Speaking of levels, gamers in Huxley will rank up through quests and combat to a tentative 50-level cap (which should take about three months of play). At around level 30, you acquire the ability to craft and tune weapons, and the post-level 50 game revolves around clan play and group questing. Dedicated players will eventually earn enough in-game currency to buy property, vehicles and gain special titles like “Gladiator.”

Exploring the Sapien home city of Nostalonia, we were impressed by the intricate amount of style and detail that went into each building and vehicle. Nostalonia is made of six districts, each ornately designed with unique architecture. The main area resembled a Victorian city with a steam punk vibe. Cable-car trolleys that provide inter-city transport stood out against the futuristic looking cars parked along the brick roads. Eska, the Alternative’s home city, will have a completely different style and high-level raids will let players on one side catch a glimpse of their rival’s domain.

Between Nostalonia and Eska are “Battle Zones,” the wastelands where the two factions fight for valuable “Lunerite” energy sources. Huxley will ship with around 20-30 Battle Zone maps at launch, which will support standard deathmatch, team deathmatch, radar domination (control point capture) and component collection PvP gameplay modes. PvE quests take place in Battle Zones and also in underground sewer dungeons, where players face off against a third AI controlled faction: the Hybrids. Defeating these NPC monsters slowly unravels a plot that reveals the secrets of the lunar Armageddon and the dark history of Huxley’s world.