ballista, and many more.

- Pet system in ‘Sho online’ differs from other usual MMORPGs. It grows, transforms,
supports your combat, and you can of course ride them.

- Rare Items & Enchant system in ‘Sho online’ enables players to test their nerves and luck. If you have obtained an unique item that everyone desire, If this unique item could be strengthened by enchantment, Do you dare to enchant it even it faces the possibility of turning into dust?

Thank you very much for your support!

InstantAction, created by GarageGames, is a new portal to play games like Marble Blast, Think Tanks and Screwjumper right through your web browser! The new "Social Gaming" site is completely free and is now in an open beta. They claim that more games will be added in the future. This is one to keep you "free gaming eye" on!!!

Full press release:

InstantAction open To Gamers

The Next Big Thing in Web Gaming is Here; Sign Up and Play at www.instantaction.com

EUGENE, OREGON – MARCH 10, 2008 – InstantAction today invited gamers across the globe to enter its public beta. Offering fully 3D, console-like games in a web browser, InstantAction is launching with four games available to the public today.

“Initial feedback on InstantAction from gamers has been very positive and we are ready to pull the covers off and let everyone take a look,” said Josh Williams, CEO of GarageGames. “Even though it’s early, and there is a lot more to add and improve, InstantAction is already impressive. Now with the community’s help, we’re going to work on making it truly mind blowing.”

With the public beta, four games – MarbleBlast Online, Screw Jumper, Think Tanks and Wideload Shorts’ Cyclomite – are already playable. More games will be added in the coming weeks, including the much anticipated FPS, Fallen Empire: Legions.

Early comments from beta testers have filled the InstantAction feedback boards. Regarding MarbleBlast Online, one tester said of his first experience with the title, “This game is surprisingly a lot of fun to play.” While another tester praised Wideload Shorts’ Cyclomite proclaiming “Cyclomite is my new favorite addiction on InstantAction.com. It’s good, crazy fun.”

Social gaming is a core part of the InstantAction experience. Gamers can host parties and invite their friends to jump into a game via a URL link which can be sent via email or IM. Gamers can also seamlessly switch games and move their party with them.

“This is only the beginning. New games and features will be added each month,” added Williams.

About InstantAction
InstantAction brings 3D multiplayer console-like games to the web browser through its unique platform. It combines high-end visuals and rapid gameplay with social gaming, allowing players to form parties and easily move from one game to the next. InstantAction’s initial portfolio of original games range from high-profile studios to newly discovered game development talent. InstantAction was created by GarageGames, an operating business of IAC (NASDAQ: IACI). InstantAction is located in Eugene, OR and on the web at http://www.instantaction.com.

We talked about EA’s upcoming venture into free-to-play games with Battlefield Heroes a while back. I just stumbled upon the trailer for it… pretty humorous:

Grand Chase allows players to fight it out in an arcade style brawler with traditional RPG skill advancement. It looks like the beta’s been going for about a month now and they have announced expanded content and updates exclusive to the North American release:

Grand Chase is here with More Dungeons, New Equipment and Ten Times the Daily Nutritional Requirement of Online Action!

March 4th, 2008, Ntreev USA, Inc. announced new content and updates today for the exclusive North American release of Grand Chase, the Action Adventure MMO Brawler developed by KOG.

Get Your Brawl On in Brand New Dungeons!

In the newest patch to update Grand Chase, three new dungeons have been added to the game. These new dungeons further expand the areas and maps that players can explore and conquer by themselves, or cooperatively. All dungeons have three distinct difficulty levels (measured by a rating of one, tow or three stars), and each have final bosses that must be defeated in order to successfully complete them. In addition, the release of these new dungeons add new unique monsters, item drops, quests, and higher difficulty levels!

Proud Knights of Bermesiah looking to further the fight against evil should prepare for high-octane, fast-paced, brutal battles in the Forgotten City, Gaikoz’s Castle and the Cemetery of the Dead to face Lich, Gaikoz and Paradom! These new dungeons are for levels 24 - 31!

www.grandchase.net

Better Equipment for Better Action!

With the recent addition of more challenging dungeons, players now require better, more powerful equipment. Fortunately, the newest update will include gear that players need to meet the challenge! New items are available for all three player types, Archers, Warriors, and Mages such as the new Royal and Moonlight Sets for Level 25+!

www.grandchase.net

The Time is Right for North America’s First True Action Adventure MMO Brawler!

Grand Chase is a fast-paced, heart-pounding, action brawler that combines elements of traditional RPG character advancement and customization, and adds new cooperative and competitive elements for players who aren’t afraid to put their brawling skills to the test! Grand Chase raises the bar for free-to-play online gaming; setting itself apart from the pack with superior quality, design, and execution. Grand Chase is a title unlike any other, and is poised to make its mark on the North American, English market!

The North American release of Grand Chase is not only the most enhanced and upgraded version of the game available in the English market, it is also a completely different and unique title that pushes the boundaries of traditional online gaming fare. A fully realized fantasy world sets the stage for high adventure and epic action as players join the forces of the Grand Chase Knights to fight the evil Kaze’aze and protect not only the land of Bermesiah, but the entire world!

This completely Free-to-Play, five-star title is being brought to North America for the first time ever, through online game publisher Ntreev USA, Inc.

Players who think they have the skills needed to battle the forces of evil and protect the land of Bermesiah by becoming Knights of Grand Chase should immediately go to the official website, and Join the Chase to Save the World!