14 DAY TRIAL // What we know: Defiance is an upcoming Massive Multiplayer Online title developed and published by Trion Worlds, which will take players to a future where Earth has been alien-formed and then invaded by a number of races.
The game will cast players as Ark Hunters, individuals who are willing to conduct the dangerous and highly profitable search for caches of alien technology.
The setting is the San Francisco area, which has been heavily modified by alien cultures, with the terrain and nature itself transformed in order to support their own existence and evolution.
The main alien species present in Defiance will be called Votans and the MMO will try to depict the difficulties that are inherent in the cohabitation of two races that are so different.
The mechanics of Defiance will conform to those of the shooter genre, which means that the actual skill that a gamer has with a weapon will be important and that individual equipment and character evolution will also play a significant part.
Trion Worlds is also promising to deliver a highly dynamic game world, complete with large player-driven events called ArkFalls.
Defiance is set to arrive on the PlayStation 3 from Sony, the PC and the Xbox 360 from Microsoft with the launch date currently set for April 2 worldwide.
Why it matters: The distinguishing feature for Defiance is that it’s more than just an MMO.
Television channel Syfy is currently creating a series with the same name, set in the ruins of St. Louis, which will deal with the same themes and ideas as the MMO.
The two media products will influence each other, with players able to solve quests based on the story of the television show and rewards available for the entire community for participation.
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