Snowblind working on EQ-based ARPG

Snowblind Studios, the developer behind the rather excellent Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance, is hard at work on a new action RPG set in the EverQuest universe, according to Sony Online Entertainment. The game is called Champions of Norrath, and is due out on PS2 towards the end of the year.

CoN, as we imagine they don't want it to be called, will see players taking part in single and up-to four player multiplayer - including online - adventuring, under the guise of one of five playable characters; a barbarian warrior, a dark elf shadow knight, a high elf cleric, a wood elf ranger or a wizard. Each avatar will be able to be modified to the player's tastes, from hair and skin to the various tattoos adorning their bodies.

Meanwhile, the game's environment will feature thousands of items for players to use, including a few unique magical items that can be used to augment weapons and armour, and something like 50 side quests and randomly generated dungeons to overcome.