Darkfall Online has no instances or arenas or scenarios. It's entirely open-world PVP. There are no mechanical restrictions on who can attack whom, but players who prey on their allies may find themselves barred from the major towns and cities (player-built cities, of course, set their own rules). To really survive and prosper in Darkfall, you need to join an active clan (guild), who will help you train and gain gear.

Darkfall's interface is modal; you're in 'combat mode' or 'UI mode', activated by right-clicking. This can take some getting used to, as can constantly switching weapons and items during combat. I won't say it ever got intuitive, but it got easier the longer I played.

Graphically, Darkfall ranges from adequate to pretty darn nice, especially given that it's coming from a small studio. . Lighting, plants, and weather effects are very atmospheric, and there are nice touches, such as rivers with currents that can wash you along. There's a price to this beauty, though. I was sputtering at about 8-16 FPS until I turned off shadows; then my FPS shot up to 80-100, which greatly improved my ability to fight and target foes.

The community is mixed. The players I chatted with privately were generally helpful and gave me good advice on getting started, but the general chat channels and forums have a distinctly negative vibe. Again, finding a good guild is paramount if you want to have fun in Darkfall.

Because of the way your character gains skills in Darkfall Online, veteran players have a strong edge on newer ones, despite changes to accelerate learning. Likewise, the game attracts "win at any cost" types who will use every exploit known to achieve victory. Competitive players will need to keep on top of scripts, macros, and optimization tips.