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Massively multiplayer online (MMO) gaming has grown exponentially in recent years. Titles like World Of Warcraft and Everquest have become more than mere games; to many, they are a way of life. Inspiring levels of dedication and passion like no other form of entertainment can, these virtual communities are ensnaring hundreds of new members worldwide on a daily basis.

With MMOs enjoying such phenomenal popularity, what better time to create another virtual world for online gamers to colonise? No doubt the folks at Gala Networks Europe had this in mind when they made the decision to import Korean MMO Dragonica to these shores. Digital Spy caught up with producer Max Stolberg to find out exactly what the game has in store for us.

It may not be household name yet, but Dragonica is sure to create a stir upon its release. Combining arcade-style gameplay with traditional MMO action, this side-scrolling 3-D adventure is completely free to play, but that’s not the only thing that makes it unique.

"It's certainly not a traditional MMO as the whole approach is completely different," explained Stolberg. "Players will mainly move left-right and up-down even though you can move diagonally as well. The main difference is that all maps limit your movement in the up-down direction while players progress by moving to the right like in a 2-D side-scrolling game."

Although it won't be the first game of its kind set against a high fantasy backdrop where gods, demons, wizards and warriors are locked in an epic battle between good and evil, Dragonica offers an alternative to its competitors and is geared towards a very diverse crowd. "We are targeting a really broad audience addressing older and younger players alike, as the game combines a retro style with up-to-date graphics," said Stolberg. "Due to the many fun quests and humorous skills like the fart attack, airstrike or Buddha squash, we believe parents can enjoy Dragonica as much as kids can."

As the producer informed us, the game's ethos is very much an inclusive one, with developer Barunson Interactive striving to create an accessible community for players of all ages to enjoy. "They wanted their game to be different from other side-scrolling games, though, and therefore chose a 2-D side-scrolling system with a 3-D turn concept and transformed this whole action-oriented jump and run experience into a proper MMO with all the up-to-date community features," Stolberg elaborated.

One of these features is an in-game cash shop, where players can purchase a variety of character customisations, including costumes, novelty items and health. In order to keep the game balanced, the developers have ensured that players with money will rarely triumph because of their financial advantage. Important items like weapons and armour will not be sold in the store. There can only be obtained through completing quests, trading with other players or killing enemies. Players can transfer funds into their account using a similar system to other online stores such as Xbox Live or the Wii Shop.

When trailers for the game appeared on YouTube, some fans drew visual comparisons to role-playing games of old, such as The Secret Of Mana and Final Fantasy Tactics, as well as newer titles like Disgaea, but Barunson assured us any similarities are unintentional. Its simplistic approach and economical system requirements are, however, certain to strike a chord within the retro community. "We’ve even tested it with a SNES pad using a SNES-to-USB converter, which worked," the producer assured us.

The game has undergone beta testing in three countries so far and enjoyed a positive reception across the board. "The last closed beta test in China saw a huge influx of players every day and the vast majority of comments were either really good or plain euphoric," the producer asserted. "Despite that, Barunson decided to review the game one more time and added a couple of new maps, lots of more quests, and balanced the classes so that playing PvP will be an as good experience as with any pay-to-play MMO."

Its first playtest in the Western world took place this month at the Games Fleadh in Tipperary, Ireland. The game was previewed to a group comprising school children, university students, parents, media and teachers. Feedback was highly positive, with players appreciating different aspects of the game depending on their age group.

"I looked at the game and thought it was cute, but as soon as I played it for two minutes, I realised that the gameplay is nothing like the other side-scrolling MMOs," said one of the university students.

"At last, a game that I can play with my children but that I can beat them at!" a parent added.

Since their rise to prominence, MMOs have not been without their critics. World Of Warcraft in particular has been lambasted in the excessive gaming debate due to its high maintenance and time demands. With this in mind, Baruson has taken measures to ensure that Dragonica does not put such a strain on the social life. "There’re a couple of ways you can greatly reduce your levelling time, developing your skills with your characters, or playing as a group to get through sections of the game quicker," said Stolberg.

"When we talk about skill, we talk about the action-oriented side of the gameplay; the bigger
the combo you are able to pull off, the more experience you’ll gain. Also, if you’re married in the game, have kids or play as a couple, you’ll also be able to level considerably faster. Dragonica has chosen a more casual approach compared to regular MMOs but it’ll still take some time to reach the highest level or equip your character with the best PvE and PvP armour. Otherwise, where would be the challenge?"

Dragonica is very much a long-term project for Gala Networks and Barunson. Major updates are planned "roughly every quarter" to ensure longevity and there has even been talk of console ports. "Developing console versions of Dragonica is definitely an option according to Barunson," Stolberg revealed. "They, however, need to focus on finishing and polishing the game first to launch it in the many territories they’ve licensed the game to. For the time being however and once Dragonica is launched, you can easily just plug in an Xbox controller and it still works absolutely fine."

The game is due to arrive in Europe later this spring, with Gala Networks holding lofty expectations. "We believe Dragonica can be a rival to any pay-to-play game and its unique style and approach combined with a lot of modern and even innovative features will only be the start,” said Stolberg.

"It has tons of quests, and fun skills await the player and until he or she has seen it all. We’ll have new updates ready with even more content. We think that as the game has controls that are easy to pick up, console gamers will be drawn to it as it offers a style of gameplay that isn’t available to them in other MMOs."