Publisher: Hi-Rez Studios
Developer: Hi-Rez Studios
System requirements: Windows XP SP2/Vista/Win 7, 2.4 GHz Core2Duo/2.7 GHz Athlon X2 or better CPU, 2 GB RAM (XP)/3 GB RAM (Vista/Win 7), 512 MB graphics card with Shader Model 3.0 support, DirectX-compatible sound device, 10 GB hard-drive space
Genre: FPS
ESRB rating: Teen
Release date: 2012

My my, what an exciting time to be a gamer. The Internet has created a host of independently developed games, digital distribution and F2P are chipping away at the $60 price point, and Kickstarter is busting up the traditional publishing model. Now, developer Hi-Rez Studios has rescued the Tribes license. Tribes 2, featuring class-based team play and pinpoint-accurate weapons, was a game before its time. Even now, years after officially being shut down, you can still find players skiing around base defenses on community servers. As unique as it is, Tribes has never truly been emulated. Soon it will come to the masses in the form of a free-to-play online shooter. Thankfully, this release is looking to be more second coming than blasphemy.

In Tribes, movement is king, and not a bit of it has been watered down for Ascend. It’s all about using the land to boost your momentum. Activate frictionless “ski” mode when going down a slope, and hit the jetpack on the other side. Time it right (most of the weapons, especially the signature “spinfuser,” require precision) and you quickly become a heavily armed bullet. In Ascend you have a game that looks like it’s from 2012, but it plays uncannily like the 2001 classic. In fact, two of the original maps make a revised comeback.

While the current game modes include staples such as Team Deathmatch, Arena, and Capture and Hold, Tribes: Ascend doesn’t truly get started until you launch Capture the Flag. Unlike most other CTFs, you have an entire base ecosystem to manage. Radar systems detect intruders, who are shot by turrets, which are powered by a generator buried deep inside the base. If a single infiltrator can sneak in and take out the generator, all the defenses go down, making the flag vulnerable. Teamwork isn’t just recommended, it’s a must.

The best news is that Tribes: Ascend is free to play. You’re given three basic classes from which to choose, and from there you can unlock more classes and loadouts by earning in-game credit. It’s not too hard to get the stuff you want after a few hours of play, but dropping some real-world cash isn’t out of the question either. Already there’s much more equipment available than in previous iterations, so we’ll see if balance becomes a concern. Tribes: Ascend is in open beta right now, so feel free to check it out for yourself before it launches sometime later this year.