Allods Online is based on the Rage Of Mages series and is all about the titular floating islands of a dyanamic and constantly shifting galaxy of worlds. Your mission if you should choose to accept it is to go visits these worlds, survive the dangers of the cosmos and seek adventure. The overarching conflict of this tale is between two opposing factions of the League and Empire and you must select from one fo six races as you take your place in this battle.
From the start you must built your ship, which will help you navigate the enormous world. These ships are essentially galleons and cannot be piloted solo. We've been told that you'll need at least five or six players in order to keep your ship operational with separate controls for steering, power and navigation as well as a landing party and other important duties. When out in the world you can get into ship versus ship battles with your side and front mounted cannons. The ships cannot be destroyed outright, but engine damage can result in being reset to dock where you may not be able to leave for some days during repairs.
The galaxy itself is called the Astral and this will be divided into a central hub area of little danger that grows ever riskier and offers more rewards as you spread out. The outer world is on the move with these flotaing islands shifting around. Your route hokme will not necessarily be the same as your route out and there are many dnagers to face. Should you die in the world of Allods you get sent to purgatory and must either wait there to be released (only a few minutes when you begin, but getting longer on other occasions) or pay your way out by meeting the guardian angel. It's yet another example of interesting mechanics dealing with even the simplest of issues.
Other highlights of Allods include some goblin football, which is a PvP experience where you literally play football with a curled up goblin. These matches are red versus blue and can be between two League teams, two Empire teams or League versus Empire, but not mixed. You can also be a spectator. There are also a series of different minigames for crafting items. And most interestingly, applications for the closed beta test started today, so you can apply and try it for yourself very soon.
This game looks awesome. The graphics are really nice