Tribes 2
Developed by: Dynamix
Published by: Sierra
Reviewed By: Jason
Brown
Game Was: Supplied
05/02/01
"Team Combat on an
Epic Scale"
The original Tribes
was released over two years ago, and began in the eyes of many what has
become the team-based online action game. Following in its shoes were Team
Fortress, Counter-Strike, Unreal Tournament, and countless others.
However, all were basically the same iteration of a like idea. None so far
have managed to make a truly revolutionary leap forward, or to truly connect
the players as a genuine team dynamic. Tribes 2, the sequel to the
original, promised all.
Finally released after
years of waiting, developer Dynamix has overhauled the graphics engine,
improved the sounds, added a story and an off-line mode, as well as a score
of new gameplay features. To top it off, Tribes 2 now allows hundreds
of players to compete in the same servers. However, is the game truly the
revolution it promised? Tribes 2 presents a conundrum - it promises
and delivers innovation, but at the same time it is still the same, basic
gameplay concept with all of the requisite strengths and weaknesses of its
predecessor.
"We can make a
new beginning, all of us. Together we need not choose war."
Tribes 2 has an
interesting and somewhat odd set up for play. Once installed, there will be
two shortcuts created. One is for Off-Line play, with the other for Online
multiplayer. Unfortunately, the game has an entirely different program to
run for the single player game, and there is no way to switch between the
two without exiting. So, you will need to configure your options for each
side of the game, which is quite a nuisance.
The Off-Line mode basically
consists of 6 training missions. Though a full-fledged campaign was
promised, these missions are nothing more than tutorials with a small plot
interspersed in-between. The game mechanics do not lend themselves well to
the static, small games of the tutorial, but it does a good enough job of
teaching "New Bloods" the basics of gameplay, as once you go
online, the competition and action is cutthroat. Also, the in game interface
is explained, and it's true ease of use, power, and intuitiveness is shown.
The only lingering complaint I have, which remains from the first game, is
that the Commander Screen, where orders can be given, is still hard to use,
at least at first. Thankfully, it is nowhere near as complex as the last one
and it takes a bit of getting used to uncover its usefulness, and it is a
vast improvement over its successor.
Of a sad note, though, is
the uselessness of the manual. Covering none of the advanced gameplay
concepts, or even a basic summation of what the story is supposed to be, the
manual is pathetic. Giving no statistics of any real use, most, if not all,
of the information from the manual can be gained from the tutorial or in
game practice. I would truly have preferred a more in-depth look at hosting
options and maps, and I also would have liked to see a more comprehensive
explanation of weapons, uses, and functions. I also would have liked more
information on the voice communication support. Overall, the manual must be
the single worst part of the Tribes 2 experience.
Online is, of course, where
Tribes 2 comes alive. Upon the first load of the Online portion of
the game, the sheer usefulness and ability of the finder is realized. The
finder is used to not only search for and join games, but to select player
models, voices, and various other customization options, much like the first
game. However, it is immediately evident that much work has been done to
improve and simplify the overall experience.
Equipped with new
"Community" sections, the new interface allows for email to be
sent and received, clans to be managed, online forums and chats to be
accessed, and a regularly updated news page for announcements. There is even
a new Buddy List system for tracking and joining with friends. All in all, Tribes
2 has one of the most functional, attractive, and easy-to-use systems.
All of these features equate to a speedy joining process, an unparalleled
amount of features, and easy access and usage of the ever-active Tribes
community. (note: the community features are at this time down due to the
unexpected load on the servers, but should be working in full order soon)
Who Framed Roger Rabbit?
Once a suitable game has
been found, the action begins. Tribes 2 is a fast paced, visceral
action game. Though veering slightly away from the twitch-based approach to
concentrate more on strategy and placement, Tribes 2 takes the
gameplay model built by the first one up a notch. Scores of new gameplay
modes have been added: from standard Capture the Flag (CTF) and Capture and
Hold (CnH), to the base Tribes II modes (both fairly self-explanatory), to
Unreal Tournament-esque Siege.
However, completely
original and innovating modes have also been added. Bounty, a new variant on
Deathmatch, gives each player a target to pursue. The player must kill only
that target, for points, or the player currently hunting him. Another new
type, Hunters, a hybrid between CTF and Deathmatch, involves players, or in
the case of Team Hunters, teams, collecting flags dropped by killing
enemies, and then returning them all to the Nexus for points. The more flags
collected, the more points given when the flags are turned in.
Rabbit, much
like an all versus one game, is one of the most inventive of all game modes
ever devised. In Rabbit, one player has the flag while everyone else tries
to kill him. The longer he maintains control, the more points he receives.
Despite being new, fresh, and innovating, many players seem stuck to the old
favorites of CTF and CnH; and what a shame it is. Unfortunately, few servers
have yet to adopt the newer gameplay modes, which often are the most fun.
Also, though each category is well equipped with maps, many of them seem to
be lackluster and somewhat uninspired. All games suffer from some maps that
simply don't jibe, but what compounds the problem are the selection of maps
that were chosen to be imported from the first game. Many old favorites,
such as Broadside, my all time favorite map of any game, have been left out.
My only hope is that some intrepid member of the fan community will take up
the cause and bring old friends new life.
"We need not choose
war", but I do!
Regardless of the game type
chosen, the core action is the same. Viewed through the first-person
perspective, though third person is also available (Which is a huge
help for situations involving piloting vehicles and aircraft.), and played on
maps ranging in size from small to continental, Tribes 2 is very much
a tactical action game. With three different armor classes dictating the
gameplay, there are near endless options and ways to play.
Armor can be
changed at any time, and each has its own advantages and disadvantages.
Scout, or light armor, allows blazingly fast movement, but very low armor.
Scouts are also very light, so they can stay in the air much longer than the
others with the use of the jumpjets. Able to pilot any of the multitude of
vehicles in the game, Scouts are also the sole users of sniper rifles. They
are great for reconnaissance or evasionistic gameplay.
Assault, or Medium
armor, allows one more weapon to be carried than the Scout, for a total of
four. Assaults have more armor, but are heavier and move more slowly. The
Juggernaut, or Heavy armor, can carry five weapons, but moves incredibly
slowly. Also, Juggernauts are the only of the three classes to be able to
use the powerful Fusion Mortar, but cannot pilot any vehicles at all.
Juggernauts are aimed specifically for stationary, turret-like gameplay.
Each of the classes is perfectly balanced and incredibly different. Each has
a strategy and play all its own.
In addition to the classes,
an enormous variety of weapons, as well as packs, add-ons to the armor, and
vehicles are available. Weapons range from an Electron Flux Projector (ELF)
to the famed Spinfusor, and each has its own purpose and strategy behind it.
Nearly none of the weapons fire projectiles fast enough to hit the target
dead on immediately. So they must be aimed and frequent interpolating of
trajectories is required for accurate firing. Half educated guessing, half
strategy based on the environment, each gun is a challenge to master.
Adding
immensely to the strategy of the game, players must guess as to where their
target will be moving so as to actually manage to hit them. Deceptively hard
to master, this type of gameplay can create nerve-wracking firefights among
groups of players lasting for minutes. Also, each weapon has specific uses
and very deliberate strategies to accommodate hugely varying styles of play.
Most weapons can take hours to truly develop and master which always
leaves a new strategy to discover and a new weakness to exploit. Groups of
mixed armors will usually win as they can take advantage of the weaknesses
of the others, but players must work together, help each other, and combine
their efforts to truly succeed. Having so many different combinations
together creates not only incredible variety, but also a type of teamwork
hard to find online. Regardless of the outcome, this is what Tribes was made
for, and this type of combat is what drives the game, no matter how it is
played.
Packs are add-on kits to a
player's armor that improve or add a certain feature. For example, the Cloak
Pack allows a player to become and move invisibly, though the pack eats
energy extremely quickly. There are even scores of deployable packs
available for players to go so far as to create their own minibase, or at
the very least, to help defend and secure key locations.
Notable also is
Repair Pack, which allows players to repair other players, buildings, and
vehicles. One can play the entire game as a "Janitor" who merely
makes rounds repairing bases and turrets. On the subject, Tribes 2
has an even wider range of vehicles. Now, Bombers with separate Tailgunners,
Pilots, and passengers, as well as Tanks, with gunner and driver, add even
more depth to the team atmosphere. However, since it's hard to communicate
exactly what to do or where to go, the game often makes the player feel
isolated, as if he or she is simply doing their own routine unable to
interact with others. This, of course, is one of the major, elusive,
problems of today's online games.
Vehicles are suspiciously hard to
pilot with precision. For example, it is next to impossible to accurately
shoot with the scout Fighter Shrike. Whether this was intentional or not is
unknown, but this renders the combat effectiveness of the Shrike to almost
nil. As an aside, I also would have preferred a greater weapon variety on
some of the vehicles, namely the aforementioned Shrike. Having no air-to-air
missiles at all, I relished the idea of midair dogfights, and was sorely
disappointed to find no ability to do so at all.
A Completely New Look?
Despite the
much-touted technical wizardry that has gone into the new Tribes 2
engine, it doesn't look horribly new or different. In comparison to today's
best, the Tribes 2 engine features comparatively poor textures,
simplistic architecture, and most of all, less bang for your buck. The hills
and rolling landscapes are more realistic and curved, but at the same time,
they sometimes seem drab and almost boring. The textures are somewhat
generic, but they do convey the landscape well enough.
The high point,
however, are the special effects. These truly shine, and really create
amazing immersion. They add a special awe factor to combat, and truly stress
just how powerful everyone is. Also, the explosions, especially those of
vehicles, deserve special praise. There's very little like the feeling of
thankfulness and wonder that one gets as a jump is made at the last second
out of a flying bomber the moment before it collides with 3 surface to air
missiles. Looking back and seeing the bomber torn to bits, almost in slow
motion, is simply breathtaking and humbling.
Puzzling, is the "chuginess" of the engine. Frequent pauses and rendering glitches occur even
on P4 1.4 Ghz systems. Unable to be run in 32 bit, the game is simply a
system hog. Adding insult to injury is the fact that the engine is not as
amazing as it could be. It would be understandable if Tribes 2 had
the latest and greatest technical wizardry, but as it stands the game is far
from it.
Despite these engine slow downs Tribes 2 does look good, and
any game that can render as much action on screen, as well as simply being
able to handle the vast outdoor terrain, deserves praise. Moreover, the
realistic landscapes make the suspension of disbelief needed to be immersed
in a game just that much easier to attain, but the frequent spurts of video
lag summarily dismiss much of that.
Aura of Aural Competence
Aurally, the game delivers,
although it is not groundbreaking. Explosions rumble, machinery whirrs, and to
support it all is a fast moving, unobtrusive soundtrack. Though the tunes
are not ones you'd likely find yourself humming, nor are they memorable,
they do convey the tone of the game, as well as compliment the fast-paced
action. They certainly aren't anything that will knock your socks off in delight,
nor do they do anything particularly remarkable to the state of gaming music
in general.
I, for one, would have preferred a more thematic, orchestral
approach. Truthfully, I liked the soundtrack from the original Tribes
much more. On the other side, though, the sound effects are all perfectly
recorded with meticulous care, and sound like they should.
That's very high praise for
sounds, believe me. Of interesting note, the music is
presented in simply named MP3 files which not only allow for listening
outside of the game, but also allow one to replace the music with your own
when the provided soundtrack gets tiresome. (note: the Run Lola Run
soundtrack fits the game perfectly, and worked as an outstanding action
enhancer).
"A Multiplayer
Revolution?"
Tribes 2 promised a
strategic shooter:
It succeeds through its deep gameplay, strategic
situations and environments, as well as enormous depth and options.
Tribes
2 promised to revolutionize multiplayer gaming:
It does build and
improve upon an established gameplay concept, but does not offer much beyond
a more thorough realization and expansion of the idea. However, the game
does succeed in being immensely fun, addicting, and nearly endlessly
replayable. Tribes 2 is the realization of true 100 player-plus
servers, and truly large-scale combat. However, it does not radically change the
accepted concepts of team-based gaming.
Lastly, Tribes 2 promised to
take team-based combat to a new level:
Here, it both succeeds and fails.
Laying the framework for team-based action through optional voice
communication support and hot-keyed, menu speech, Tribes 2 does not
at the moment allow the level of planning, cooperation, and team effort as,
say, we find in Counter-Strike.
Due to the massive field of play,
it's often hard to coordinate with friends and it is even harder to form
groups who can stay and work together. But, through the community support,
mod-ability, and replayability, clans large enough to handle warfare on the
Tribes scale could emerge. In the end, though, it takes much more effort
than before to work as a team. And that, truly, is Tribes 2's biggest
downfall, even though it never severely detracts from the fun.
You can purchase Tribes
2 at Compuexpert
for $34.90.
