In any case, Allods online will have the quests and player-versus-player gameplay you might expect from a large-scale online RPG but will attempt to distinguish itself with its endgame. The current plan is to launch the game in North America with a level cap of 40, at which point you can commission an astral ship of your own. Astral ships are enormous floating airships that currently carry up to six players but will eventually carry more.

Astral ships have numerous moving parts, including engines, steering, and propulsion, and our site suggests that you'll need a smart team connected via the real-time voice chat application Ventrilo to really get the most out of your ship's speed and handling. Ships will also have jump pads that can be used to board other ships, though you'll need to make sure you line up your jump properly or risk flinging yourself into the void.

Allods gold will, like many free-to-play games, let you play for free, but it will also offer a cash shop where you can purchase in-game items for real money. The game recently went into open beta, and the most popular stuff currently includes convenience items, like a larger container and experience-point enhancers.

Our site feels that the mitigating factor of letting players actually purchase powerful swords and shields will be that players can also take these cash shop items and sell them in the in-game auction house for the in-game currency of gold, so that players who don't necessarily want to spend the cash (or don't have the cash to spend) can acquire such items with in-game currency, as well as in various free quests.