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The land of the rising SUN?

Not quite, but close. Webzen announced today that Soul of the Ultimate Nation became the latest game gone red...

After a highly successful five-week open beta testing that began on April 18 through The 9 (www.the9.com), Soul of the Ultimate Nation will now be available as a full paid online service. Beginning on May 24, Chinese subscribers can use a micro payment: an array of payment cards – including The 9 recharge card, online card or bank card – to acquire game cash for items in the item shop.

The MMO to bridge East and West?

Though I get a little cheesed at meaningless game names whose sole purpose is to fill out a snappy abbreviation, I might just give Soul of the Ultimate Nation (or SUN, /sigh) a shot, based on what TMCnet's saying.

"Sun'' has top-quality graphics and sound, but what distinguishes it most from a hundred similar MMORPGs is that it is designed to meet the taste of both Western and Asian audiences. There are tons of missions, quests and adventures for Western users who tend to play solo.

Apparently, for the first time ever, it's a blend of what eastern and western gamers want . Oh, Lineage you say? FFXI you say? Nevermind those.

Just read TMCnet's first impressions on Webzen's Soul of the Ultimate Nation by clicking here.

Looks like these guys got a little more info than we did out of our visit. If you haven't heard of SUN yet, it looks like a visually stunning game. Other than that, your guess is as good as mine.

irst blush and I couldn’t take my eyes off the game. Let’s face it, it’s truly a moving piece of artwork. I don’t normally go gaga for graphics but in the case of SUN it made me want to take the time to play it some and see it up close and personal. On screen it was high detail and crisp all the way down to the last pixel. The movies playing on screen were impressive as well but nothing beats taking a look at the game itself instead of just the prefab movies created to make the game look as good as possible.

Read the rest here.

I know, I'm a day late and about $2.50 short on this one. However, I didn't post it before and I'll rectify that mistake.

SUN is going Open Beta on May 15th.

- Addition of a spacious field and Mission Competing System, 2 weeks delay in OB schedule

(2006-04-21) ‘Soul of the Ultimate Nation (SUN)’, the most anticipated game for 2006, will be reborn as a next generation game with the introduction of a powerful Mission Competing System.

Webzen Inc. (CEO Nam Ju Kim, www.webzen.com) announced that the open beta test which was originally planned to commence on May 2, will be pushed back 2 weeks to May 15, with the full-scale introduction of the Mission Competing System.

Accordingly, the 2nd pre-open beta testing date will be adjusted to commence on May 8 to May 12.

Webzen CEO Nam Ju Kim stated, “After the success of MU, as a leading company in this industry, we want to continue to lead the next generation games through SUN. Even taking into consideration all the risks associated with the service delay, we believe that through these new contents, we will be able to satisfy all the SUN users with high anticipation

In the SUN open beta test, not only a spacious field map will be added, but also a new concept of a detailed quest system will be introduced. Also, newly integrating the mission and competition elements as the main composition, the game will provide a ‘survival mode’, which the users will have to compete which other in order to survive, and the ‘time attack’ mode, where the users will hunt as many monsters as possible during a limited time. The users will also be able to enjoy the vivid PvP element, and the ‘ranking system’ which will be provided regularly within the game.

The AC (Area Conquest) System, where the user can receive various benefits depending on the amount of contribution by the user in its corresponding area, is another factor the users will enjoy during the open beta.

Webzen is in the process of testing the open beta version of SUN, and is preparing the marketing promotion strategy for the grand open on May 15.

You'll have to tell me how fun the game is.

More news on SUN.

Less than a month til E3... people are being VERY generous :) RPG Vault has a few screenshots for your viewing pleasure.

More news and info on SUN.

It Burns!
For quite some time now I have really been looking foreword to SUN. It looks
absolutly breath-taking. Luckily, MMORPGDot.com
found 13 new screenshots from WorthPlaying!

• Check
  Them Out For Yourself. They Look Great!
• A
  Chance To Look At The SUN Without Burning Your Eyes!

Oh, so now I can look directly at the SUN?
RPGUnion has posted some new SUN artwork. Gamers of the world unite. You have nothing to lose but your pasty white complexion:

"Descriptions boys...take the 30 seconds and write up a description of the bloody artwork."

You can view the SUN Artwork at RPGUnion.

Look at all of our screenshot. One is a lot in some cultures.
RPGUnion has posted a new SUN screenshot. That's right folks, step right up and feast your eyes on this shot.

"One screenshot and no description. Why did I even cover this story? - Boomjack "

You can view the SUN Screenshot at RPGUnion.

We have ways of making them talk.
GameCloud continues their interrogation of MMOG developers with a look at SUN featuring In-Kyun Hong. The Shoemaker comet, tired of a dirty bathroom and a dirtier kitchen sink purchased comet cleanser and cleaned up the galaxy while singing:

"In-Kyun Hong of Webzen talks about their upcoming fantasy MMORPG."

You can read the entire SUN Interview at GameCloud.
 

Here comes the SUN.
Digital Entertainment Network has a preview of SUN posted. We think they wrote this, but we can't be sure:

"Graphic wise, they really seemed to have taken their time. Everything feels very polished and very very clean. The colors were somewhat subdued, the greens wash a little into grey or white and they weren't overpowering. Honestly it added an ethereal feel to the game, like you were looking at it through the fog of imagination or something. Truth be told it was very effective and made me feel more at home in the game. Someone really had their head on straight when they created the characters for this game as well. Intricate armor was glinting in the sun, interesting straps of leather helped draw your eyes to the unique weapons that each of the three playable characters could use. Really no part was left untouched by detail on this and it really helps the title overall."

You can read the entire SUN Preview at Digital Entertainment Network.

Will the SUN rise?
RPGVault has interview with Webzen posted covering their upcoming title, SUN. They might have written this:

"SUN, which is an acronym for Soul of the Ultimate Nation, is the closest to release of three massively multiplayer projects Webzen has announced it will launch in North America and Europe. During the past several months, we've seen and heard quite a bit about the company. This may have come as something of a surprise to many online gamers living in the West. However, the Korean-based developer and publisher is a major player in the global market due to the level of success it has achieved in various parts of the Far East, primarily its home country and China. Last month, the title made a very auspicious debut at the E3 trade show. What we observed and heard at that event made us even keener to learn more about many aspects in this session with its Producer, In-Kyun Hong."

You can read the entire SUN Interview at RPGVault.

In this case, look directly into the SUN. GamersHell has posted a new SUN movie along with some screenshots. We think they wrote this: "Webzen has released the first six screenshots and a movie of SUN, showcasing their game which will incorporate console-style game mechanics into a classic MMORPG. Unlike most MMORPGs, SUN allows players to strategically set the stage for battles by choosing different types of maps, entry numbers, degrees of difficulty and types of monsters for the ultimate customized game play experience. Additionally, advanced community tools allow players to communicate within a village and experience various kinds of economic affairs. SUN will be released in Korea in Q3 2005." View the SUN movie and screenshots at Gamers Hell.