Independent game developer Mindfuse has officially launched the open beta for their upcoming casual virtual world, "Gatheryn". Scheduled to launch later this year, "Gatheryn" transports players to the fantastical island of Elymia, where they must master their skills in a variety of fun and challenging casual games to earn silver and uncover the secrets of this mysterious island.
If you've been looking forward to the casual steampunk world of Gatheryn, then you don't have much longer to wait. MindFuse Games has recently updated their main page for the game, offering everyone the chance to register their accounts and download the game's client in preparation for the upcoming open beta.
Gatheryn's Casual Games Update, which went live today, brings two new features to the steampunk-themed MMO. The Minigame Pavilion is a carnival where players can try out Gatheryn's numerous minigames, right off the bat, and without needing to pay silver to try them out. MindFuse has also introduced Word Safari, which they describe as "a series of location-based puzzles where players find special objects and match words according to their specific role and location in Elymia." This sounds like fun, and in some respects is like an exploration game as players learn more about the various areas to be found in Gatheryn.
With the oversaturation of fantasy in the MMO genre, Massively has been patiently waiting to get their hands on the steampunk victorian coolness of Gatheryn. An indie title currently under development by Mindfuse, Gatheryn seems to be part virtual world and part mini-game laden MMO, much like Free Realms. Considering how wildly popular Free Realms has become in a short period, many eyes are now turning to Gatheryn to see if the combination of casual minigames in a fun, unique MMO/VW setting can strike gold again.
Massively's very own Managing Editor, Shawn Schuster sat down recently with Isa Anne Stamos, Game Studio Director for MindFuse, to find out some more about the future of this retro-feel title.
