Grand Chase, published by Ntreev (the same folks behind Trickster Online) is a 2D side-scrolling Action/MMO with anime inspired graphics and three available character choices.

Ditching the ‘camera in the sky’, Grand Chase instead uses a side-scrolling style of play similar to the original Mario titles. Like Trickster, the anime inspired graphics may be too cutesy for some older gamers but behind those visuals lays a good deal of content. The game most closely resembling Grand Chase is likely Tcrew. Both are cooperative action adventure dungeon crawlers, and if you’ve played one, you’ll have a good chance of early success in the other.

There are 3 characters to choose from as a new player, but eventually others become available as you level them up. In total there are currently 12 classes (or characters) available in Grand Chase, but more are added quite regularly. The 12 classes available now are: The Knight, Spell Knight, Archer, Thief, Magician, Druid, Dancer, Wanderer, Stygian, Rune Caster, Fighter and Gladiator. Each player can alternative between the characters he has unlocked and each one gains experience independently.

The basic concept of Grand Chase is for 2-4 players to work together to clear dozens of multi-roomed dungeons, each with a boss at the end. This sort of game play is rarely seen in free-to-play MMOs making it a relatively unique gaming experience. There are a total of three continents, each with multiple levels, and each level has several difficulty settings. Oddly, most of these stages are not available to new players, who must first complete each stage SEVERAL times in order to finish missions. Missions are quests which usually require the player to play a specific stage but unlike most games the quest rewards in Grand Chase are very helpful and important. Entire armor sets are given away by completing beginner stages, making them a top priority for new players.

Besides the main cooperative mode, Grand Chase offers a Player-versus-Player (PvP) Battle Mode, which allows you to duke it out in 1v1 or more arenas to test your skill against other players and earn cool rewards. And there is also a 'Park' channel where players can move around and chat offering a unique social experience. 

All in all, Grand Chase is something of a unique addition to the Action MMO genre. With an amazing selection of characters to choose from, multiple co-operative and PvP game modes, and a compelling social element it makes for a perfect place to allow new or young players the opportunity to learn the most basic mechanics of the MMO. Though, at the same time, it offers a full gameplay experience well suited to players with significantly more experience, and as such, is a title well worth checking out for anyone interested in some fast-paced, Action MMO fun. 

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