Top 9 reasons to play WildStar

WildStar, the sci-fi MMORPG from Carbine Studios, just started a 10-day Open Beta that runs through May 18. That's roughly two weeks until the game launches on June 3. Here's the top 9 reasons you should play WildStar when it launches...

1. It has more depth than any MMORPG
No matter what your style of play is, WildStar supports it. There's something for everyone, both in leveling and in end-game content. That's right... end-game content is already there, so you players that rush to level cap will have something to do when you get there. Level through PvP, get to end-game, and participate in Warplots or ranked arenas. Solo player? Do dynamic events, adventures, and focus on small group dungeons. Or, if you're hardcore, try the raiding.

2. Customization
Customization has been very important to the team at Carbine Studios since the very beginning. Nothing is more annoying in an MMORPG than having your very distinct, personal character that looks like thousands of other characters with the same mount, weapons and armor. WildStar says f*ck that. It's the first MMO to have mount customizations – like adding stuff to your hoverboard. There's housing. Customize your Warplot. Change the colors of your armor. And scale every feature during character creation.

3. Team Frost
Stephan Frost, WildStar's game design producer, is probably better known for being the voice of the beloved DevSpeak videos. And when he's not doing that, he's destroying Pappy in PvP duels. Yes, I'm team Frost, because unlike Pappy, Frost doesn't make excuses for the rare occasion when he loses. It's very easy for fans to connect with Frost. It might sound like we have a man crush on Frost, and that's because we do. Enjoy watching him eat a Habanero pepper in this video.

4. The Devs are listening
Speaking of DevSpeaks... we are constantly reminded at the end of those videos that the devs are listening. And they really are. I've played a lot of MMOs, and Carbine Studios is one of the most transparent and easy-to-access teams that I've ever interacted with. Throughout the entire process, they've listened to player feedback and changed things accordingly – like the animation when you level up, for instance.

5. Humor
If you haven't noticed, WildStar is big on the humor. Just watch a DevSpeak (geez I'm really pushing those things) and see for yourself. The humor in the writing, quests, storyline, videos, pretty much everything, is a reflection of the dev team. It all makes for a very light-hearted and entertaining experience, but with dark moments in there as well.

6. Skill-based combat
If you want to just stand in one spot and click through your one through zero buttons, cycling through your rotation, then go play a different game. WildStar is all about skill, both in PvP and PvE. You need to aim all of your skills, whether they are melee attacks, ranged attacks or heals. Enemies also have telegraphs on the ground for their skills, so you'll not only have to avoid all of the environmental and spell telegraphs, but those from bosses too. It's nuts. And in PvP it's even crazier.

7. Firefly
I miss Firefly. I can only relive this space western through the 14 episodes on Netflix. WildStar captures some of the spirit of Firefly in it, and it's obvious just by looking at the artwork of the Spellslinger. That's so Mal. Mal is obviously a Spellslinger. If you play as the Exiles, right from the beginning you get a Firefly vibe as you interact and help an Exile that looks like Sam Elliot in a cowboy hat and a duster – so, pretty much just normal Sam Elliot.

8. Housing
Not since the days of Ultima Online and Star Wars Galaxies has an MMORPG done housing the right way. WildStar changes that, and might actually be the best housing in an MMO ever. Your housing plot is completely customizable, both inside and outside of your actual house. There's over 4,000 items in housing (the most out of any MMO with housing), and tons more that had to get pushed back into the regular content updates. And you can link items together via a parenting system; that allows you to links tons of books into a bookshelf, or 20-something pillows onto a bed, and when you move the parent item it takes all those other items and treats them as one.

There's plugs for your plot that gives your teleportation access to dungeons, expeditions that are scalable dungeons for you and your friends, or even plugs that let you get crafting materials. I've seen people build skateparks and platforming puzzles. It's truly amazing the sheer amount of items and time that Carbine has put into housing.

9. Hokey religions and ancient weapons are not match for a good blaster at your side, kid
The armor and weapons in WildStar are awesome. Since it's a sci-fi, you have blasters and laser shotguns and whatever futuristic looking shock paddles that Medics use. But don't forget about the in-your-face swords and claws. Wanna feel like Wolverine? Play a Stalker and eviscerate your enemies from stealth. Prefer to stand toe-to-toe with enemies? Warrior gets you up and close with some of the coolest looking sword designs I've seen in a game.

WildStar is currently in open beta and releases on June 3, 2014.