Re-created from the original 2004 MMO of the same name, the Snail development team is now focused on gaining feedback from players in the upcoming weeks in order to hone game mechanics such as questing, leveling, dungeon design, and PvP mechanics.

Dark and Light's massive sandbox world takes the storyline beyond the traditional MMO, delivering a unique blend of MMO and survival mechanics. Players have the freedom to develop settlements, unlock magical abilities, fight for their tribes, or just enjoy exploring the world’s many distinct environments. Dark and Light's use of Unreal Engine 4 guarantees superb visual fidelity and advanced physics, providing players with a rich and stimulating gaming experience in an ever-changing virtual world.

Dark and Light is a persistent, living world, with a heavy focus on combat where movement and battle have shifted from third-person tab-targeting to an action-based FPS-style system. The game features active participation through dodging, where precise aiming along with managing skills and magical abilities are the keys to victory. Players need not enter the fray alone, as many of the world’s creatures can be tamed and used as mounts to gain a tactical advantage in battle.

Dark and Light features environments inspired by real-world locations, including volcanoes, snow-capped mountains, swamps, plains, forests, jungles and more. Additionally, Dark and Light showcases beautiful fantasy biomes, such as a series of floating islands where players will encounter more than 50 unique species of creatures as they traverse the landscape. These aren’t just mindless, cut-and-paste mobs either – each has been meticulously designed to fit seamlessly into their respective habitats and will behave as though they had naturally evolved in the world.

The new images showcase the sweeping vistas, lush valleys, fantastical floating islands and other stunning environments players will interact with in the game, challenging players to survive and thrive in a magic-rich world.

Mysterious Vestiges of a Lost World:

Ancient ruins are spread throughout Dark and Light's world, and these monuments are as much a testament to a distant past as they are a foreshadowing of a radical future. Many of these ruins acted as portals to other worlds, and it was through them that the inhabitants were linked to these cultures’ way of life and magical knowledge.

Harness the Energy of Flaming Volcanoes:

The three races of the Dark and Light world: human, elf, and dwarf, all have their own interpretation of volcanic activity and its significance. For dwarves, the volcano is the cradle of existence, where the gods forged the world. Elves see the volcano as a kind of alarm, acting up when the world is in chaos. Humans regard the volcano as a resource containing vast wells of magical power that can be mined and extracted.

The volcanic environment is treacherous and unforgiving, clouded with thick ash and pools of lava. It is also home to a powerful magic energy and rare materials that players can mine for various uses. There are hidden caves tucked into the mountain, and hot springs that can quickly restore a weakened player's strength.

Icy Mountains Filled with Magical Secrets

While frozen over and covered in snow year-round, this region is surprisingly biodiverse, and many mythical creatures dwell on the mountainside. Elves are the race most closely associated with this realm, but humans and dwarves are both anxious to gain access to its magical secrets.

Winged Creatures Abound on Floating Islands

When the ancient portals were closed, it created a massive disruption in the electromagnetic field that dislodged pieces of the earth and suspended them high in the air. These floating islands, in contrast to the aforementioned regions, are quite temperate. The islands are home to a variety of exotic birds and dragons, and can be reached with the aid of a flying mount.

Valley of the Guardians - A Monument to Noble Ancestors

These colossal structures were built by humans to honor the bravery of their fallen ancestors, and the two giant figures stand guard over the river valley that feeds water into the human city. City-dwellers have a deep and abiding faith in the supernatural powers of protection that the Valley of the Guardians possesses.

Mystical Energy Circulates Through Dense Forests

Elves and dwarves occupy the forest, though their society is concentrated in the flatlands, while dwarves prefer to live on the thickly wooded mountainside. Elves have constructed a network of tree houses connected by swinging bridges that allow them to travel quickly across dense patches of forest. Meanwhile, the dwarves have control over a territory that is easily defensible and difficult to penetrate.

Unlimited Exploration in a World Without Boundaries

Aside from providing unique areas for each race, the Dark and Light world is ripe for exploration, and every player will have a rich and varied gameplay experience. Players can wander through a fishing village at sunset while enjoying simple pastoral pleasures, or, they can hunt for magical creatures like unicorns by following their tracks in the ground, and maybe even catch a glimpse of one if they're lucky enough. For players interested in getting close to Dark and Light’s magnificent dragons, there is a dragon breeding area, located on a swamp that contains a variety of snakes and insects.

The game's world is also home to some very sinister realms that only fully come alive in the shadows of night. Players can discover the remains of an abandoned underground prison, and can almost hear the screams of past prisoners emanating from the rubble. There is also a rocky island where many ships have encountered a violent end, and among the shipwreck rubble, it is rumored, there is a hefty treasure to be found. Adventurers should be cautious as the island is governed by a giant cursed werewolf who commands a horde of evil spirits.

Dark and Light is a departure from the traditional MMO with unique progression mechanics including:

• Mysticism and Magic – No matter which path a player chooses, they will incorporate magic into their skill set as they develop. A limited pool of skill is allocated to level up, making it crucial for players to plan early to ensure they end up with a character they’re satisfied with.
• Free Sandbox Exploration – Cut scene-driven storytelling and instances are emphasized over questing. After siding with a faction (which determines the player’s starting city), the world opens up, enabling players to develop their character the way they want. They can take the role of a skilled artisan, ferocious warrior, a happy-go-lucky explorer, or anywhere in between.

While it's possible to survive as a lone wolf, it's a long and hard path that many players won’t be able to handle. Dark and Light’s survival aspects can be extremely draining, as hunger, fatigue, illness and attacks from other players and wild creatures will take their toll. There will be no quests or tutorials, so learning about the world quickly is vital if players want to thrive. It is extremely important to support each other and grow together in order to progress.

Snail Games fantasy survival MMO Dark and Light will be coming to Steam’s Early Access program this fall.