New World

Amazon Game Studios is developing a new MMO called New World. The game is currently in Alpha, and there are some previews on youtube if you want to see gameplay videos. New World, as its name implies, takes place in the 17th century in what looks like the northeast region of North America. The crafting, clothing, styling, and wilderness all give the player the feeling of being a hopeful explorer in the Age of Enlightenment. Perhaps you will see Henry Hudson or Samuel de Champlain in your New World travels.

However, this isn't your ancestor's New World. In this game world, there are arcane forces at work. Several videos show ghost-like beings and zombies. So, instead of subjugating and decimating the indigenous population with new infectious diseases, you will fight undead creatures with ax, spear, sword, bow, and musket. Also, there appears to be some type of arcane system at work. I wouldn't pin my hopes on becoming a glass cannon wizard, but it looks like you can imbue your arrows and musket balls with some magic. As with any game in this early stage, anything can, and will, change before launch.

I wouldn't call this a survival game because it appears that hunger and thirst won't kill you. Instead, you will simply be less efficient in combat and harvesting when you are starving and dehydrated. There are city building aspects of this game, as well as seiging and defending those cities. From my perspective, it looks like a combination of games like Ashes of Creation (except for no world-ending timer) and Life is Feudal, with some arcane thrown into the mix.

I will keep an eye on this one, and add it to our MMO list.