Death Wheel: Battle of the Immortals

Currently a clear winner for Game RPS Gets Sent The Most Press Releases About is Battle of the Immortals, an MMORPG take on Diablo. Somehow, we've never posted about it, despite having received 20 emails from the publisher since the 26th of January. Well, let's correct that - partly because BotI has just entered closed beta testing, but mostly because of what happens at 25 seconds in. DEATH WHEEL. Seriously, that's all the PR you need. Just show the Death Wheel.

So, yeah, it looks a bit like World of Warcraft, and bit like Lineage. Hopefully it's off down its own interesting path, though. Torchlight proves there's plenty of life left in Diablo's formula, after all.

BotI is referred to as being 2.5D, and here's what it's about: "Taking up the mantle of relic hunters, players can expect to travel throughout the world from the ancient tombs of past emperors in the East to the mythical Mount Olympus in the West. They will also be able to explore the Great Pyramids, uncover the mystery behind the Lost City of Atlantis and delve into lost temples deep within the Mayan jungle. Players will engage in epic battles against other players for the right to battle monsters, control cities & rule supreme."

Also, it'll be supported by the purchasaeable in-game currency Zen, though the option for that isn't open yet. Ah, micropayments. Or "payments", as I like to call them.

It's called a Closed Beta, but sounds as if most entrants will find their way in - head over here to apply.

You may also want to read the list of New Player Rewards, which is a remarkable tract of promise/desperation/insanity/I just don't know. "If you stay on for ten more minutes, you get a free pet!" What do you mean "if"? What are you going to do to me during those ten minutes?