Tribes: Ascend

Genre(s): Action/FPS,
Massively Multiplayer

Metacritic Rating: 87 (out of 100)

Price: Free-to-Play

Link(s): https://account.hirezstudios.com/tribesascend/

Description: Tribes: Ascend is a free-to-play multiplayer-only, first-person shooter that is part of the Tribes franchise but updated to reflect the new generation of online multiplayer shooters incorporating classic Tribes elements such as fast-paced jetpack enabled combat, skiing, and vehicles, combined with teamwork and strategy.

Tribes: Ascend features a class-based loadout system. Each loadout specifies what type of armor the player has, along with what weapons and items they carry. Each loadout supports two in-hand weapons, a set of belt items such as grenades or mines and a pack. There are three possible sizes of armor to choose: light, medium and heavy, with 3 loadouts in each weight group, for a total of 9. Players can select which loadout to use either when first joining a game, respawning or at an inventory station. Loadouts may be acquired either through an upfront payment, or through playing the game and earning experience, which can be used to purchase classes, weapons, perks and upgrades. Paid-for loadouts will be available to the user instantly, while those who choose to unlock them through playing will have a much longer wait. Upgrades to armor, weapons and perks can only be purchased by experience points. Players will be given 3 free loadouts: the Pathfinder, Soldier, and Juggernaut, when they first start playing the game, each wearing light, medium and heavy armor respectively.

Tribes’ free-to-play model is pretty fair, as free-to-pay models go. Pricing is tiered: spending more gets you proportionately more in-game currency. For about $13 you can try out all six paid classes beyond the initial three free ones.

Paid players are awarded bonus XP after each match, but skill still overrides any boons. Currently, all weapons and perks can also be purchased with the freely earned XP. Most importantly, the payment model doesn’t replace the need to master Tribes’ weapons and movement.

Publisher: Hi-Rez Studios

Developer: Hi-Rez Studios

Release Date: April 12, 2012

Players: Multiplayer

ERSB: T (Teen) for violence.

Sample Gameplay Video(s):