Today Silverlode Interactive announced that its Fantasy Pirate game Captains of DarkTide (CoDT) has entered its open beta testing phase. DarkTide is a 3D Browser-based MMORPG for Mac and PC. For the first time, players who sign up at www.playdarktide.com will be granted instant access to this full featured strategy MMO.

Players who register today will be the first to experience new content and game features as they are released, including the upcoming release of PvP Zones. Players entering PvP zones will have their PvP flags automatically enabled, allowing for combat with other players. Loot chests with high-level rewards will periodically spawn throughout the PvP zones, allowing players who can survive the longest a chance to gather epic gear.

For PvE players, new zones will be enabled throughout beta, allowing captains to do battle with epic bosses; ships commanded by Liches who can drain the life force of your crew, gigantic Ice Elementals born from the massive icebergs floating at sea; the tougher the opponent, the greater the reward. By gathering components from the wreckage of defeated foes, players will be able to construct more powerful cannons and bribe creatures with epic abilities to join their crew.

Because CoDT is set in a fantasy universe, the variety of upcoming content is boundless. Dwarves construct air ships which players will acquire, while the elves build and sell living ships. Undead can be bound to crew a ship, but asking them to serve side-by-side with humans can have “undesired” effects. “We are thrilled with the game already,” said Silverlode president Jason Faller, “and we look forward to dazzling players with the many features we are going to soon reveal.”

http://www.gamespress.com/release.asp?c=r%0D4g3