EVE Online

"An intelligent space MMO"

Introduction:

Wow. Where to begin? This game is so in depth on so many levels it's somewhat hard to explain. It is set in a fictional futuristic universe where there are space stations all over the place, different societies of men, and huge space vessels flying around. The game is huge. There is a very little chance that you will see it all. Well, it all kind of looks alike so you aren't really missing much. When you first start out, I can almost guarantee that you will be lost. The tutorial helps a ton, but you will still be somewhat lost the first month or so. The game is also so open ended that you need to have focus and plan out what you want to do before you get started. Did I scare you yet? I hope not – because this game truly is a gem.

Gameplay:

You start out as a rookie ship. A small little frigate equipped horribly. From the character creation screen somewhat plays an important role in what you want to be. You pick out what your attributes, race, heritage, etc. While the attributes are very important, there is some flexibility in this. Later you have the opportunity in increasing these attributes, which only play a single role in the game: learning skills. Instead of leveling up and mining ores to increase your skill levels, this game focuses on a time system. You simply choose a skill you want to increase, it takes a given time for it to complete, and that's it! You can set it when you go to bed and when you wake you, your character improved. This is one of the game's key factors – you don't have to sacrifice your life to get somewhere in this game. Okay, back to your little rookie frigate. You can choose to do whatever you want with it! You want to become a miner, then start mining asteroids. Want to be a pirate? Then better invest in a stronger combat ship. Want to be a trader? Then get a ship with a large cargo and play the market. Speaking of market, this game's economics are worthy of a few graduate studies. It is a marvel on it's own, but I won't go into it that much. Let's just say its player controlled, corrupt, and fun. It also comes into play with other roles people can play. For example, a player can place a buy order for an item for a large sum in a low security system as bait, and then kill the unlucky soul who attempts to navigate towards the good deal will end up losing it all – his body, ship, and cargo. Oh, did I mention you can also have insurance on your ships and clone yourself so you don't lose your skills? Yes, this game is in depth. It is well thought out, original, and requires a bit of intelligence unlike the other grinding based games on the market.

Sound:

The sounds are pretty decent. There is nothing spectacular, but definitely well done. The music is a futuristic, ambient, techno type music that really sets the space theme. The sounds are mostly engines, warping, explosions, weapon fire, etc. They all sound great. Also, there is nothing more frightening than being a miner and hearing a ship unload his powerful weapons on you.

Graphics:

The graphics of this game are pretty good. There is a patch that allows you to make the game prettier, but it still is just okay. Compared to the visually stunning games in the market, this doesn't even come close, but this game definitely isn't ugly. There are beautiful cosmic backgrounds, beautifully designed stations and ships. The interface is genius. It isn't perfect, but considering how complex the game is, I'd definitely say it is an accomplishment. It isn't amazing, it isn't ugly… it is just right.

Flaws:

To be honest, I paused when trying to think of this game's flaws. There aren't many. Two that stand out to me is the game's cruelty to new members. You are thrown into this big complex world, and you will feel lost. They tried making a new tutorial that helps newcomers out even more, but is still far from sufficient information. If you are like me, you will spend the first few weeks playing in windowed mode, researching while playing the game. There is a lot to it, and you will learn for months (it is worth it). The second issue I noticed with it is the inability to leave your ship. I played Beta for Earth and Beyond back in the day and we were able to walk around then… a decade later and we got rid of that function? Good news (or at least just rumors) is that this will be a feature in the future.

Replayability:

It is a MMO - the epitome of addicting. Enough said.

Conclusion:

This game is excellent. In a thriving MMO industry, this game definitely stands out in the pack. Best part is that it will just keep getting better and better. I've played a bunch, and this one is here to stay.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 03/03/08

Game Release: EVE Online (US, 05/06/03)