The latest MMORPG from NCSoft (Lineage, City of Heroes, Tabula Rasa) is called Dungeon Runners. It's free to get in on the first floor, but users are encouraged to pay $4.99 monthly for access to premium content, items and bonuses. NCSoft spokesman Mike Crouch said the split free and pay-to-play model is an "experiment" for NCSoft.

With a less-complicated interface and a lower cost of play, Dungeon Runners seems to be geared toward a slightly younger demographic, or toward the casual gamer hoping to avoid the big time and cash commitment required by a full-size MMO.

Thus far, the game has received some favorable critical reception; 1UP.com gave it a 7.6, saying it "might be the most outrageously cynical take on the genre ever;" GameShark.com assigned it a B rating, saying "it’s not quite good enough to be a full meal, but it’s certainly a deliciously indulgent little snack."