If you’re a PC gamer that likes first-person shooters, sci-fi and multiplayer, and haven’t played Tribes: Ascend yet, do so. Do so now.
For the uninitiated, Tribes: Ascend is a free-to-play multiplayer FPS that feels like Halo on rocket-powered rollerblades. You get the same feel of that game’s multiplayer as far as some of the weaponry goes, combined with the ability to “ski” up and down many of the game’s hill-covered maps using thrusters built into your boots, combined with jetpacks that allow you to get a bird’s-eye view of the competition. Matches are fast and frantic, usually centered around Team Deathmatch or Capture The Flag modes, and you get the usual customizable class structure you’ve seen before.
Now, however, Hi-Rez Studios has released a “Game of the Year” edition of Tribes: Ascend, which you’d think is odd considering it’s free-to-play. What does this new edition offer?
For starters, a ton of balance fixes which came with a standard patch if you didn’t want to buy the GOTY edition, including fixes to weapons and turrets. Exclusive to the GOTY edition are six new maps – three for CTF and three for Arena (Deathmatch), an unlock for every class, perk, and weapon right from the start (more than 100 items), and a new weapon: the Shocklance, which is essentially an extremely powerful, yet extremely close-range, shotgun. Unlocking each piece individually would cost you significantly more than just buying the GOTY edition.
Bottom line, Tribes: Ascend was already a near-perfect game, with stable servers, fun gameplay, and great visuals. The Game of the Year edition adds great value, but isn’t necessary to enjoy the package that’s already there. If you’re a big-time Tribes: Ascend player who wants to unlock more content, have at it. If you’re new, try out the core game first.
