New Battlestar Galactica Online gameplay trailer looks frakkin' sweet

Bigpoint's Battlestar Galactica Online will be a free-to-play, browser based game based on Ronald D Moore's awesomely dark remake of a campy 1970s show. This much we know. What we're still fuzzy on, however, is whether or not the upcoming MMO can accurately capture the series' distinct look and feel. Rest assured, if this new gameplay video is any indication, Bigpoint isn't jumping into hallowed geek territory unprepared.

Developed by the Norwegian studio, Artplant, Battlestar Galactica Online will implant players into the universe created by Moore's hit sci-fi series, wherein the remnants of a human society are driven to the far reaches of space after an attack by a rogue army of sentient, man-made robots called Cylons. Gameplay will consist of third person action and shaky-cam space combat, and will allow players to determine the fate of the 12 colonies as either a desperate Human or a frakking toaster.

The game is still in private beta phase for lucky cadets in Europe and North America, but a public beta is set to start very shortly. Upon release in North America, the game will be featured exclusively on Syfy.com for the first 30 days.

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Battlestar Galactica's popularity grew from the show's character work, extreme moral dilemmas and – let's be honest – Tricia Helfer in a red dress. This video does a lot to put fans at ease where visuals are concerned, but until we're deciding the fate of entire ships, or ejecting war criminals out of airlocks, we won't know for sure if this is the real deal or a run-of-the-mill space MMO in Cylon skin.

Jan 26, 2011

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