Silkroad Online

Silkroad online is a Korean MMORPG currently in closed beta. Players start in Jangan (Chang'an), China and gain skills and fight enemies based on mythology from China, other Asian countries, the middle east, and Europe. At level 20, players can become Merchants, Hunters or Thieves (Merchants trade along the Silk Road for money, Thieves try to kill them and take their money, and Hunters travel with the merchants to defend them from the thieves).

The game has a wide and constantly growing player base and therefore new servers are in high demand in the English-speaking community, due to the overabundance of players. Towns are always crowded with players, mostly AFK players selling items in their stalls (A function that allows your character to sell items to other players at a set price without actually being there yourself). Popular levelling areas always have players and as a result there is alot of kill stealing and competition over monsters.

The game is rich in graphics and gameplay, and the sound is above average with unique oriental tunes. There is alot of decision making in the game and there are no fixed professions. When creating a character, you can choose from several head types, weapons, armours, heights and volumes.

There are several "elements" in th game you can level to use to your advantage. These skills consist of Fire, Ice, Lightning, Force, Spear/Glaive, Sword/Blade, and Bow. You could master all of these if you wanted, but levelling two is recommended.

The weapons in the game fall into 5 catagories. There are swords, better for using with magic than on their own, and allow you to equip a shield. Blades are the same as swords except in appearance and the fact that they are stronger than swords without magic. Spears are good with magic, and stronger than the sword, but you cannot equip a shield. Glaives are to spears as swords are to daggers. Bows are good with magic, and most players use them for the ability to attack an enemy at long range. You cannot equip a shield with these and you need to buy arrows. They are also very fast and ideal for players that choose speed over damage.

Clothing falls into 3 catagories. There is 'Armor', 'Protector', and 'Garment'. Armor gives more of a bonus to physical attacks and gives the character more defence than the others, but also gives you slower running speed than other types of clothing. Garment gives more of a bonus to magical attacks, and allows you to run slightly faster than if you were to wear Armor or Protector. Protector is a cross between Armor and Garment.

There is also PVP (Player Versus Player) in Silkroad Online, at level 10 and over you can purchase capes that allow you to attack any player outside of a town wearing a different coloured cape. You do not gain or lose anything in PVP in Silkroad. At level 20 and over, you can attack any player also 20 or over, but killing enough people gives you a "Murderer" status where your character's name goes red, and any player can attack you. This results in a large mob of players running after a "Murderer", attempting to kill him. If a player dies while in "Murderer" status, they risk losing exp and/or money/items.

The game is currently in Open Beta and fully released in Korea.