After logging twelve hours on Atlantica Online over the last few days, I finally fell ready to talk about it.

First of all, for those of you who don't know, Atlantica Online is a turn-based RPG. After you make your character and select one of the starting classes (Swordsman, Spearman, Axeman, Gunner, Archer, Cannon-man, and a Staff-man), you get to hire mercenaries (how many you have total depends on your level) to help you fight. At higher levels, you can take on quests to hire different mercenaries other than the starting group.

When the game starts, you happen to be dreaming and you're in this snowy place. Here you get introduced to the plotline (a little at least) and learn the basics for playing Atlantica. After you finish all of these quests you get to wake up in the real world (four places for you to choose from, I don't think it makes a difference?).

The beginning quests are much like the tutorial quests. You don't fully understand or acquire all of the controls in the game until you've finished the first zone.

Overall, Atlantica is a really fun game. You don't notice the tediousness of the turn-based system because you normally only have 20 seconds or so (it varies) to move at maximize five of your party. Things are perhaps a little too convenient (the boxes that give you stuff will only give you stuff that you can actually use, commodity boxes will ended up giving you growth vials if you have no skill points left to spend on skill books, etc.). The plotline is very linear. You probably won't find yourself backtracking to a zone where you've been to grind or farm (unless you're powerleveling/farming-for-ashens, like me). The game isn't too hard, maybe it's a little too easy for some people, but I'm fine with the way it is.

P.S. If 10,000 additional players join the Atlantica Closed Beta, there will be no character wipes going into Open Beta. You can still get CB keys at a few sites, including FilePlanet and MMOSite (check the Atlantica Online official site for details).