I've always wanted to play a massively multiplayer first-person shooter (MMOFPS?), one where I level up a character, explore a world, learn abilities, and do all that other stuff that has kept me a slave to World of Warcraft. Just, you know, with more shooting.

Sure, I've played some games that attempted to fill this void in my life. PlanetSide comes to mind, but that title was an unconventional mess (apologies to my brother, who loved it). It also came out in 2003. That was the last serious attempt at an MMOFPS I can remember.

But multiplayer shooters have changed a lot since 2003. That was before Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare popularized the implementation of leveling in its online mode.  In my mind, once you add experience points to the equation, you're halfway to an MMO already. So I waited for someone to connect those dots and finally create the World of Warcraft equivalent to shooters.

It figures that it would take a studio full of ex-Blizzard employees to do it. They're called Red 5 Studios, and their game is FireFall, an open-world shooter filled with team-based combat. And I got the chance to play it at PAX East.

Actually, I played it twice. The first time was in total ignorance. I had never heard of FireFall, so I was surprised to see the game's giant booth on the show floor. Out of curiosity, I got in line to play what appeared to be a standard game of Team Deathmatch, with colorful visuals and classes, not unlike Tear Fortress 2. Each player also had a jetpack, like in Starsiege: Tribes (or Halo: Reach if you're under the age of 20).

However, this game featured abilities mapped to an action bar, similar to many MMORPGs. One allowed you to charge at your enemies. Another allowed the medic-type class to revive all fallen allies in a certain radius. And just like with any classic MMO, each ability had a specific cool-down time after use before it was available again.

After my first chance with the game, I began to talk to the attendants running the booth, trying to learn more about FireFall. I discovered that the game will in fact take place in a persistent open world, where characters can level up, find better gear, and learn new abilities. What was shown on the floor was just an example of one of the competitive modes (in MMO language, PVP, or player versus player). Still, they were hesitant to call it an MMO, even though what they were describing to me sounded exactly like one.

Get it? He's on fire and he's falling. FireFall! OK, forget it.

Most astonishingly, they told me that the game was going to be free-to-play. The cynic in me began to envision a nightmare scenario where players would be forced to buy guns, bullets, and maps, but I was assured that most of the buyable goodies were going to completely cosmetic. Perhaps more options for your clan's tag or some flashy helmets?

The notion of an free-to-play MMOFPS with gorgeous visuals really got me excited. Of course, there are still a ton of questions, especially concerning the non-competitive parts of the game work (PVE, player versus environment, in MMO speak). It's also unclear how connected (or not) the competitive and open-world parts of the game will be. But what I saw at PAX East was enough to make me hopeful.

Besides, even if it does turn out to underwhelm, at least I'll know I didn't waste any money on it.