IGNPC: Tell us briefly how the combat system works. Is it the traditional round-based, rules-governed format as most MMOs?

William Westwater: Fists. Blocks. Throws. Insane aerial martial arts. That's the heart of the Matrix movies -- and The Matrix Online as well. The combat system melds the best of MMO team strategies and ranged combat with a unique mano-a-mano fighting system that we call Interlock. We wanted the visceral oomph of a twitchy punch-em-up without losing the feeling of a good role-playing game. That meant even if the Internet had no lag, we didn't want to make a game all about fast thumbs -- your character's skill is the biggest determining factor in what moves you can use and how much punishment you can take. However, against even opponents, strategic knowledge decides the victor.