Age of Conan promises to be the next big thing in the fantasy MMO genre. The game features both single and multiplayer modes. Players choose which style of play they want by going to an Inn and resting. Solo oriented play occurs during the world's night cycle and group play during the day.
Combat is also being handled in a new way. Attacks are directed at various target zones on the opponent by using a combination of the mouse and keyboard rather than the stationary click and wait mechanic found in traditional MMO's. Well executed attacks will result in bigger damage numbers and faster kills. it will also be possible to fight from horseback for the first time in an MMO.
The game is designed to have a fast leveling curve. Characters start out by selecting a race. Later, after gaining some levels they make their first class choice. More choices further refine the character as they level up until they ultimately choose a prestige class at max level.
Once players have reached max level they can establish cities and engage in large scale strategic warfare attacking enemy cities or defending their own.
The game, true to the fiction it is based upon, is brutally violent and will be rated 'For Mature Audiences Only' when it is released. The game has been in beta test since April 2007 and is scheduled for an October 2007 May 2008 release.
