PlanetSide 2 Preview

Galactic battlefield.

The Planetside 2 live demonstration I attended was loaded with so much information that it was easy to be overwhelmed. Three factions, tons of vehicles, massive continents, and deep customization peaked my interest within minutes. Then, after heading over and playing the game for myself, it became clear that this is exactly the game that the MMO genre needs.



Upon entering the game, I noticed that I was on the Terran Republic, one of the three factions that wage war in Planetside 2. After joining a squad with the guys playing next to me, I was able to choose a class. The MAX with its massive armor suit sounded enticing, but I decided to choose the medic so I could heal while learning the ropes. It wasn’t long before I was spending faction credits on a light vehicle so I could ride into the middle of the zone where combat was taking place.

While healing a few teammates and shooting enemies in the face—or technically the helmet—I was impressed with the level of quality in the game’s engine (Forge Light Engine), not only because of its level of precision but the feedback it provided. It felt completely natural for me to aim and fire, and each time I hit an enemy I could see and hear each of my rounds eat away at enemy armor.



The best part of it all was knowing that the final game would consist of not only more zones, but also almost a dozen continents. Opening the map and zooming out revealed a massive world with seamless and constant battles inviting players to dip in and contribute to their respective faction. Since the game revolves around faction warfare, heading to major locations for your team is essential.

The customization available in the demo was an extremely small portion of what will be seen in the final release, but based upon the trailer and locked content in the demo, there will be enough to feed even a lion’s appetite. Planetside 2 is going to be a free-to-play game with a non-invasive microtransaction model so you will be sure to see a lot of vanity items for those who enjoy personalization.

Planetside 2 is releasing soon, and a beta will begin in the coming weeks. Stay tuned for more.