Are you ready for TERA Online?

So it seems that Blue Hole Studios and En Masse entertainment have worked really hard, listened to player feedback during the course of the game’s beta phases and have gone ahead and improved many aspects of the game. One of the major changes they’ve incorporated is addition of a new trailer for the Island of Dawn that promises to provide a more engaging introduction to the game.

Built on the Unreal Engine 3, the game looks brilliant graphically delivers a lot of eye-candy to the explorer’s eyes. The environments seem very detailed, fresh and varied from what we’ve seen of the first few hours with the game. Ranging from dark sea shipwrecks to multicolored fields, barren wastelands to gorgeous mountain-scapes, the terrain looks wonderfully crafted. Since a major aspect of an MMO’s liking falls on Character Design, Blue Hole Studios and En Masse entertainment have spent an incredible amount of time to make sure the characters feel likable to different groups of thought processors.

Mechanics wise, the game allows players to create different types of character classes with different races. At launch, TERA will feature 7 races as Human, Castanic, Aman, Popori, Elin, Baraka, and High Elf. Evidently, each character’s animation looks unique and feature impressive animations. Thus, you will notice that attack or skill animations of a Aman and Baraka warrior looks completely different than that of it’s Human counterpart.

The most unique aspects of TERA Online is it’s combat. Featuring one of the most impressive combat mechanics requiring real time movement, dodging and such, the game feels like a third person action RPG. Labelled “True Action Combat,” TERA requires that you click a lot in addition to being able to perform class specific actions with the right-click. For example, a Lancer blocks attacks with his shield when you hold down the right click, archers being able to dodge incoming attacks and so on. It’s not just about spamming hotkeys but, being able to actively participate in combat without relying on gear or skills to finish an opponent – a true welcome innovation to the world of MMORPGs.

While there’s no “lock” mechanism in TERA’s combat, this helps players stay focused in the game. This may seem like an annoyance to many traditional MMORPGers however, this combat brings in a real Diablo-ish element to the gameplay. A feature that is also present in NCSoft’s Lineage Eternal.

Dungeons and Instanced Dungeons have turned out to become the most required additions in RPGs and MMORPGs and TERA is bringing many instanced and regular dungeons to the game. Called Open Dungeons and Instanced Dungeons, they’re available to everyone depending on the circumstance. There are dungeons that provide high experience points to dungeons specific to character class. PVP Oriented players are going to have a hell of a time hunting down unsuspecting players. At launch, TERA will bring 21 instanced dungeons and 5 end game dungeons.

Featuring a huge map with around 80 zones, Blue Hole Studios and En Masse have promised many elements, settings and environs that are open for exploration. The game is also bringing in new elements like an extensive and complex political system which may lead to many outcomes including an epic Guild vs Guild war or great PVE encounters.

Gamers who’ve spent time on the Game’s closed and open beta mention that despite the many months these companies focus-tested the beta, it is still not a perfect title however, they all seem to agree that TERA has a lot of potential that is crying to be unchained. Looking at trends, the developer will hopefully continue to fix many issues that are and will plague the game. If they’re able to stay steady and continue doing what’s important at the right time, TERA may well go on to become one of the world’s most popular Action MMO, a genre-defining experience.

TERA Online is scheduled to go live on 1st May, 2012.