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Tribes: Aerial Assault Updated Preview

We check out the latest build of the PlayStation 2 incarnation of Tribes.

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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.

Tribes heads from the PC to the PlayStation 2.
Tribes heads from the PC to the PlayStation 2.

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.

Most, if not all, of the features from the PC version remain intact.
Most, if not all, of the features from the PC version remain intact.

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.

Leaving on a Jet Plane

The remote turrets aren't incredibly powerful, but they can easily take down light soldiers and notify you when enemies are getting too close to a particular area (if you happen to be within hearing distance). Remote stations are an invaluable item because they can be placed far outside your base, so teammates won't have to travel all the way back if they want to heal or pick up additional items. However, the remote stations can't change the character class, so if you want to do that, you'll have to go back to the main station located within your base. Medium soldiers can also change the type of turrets that surround your base. For example, if you have a series of plasma turrets, you can change them into something else such as missile or mortar turrets. Enemies can disable and destroy any one of these secondary items, as well as vehicle platforms, so either you or one of your teammates has to stay back and make repairs, otherwise the other team will have a much easier time capturing your flag.

The player models look surprisingly good.
The player models look surprisingly good.

The last of the three character classes is the heavy, which is basically the tank of the group. It has the strongest armor and can carry the most weapons, but it's incredibly slow and it drains the jetpack faster than any of the other character classes. But still, it can take several direct hits, so if you're the kind of player who likes to walk right in the front door of the base, this particular class is probably the best choice. Heavies can perform all of the same secondary duties that the mediums can, but again, they seem to be better suited for direct confrontations as opposed to a support role.

Each of the weapons in Tribes: Aerial Assault serves a special purpose as well. The grenade launcher is perfect for taking out turrets or enemies located behind corners within a base, while something like the spinfusor (which shoots blue discs) is more suited for taking out enemies in enclosed areas because of its splash damage. The chaingun is another useful weapon, but it's incredibly inaccurate, so it's much more useful when you're in close-quarters combat. The rocket launcher is capable of picking up only those enemies and vehicles with a strong heat signature, so you can't fire missiles at some of the weaker characters in the game. Though it seems a little awkward at first, you'll eventually become accustomed to leading your shots instead of firing directly at an opponent to get the best results, and you'll learn how to use weapons effectively when soaring through the air with the jetpack.

Vehicles are easily one of the more entertaining aspects of Aerial Assault.
Vehicles are easily one of the more entertaining aspects of Aerial Assault.

The weapons in the game are useful, but the real fun comes from using the vehicles (which appear only in the larger maps). There are four vehicles to select from in Tribes: Aerial Assault--the grav cycle, the fighter, the bomber, and the transport. The grav cycle is a small, speedy craft, but it's quite difficult to maneuver. The fighter is probably the most effective of the four vehicles because it has strong cannons, and it flies quickly through the air, making it perfect for a quick strike on an enemy's base--the popular tactic from the PC version of the game where you basically use the jet as a weapon by going full speed at a base but leap out the second before impact is still intact here. The bomber is essentially a heavily armored version of the jet, and instead of cannons it uses bombs, which can take out enemy turrets and sensor stations. Lastly, there's the transport, which can take several teammates across the map to the enemy base within a few seconds.

Tribes: Aerial Assault is shaping up to be an incredibly fun game and a worthy conversion of its PC counterpart. We had a chance to try out the online play, and there didn't seem to be any latency issues at all. Tribes: Aerial Assault is scheduled for release in October.

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