Ten Ton Hammer - Taking MMO Gamers to the Next Level!

Developer: Planetwide Games Home Page: www.ryl.net

Ryl First Impressions

$12.95 will get you a shot at $1,000,000.

Ryl is an MMO with a mission. That mission is to deliver a massively multiplayer online gaming experience that includes a competition based on the skill of the player. The best of the best will take home $1,000,000 at E3 in 2006.

A PvP ranking system is integral to the game. Every kill and every death affects your ranking which will be trackable in real time on the Ryl website.

The weapons / armour system is easy to understand, but complex enough to keep hardcore players satisfied. Executive producer Chip Bumgardner calls it the "fusion" system. Basically, a player can "fuse" looted items together to form better items. This can be done many times and when the item reaches a high enough level it will become enable with empty sockets. A Diabloesque socket system is in place that allows players to socket looted items (gems) into their equipment to add even more statistics and powers. This system creates a really dynamic armour and weapon system where no two players look alike.

The game world is comprised of two very large zones. There are no instanced zones.

Keep your eye on this game if you are a fan of PvP in MMORPGs. It has a dramatic upside if the gameplay mechanics are good and the retail ship date isn't that far off with June 21st, 2005 as the current date. You can purchase the game online now at the official website if you want to try it out even earlier.

The fusion system looks fantastic. $1,000,000 is nothing to sneeze at and neither were the Ryl Booth Babes.	Can a PvP only / combat only game sustain a large enough following to pay the bills?

- John "Boomjack" Hoskin