Sounds great, no? Well, there is a slight catch - you need to be a Level 50 character or above. Anyone know how long it takes to get to Level 50 in Atlantica? We are willing to bet it is not something you could do in an afternoon.

If you don't at least tolerate the game by around level 20 it is probably a safe bet that you will not be taking NDOORS up on their offer. If, however you are disappointed with the game and decide on a bloody-minded attempt on claiming that refund please let us know in the comments and - if you can - mail us a photograph of the grim expression on your face as you crack the Level 50 barrier.

[Play Atlantica]

The game is set in alternate universe with a slightly steampunk bent and features a turn-based tactical combat system alongside real-time character movement and interaction.

The beta goes live at 6 p.m. Pacific Daylight Saving Time (PDT). It is a whopping 2GB PC download, so best get cracking now.

Atlantica Open Beta [PlayAtlantica.com via GamersHell]

Korean company NDOORS (Luminary: Rise of the Goonzu, Time N Tales has announced they are bringing Atlantica Online — a strategic, turn-based MMORPG — to North America, launching a closed beta next month. You can sign up for the beta over at the website; full press release after the jump.

Atlantica brings back classic turn-based gameplay and marries it to a deep strategic framework that encompasses combat, character/party development and city/country management. NDOORS, developer and publisher of massively multiplayer online games (MMOGs), will launch the Atlantica closed beta in July.

NDOORS designed Atlantica’s combat, mercenary and city/country management systems to set it apart from the rest of the MMO market.

The turn-based combat system offers players the chance to strategically plan every move of the nine characters in their group. Players can form teams of three to bring 27 controllable characters into combat. Or for simple fights, players can preset each character/mercenary’s skill set and let the auto-battle system resolve the fight.

The mercenary system gives players the chance to manage multiple characters’ development simultaneously. In addition to their main character, players can hire eight mercenaries each with a different class and skills. They can be obtained as an infant and raised, married to other mercenaries and even have their own children. Mercenaries’ stats will decline as they age, necessitating the need to constantly update and upkeep the mercenary roster.

The city/country management system adds a layer of strategic play beyond typical party level interaction. Guilds can establish control of cities and go to war with each other. They will need to plan everything from culture, commerce and industry, even down to the placement of buildings for the maximum output. Groups of guilds can even band together to take control of countries. Controlling cities and countries allows them to obtain rare items and mercenaries.

“We really strived to create a game that gave players something new,” said Peter Kang, CEO of NDOORS Interactive. “Atlantica was designed to bring the gameplay that RPG and strategy fans love the most to the MMO world. Atlantica takes smarts, requiring planning and strategy at every step.”

Players take on the quest to destroy the Oriharukon energy, a powerful sensor from Atlantis that is poisoning the world. This journey will take players around the globe, including the ancient civilizations of Hanyang (Korea), Indus Valley (India and Pakistan), Mesopotamia (Iraq, Syria and Turkey) and Egypt, as well as North America and legendary locales such as the Pyramids and Angkor Wat.

To sign up, visit www.playatlantica.com.

About NDOORS Interactive

NDOORS Interactive is the U.S. subsidiary of Korea-based NDOORS Corp., which develops and publishes online games. NDOORS’ other popular online games include the political and economic MMORPG ‘Luminary: Rise of the Goonzu’ and the time-traveling strategic RPG ‘Time N Tales.’ More information is available at http://www.ndoors.com/eng/default.asp.