Popular Chinese MMO Perfect World Launches Open Beta

[TwilightLink121]

Popular Chinese MMO Perfect World Launches Open Beta
Free-to-play game may have the looks and options to compete with the subscription MMOs.
By Alice Liang, 09/03/2008


Later this fall, the popular Chinese 3D massively multiplayer online game, Perfect World, will be launching its International servers (localized specifically with American audiences in mind). You can get a taste before then, though, as Perfect World Entertainment has launched the open beta for the game.

Before you write this off as yet another free-to-play MMO from Asia, the game originally started off as a fully budgeted subscription-based 3D MMO in China and, as such, has all the bells and whistles you've come to expect -- guilds, crafting, mounts, and so on. But the game has since switched over to the free-to-play business model, raising the number of players into the millions across 10 countries while establishing a graphical style and level of polish that isn't normally seen in free-to-play titles -- think Lineage II rather than MapleStory.

Perfect World International will launch up-to-date with the Chinese servers, including several already-released expansions. Though the game only has three races (Humans, Untamed, and Winged Elf), with two classes per race, its character creator lets you customize facial features (which a press release boasts that it "[rivals] that of Mass Effect.") Some features players can look forward to include guild vs. guild battles, Territory Wars (up to 80 vs. 80 player battles for control over territory and monetary rewards), an in-game marriage system, crafting, and world events. Additionally, each race has its own set of ground and flying mount. Humans, for example, can fly around on giant swords that zip through the air, while the beast-race, Untamed, take flight on Phoenixes.

PVPers will be happy to know that you can engage in battle while mounted. And, for those who thoroughly enjoy character customization, Perfect World International not only has an extensive character creation system, but a costume system as well. On top of the equipped gear you wear strictly for stats and bonuses, you can put together your own special set of clothing purely for aesthetic purposes -- this is the outfit that your character will be outwardly wearing, while you still get to keep all the benefits from your hard earned gear.

The Perfect World International open beta currently has one PVE and one PVP server. As an added bonus for participating, all open beta players will be able to keep their characters on through the game's launch. Interested? Head to Perfect World's website to download the client, and let us know what you think in the comments.

Popular Chinese MMO Perfect World Launches Open Beta

[ferret]

perfect world... i tried that game 3 months ago so what do you mean by just luanched

[TwilightLink121]

It means that the beta has just been released

[Sanctuary1492]

me and my friend may give it a shot :O

[Marluxia]

Originally Posted by ferret

perfect world... i tried that game 3 months ago so what do you mean by just luanched

They have to close the beta every so often to make changes, and it just recently reopened.

I think I'm going to check it out, I have been playing SilkRoad but I just can't stand its meanless grinding and repetitiveness. The pathetic part is I only got to lvl 15.

This game by far has the best graphics than any other free to play game on the web, so I guess I'm going to download it.

[Sanctuary1492]

meh... i dislike the Free to play model... buying gold is obnoxious to me. I rather pay a subscription than shell out even more money to buy a mount and all the other silly vanity items... I think its pretty simple i rather pay to play then to pay for pixels....

[Marluxia]

There are a lot of free to play games out there who I think match up to WoW. I think having an item mall is better than playing because you can still get all of the items from the item mall in the game. As far as gold goes I'm pretty sure perfect world doesn't sell gold but I'm not positive.

The only downside to this game so far is that I'm really having trouble downloading it.

[Sanctuary1492]

Buying gold
Winning Company run events
and selling stuff to other players are the only ways to get gold really in Perfect world. Im not sure about selling stuff to the NPCs but from the way they described it it seemed like you obtained gold by buying it from the company.

[Marluxia]

No you can contain gold in game and I'm pretty sure you can't buy it at the item mall. Of course there are companies that sell gold to you for sure but I haven't seen one advertising on the game yet. I really suggest this game because it is a lot of fun.