Fractured Online has a novel approach to PvE and PvP

Perhaps the first terms you learn after getting into MMORPG - well, after the genre name itself - are PvE (player versus environment) and PvP (player versus player). A few games revolve entirely around one or the other, while most games try to strike a balance sometimes letting you disable PvP or reserving it for the endgame, so you can focus on the story without having to fear that a random player might suddenly kill you.

And then there is Fractured Online. The newly released sandbox RPG doesn't feature dedicated servers or options for PvE or PvP. Instead, it offers different races and planets, each with their own unique playstyle.

"In Fractured Online you have three races, the Humans, the Wildfolk and the Demons. Choosing your race is not only cosmetic or about giving you different attributes or abilities. It changes your gameplay and the way you interact with other players," explains Jacopo Gallelli, CEO & Founder of Dynamight Studio. "If you choose the demons, you will find yourself in a world that is very harsh and also on a PvE level more difficult. But it's also a world where crime has no consequences. Demons are all evil. You can attack other players, you can rob them, kill them, whatever you want. And there is no consequence at all aside from the consequences that other players impose on you. But other than that, the system doesn't punish you."

If the pure anarchy of the demon realm is to much for you, the other races and their home planets might be better suited to you, explains the developer. The Wildfolk are peace loving anthropomorphic animals that favour PvE and cooperation, as you must work closely with other players to accomplish your goal. And the humans are - as is often the case - the neutral option in between.

"As the humans you can become evil, you can do criminal actions. But then there is a strong crime system and justice system that punishes you if you do so. Players can build jails in the city or become bounty hunters and so on, so there is a way to mitigate the thing," Jacopo Galleli tells us.

After a successful Kickstarter campaign back in 2018 secured funding, Fractured Online finally released into early access on Steam on September 15 this month. You can view our full interview with the developer from Gamescom below. Here we learn more about the games' unique progression and its lore.