Renaissance Heroes Open Beta Announced, Adds Two New Characters

Renaissance Heroes, the 16th century Leonardo da Vinci inspired fast paced FPS practically fell off the map after its initial closed beta testing back in June of last year. We hadn't heard any updates about the game from publisher ChangYou until today when the company announced Renaissance Heroes return to open beta. The beta is set to launch on January 22nd and will continue for two weeks, ending on February 6th. Although the beta only lasts a couple of weeks ChangYou has stated there will be no more data wipes, meaning players can get a head start before the games official commercial launch in late Q1, 2013.

The latest beta test will feature two new playable characters, Bart and Medici which brings the total playable characters up to 6, each with their own unique attributes and abilities. The updated beta will also include two new maps to explore, the architectural landscapes of Castle Skyros and Atelier in Ruins. You can catch glimpses of the new maps in the official beta trailer above. A new mode called Touch Down was also announced, but gameplay details were notably absent.

In celebration of the launch, special events will be held each day throughout the beta, which grants players a chance to win some pretty sweet prizes including a Razer Blade gaming laptop or a GeForce GTX 660 video card.

I enjoyed my time in Renaissance Heroes previous closed beta. The game offers a very distinct and artistically beautiful artstyle while simultaneously giving off a Quake/Unreal gameplay vibe. In the age of "realistic" shooters Renaissance Heroes is a refreshing alternative and worth checking out if you enjoy "old school" FPS design. Man I remember when "old school" was "new school". I'm getting old.

The beta will be available in both NA and EU regions with EU getting their own official beta server (a common complaint in the original closed beta). Fans can download the game now in preparation for the beta's start here.