Sometimes it's hard to tell one fantasy-based MMORPG from another. You look like a refugee from Final Fantasy, you fight weird-looking critters and humanoids, you win money for beating your enemies, which you then exchange for better weapons. There are quests, which give a vague purpose to the general slaughter, and there are opportunities to invest real-world money in make-believe stuff.

Rappelz has all of that. Some of the details make the game a bit of a challenge, like having to pay to teleport from one region to the next, and bad guys who aren't afraid to kick your butt. You also can choose your character's gender, hairstyle and clothing before you get going. There are also three kinds of characters you can play, so there's a fair bit of customization within the gameplay.

Other things are annoying, like slow server speeds and outrageously priced weapons--is it really necessary to charge 900,000 rupees (the game's currency) for a sword when you're only making 30-50 rupees per kill? We didn't think so.

One of the best things about Rappelz, though, is that the install process and subsequent updates are well-documented and easy to load. For this alone, it stands out from many of its MMORPG cousins. Combined with reasonable interaction for a free game, Rappelz is well worth a look.