Silkroad Online (also known as SRO) is a free massively-multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) created by the South Korean company Joymax, and was released from open beta testing on November 11th 2005. Much of the background of the game is based on the historical Silk Road. Unique from other MMORPGs, the game is centered around a triangular system of trading goods. It is praised for its excellent graphics that were almost unsurpassed at that time, and it is a free to play game. Silkroad is based on the history of trading in China along the Silk Road, a historical network of trade routes in Asia. The game attempts to reproduce the Silk Road in a much smaller scale, looking realistic and at the same time incorporating fantasy elements such as the use of special magical skills and abilities. One of the game's most noted features is allowing players to choose three different job roles after their character achieves level 20. The game currently has a level cap of 80. The Korea and international version of Silkroad Online have released both the Chinese and European races, classes, and a large map that includes both Asian and central European locations, such as Constantinople. Different races also have access to different character abilities. On July 24, 2007, Joymax has released an expansion of the game entitled "Silkroad Online Legends I, Europe." The expanded game includes European architecture, characters, clothing, and whole new abilities for European players to use.
