Namco has given away some more details regarding its first PC-based MMORPG Tales of Eternia Online. Among the game's original systems are PET quests and the Onpu system. Since there will be no game over screens in the game, even after players lose a battle, the onpu system (onpu translates to "carrying somebody on one's back") comes into play. Instead, players can carry a wounded fellow user to safety on their back. This rescue action is a risky venture, since running is difficult and hence it will be hard to escape from potential attacks. Systems like onpun were designed to increase the bondage between users. Apart from bondages between players, the development team also wants players to socialize with the game's non-playable characters via so-called PEN (Parallel Episode with NPCs) quests. Players will only be able to solve those quests by cooperating with NPCs. As far as means of communication are concerned, the whisper chat will allow two players to communicate with each other, while party members can communicate each other via the party chat. Expressions can be expressed via different avatar emotions.

Tales of Eternia Online will be released in Japan sometime in spring 2005.

• GameWatch