PC RIFT

Thousands of players join together online, to protect the world from inter-planar calamity, and to carry on a brutal civil war fueled by the essence of life and death. Rift is a persistent-world role-playing game with solo and group-oriented quests, flexible character-class customization, and an original fantasy setting. The world of Telara is special because of its proximity to other planes of existence. Ancient protections have recently been unbalanced, allowing these other planes to collide with Telara, creating violent rifts which offer passage back and forth to other realms of reality. Rift's four main playable classes are mage, cleric, rogue, and warrior, each with several sub-class choices. As characters progress, they earn points for new abilities and unlock additional sub-classes. Advanced players can save up to four different ability configurations, and switch between these "roles" at will (when not in combat). Choosing from six available character races, players align with either the Guardian or the Defiant, and the game's player-versus-player battles are fought between these two factions. The interface is similar to those of contemporary online RPGs, with mouse-and-keyboard control and an action-button panel across the bottom of the screen. Rift requires a paid subscription for ongoing play.