Potential. That's what Gunz has - lots and lots of potential. This fabulous game is still in international beta and therefore many things are likely to change before this game is declared â??'finished''. The game is already great heaps of fun, the only problem I have with it is server reliability which is promised to improve as time passes.

Gunz is considered by many, including myself, to be one of the best free MMOGs around. An MMOG is a massively multiplayer online game. This basically means it's a large multiplayer experience shared with many others scattered around the globe.

Graphics-wise. Gunz is very pleasing, considering the small file size and lack of cost. You can see exactly what I mean at the top right of this page. The menus are easy enough to navigate and the player's HUD is very simple.

This game, like most MMOGs, has a level system. However, unlike most MMOGs, Gunz makes everything much fairer by splitting the players into channels. Low level characters square off against fellow new people in channels for people new to the game. The more experienced gamers are placed in a separate channel. This level organization is a very good idea in my opinion as there are always a few people who try to take advantage of new players. If you do in fact want to face off against somebody outside your level bracket this is very possible, simply move to one of three â??Free Channels' which allow players of any level to enter.

The gameplay itself is unique. Most MMOGs have rather tedious gameplay: kill, steal and repeat. Gunz however is much less like other games in its genre when it comes to gameplay. You log in to the client, find a channel and then a server. Servers contain a maximum of 16 players and can run varying game modes - Deathmatch & Gladiator (Melee Weapons Only) seem to be most popular. Basically you're given your gun and sword and must find and fight any hostiles. Each kill is worth a set number of experience points (XP) depending on the opposing player's level. Your goal is to earn XP so you can gain levels and "bounty" (the in-game currency). As you gain more bounty you can buy better guns, armour etc. Combat is very engaging. Everything is done with the click and movement of a mouse. Simple. Left click attacks/shoots, while shift blocks if you are using your melee weapon. What makes combat so fun is the slick animations and the ability to dive around your screen dodging bullets, you have the ability to "charge" at enemies as well as running up walls and flipping around. Your fighter is very acrobatic; this is what in my opinion makes Gunz such a fun and engaging experience.