PlanetSide
Sony Online's MMOFPS is finally complete - but has it matured into a fine wine or a mouldy cheese?
I must say that the concept of PlanetSide has intrigued me from the very beginning. Ever since Sony Online first revealed their ambition for total massively multiplayer domination by marrying two of gaming’s biggest success stories; the ever-popular first-person shooter, with the cool new kid on the block that is the massively multiplayer online genre, I’ve been watching this game develop with interest. It was always going to be a harder proposition than it sounded, attempting to make a persistent online first-person shooter that was far enough removed from the likes of Counter-Strike to be different, whilst at the same time appealing to the huge fan base that such stalwarts enjoy. Fortunately for Sony Online, their perseverance appears to have paid off in the main, with PlanetSide’s lengthy development subsiding to reveal a mature title that whilst not flawless, is certainly a breath of fresh air for both first-person aficionados and massively multiplayer anoraks. Let me explain.
First things first, PlanetSide is a very very large game indeed, and not purely because you’ve got a great big world to explore and survive within but because you’re thrown into all manner of situations, from defence of key vehicles and bases, to attacking fronts on the cusp of victory or annihilation. On top of these varying combat situations you’ve armour, weaponry, and your own skills to worry about. Couple this with the often immediately hostile nature of the PlanetSide world; from snipers to air-strikes and invisible assassins, this multitudinous landscape is not an inviting one.
But diversity is definitely one of the keys to PlanetSide’s success, and the fact that it will take you a numbers of hours just familiarise yourself with the extents and properties of this persistent world – let alone explore and experience them fully – makes PlanetSide an absolute beast of a game that players will be able to progress and accomplish within without matters becoming too boring or repetitive.
Of course, as with any ‘standard’ first-person shooter worth its salt, PlanetSide’s focus is, and should be, all about the action – the drama – the combat. Firstly, you’ll have the option of which side you’d like to fight for in the predictable sci-fi hotch-potch they call the premise. You’ll get to choose from The Terran Republic, the Vanu Sovereignty and the New Conglomerate, all of whom represent a different methodology and possess varying strengths and weaknesses. You’ll begin your career from the safety of your chosen allegiance’s base, and it is from here you’ll be able to equip yourself with new armour, weapons, skills and vehicles (new options are presented as you gain new certifications, which are the reward for in-game success). Naturally, as you grow more experienced, your options on this front will expand – and some of the skills in particular can prove rather useful in combat, such as the bursts of speed, defensive powers and some even more magical abilities like invisibility.
The great thing about PlanetSide is that the pure variety of options can make for some very varied assortments of armies, that in turn are more successful thanks to their different strengths and weaknesses. The idea of a ‘team’ is essential to progress in PlanetSide, and the voice chat is a strong compliment to this. This is particularly impressive in battle, where a smaller team with more diverse skills can often overcome a larger but more linear force. This is gratifying from a tactical perspective, and ensures that PlanetSide rises above the numerous first-person multiplayer titles that are merely a chaotic but unrealistic free for all.
Comments
An extra spot of info that might be of interest related to this review is that PlanetSide subscription costs $12.99 a month currently - though longer term subscriptions do work out a little cheaper.
PLANETSIDE IS THE BEST GAME IN THE WORLD, A MUST BUY!!
But is it really that different to warrant spending money every month just to have a blast? I have an inbuilt aversion to paying for anything but even so I would be mighty tempted if there was a free demo world to try out.
Or if SOE gave all Ferragonists a free account. Then I could fly my Pigopter thru the clouds all day long, pulling its tail straight to unload on the enemy below.
Or maybe I should stay out of the midday sun.
this is the sweetest game in the world i'm waiting for my copy in the mail right now =)
As Luke says, once the bugs are ironed out, Planetside will be simply incredible....
Can you buy the game cards in the uk?
hey
the is looks great, is great, and is the game that gamers must buy for there colection!
very nice game but is this the way all on line games are going to go , having to pay twice once to buy the dam game then having pay monthly fee .. not good i think .....
Hey Sam, just borrow my account, it's paid up for six months due to the incredibly 'simple' payment methods (scratchcards with the wrong code).
YAY! Shoot things!
This is by far, the most action-packed game on the market. It has proved a valubale assett to the gaming industry. With 3 different races to choose from, this game will keep you on the edge of you seat. I give this game a 11 out of 10! :-)
Amazing game only prob is that it can be hassle when you have to update your subscription. This should be added to your login page possible with days remaining on current term.
CAN'T THEY MAKE A DEMO FOR PLANET SIDE DUME
Like Paul D says where can game cards be purchased in UK
yer i wud like to no were u can get game cards in the uk aswell im relly peed off because of the hassal of credit cards
hi... where can i buy 90 day game cards in the UK, and how much are they (in £ ). thnxk :-)
For all you people, that are complaining about DEMO:
There is a trial, and it aint hard to find...
On sony online site
FilePlanet
GameSpot...
Anyway... http://www.planetsidetrial.tk/
It's 1.6GB. A bit more, it has to patch itself...
7-day trial.
-DarkUranium
-www.darkuranium.ath.cx