Browser games are starting to get ridiculous. I’m not talking about Battlefield Heroes, that’s a browser-based launcher that starts a substantially-sized program that’s been previously downloaded. I’m talking about games that are played completely within the browser, no downloads required.

Snail Games USA’s upcoming empire-building RTS MMO (I know, right?) Ministry of War is a hardcore PC gamer’s game that’s played entirely in the browser. In it you choose one of four factions to base your empire: China, Egypt, Persia or Rome. Your aim is to advance through “the ages” starting in the Dark Age. Constructing your city with building units, levelling heroes, missionaries and merchants along with completing various other tasks advances you as your empire grows stronger.

There’s a lot going on this game but much to Snail’s credit they have a robust and extremely helpful tutorial to guide you through the basic mechanics of what you’ll be doing. Tasks help nudge you in the right direction and keep you moving after the tutorial has ended.

Socially the game hosts Player vs. Environment, Player vs. Player and Guild vs. Guild combat (with up to four players simultaneously fighting it out). While you can take over enemy cities and territories Ministry of War also offers an endgame. Once one of the four factions rises to a great enough power to defeat the other three factions the realm will reset with bonuses and items going to the victors.

The game will be completely free-to-play with financial support coming from microtransactions in the Shop. Players will be able to purchase boost and accelerator cards but Snail Games has assured us there will be a heavy concentration on keeping a balance between purchase and non-purchase players. You’ll be able to achieve the same goals and keep in the fight whether you choose to purchase anything or not.

To top off all of the vast features in this free-to-play game it looks gorgeous, especially for a Flash game that’s played entirely off a server inside your browser. The game is in closed beta right now with a public release planned soon.