Videos don't play where I work, so I randomly picked one from Gametrailers :S

Well, I somehow completely missed this title, and I noticed that it is being released next month! I'm a little apprehensive to get excited about a game I have heard so little about so close to it's release date, but after reading up on it, I can't help but get a little excited. The game is hard to describe. It has the mechanics of an MMORPG, mixed with the speed of an FPS. Picture WoWs Battlegrounds and Arenas, on speed, then mix in some Unreal Tournament.

Everything in this game was designed around the idea of PVP. There is no huge world to go questing about, collecting items and experience. Instead, you level up to the maximum level (10) by participating in PVP matches. Experience, gold and items are won through PVP matches, even the 'questing' is done during a match. There is a sanctuary, which you can think of as a town. This is where you can interact with other players and NPCs between rounds, buy and sell items, work on your character builds etc. . .

Something neat that they will be doing is working to create competition between servers. You can practice against people on your own server, but if you want the rewards from battle, you will need to do some cross-server fighting. Rewards are given to the winning and losing team at the end of the match, so you won't have to feel like you are leaving empty handed if you lose. Also, they will be using a matchmaking system to try and pit people against equally matched enemies. Rewards will be given to the best players, guilds, and servers on a weekly, as well as seasonal basis, which should help further promote cross-server competition.

There are currently 4 different game modes, or "Warzones":

Vortex
Two teams of 16 players - players must collect crystals from NPC creatures moving in the map and bring them to their base. The Enemy team can steal crystals from your base. The team that has most crystals after a certain amount of time wins.

Elimination
A group vs. group situation, it is a team based version of the Bloodbath where two groups must fight each other to the last man.

Fortress
This game has more in common with titles like Battlefield. Two teams of 32 face off in an epic control point capture mode. Requires team based strategic manoeuvres to conquer the enemy.

Bloodbath
This is a free for all mode with thirty-two players in one arena. Kill more than anyone else and stand victorious at the end.

Next up: Incarnations. Basically this is a character build and item set. You can save up to 255 incarnations, and swap them out between matches. The game limits you to one character per account, but with the ability to save and swap builds at any point it shouldn't be an issue at all. The game also does not have strict 'classes'. If you want to be a healer, you can use your points on healing spells. Here is where the player development gets a bit deeper than usual; you can still add any of the other skills you want to, your selection isn't now limited because you chose 'class: Priest'. Basically, you define your class by choosing your skills, as opposed to defining your class and choosing from a subset of skills.

Business Model
Fury is 49.99, and will be completely free to play. There is an optional $10 monthly fee that will bump you up from 'Hero' to 'Immortal' status. Heroes and Immortals will not have any content-related differences. Every Hero and Immortal will be able to use all items, skills, powerups etc... Immortals simply get some perks. What kind of perks? Enough to make me consider paying the fee (and supporting the developper and future content)

Quick travel in the Sanctuaries and Schools

VoIP talk privileges

One additional Item Roll Slot

Extended “rested gold bonus”

Selling privileges on the Auction House

Priority log-in queuing

Entry into weekly and seasonal Ladders

Personal player battle statistics

In-game Customer Service access

Elite access to the test server to preview new content

In the future, additional features will be added for Immortals such as crafting, player housing, special Clan functionality and lots more.


And for the skimmer, here's a quick rundown of some features of Fury:
PvP combat focused - Every development decision focuses on providing players the ultimate in Player vs. Player experience.

Combat with the visceral thrill of an FPS game, and the strategy and depth of an RPG.

A robust matchmaking system that ensures players always fight opponents of equal skill and experience

Classless advancement system for ultimate flexibility - No more gimping your character or being constrained to a specific set of abilities. In Fury you don't choose a class - you define your own!

A game that provides instant action to catch your attention, and the meaningful depth to hold it.

Realm vs. Realm system with literally dozens of other Realms to fight against!

Ladders and tournaments for clans or solo players to prove their worth.

Over 400 abilities, each with 10 unlockable ranks providing near endless possibilities for character advancement and achievement.

No boring PvE grind - go straight into thrilling PvP combat against human-controlled opponents.

An MMO that you can actually achieve things in during your lunchtime.

Next-generation game built on Unreal Engine 3.

Challenge system for fighting with friends, groupmates or clans, for practice or bragging rights.

Final Thoughts
I used to play a lot of Arenas when I played WoW, and the strategic element was huge. The commitment, however, was equally huge. I had to spend so much time in-game, and I was also raiding at the time, and it was just too time-consuming. The mix of this playstyle, with the idea of timed matches, and a little bit of FPS style and speed is really cool. What is even more exciting is how it looks like it's incorporated a lot of neat things to add tons of depth to the game. At this point, I can only hope th game will turn out as good as it could.

As per my usual disclaimer, this is not comprehensive. I only talked about a few of the things I am excited about, and thought that maybe some other people that may have missed it might have their interest piqued.

MOAR!MOAR!MOAR!!!
Fury Preview: The First MMOPvP(OCMODSHOP)
Developer Friday: Fury Hands-on (IGN AU)
Fury Preview - E3 2007 (Ten Ton Hammer)
New impressions on this massive PVP online game. (1Up)