The Secret World's Largest Hub, London, Detailed

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Yesterday, the folks over at IGN were lucky enough to take a walk through the gritty streets of The Secret World’s London. No, they didn’t get any hands-on playtime, but an interview with Ragnar Tørnquist is almost as sweet. Though it is a pseudo-real world location, TSW’s London will feature an authentic culture and atmosphere, with added supernatural themes inherent in the game’s lore.

For example, an in-game locale known as Ealdwic Square will feel like old London, invoking the quintessential neighborhood pub and fish & chips joint. Streets might seem to course aimlessly as they lead down into the forgotten regions of the city, which hold dark secrets of their own. The IGN staff astutely points out that Ealdwic Square is most likely a representation of the real-world Aldwych in London. Tørnquist says, “The deeper you go, the stranger London becomes, and below the streets of Darkside [a part of TSW’s London] are the ruins of those who built this city, long, long ago…”

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Players who choose to align with the Templar faction will start here in London, whereas Illuminati will start in New York, and Dragons begin somewhere in Seoul, Korea. Being the reigning faction in London, Templars will be allowed access to certain areas that others will be barred from. At the same time, all players can indulge in the esoteric nightlife that attracts all walks of life, from the exuberant to the perverted. Players may (quite literally) perform on-stage at a theatre/pub known as the Horned God, while other players may applaud or jeer from the audience. More of the active type? Take a swing at London’s very own Fight Club, a friendly but bloody brawling circle.

Meet and interact with a vast array of intriguing and disconcerting characters as you progress through your London experience. From such memorable personalities as a delusional woman who thinks she descends from fairies, to a Templar librarian that may know all there is about the darkness, you can expect a colorful cast in The Secret World.

In addition to being a cultural petri dish, TSW’s London will play center to the game’s commerce. Purchase such oddities as “living” tattoos and pet imps in the marketplaces of this strange, tainted city.

Thanks to IGN for obtaining this information from Ragnar Tørnquist, as well as subsequent article, which can be viewed here.

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