TERA - PC

What We Already Know:

MMORPGs were in no short supply at E3, and TERA Online (developed by Bluehole, published by En Masse) drew attention to itself by touting its real-time combat system and high-end (by MMO standards) Unreal-powered graphics. TERA Online will be a full-on MMO in the WoW vein, with an open world of 80+ zones, six races, eight classes, a player-run political election system, and higher-than-average system requirements.

What We're Seeing Now:

Throughout E3 En Masse conducted TERA Online demos for small groups of five. I sat down at the Sorcerer station and so ended up being our group’s main nuker. Everyone’s character was pre-created, so after learning a few keys we were off to slay a slave baron.

My first impression was that everything was huge: the world, the enemies, my character’s breasts. The En Masse demo guy lead us into a fight with a giant crab-like creature, and I commenced nuking while the slice-y types rushed in.

I tried to observe just how real-time everything really was. Unlike in WoW I did have to aim my spells, though it looked like they curved in mid-air sometimes. Lag correction? A dodge button let me jump back out of trouble, but as Sorcerer I had little occasion to use it. I began to wish I’d played the up-close-and-personal Berserker, who incidentally had even bigger breasts.

If the combat system pans out TERA will be onto something: True real-time fighting could make typical MMO combat a lot more exciting. In the meantime, watch for news of a beta, and perhaps a clothing drive collection to help warm up the ladies.