Tribes: Aerial Assault Updated Preview
We check out the latest build of the PlayStation 2 incarnation of Tribes.
Though first-person shooters like Quake and the various offshoots that have spawned from Half-Life have received a generous portion of the PC gaming audience's attention, the Tribes series has always had a dedicated following because it offers enormous outdoor maps, as well as incredibly fun vehicles--something that other PC first-person shooters generally lack. Sierra and Inevitable hope that these two elements will attract a similar audience to the PlayStation 2 incarnation of Tribes, called Tribes: Aerial Assault. From the looks of the latest build of the PlayStation 2 version, just about every aspect of the PC version of Tribes 2 remains intact, including vehicles and some relatively large maps, though it appears that a good portion of the maps have been trimmed in size to accommodate the smaller number of players.
Unquestionably, the main attraction for Aerial Assault is the online play, which you can engage in via the network adapter for the PlayStation 2, but the game offers some single-player modes as well. There's a single-player campaign feature that takes you through several different training missions to help you become familiar with the numerous weapons, items, and character types before you participate in the main part of the campaign. If you're already a Tribes veteran, there really isn't any particular reason to go through these training modes, but they deliver some excellent information for those who are new to the series. There's also a single-player botmatch mode, which functions similarly to the online version of the game, only you're playing with and against several computer-controlled characters. There are also a few different game types to select from, including capture the flag, capture and hold, deathmatch, team deathmatch, and hunters, where you have to collect flags from other players and bring them back to a particular point on the map in order to score points.
One aspect of Tribes that has always set it apart is the various character classes in the game, each of which serves a special role during the onslaught of an enemy attack or when you're on the offensive. First, there's the light character class, which, as its name suggests, is the fastest of the group, simply because it's not weighed down by strong armor or any heavy-duty artillery. This also makes the jetpack feature much more useful, as light soldiers have an easier time boosting into the air and navigating around the landscape. However, it only takes a few well-placed shots to take down a light character, so if you're going to choose that particular class, you should bring some backup with you. In addition, they can't carry some of the special support items.
The medium character class is essentially the workhorse of any team in Tribes because they have relatively strong armor and can carry some of the more powerful weapons as well as many of the support items, such as remote sensors, remote stations, and remote turrets. The remote sensors are useful for increasing the range of larger turrets that surround your base, and with remote turrets you can set up a small perimeter defense around your flag or around the outside of your base.
Tribes Aerial Assault Quick Links
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- Sierra Entertainment
- Midway - Austin
- Sci-Fi First-Person...
- Release: Sep 23, 2002
- ESRB: Teen
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