Staff Writer Paul "LockeColeMA" Cleveland takes a look around this PvP-oriented free-to-play game.

ARGO focuses heavily on PvP after the beginning of the game. Every aspect of the game incorporates both factions. Instanced dungeons have two entrances, one for each side — and in the middle of the dungeon lays the final boss. The winning side will need to find a clear strategy for taking down a boss while fending off attacks from the rival faction. Several times a day, there will be a large 100-on-100 battle in the center of Naihill. The winning side will control a valuable Earthdium deposit until the next battle, offering a large pay-off for victory.

Outside the background, ARGO is visually one of the better looking free-to-play games I've seen recently. Beside the crisp graphics, the game also has some limited voice-acting near the beginning (I'm not sure if it continues later into the game outside the newbie areas). Each area of the game has its own feeling and flavor. The flora and fauna of the world reflect the atrocities of war. In some places the creatures are organic but mutated, with tentacles or eye stalks. In others, the animals seem to be become intertwined with the machines, giving rise to some sort of robotic nightmare.

Not everything in the game is completely flawless quite yet. Upon opening the main world map, fully half the world is currently unavailable (attempting to teleport there dumped me in the ocean!). The controls are also a bit different than the standard MMO UI I've been accustomed to, and as such take a little bit of getting used to. Finally, a big downside in my book is the death penalty; any death removes some experience from a player. While Morgan assured me it wasn't a large amount, and it was lessened inside instances to encourage players to try them out, I just can't help but feel that a PvP game with a penalty for death will become very frustrating very fast. And did I mention the odd text errors?

Who wouldn't want to become a Korean?

If PvP combat or steampunk graphics appeal to you, I highly recommend trying out ARGO Online. The game recently launched, so new players will not feel behind hardened veterans. Assuming you can stomach a penalty for dying in a game that necessitates constant battles to the death, ARGO may have something to offer you.

Paul "LockeColeMA" Cleveland, Staff Writer