Dungeons & Dragons Online Preview

IGN PC has published a three-page preview of Turbine's Dungeons & Dragons Online: Stormreach, based upon their latest adventures in the game's beta test. Check it out:
As with the character abilities, combat uses the PnP rules but bends them in a few key areas. Unlike most MMOs, combat in D&D Online offers a real-time option where players are in complete control of their blocks, swings and evasions. There's still an auto-attack feature that you can use if you like, but the real-time fighting with the right mouse controlling attacks and the SHIFT-button controlling blocks adds a lot more excitement to the game. Spells and ranged abilities are activated via hotkeys. Ranged attacks are much easier to manage with the auto-lock feature but you're free to aim and fire on your own.