Since we're in the holiday season, the ZAM staff and The BFF Report wanted to give you an early gift, so we've nabbed a sneak peek at an upcoming MMO that has us more than a little intrigued. If you haven't heard of Allods Online, take a second to read up on the game and grab a beta key from our free giveaway. 

After you're finished, jump on over to our BFF Report video page and check out Episode 10, which features the initial character creation in Allods and some short little bits from the initial "League" starting zone. Check it out!

After publishing our recent news roundup about the biggest video game in Russian history, Allods Online, ZAM jumped into the upcoming MMO to get our own first-hand look. After all, the timing was perfect; gPotato (the game's publisher) launched its second closed beta on Dec. 1, and we scored a bunch of keys for our readers in last week's beta key giveaway. If you weren't able to grab a key, don't worry; you can register with gPotato to get in queue, or wait a little longer for the open beta.

In the mean time, our preview of Allods Online should help tide you over and give you a better understanding of what this free-to-play MMO is all about. Superficially, some aspects of the Allods Online might seem confusing or bizarre; the "high fantasy"-meets-"space opera" genre, buying items to shorten your downtime after death, unusual XP mechanics or even the lack of a mini-map in the game. But despite these differences—whether oversight or innovation—Allods Online is still polished and accessible enough to appeal to mainstream gamers looking for a "AAA" title.

The holidays are quickly approaching, but that doesn't mean we're not feeling a bit of good cheer here at ZAM. With so many new expansions and beta tests getting under way, we wanted to offer our own early presents to our readers. Here you have it - Closed Beta Keys to Allods Online! They're free for the taking, and all you have to do is register here at ZAM!

If you haven't heard of it, Allods Online is a new MMORPG from a Russian-based developer that claims to have blended fantasy with space opera. That's a large claim, but there's only one way to find out if it's true - by jumping into the game.

Supplies of the Allods Online beta keys are limited, so make sure you grab your key immediately!

With the recent news of Allods Online's second closed beta test less than one week away from launch, we, at ZAM, thought this would be an excellent time to take a closer look at this upcoming, high fantasy/high-tech MMO. It is, after all, the most expensive Russian video game ever made; one fact alone that warrants a second glance. The Moscow-based games developer Astrum Nival spent $12 million creating Allods Online, the largest video game project in Russian history. In spite of its unprecedented price tag, Allods Online will launch as a free-to-play MMO in 2010, relying on micro-transactions for revenue.

The buzz surrounding this game has picked up steam during the past few months, billed as "AAA," East-meets-West fusion of MMO influences, literally created smack-dab in-between the U.S. and Asian "superpowers" of game development. It's said to feature unique themes of both fantasy and sci-fi; traditional sword-and-sorcery fare intertwined with epic battles of space opera grandeur, all staged within a plane of existence called The Astral. The mainstream gaming media still has yet to cover Allods Online in-depth; only a handful of early previews exist today, based on the closed-beta. In the mean time, ZAM pulls together all the most important news you need to know in our early-feature format, "What We Know So Far," offering a broad—yet succinct—overview of Allods Online.

Gala-Net has announced that the second closed beta test for Allods Online will begin on Dec. 1 at 11 a.m. PST and run through Dec. 15. In addition to granting access to both League and Empire sides, as well as all six races and 28 classes, the second beta test will raise the level cap to 20 and include new zones, monsters and quests. Players will even be able to choose new talents in both the talent grid and talent tree.

You can sign up for a closed beta key on the official Allods Online site. More information can be found in the post after the jump. Allods Online is a free-to-play MMO that is scheduled to launch this winter. It is the largest game development project in Russian history.

The first Allods Online closed beta test kicks off today and runs through Nov. 24, so head over to the game's official Web site to sign up for a key and download the client if you're interested in trying out this free-to-play MMO. You can also obtain a key from numerous sites, such as MMOsite. Links to all key providers can be found after the jump.

The first closed beta will give players access to the first 10 levels of content for both League and Empire sides, as well as all six races and 28 classes. Be sure to keep tabs on the Allods Online Twitter and Facebook pages for information on upcoming contests and events.

According to a recent press release from the Allods Online team, one of the 'lighter' features in this "AAA fantasy and space opera MMORPG," will be the sport of... Goblinoball! Apparently the rules of Goblinoball are remarkably similar to our own rules of soccer, except you'll be kicking around a goblin instead of a ball. Players can simply travel to the allod known as "Competition Island," where they can make their way to "Goblinoball Arena" to join in the fun. You can join a team with other members of your faction, and then you can jump right into playing Goblinoball! There will be a variety of skills involved, as well as a "real life crowd to cheer teams on." There will also be competitive support for Goblinoball for any teams who really want to get into it.

You can read all about Goblinoball in Allods Online here!

Gala Networks Europe has released a new trailer showcasing some of the landscapes found in Allods Online, which is set to launch on the free-to-play gPotato.eu portal this fall. Check out the YouTube video and let us know what you think.

If you want to try out the 3D fantasy space opera, registration for the closed beta is still open. Players will continue to be added to the beta during several phases of testing, so there should be ample opportunities to participate before the game's launch.

As we've reported, Allods Online is set to launch on the free-to-play gPotato.eu portal this fall. With the release date right around the corner, gPotato Europe has announced that registration for the closed beta is now open. A select number of players will be able to enter the beta once it begins in the coming weeks, but more players will be added during several phases of testing.

Players who reach level 17 during the closed beta will get to keep their character name and friends list when the game launches, so testers have some incentive to level up during the event. Also, guild leaders who reach level 21 and recruit 24 members will keep their guilds during open beta and the live game.

We've added eight new Allods Online screenshots to our gallery, so check them out to see if this 3D fantasy space opera piques your interest. More information on the closed beta registration can be found after the jump.

gPotato has just released some new information regarding their latest free-to-play "fantasy space opera" MMORPG developed by Astrum Nival. It will be available as a free-to-play download from the gPotato.eu portal this Autumn. They note that Allods Online will have twenty eight (!) playable classes for players to choose from, and these classes will be derived from the game's six races and eight archtypes. In their first batch of information and screenshots, the gPotato team has written an overview of the melee and ranged fighters in Allods Online; these classes come from both the League and the Empire, and they cover the Warrior, Scout and Templar archetypes. You can read the full summary below.