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In a steampunk-themed world where “past meets future and magic meets technology,” the mechanically savvy Noblian race wars with the nature-inspired Floresslah. The two peoples have long warred over control of an immensely valuable resource essential to the survival of each: Earthdium.

ARGO Online is a free-to-play MMORPG (massively multiplayer online role-playing game) originally developed by MGame, a top Korean game portal provider that offers online games to over 20 million users around the world. MGame recently announced a new partnership with burda:ic GmbH, a leading free-to-play PC online games publisher headquartered in Germany, that will bring ARGO Online to North America and Europe — specifically to the U.S., Canada, Mexico and Europe — by Spring of 2011.

Bringing ARGO Online to Europe and North America marks the next step in burda:ic’s expansion of the company’s alaplaya gaming portal. “With this partnership, we have secured yet another top-quality title to include in our alaplaya.com lineup,” said Ingo Griebl, Managing Director at burda:ic GmbH. “We are truly excited that we will be able to share the innovative and breathtaking world of ARGO Online with European and North American gamers alike next year.”

The CEO of MGame Corp., Kweon Yi Hyung, also commented on the newly established partnership: “With ARGO Online and our other upcoming titles, we are hoping to establish MGame as one of the top developers in the European and North American markets. We have every confidence that this cooperation with burda:ic will help us to achieve our goal.”

But what does the availability of ARGO Online really mean for online gamers in North America and Europe? ARGO Online will offer gamers thousands of exciting quests, epic battles between hundreds of players, a wide variety of PvP modes, and game play that combines classic MMO features like a pet system, unique professions, and auctions with a detailed background story and vivid gaming environment. Upon entering the game, players will choose to side with the Noblians or the Floresslah, battling other players online for control of valuable Earthdium resources.

In addition, each unique race contains eight different classes, and ARGO Online also features an interactive map system for finding NPCs, quests, etc. as well as large battlefields, real-time strategy elements, a crafting system with multiple weapon upgrade options, and an Earthdium-based resource system. As if that weren’t enough, gamers also can use various vehicles to transport multiple players at once. ARGO Online also boasts a deep achievement system and comprehensive raking system so players know exactly where they stand within the ARGO Online universe.

The most impressive testimonial for the game isn’t a list of features, however; it is the official trailer released by MGame and burda:ic. As you can see from the video below, ARGO Online‘s visual presentation is impressive even when watching a low-res, Internet-hosted video.

Although much more advanced, the visual style of ARGO Online as presented in the official game trailer reminds me of the Xbox games The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time and Jet Force Gemini, and given that those were two of my favorite games growing up I have high hopes for ARGO Online.

For more information about ARGO Online, MGame, or burda:ic, visit the alaplaya portal at http://en.alaplaya.net/