In this interview, Burda:ic reveals some key information about their upcoming MMORPG, Land of Chaos Online (LOCO)

When it comes to our world of MMORPGs, it can be quite difficult to stand out amongst so many competing faces. Some MMOs differentiate themselves via flashy colours and impressive skills, while others seek to claim attention by promising fantastical additions that turn out to be standard concepts upon further examination. Either way, our MMO industry is in dire need of some new innovation, and one of those MMORPGs that may be leading the pack is "Land of Chaos Online."

Currently in development for a 2010 release, Land of Chaos Online promises to be an action-packed game with thirty unique characters and a gameplay style unlike any other MMORPG currently on the North American market. As well, LOCO will feature "DotA" style gameplay, with players given the opportunity to fight against other players in small arena settings and other maps.

Ultimately, we were intrigued by this interesting combination of, what we consider to be, some great new concepts, so we decided to reach out to talk with Burda:ic, the publishers of LOCO, about their upcoming game and some of their expectations of what this new, innovative MMORPG will bring to the industry.

ZAM: Hello and thank you for answering a few questions we had about LOCO - Land of Chaos Online!

Burda:ic: Hi ZAM! I'm really happy to have the chance to give you a small introduction to our game, LOCO - Land of Chaos Online.

ZAM: To start with a general introduction, what is LOCO? Could you introduce it to us, in your own words?

Burda:ic: LOCO is a mix of three popular game genres: MMORPG, RTS, and third-person shooter. Each character has lots of ways to grow, including skill trees, hundreds of weapons, armor, and a lot of other items. Players earn EXP by killing hostiles, conquering strategically important positions, or completing missions. That EXP can be invested into new abilities, the selection of which can and should be adapted in response to your opponents' actions.

Some elements in LOCO are quite similar to established concepts from RTS games like DOTA (the popular Warcraft 3 mod). Users equip their heroes before each battle and can switch chars every time they respawn during a match, to optimize their tactics.

LOCO is a very fast game, and users are continuously challenged. Winning requires solid team play and knowledge of each hero's abilities. The third-person perspective brings players into the action in a way that's reminiscent of shooters like S4 League. But, of course, the first steps in LOCO are made very simple for new and non-hardcore users. The game becomes more and more challenging as both the level of the player and their opponents increases.

ZAM: There are two factions in LOCO, the Protectors and the Destroyers. Could you give us a little background on LOCO's story?

Burda:ic: We tried to distinguish from the commonly used "good and evil" clichés to make the individual characters more interesting. Each character has his-or-her very own background story and a unique reason why he takes place in the battle nature versus evil.

The story of the world is still confidential and will be released step-by-step as the launch of LOCO approaches. What I can say is that something evil has risen out of hell to destroy the world for an unknown reason. Each race and every hero has to make a choice about which side they will fight for, the "Forces of Nature" or the "Army of Hell." It's up to the users which one they want to support!