The NDA has lifted on this ninja-filled zone in LEGO Universe. Follow us as we fight through the Maelstrom.

I land in the camp on the other side of the gate right next to a brick vendor. He sells every type of LEGO brick possible, which you can use to build items on your property. This is also a good time to mention that everything in the zone is comprised entirely of LEGOs. You can look at any item and see exactly which pieces were used to built it. I'm impressed by the level of detail that NetDevil, the developer, was able to pack into the game.

Kenjin the Wise, an NPC who looks like he came straight out of the movie "Big Trouble in Little China," is already happy with my ninja skills and wants me to travel to the Great Tree to speak with Master Fong. I set out jumping from rock to rock toward my destination using gusts of wind to time my landings, which admittedly resulted in my death once or twice before I got the hang of it.

I also passed some Mantis creatures that can be tamed as pets using Imagination Points and a mini-game. You can tame all sorts of animals in the LEGO Universe to act as your companion, from cats to elephants. Even skunks are available, but you're going to have to figure out how to overcome their smell before you can get close enough to tame them.

On my way to the Great Tree, I come across some statues of Samurai warriors. They turn into enemies controlled by the Maelstrom, and I hack and slash my way through them. Combat is comprised mainly of mashing your attack button, but you'll continue to earn other items and abilities that make it more interesting.

It turns out the Great Tree is full of ninja masters who are more than willing to teach me their craft. I talk to Brickmaster Clang, Gathermaster Clex and Smashmaster Foom and agree to complete their quests to prove my worth. I won't spoil them for you, but their names should give you a good idea of the types of tasks you'll be asked to complete in this MMO.

It's worth noting here that the music in the game is much better than I anticipated. The Great Tree has a relaxing tune associated with it, while some of the combat music sounds like it came straight from the film "Inception."

I leave the tree and kill endless evil floating Samurai as I complete my quests, and the teachers reward me with all sorts of ninja gear. I put all of my knight items in by backpack and put on my ninja hood before heading up to the top of the tree to speak with Numb Chuck, an NPC who wants me to smash a dragon. Yes, a dragon.

With the help of my new ninja gear, I sneak through a force field and make my way to the Paradox Maelstrom Refinery. This industrial complex looks completely different from the rest of the zone and is used by the Paradox faction to study and process the Maelstrom. I figure this is as good a place as any to find a dragon, right?

It turns out that the dragon fight takes place in an instance. Clicking a statue will randomly place you in a team with up to three other players and warp you to an instance full of Samurai warriors and dragons. Good ol' fashioned teamwork is helpful as you fight your way through the horde of enemies to take on one of the dragons and hopefully emerge victorious.

NetDevil succeeded in giving each zone a distinct feel through its quests and setting. Gnarled Forest is full of trees, apes and pirates while the Forbidden Valley is dark and brooding, creating the perfect mood for a world full of ninjas.

My main gripe with these worlds is that they don't feel as open-ended as other MMOs; they're actually quite linear. The zones contain a lot of replay value, and you'll be constantly revisiting them as you obtain new gear and begin new quests. But part of me wishes I could freely explore these words instead of fighting my way through a set path.

LEGO Universe is set to launch in six short weeks on October 26. My in-game backpack is full of items and bricks that look like they came straight out of a LEGO set from that department store shelf, which means this MMO can be whatever you decide to make it (at least on your in-game property). I think I'll try to build that castle from my childhood and see how it matches up to my memory.

Darryl Gangloff, Editor-in-Chief