Tribes: Ascend

Tribes: Ascend is a free-to-play first-person shooter developed and published by Hi-Rez Studios for Microsoft Windows, as part of the Tribes series. Aspects from previous Tribes games such as jetpacks and skiing are featured in the game.[1] The game was released on April 12, 2012.[2] In February 2013, Hi-Rez released a Game of the Year Edition, which unlocked all classes, weapons, equipment, and perks in a single package.[3][4] In July 2013, Hi-Rez halted further development on Tribes: Ascend to focus on other titles, though a small team resumed development in August 2015.[5] In December 2015, Hi-Rez Studios announced a patch for the game which introduced major changes. Due to the nature of the patch, the company reverted all previous in-game purchases.[6]

Tribes: Ascend
Developer(s)Hi-Rez Studios
Publisher(s)Hi-Rez Studios
Designer(s)Scott Zier
Programmer(s)Mick Larkins
Artist(s)Sean McBride
Composer(s)Chris Rickwood
SeriesTribes
EngineUnreal Engine 3
Platform(s)Microsoft Windows
ReleaseApril 12, 2012
Genre(s)First-person shooter
Mode(s)Multiplayer

Gameplay
The player is in the Temple Ruins map using the Light Spinfusor weapon.

Loadouts and Classes

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 three loadouts in each weight group (for a total of nine). 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 points, which can be used to purchase classes, weapons, perks, and upgrades.[7] Paid-for loadouts are available to the user immediately, while those who unlock them through playtime have a much longer wait. Upgrades to armor, weapons and perks are unlocked based on how much players use them in-game, but can also be purchased by experience points. Players are given three free classes: the Pathfinder, Soldier, and Juggernaut, when they first start playing the game, each wearing light, medium and heavy armor respectively.[8]

Hi-Rez also sells cosmetic items such as player skins, along with boosters that allow players to gain experience points at a faster rate. Players earn in-match credits during matches for killing enemies, repairing structures or capturing objectives. Credits are then used to buy vehicles, supply drops, Tactical and Orbital strikes and base upgrades.[9]

On February 22, 2012, the game entered open beta. Arena 5v5 was added and Rabbit was disabled during this phase of the beta, though would later return as a private server option.[10]

Game modes and maps

Hi-Rez Studios released Capture the Flag, Team Deathmatch, Rabbit (only available in private servers), Arena, and Capture & Hold game modes.[11] While some maps have retained the classic nature of the Tribes franchise with large open areas and base structures, others have a more urban feel to them, featuring buildings and streets. The map Katabatic, which originally appeared in Tribes 2, has been remade in Tribes: Ascend,[11] along with a revamped version of Broadside called Crossfire.

Ranking system

The ranking system is a vanity reward for players and also serves a functional purpose for the in-game queue system. Each level of a rank has a unique rank title and insignia. Players begin as a rank 1 ("Recruit") and earn ranks as they play the game. Each players' current rank insignia is displayed next to their name on the in-game scoreboard. Rank title and insignia are shown to an enemy player that the player has recently killed (displayed on the kill-cam screen). A summary report of rank experience earned is displayed on the post-match scoreboard screen at the end of each map. An experience bar is also displayed and grows in a horizontal direction as rank experience accrues.

Reception

Tribes: Ascend was met with positive reception, with IGN giving the game a 9/10.[16] It has a Metacritic rating of 86.[18]

References
  1. Lahti, Evan (11 March 2011). "Shazbot! Tribes: Ascend announced. Multiplayer-only, coming this year, has trailer". PC Gamer. Future Publishing. Retrieved 24 March 2012.
  2. "Tribes: Ascend Launches Today as Free-To-Play".
  3. "Tribes: Ascend Game of The Year Edition Now LIVE". .hirezstudios.com. Retrieved 2013-08-21.
  4. "Tribes: Ascend on Steam". Store.steampowered.com. 2012-06-27. Retrieved 2013-08-21.
  5. Pereira, Chris (August 28, 2015). "Two Years After Development Ceased, Tribes: Ascend Being Supported Again". GameSpot. Retrieved August 29, 2015.
  6. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2015-12-14. Retrieved 2015-12-11.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) Out of the Blue Tribes:Ascend Version 1.1, December 10th, 2015
  7. HiRezTodd (29 June 2011). "Why Loadouts?". Hi-Rez Studios. Archived from the original on 23 September 2011. Retrieved 14 March 2012.
  8. "Yak Cast 50 Interview with Todd Harris from Hi-Rez Studios". Yak Cast (Podcast). WordPress. August 2011. Retrieved 24 March 2012.
  9. ClevverGames (29 August 2011). Tribes: Ascend Hands On Demo With Todd Harris - PAX Prime 2011. YouTube. Retrieved 24 March 2012.
  10. "Tribes Ascend Entering Open Beta". IGN. Retrieved 2013-08-21.
  11. obsidiafr (21 August 2011). Tribes Ascend - Interview vidéo avec Todd Harris - Gamescom 2011. YouTube. Retrieved 24 March 2012.
  12. "Tribes: Ascend". Retrieved 2012-06-19.
  13. Stanton, Rich (2012-04-19). "Tribes Ascend Review". Retrieved 2016-05-27.
  14. Stanton, Rich (2012-04-12). "Tribes Ascend Review". Retrieved 2012-04-14.
  15. Stanton, Rich (2012-04-19). "Tribes Ascend Review". Retrieved 2012-04-19.
  16. Stanton, Rich (2012-04-19). "Tribes Ascend Review". Retrieved 2012-04-19.
  17. Lahti, Evan (2012-04-12). "Tribes: Ascend review". Retrieved 2014-04-14.
  18. "Tribes: Ascend for PC Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved 2013-08-21.
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