This game rocked my socks off. I can't tell you how exhilirating the combat looks. With that said, Gamespot has a Tabula Rasa impression of their own.

The game is a blend of shooter action (you can switch between third-person and first-person perspectives, depending on your playing style) and online role-playing. Don't worry if you lack lightning reflexes, though, because the game is designed to appeal to those who don't necessarily like twitch gameplay, thanks to certain features such as auto-aiming, which makes locking onto a target easier. Meanwhile, the game will have role-playing calculations in the combat. If you put the reticle over a target and hit it, you'll pretty much be guaranteed a hit, but the game will calculate how much damage you did. There are going to be dozens and dozens of weapons--including energy, incendiary, poison, and more--and enemies will be vulnerable to particular types of damage, so you'll need to make constant tactical decisions about what to use in battle. We got to play as a heavy-duty soldier type, armed with multiple rocket launchers as well as various magic-style special abilities, such as a particularly nasty chain lightning ability. The way in which the game combines both science fiction and fantasy conventions isn't entirely unfamiliar but seems unique all the same.

NCSoft came to the table this year with an outstanding lineup. Color me impressed.