In most MMOs, we’re content to go with the easy kills. One time we might be rampaging through a village of defenseless Jawa. Another might see us obliterate waves of cheap murlocs. All that counts is that they swarm like a hive of bees and make a satisfying squish when they die. Sometimes, the destruction of digital cannon fodder is all you need.

Other times, I get a craving to go after the big fish. I see the Big Ass Monster towering over me, taking entire fields in his stride. I watch the other players flee, lest they become squashed underfoot. And I tell myself: one day, we will dance the whirlwind of death. It will be an epic clash of might versus agility, of steel against sorcery. And in the end, when the dust settles, I’ll take you down.

If playing the role of David in a world of Goliaths sounds like a dream come true, then monster-hunting MMO RaiderZ might be just what you need. As part of our grand tour of PC gaming show Rezzed, I spoke to Rüdiger Moersch, Producer for Frogster, about bringing this free-to-play action-MMO to Europe.

In this five-part miniseries, we sat down with the developers behind the highly anticipated MechWarrior Online to talk about everything you want to know about this upcoming action title. Be sure to check out our previous interviews in the series:

• Brian Ekman, Creative Director
• Russ Bullock, President
• Paul Inouye, Lead Designer
• Matthew Craig, Technical Director
• Dennis de Koning, Art Director

And we've arrived at the conclusion to our MechWarrior Online interview series! For our final candidate, we've spoken to Piranha Games' Art Director, Dennis de Koning to speak about all of the artistic challenges of creating an explosive 'Mech-based game like MWO, as well as how he plans to bring MechWarrior to the modern masses. So without further delay, let's get on with the interview!

Traversing Telara is an exclusive series of articles from Trion Worlds that explores Rift's lore and gameplay mechanics through the eyes of one intrepid adventurer. It's a great read and a fantastic introduction to the world of Telara. Even if you're a veteran of Rift, you might enjoy hearing about the game from another perspective! Read on for Traversing Telara #14: Gods and Souls!

Catch up on all the past issues of Traversing Telara here!

Another week, another BFF Report! This week, in ZAM's BFF Report #114, Mike B takes on Drakensang Online, a free-to-player browser-based action MMORPG. In his BFF Report, Mike B. finds a lot of things to like in Drakensang Online (organized PvP!), but he also runs into a few problems with the game's microtransaction obsession.

You can go check out the latest BFF Report right here at ZAM!

The Chronomancers first appeared in Norrath almost three years ago, offering adventurers a way to delve into their past. Aside from being able to simply alter one's adventuring level, players can also partake in 37 different Chronomagic Missions. These missions offer a way to experience little used dungeons of years past as well as earn many Alternate Advancement (AA) points for discovery and named mob kills. Adventurers who are level 70 and higher may visit their local Chronomagic Tasker to partake in these missions.

Check out our revamped Chronomagic Mission guide, which now features the mission levels, zone entrance requirements and replica rewards!

For me, walking through a video game convention is like being in an art gallery candy store. You're surrounded by such beautiful creativity, yet you can't wait to stuff all of it into your gaping maw. Alas, mice and keyboards are (mostly) inedible, relegating me to the difficult task of being forced to play some of the most gorgeous games about to hit our PCs.

After tackling the tasty treats of End of Nations earlier in the day, it was time to check out RIFT, where I spoke with Trion Worlds' European Product Manager for RIFT and Defiance, Kevin Taylor. We spoke about some of the ingredients that went into Patch 1.9: Conquest, before getting some hints as to what will be on the menu for their upcoming Storm Legion expansion.

Most people would spend a trip to the seaside enjoying the sun, eating ice-cream and taking a causal stroll down the beach, but that’s not how we roll here at ZAM. Instead, I paid a visit to Rezzed, the PC and indie game show hosted by Eurogamer and Rock, Paper, Shotgun. 

Trion Worlds was also there, showing off End of Nations to a horde of avid gamers. After going hands on with the latest alpha build, I barraged Trion's French Community Manager, Franck Vacher, with questions. We discussed team and clan play, the recently announced Founders Pricing deal, and the importance of bacon on the battlefield.

It looks like we've entered a new age of browser-based gaming! Our good friends over at Tencent Boston's in-house development team, Stomp Games, have just announced their upcoming 3D action RPG title, Robot Rising! Build up your base, customize your robot, and start blowing up baddies for loot!

Currently, Robot Rising is still in its closed beta testing phase, but the team is looking to expand their testing community before officially launching. So if you're interested in stomping around in a killer robot, sign up on the Robot Rising beta signup page!

We also got the chance to catch up with Stomp Games' Executive Producer, Michael Fitch, to talk more about their game, so read on!

We've also got a faction t-shirt / dog tag giveaway for The Secret World! Tell us why YOUR faction is the best, and we'll be giving out a prize to the three best entries!

It's no secret that, in the past few months, we have been playing a lot of The Secret World (yes, those are all separate links). That being said, however, once the closed beta weekends began back in May, I decided to lay out some of my thoughts before taking a step back to watch from afar. While it would have been enjoyable to experience Funcom's development process as they tinkered away in between betas, I wanted to come into TSW's launch day with fresh eyes and an improved experience.

Let's get on with it.

And we have our winners!

For the mysterious Dragon, user esprickzor managed to summarize why they were so great in a few simple sentences:

"The world must burn before it can be restored.

The Dragons are master manipulators and do not suffer the same nearsightedness that plague the Templars and Illuminati, the fact that their motives are beyond "Good" or "Bad" makes them even more intriguing.

They are Patient, Deceiving, and Powerful.

They are the Conjurers of Change."

For brandedwolf, the stoic Templar are the only ones with the right reasons:

"Because someone has to be in it for the right reasons.

Because the innocent need protecting.

Because someone must make the hard choices to push the darkness back."

For Beckygrrl, however, everyone's really just in this for themselves, and the Illuminati are the only ones who've embraced this ideal:

"It's pretty simple really: If you really want the finer things in life, Illuminati is the only way to go.

I mean, come on! What profit is there in chaos? When the smoke clears all you've got is a pile of rubble and dirt stains all over your new Vera Wang suit! Ick!

Templars? Get serious! Meting out justice may make some people feel better, but for a really good time I'll take the Lamborghini, the downtown luxury penthouse apartment, and summers on the Riviera every time, honey!

On top of all that, there's plenty of that oh-so-delicious aphrodisiac, power. We control the media and the government, and therefore, the unwashed clueless masses as well. While the Dragons and Templars are running around fighting for some silly nebulous ideals no one really understands anyway, we Illuminati are shaping the world the way we want it, the way that works best and most profitably for us and us alone.

When you take the time to really think about it and work out the pros and cons, you realize that Illuminati is the only way to go. It's not only the way that keeps the world working the way it should, but most importantly, it's the way that keeps the world working best for US!"

So congratulations to our winners! We'll be contacting them to send them a T-Shirt and Dog Tag gift bundle for their chosen The Secret World secret society!

Unless you've been trapped on a zombie-infested island recently, you will have heard the great news that The Secret World has gone live! Early Access to Funcom's latest MMO began at the end of last week, with full launch earlier on Tuesday. To celebrate the event, we've got a bit of a giveaway for you!

In The Secret World, you can join one of three Secret Societies. With the steadfast Templar, the hedonistic Illuminati and the chaotic Dragon, each one goes about saving the world in their own unique way. The rivalry between them is intense, with each one vying for supremacy under the careful watch of the Council of Venice.

If you have ever wanted a way to declare your society loyalty to friends and enemies alike, here's your chance. Thanks to our good friends at EA, we have three Secret Society t-shirt and dog-tag sets to give away!

Getting your hands on this superb swag is easy: all you have to do is tell us why your chosen secret society rocks! Leave a comment on this article (you'll need to register for a free ZAM account if you don't already have one) with your most convincing reason. Chris and Gareth will be picking one winner for each society, so you'll be competing against your own faction.

Get your skates on though, as the competition ends on Monday, July 9, 2012 at 5:00pm EST. We'll ship worldwide too, so feel free to enter wherever you are!