The desolate, twisted edges of all the playfields in the Shadowlands are literally the end of the world, with nothing beyond but emptiness. Called The Brink, it's populated by formidable creatures that tear at the very ground, slowly but inexorably ripping away shreds that are lost forever. These monsters are tremendously powerful and belligerent. Little is known about them, how they came to be or why they exist in this location. To see them, one must leave the safer inner regions and venture across a transitional area wherein the native flora degenerates and the fauna become increasingly exotic and hostile. Upon arrival, any individuals or groups brave or foolish enough to have undertaken this journey face immediate and severe threats to their continued existence. Of course, there are those for whom this daunting challenge constitutes the very reason for going. 

This mysterious, intimidating area is one of the new locations players can now explore in developer and publisher Funcom's Anarchy Credits: Shadowlands. Launched earlier this month, the first full expansion pack for the Norwegian-based company's award-winning science fiction persistent state title adds an entire new dimension and lots of new content. Filled with diverse environments and said to contain the arcane mysteries of an ancient civilization, it offers a completely different look and feel to the original world of Rubi-Ka. Naturally, we were eager to explore and experience this unusual world for ourselves in order to learn the answers to a variety of questions. What kinds of areas, inhabitants, dangers, treasures and sights would we find in our voyage of discovery? To ascertain the facts first-hand, we joined the many citizens who have surged into this imaginative domain.

Many millennia into the future, humanity has traveled across the galaxy, colonizing hundreds of systems and planets. Among them is the distant planet called Rubi-Ka, where two large factions fight for profit, independence and a most valuable and unique substance, Notum. This is Anarchy Credits, Funcom's science fiction-themed online world that survived a problematic launch to become a respected and award-winning title.

A new character's virtual life begins on a station orbiting the high above the surface. In a DNA Construction Area, you can choose from four different breeds - Solitus, Opifex, Nanomage and Atrox. The first three also allow you to pick either gender. At the next step, you're able to adjust a number of physical parameters such as height, build and facial details. Then comes selecting one of the game's 14 different professions. Although the larger number of possible combinations may seem daunting, information is available to help you understand the potential difficulty level with each from low to high.