Imagine a polished, professional, triple-A shooter being released for free. A few years ago, it wouldn’t have been likely, but the increasingly viable “free-to-play” model has given rise to games like “Tribes: Ascend,” a multiplayer first-person shooter game with all modern graphics that is free and legally available to download.
The catch? New weapons, classes and abilities are obtained by either spending an unhealthy amount of time playing the game or simply buying them from the in-game store.
What this means is that when played for free, “Tribes: Ascend” is basically a demo. You get all the maps, but only three classes to try out. Independent of how great the game might be after you’ve shelled out some cash, its popularity will be based on how strong the purely free experience is.
Thankfully, even without paying a dime, “Tribes: Ascend” is pure adrenaline and a breath of fresh air for multiplayer shooters.
The big hook for “Tribes” is that every player has a jet pack; most encounters take place while flying through the air. Combined with the universal “skiing” ability, allowing players to maintain momentum by sliding across terrain without friction, movement becomes a meaningful skill in “Tribes.” Maintaining speed across the game’s massive levels is challenging but exhilarating when done properly. And the battles that take place between players attempting to outmaneuver each other are like no other.
Capture the Flag is the main attraction, and the varied class system fosters some interesting team tactics. The generic light-medium-heavy classes are free, but if you’d rather play as a stealthy infiltrator or defensive engineer, for example, be prepared to play for hours and hours or shell out a few bucks. While the reasonably-priced classes allow for a variety of team tactics, the lack of voice chat (planned to be added in the future) holds back the team-based element.
The sandbox complements the movement system, although the weapons are tough to master and kills are difficult to score for a new player. Whether using a rifle or a slow-moving mortar, most of the weapons require predicting where the target is moving, rather than firing at where they are. As difficult as it seems, actually pulling off kills is far more rewarding than the average meat-grinder shooter.
The levels are spacious and hilly, fully realizing the game’s unique movement system. They’re also gorgeous, with rolling hills across a variety of sci-fi planets dotted with architecture reminiscent of “Halo.” Though there’s not much detail in these wide-open spaces, the emphasis seems to be creating an impressive view for the player right before they start speeding into battle.
Inevitably, there will be people who find “Tribes: Ascend” too frustrating. The skill barrier is relatively high compared to slower shooters, and the current lack of voice chat hampers teamwork. But the game’s unique flavor is still worth a try. And the price of entry couldn’t be lower.
thescene@theeageleonline.com
