If the game developers of the world have anything to say about it, the Earth is most definitely destined for a nuclear winter sometime in the relative future. This time around, it's all related to a famous (maybe infamous?) novel titled A Brave New World. How does a 1930's novel translate into a 2006 MMOFPS? Webzen is taking quite an interesting direction with this one.

MMOFPS is a term that is receiving increasingly more and more play. Formerly, Planetside held the genre all to itself, but at this year's E3, a few titles sprung up. One is Webzen's Huxley, a futuristic post-apocalyptic large-scale shooter. Webzen plans on allowing 5000 players to work together or against each other per server, so they definitely have the large-scale part down.

In Huxley, players will start with nothing but the shirt on their back and the curious visage inevitably attached to their skull. They begin in one of the two very, very large cities, which could take several hours just to get a feel for the layout. The city shown behind closed doors at E3 was magnificent. This is the Louvre of cities. In this city a player can (eventually) acquire an apartment, a vehicle with which to travel and drag race, start and maintain a squad, and trade or purchase some visually stunning gear, much of which has a slight resemblance to Final Fantasy VII.

The weapons of any action game can literally make-or-break the title. After all, if the primary focus is on combat, who wants to go to battle armed with a Spork? The weapons, much like everything else in-game, are so gorgeous it hurts. This game is one of a small batch based on the Unreal 3 engine, so the reflections, shine properties, and shadows are awe-inspiring. The swords located within are gigantic, sharp, and detailed enough to cause any knife & blade fanatic to feel inadequate. The guns, of course, are not being skimped on. The few I saw looked a great deal like they belong in the Warhammer 40,000 universe, but have been modified for the two-sided war at work in this hell-on-earth scenario.

So, what happens after Earth is nearly destroyed in nuclear devastation? Not only is the planet grossly deformed, but the human race itself is mutated. There are now two distinct races of humans: Sapiens and Alternatives. These races both resemble modern-day humans, but have been altered somewhat. These races are warring for control of the planet and its resources, as usually happens after a wide-scale change in world power. There is a third group struggling for power, but it will not be playable. The Hybrids are an NPC breed with the ability to control monsters of the mutated planet, and the Hybrids use this ability to great extent. Under extreme pressure from these Hybrids, some Sapiens and Alternatives have formed a temporary shaky alliance to wipe out this growing threat the Hybrids pose.

As with most MMOs and FPSes, combat is a pretty big deal. Battles can be large (really, really large) or as small as a one-on-one tussle over hunting ground. An advanced AI system that promises to be like nothing ever seen should provide for new experiences nearly every quest. Players can also combat each other for fame and other rewards. Huxley promises a robust and engaging PvP system, which is great news for those of a more competitive nature.

Overall, Huxley looks to combine a great deal of features from many beloved genres, but retain some of the original spirit and style from each. With huge, cinematic battles, monstrosities for cities, and a unique vision of the future from a beloved classic novel, this could easily be one of the most interesting and anticipated titles of next year. With about a year left until release, Webzen still has plenty of time to spice things up even more.