Remember our preview of IGG's new sci-fi MMORTS, 2029 Online? Well, if you liked what you saw and you've been thinking about trying it out, this might be a good time. To celebrate the success of the game's closed beta and the launching of a new server (called Gaia), IGG is hosting its "Server Opening Event Series," which began with Gaia’s debut on July 2.

IGG is fairly well-known for offering new players a slew of incentives when they first join, and new players joining the Gaia server are no exception. "In Gaia, new players will receive all the usual amenities," IGG wrote in the official release, "including EXP potions, teleport scrolls, Corsairs, and some Elite Gear pieces as well as being able to enjoy our Server Opening Event Series with all the typical level rankings and double exp."

ZAM recently had a chance to take the new 2029 Online, a Sci-Fi themed MMO developed by IGG, out for a test drive. The game's development cycle progressed at break-neck speed, going from its Alpha-to-Beta-testing phases from May to June. But that’s IGG's style, and 2029 Online—while certainly a unique and interesting new MMO—proves no exception to the company’s "push-to-release and carpet-bomb with hype" strategy.

2029 Online is the newest addition to the IGG lineup (following its usual free-to-play model), with a standardized portal site similar to its other games. It serves as the main hub for the 2029 client downloader, game news, forums and the Item Mall (the game's micro-transaction store). Being a free-to-play MMO, you can download and install the full game at no cost, with no heavy-handed limitations on actual gameplay. We'll get back to that aspect of the game in a bit. The most important questions are "What kind of game is 2029?" and, of course, "Is it fun?"