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Tribes: Vengeance 
Release date: 12 Oct 2004
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Tribes: Vengeance
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As it has been with the Tribes series, the most efficient way to produce the best Tribes game is to follow a simple formula: don't make it like the prequels. It was a tactic that met with mixed success when Tribes 2 was released in the face of much scorn regarding its disassociation from Starsiege: Tribes. Now, Tribes: Vengeance is not the same game as either one of its predecessors, and unlike Tribes 2, which was at least similar to its prequel, Tribes: Vengeance carries with it only a passing resemblance to previous installments of the cult on-line shooter.
That's not a bad thing at all, which is what all but the most die-hard fans of Tribes and Tribes 2 will argue. Not only does Tribes: Vengeance look sharper, but it also feels sharper than anything the fastest Tribes mod could muster. Instead of playing against the physics of the game, you can now play with them, providing an incredible pace to the shell of the distinguished Tribes franchise. Jetpacks now offer instantaneous power and longevity of flight to add to the near flawless skiing physics that have replaced the old style ‘jumping down the hill' method. The armors have been reworked and balanced to truly have their own place in each available role - from flag defense to vehicle operations. Each armor class now acts as less of a restriction and more of a modifier to the player's abilities.
In addition to simplified buff packs, weapons have been added and subtracted from the once lengthy list to include a few of the familiar basics, with some new toys that are as powerful as they are handy. A weapon like the Buckler, available only to the medium armor class as a defense shield and short-range weapon, is a prime example of the innovative design put into the game. The rocket launcher has been reworked to a manually controlled multi-rocket pod whose missiles must be directed remotely to the desired target by your crosshairs. The greatest addition to the Tribes arsenal is the remarkable grappling hook, which allows players of any armor class to swing from ledge to ledge with remarkable precision and increased mobility. In cavernous maps the grappling hook becomes especially useful as one of the coolest things you could ever do in any shooter - period.
There are five game modes in the beta and many are going un-played. The CTF is obviously the favorite, and rabbit receives some acclaim. Lesser known, and newer ones such as Fuel and Ball are barely touched. Fuel seems to be a glorified version of the Team Hunters game mode from Tribes 2. Players must go to a neutral fuel depot in the middle of the map and take canisters of fuel to their base depot. Once the neutral tank is emptied, the teams must fight until one team is able to get every drop of fuel into their own tank. Ball, on the other hand, is the awaited sequel to the all too awesome Team-Rabbit 2 mod of Tribes 2, which was basically hockey with a flag.
In direct comparison to Tribes 1 and 2, vehicles are one of the most changed features in Tribes: Vengeance. Rather than an all access inventory style system of vehicles, they must now be waited on at special pads, where only one can exist from a pad at any time. The vehicles are also less direct than they were in Tribes 2, where you had quite plainly, a bomber, a fighter, and a transport. Both aerial and ground vehicles have special weapons and quirks that make them fun and interesting to use, and more importantly, not toys to just be rammed into your enemies base and wasted.
The graphics in Tribes: Vengeance are not as gritty and dark as in previous installments. All of the maps are colored brightly and lit well, as are the textures of any appropriate object. The polygon models of characters and ships are impressive works of art that stand out in the genre. The maps are varied and well designed, with plenty of object clutter, flora, and, of course, there are random and seemingly unnecessary hills and valleys for you to ski through. Weapon and jetpack effects are stunning; the trusty Spinfusor is cool (as always), this time with a bulkier design and an even cooler noise.
The sound is good, but it suffers a lot of glitches in beta. There is no music yet in the Tribes: Vengeance beta, but if you can pop on an orchestrated version of Ode to Joy on WinAmp it would not be inappropriate. There are a host of voice map sets to choose from, including one entertaining example that I've deemed as ‘Dumb Blonde', for you will be faced with taunts such as "Own-ed, OWN-ED!" Weird, as most of the voice sets are, if you can get past some of the all too obvious Jim Carry imposters, a good deal.
If you are looking for the moderately paced tactical gameplay of previous Tribes games - be warned - you will not find it in Tribes: Vengeance. While there is a tactical essence, it is nowhere near as meticulous as Tribes 2. In its current beta state, Tribes: Vengeance is already considerable fun to play. It has sharp, streamlined gameplay, impressive graphics, a superb balance and, for the most part, a relatively stable netcode. I personally can't wait to try the full version of the game and bask in the glory that this open beta test only provides the smallest inkling of.
Preview by Mike Ryan on 8 Sep 2004
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