The Secret World

The Secret World is a darkly binding MMORPG set in the modern-day real world. It�s developed by Funcom, the masterminds behind MMOs like Anarchy Online and Age of Conan.

Join one of the battling factions � Illuminati, Templar or Dragon � and make your way through the world by following quests, supplemented by side jobs and dungeons. Spanning diverse real-world and mythical locations like Seoul, London and the esoteric Agartha, TSW weaves together fiction and fact to create an experience reminiscent of legendary titles like Deus Ex. TSW features many challenges�quest clues have to be googled; many missions require stealth and planning; the richly detailed locations have to be explored detective-style. The skill system stands out in that it doesn�t have levels, and much good can be said about the sheer subtlety and the noir atmosphere of the game world. Bottom line, TSW is quite unique in many respects. Note, however�the combat is rather dull, and quests become boring late in the game.

Altogether, though, even if TSW was scathed for the lack of imagination in its end-game in early reviews, it has come a long way since. The highly enjoyable part of the game has become much longer, and the multiplayer more diverse. For a trial, a friend will have to invite you over.