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

When you spend almost an entire week running through mobs (no, I'm not talking about the ones that give xp), sweating from every pore in your body, feet throbbing, and dehydration a serious issue, it's nice to be able to find an oasis of sorts. An oasis was exactly what we found, too, when we stepped up to Funcom's business booth at gamescom this year. It was in the style of an English pub, equipped with leather chairs, stools and beer. It was a place to relax, but moreso, it was a place to find out more about The Secret World, from the Norwegian MMOG developer that brought us Anarchy Online and Age of Conan.

First we were introduced to the social hubs of the game. In particular Funcom highlighted London, which is the main city of the Templar faction. Each faction will have its own variation of social hubs, but none will be as large and as welcoming as London. The city will offer players of all factions a place to meet other players, dance, party, and socialize. It's not all fun and games though, as we were told that London will have its own series of secrets for players to uncover.

The second highlight Funcom introduced us to was the new player experience, known as Tokyo Future. This area will be a training area of sorts to introduce players to the darkness of the story of the game. Themes of the main story of the world will be introduced and in Tokyo Future players will learn the basics of playing the game. As this area is an important part of the story and as involving and as veiled in secrecy and mystery as the rest of the game, Funcom points out that it is not a tutorial of the game, but rather an introduction into the horrors and thrills that form The Secret World.

Lastly, we were told about The Crucible. This area will be available to players to learn and train new skills. They'll get a chance to try out variations and combos while at The Crucible, but once they leave their decisions will be final. One could conceivably liken it to The Powerhouse in Champions Online as it serves the same purpose and try-before-you-buy philosophy.

For more details of The Secret World reveals at gamescom this year be sure to check out our exclusive video interview below.

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