Lineage II gets new expansion

NCsoft has announced that a new expansion is on the way for PC MMO Lineage II - and that it won't cost you a penny.

Titled Chronicle 5: Oath of Blood, the expansion is set to offer plenty of new items, creatures, quests, mini-games and gameplay enhancements. New areas to explore will include the castles of Rune and Schuttgart, and you can expect to face off with new enemies such as Frintezza - "an immortal being of immense power" who should cause even the most experienced player a good bit of grief.

If you're new to Lineage II, or prefer to go it alone, you're also in for a treat; there are new items and gameplay changes designed to make the game more enjoyable for low-level characters and solo hunters. To keep veterans interested, the level cap has been increased to 80.

The clan system has been overhauled, which means you can have more members through the addition of the Royal Guard and the Order of Knights. By creating your own Academy, you can draw new players into your clan and offer training so that they level up faster. Other additions include new clan-wide skills and clan halls.

They've also been working to enhance PvP combat - apparently "class balance is the focus" for Chronicle 5. No matter what class you're in, you can defeat enemies by making the most of your own skills and exploiting the enemy's greatest weaknesses.

And all for just £00.00. Chronicle 5: Oath of Blood is down for a release some time in August-September.