Wait a sec. Don't start freaking out: FreeRealms was specifically designed for those folks who won't be playing for PvP fame. Sit tight, PK-Kings (or hit the Back button if it's just too much to bear); FreeRealms only promises fun for everyone--and as professed, that includes your grandma:

"Who is the game for?

Free Realms is designed for everyone young at heart: tweens, teens, and families alike. It's a rich and magical world where even parents are welcome. In fact, you'll want to jump right in and play with your kids!" - FreeRealms Official Web

Let's put this into perspective, though. I'm naturally biased for the cute and cuddly crap (more than likely dragged over here from Asia), so of course I'm featuring the first word on this here in my blog. However, when I say that the promise of 'fun for everyone' is what this game's all about, what am I really getting at? I'm commending Sony Online and its partners for intersecting a growing universe of digital delinquents (of which I am a part. yes) whose options for multi-player online fun have never really been explored by reputable game developers. The reason your ten-year-old son or little brother is slashing and smashing around in WoW is due to--yes, hype--but most importantly, the lack of real effort on MMORPG engineers to try something new.

Sure, there are a lot of MMOs whose styles revolve around the colorful 'anime' motif (and I guarantee you I've skipped merrily around every one of them at least once)--but Sony Online has made the endeavor to take it a step further; they're inviting entire families to jump into the MMO scene by making the infamous 'grind' COMPLETELY OPTIONAL. Naturally, if you're going to have an MMO, there's going to be some whackity-smack, but since FreeRealms is walkin' its own pace, they're one-upping every other game just by casually including combat. The real point of FreeRealms is to "do what you want to do, when you want to do it."

No sliders this time; but this definitely trumps MapleStory, can we say holla?

That means if you create a character using their pretty nifty character creation interface (we had a little chat about this in my last entry), you're not obligated to start washing the backs of all the townspeople just to earn your wings (no offense, Aion!)--just sit back and chill; by the looks of it, this colorful world will appeal to the lighter sides of peoples' imaginations. There will be plenty to explore; I myself am looking forward to simply roaming around and looking for cool stuff to mess with. Speaking of 'looking' for stuff...!

FreeRealms boasts tons of new features ready for players to take advantage of immediately (read: a lighthearted middle finger to traditional 'kill 3 mobs earn a rare potion' formula). One of them involves building your own collection of stuff. Yeah, stuff! This is what my rainbow-loving butt is looking forward to the most. Here's what they have to say about this feature:

"Every day is an incredible adventure in Free Realms with so much to experience and explore.

Leave no rock unturned as you discover new and exciting items to collect...in fact, you may want to keep the rock too!

Collecting items isn't just a fun way to spend your time--you can gather enough items to complete sets and earn special rewards! Your friends will be able to see your progress, compare achievements and, of course, there's always bragging rights. Be sure to rummage through Robgoblin junk piles--you never know what rare treasures you may find!" - FreeRealms Official Web

But let's get real. We're MMO fans. A cute little badge for groping around in secret corners? Okay. But where's the bigger picture? Don't worry. If you're still with me, you can still get your Quest on. What I'm particularly impressed with is your freedom to create your own story. Pick and choose whose butt you want to save whenever you feel like it! Now that's a change of pace. There are even classes to nurture. Score! It's not looking so bad after all, is it? And dude, which other games have you played that allowed you to develop a build as boring as a Postman? Kudos for the originality there.

Don't worry: you can still shoot fireballs at innocent creatures, if you feel so inclined.

Now, onto why I'm standing where I am on what looks to be a promising virtual romp built to satisfy the MMO'er and their parents alike (if you're still answering to them, that is). I'm all too aware that we're used to looking at the kiddy stuff like 'sell outs'. "Oh, so... we can sit by a pool and play mini games? WHERE'S MY HP POTION? ARE YOU KIDDING ME?" Truthfully, I know that developers are playing by the rules, too; like the infamous HumV, even the game industry has to supply on demand. Blood and guts sell. Pixies and rainbows? Not so much. It's tough to please parents and their kids at the same time (who are used to bearing fangs and ripping apart who knows what with a variety of sharp objects or button-activated magical attacks); this may be what the MMO scene has been looking for. Not a savior, but some solace. It's not all dungeons and dragons anymore!

I'm just heralding a chance to check out a new perspective on the tried-and-true gaming niche we love so much. The graphics, as exemplified by my last post--are sub-par yes (but not ridiculously so; in fact, all the worlds and terrain you can explore look seriously freakin' fun), but quit rolling your eyes already. This isn't a WoW clone. Not in the least. I throw off my hat to what these guys are trying to bring to an ever-darker reputation the gaming world is coming into.

Did I mention it's F2P? Yes, there's a subscription if you want it. And until I jump into the CB, I can't tell you if the Membership-based features make this game a 'P2P in disguise', but let's keep our hopes up.

Parents, welcome to a new era. You've got the power to control your kids' access to certain content and you can even piss them off by limiting their playing time. Ha! Ha! You've beaten the internet!

I'm all about some savvy swordplay and mad combo skills supported by some seriously stunning true-to-life graphics, and hey, we've all grown up and been fed on the quest-to-be-the-best routine. I'm saying this game's got some wicked sweet potential by the looks of it. Expect a follow-up!

So check it out, dude:
FreeRealms.com
FYI: Video Featurettes
The 411 for the 'Rents