I am standing, once again, in an unfamiliar city. Colourful ramparts rise to a blue sky, and architecture that wouldn't look out of place in Lego Land - all primary colours and bold shapes - surrounds me, while at ground level, people scurry to and fro purposefully. I have absolutely no idea where I am, only the vaguest sense of what I'm meant to be doing, and yet the whole sensation is comfortingly familiar - like slipping back into a well worn pair of shoes.

I've just started life in a new massively multiplayer game. Cast to earth in the thriving city that serves as headquarters for the Bellato Union in RF Online, I'm a typical clueless n00b, lost in the rush of people who scurry to and fro with purposeful intent. Like so many times before when starting out in an MMORPG, I'm reminded of the start of each episode of Mr Bean, where the hapless fool is thrown to earth fully formed and expected to find his way.