Greek developer Aventurine is nearing the Beta stage for Darkfall, a MMORPG nearly four years in the making. Originated by Razorwax, this online fantasy world consists of six playable races — the obligatory humans, dwarves, elves, and "orks", as well as a werewolf race and some pale, undead-like creatures.
Much like the Elder Scrolls series, character development is highly customizable with wide open career paths. At first glance, some of Darkfall's environments might even look slightly reminiscent of Oblivion, but upon closer inspection the blocky figures and blurry textures are closer to those found in Morrowind.
With World of Warcraft and EverQuest currently dominating this genre, and Turbine's one-two punch of D&D Online and LOTR Online fast approaching, will there be enough mindshare left for this unestablished contender? Maybe Aventurine will go the Guild Wars route and nix the monthly fees to attract new gamers.
