Sword in hand, Scott Steinberg bravely explores a world filled with wizards, warriors and hairy blokes posing as buxom barmaids 9 Feb 03 Ominous rumbles echo throughout the Commonlands. Keyboard clasped firmly, you resolutely reach for the hotkey that conveys puzzlement. But before you or the rest of the party can react, a frothing clump of spherical objects bedecked in moss comes tumbling over the horizon. Could it be the errant result of a frost giant's bowel movement? Nay, there's an angry Earth elemental charging your way, and the only help at hand are two slovenly schoolmates currently posing as barbarian swordsmen. Crap in a hat... the blokes back at the guild never said adventuring would be this stressful. Then again, they weren't fully acquainted with EverQuest II. Sequel to the online role-playing obsession that swallowed so many souls it might as well be a minor deity, this is a title poised on the brink of superstardom. With more than 400,000 subscribers to its predecessor's name, legions of Fan Faire conventions, and many a ruined marriage to the franchise's credit, it's a series that by all accounts has redefined gaming as we know it. And, in the US at least, the new game is set to launch. Which, as they say in the business, lads, is big freakin' news. Mercifully, the 45-strong development team knows a good thing when they see it. Therefore they aren't so much reworking the title as polishing the existing gameplay to a keen shine. So sweeping changes aren't high on Sony Online's list. With the impending PR nightmare sure to come from thousands of shut-ins who'll soon renounce religion (and bathing) for love of a computer game, who can blame the beggars? TRADING SPACES What they have done an excellent job of, however, is reworking existing material to accompany the newly reset calendar. Although set once again in the world of Norrath, this latest escapade takes place several generations removed from the initial offering - specifically, during the Age of Destiny. As senior game designer Bill Trost explains: "The scale of the world is much larger than before... So much so that now, even familiar geographical features take on new life." Both previously seen locales and play mechanics have received a comprehensive makeover. From blows that can now be targeted at specific portions of the anatomy to entire cities such as Freeport or Erudin reconstructed using a more logical layout, all that is old is once again new. And, as opposed to previous questing, everything is designed to be devoured in reasonable two-hour chunks. "We want people in and playing as soon as possible," suggests Trost. But that doesn't mean once you've chosen one of 14 races (including newcomers such as the Thundercat-like Kerrans) it's off adventuring you go. Thanks to new trade skills, you can easily make a name for yourself taking part in a player-driven economy. Whether you're busy promoting parties, planning real-time weddings, or just strutting on the gladiatorial circuit, even those who never venture beyond the confines of 'save haven' will inevitably find a lifetime's worth of entertainment in store. THE GREAT BEYOND Intrepid souls won't be disappointed, either. Should wanderlust beckon, you'll find a world of wonder lying out there. Having picked up a quest via a new system that allows for assignments to be gained anywhere, anytime, even through chance meetings with random strangers, stirring up excitement and/or trouble won't be a problem. Dozens of freshly introduced areas including the decrepit Fallen Gate, hideously malformed Castle Nektropos and staggeringly panoramic Grand Plateau await. "As soon as the player enters the game, we hit them with tons of things to see and do," says Trost. "The first EverQuest was built piecemeal... we're taking the time to flesh out an entire world this go round." Needless to say, you will be surprised - and not just because low-level dungeons have become high-level challenges and vice-versa. Wandering through Bixie beehives, dark temple Cazic-Thule and Qeynos' familiar facade, a host of new challenges present themselves. And that's before you even take into account the baddies like zombies, void beasts and dragonfly faeries who still can't play nice with humanoid species. Predictably, boss encounters serve as the coup de gráce. Trigger a scripted battle and you may find yourself face to face with Darathar the Deceiver, a titanic dragon who belches flames like a Parisian tourist does crepes. Like general encounters, each is carefully placed by the design team to ensure players experience the game through a steady system of progression. Not that anyone's railroading you into any decisions at any time, since this is live role-playing at its most sophisticated and potentially liberating. 'ELLO, SEXY Graphics-wise, it's a corker too. We can scarcely believe the game is actually powered by a new graphical engine that's unfettered by resolution capping, whereby picture quality can steadily be upped as basic end-user PC specs improve over time. Such tidbits become all the more impressive when you spot shadows shifting as the sun passes overhead or characters wearing clothes and armor that move independently of the body beneath.