RF Online Profile Preview - The Three Factions of RF Online

Most online role-playing games are set in fantasy universes filled with elves, dwarves, orcs, and other creatures that wouldn't seem out of place in a J.R.R. Tolkien festival. That's not going to be the case with RF Online, a sci-fi online role-playing game that will feature robotic mechs and big guns, along with plenty of adventure and social interaction. Granted, there's also a fantasy element in the game, as well as an elflike faction, but RF Online may remind you more of anime cartoons and less of Middle-earth. RF Online is already available in Asia, where it reportedly has more than a million subscribers, but Codemasters is busy putting the final touches on the North American and European versions of the game.

While player-versus-player (PVP) gameplay is a part of nearly every online role-playing game, it's going to be a big focus in RF Online. In most online role-playing games, PVP battles are limited to usually dozens of players at a time. In RF Online, PVP battles can incorporate thousands of players. In fact, they're already a regular occurrence in RF Online, as there's a daily battle for control of a strategic area in the game that draws thousands of players every day.

As with any online role-playing game, your first task will be to create your own custom hero or heroine, based on one of the three distinct factions in the game. This choice will affect not only the look of your character, but also the way you play that character, since races depend on magic or technology to survive. We've got background information on each of RF Online's three factions, as well as exclusive new images in our screenshot gallery.

The Accretia

The Accretian Empire is an advanced totalitarian regime where everything is done for the empire, a thought that is embraced by its followers. There is no feeling when it comes to the destruction of other races, and for good reason--the Accretia are a race of mechanized units with materialistic thinking. The Accretia are proud to be the strongest and most formidable race in the galaxy, with an armory of massive weapons that they have created to kill all living things. Their need to expand to the further reaches of the universe to become even stronger is paramount and a key driving force to their being. This has inevitably led them to the planet Novus and the arcane civilizations it is home to.

Since they're essentially robots, the Accretia can arm themselves with "launchers"--huge arm cannons that can deal out large amounts of damage. However, Accretia must first earn their launchers by reaching a sufficient experience level, which means that they'll have to work for it by accomplishing missions and gaining experience points. Meanwhile, there are cons in having a launcher, as well. These expensive cannons mean that an Accretian will have restricted movement.

The Cora

The Holy Cora Alliance is a spiritual civilization with a firm belief in religion and the magical arts. They are a mystical and fantasy-oriented race that bears a striking resemblance to traditional fantasy elves. Though the history of the Cora has been built on religious wars that have created multiple states and nations, the country is strongly unified through its core religious beliefs. The Cora people, united as the Holy Alliance, now battle for survival using the magical powers drawn from their spiritual beliefs, and traditional weapons blessed by their god, Disem.

The Cora may seem to be at a disadvantage against the mechanized forces of the Accretia and the Bellato, but they can draw upon some formidable magic to even the field. Cora players can summon magical companions to aid them in battle, and they also possess devastating sorcery skills.

The Bellato

The Bellato Union utilizes machines and some magic in their culture. Renowned for their great mechanical minds, intelligence, and hand-eye coordination, the Bellato can construct huge armored battle mechs and weapons to use in the war. Though they are physically strong and intelligent, the huge gravitational energies from their home planet have left the Bellato with smaller builds. The Bellato are experienced traders and their financial minds and greed have driven the need to extend out to other planets, to colonize and claim resources. To expand to the rest of the universe, the Bellato have to ensure that the Novus sector doesn't fall under the supremacy of the Accretia or Cora. This desire to expand and grow will no doubt leave the galaxy engulfed in turmoil and chaos.

The Bellato are the tinkers of the RF Online universe. Though small in stature, they make up for it by building powerful mechs which can be customized thanks to various hardpoints. While slow, these mechs can dish out formidable amounts of firepower.