League of Legends screenshots have a chilling effect

by: Randy - posted: 4/2/2009 11:51:00 PM

After taking an evergreen stroll through the bejeweled forests -- and being introduced to one of the Summoner avatars, Zilean the Chronokeeper -- Riot Games saw fit to give us a chillier look at League of Legends: Clash of Fates.  I'm tempted to drop that subtitle entirely, since it's as inexplicably vague as the main title, but then the game's acronym would be LoL.  I'll refrain.  But, to explain what the in-game League of Legends' purpose entails:

League of Legends is set in a land ravaged by an age of warfare where the superpowers of the land of Valoran have come together to form a governing body that would settle all disputes behind the closed doors of the Institute of War.  The task is a noble one -- to lift the impossible weight of bloody war off the shulders of the world and place it upon a select few:  The League of Legends.

LoL (whoops) will have a dozen characters to choose from in this session-based, online multiplayer battle-arena game.  Rival teams will compete on hand-crafted stages, and judging from these (and prior) screens, there's a bit of love being poured into the artwork.  Unlockable content filters through the persistent gameplay as you advance your Summoner avatar in rank, customizing your appearance through achievements along the way.  Riot Games also promises community support with integrated tech to keep in touch with other players, in and out of game -- while the integration of "Leaverbuster" ensures people can't pull the plug in the middle of a losing match.

Here are the ten promised screenshots, all icy crags, snowflake spell effects, and crystalized architecture: