EverQuest II Preview

GameSpot has put together a one-page preview of EverQuest II, after spending some firsthand time with the game's beta test. Here's a bit to get you started:
If you've played the original EverQuest, you may be surprised by what the new Freeport has to offer. The city--especially the docking area where your character first pulls in--is dingy, and the paths are rocky and unpaved. At present, new arrivals to Freeport start in a run-down hub area patrolled by rat catchers and low-life merchants. The paths extending from this hub lead to the surrounding streets of Freeport, which are controlled by guttersnipes, thugs, and corrupt guards, as well as to the outskirts of the city, which include the Commonlands, the former site of idyllic grassy plains and the current home of a monster-ridden swamp. We were greeted by an ogre character who demanded that we report in to file a citizenship request, which is one of many quests that cities will offer players in the final game. Cities will also offer instanced housing to each character--a home that players can use for storage, or fill out with furnishings.