Planetside

Reviewed By: Brian Childers
VOLUNTEER GUEST REVIEWER

GAME TECH INFO

Computer Platform: PC
Produced by: Sony Online Entertainment
Price Range: $41-50
Learning curve time: 24 hrs
Age level: Teen to Adult
ESRB Rating: T (Teen)
Patches / Upgrades: Built-In Installer
System Requirements: 512MB RAM Recommended, Win 98 or Above, 500Mhz + Processor

Genre: Sci-Fi Shooter
Christian Rating: 3 of 5
   (some objectionable elements)
Gameplay: 3 of 5
   (average)
Violence: 2 of 5
   (heavy)
Adult Content: 4 of 5
   (barely present)

In the future, on the distant planet of Auraxis, three nations fight a never-ending world war for supremacy. The first is the repressive and facist Terran Republic, the second is the freedom-fighting New

Conglomerate, and the third is the semi-mystical technology-worshipping Vanu Sovereignty.

Gameplay takes places in a real-time First Person Shooter format across the continents of Auraxis, visually the game is breathtaking, with wide deserts, snowy tundra, fetid swamps, and rolling hills and plains being the visual backdrop for Planetside. The graphics level is very well done, with attention to detail on character movements, weapons, and the multitude of combat vehicles that the three sides use to wage world war.

The uniqueness of online massive multiplayer games, and by this I mean that there can be hundreds of players on at the same time on the same server at any given moment, and especially Planetside is that it encourages the use of camaraderie and grand tactics involving up to a hundred or more players per side, Many friends can be found in Planetside, and friendships forged.

The tools of world war are many in Planetside, from the gigantic Galaxy transport aircraft: holding up to 16 players to tanks, assault buggies, fighters, bombers, semi trucks, and even 4-wheel ATV motorcycles. The vehicles are well-done, and add an exciting element to the game.

Very little adult content is seen, though there is the violence of weapons fire, explosions, etc. etc. there is no blood, even fallen victims turn into a backpack (looking roughly like a tombstone at first glance.) after the player 'respawns' at another location.

All is not milk & cookies in the gameplay aspect of Planetside, the game still has several bugs and imbalances in the game which can make it very frustrating for new players, especially those on slower connections, it is not uncommon to get lag times in excess of several minutes with slower connections when entering a large battle, causing your character to be able to run about, blasting away at targets no longer there, only to die suddenly from wounds sustained five minutes before. Also destracting from the game's appeal is no final objective or resolution to the game, there is no winners or losers in Planetside, it is war without end.

From a Christian standpoint I did not have much to find offensive, there is no offensve language aside from that thrown across the chat channels by other players, and that is garbled by the chat systems. Perhaps the only imagery that I can find fault with is the Vanu Sovereignty's background of seeing Technology as a light to enlightenment and a better future: a light which God cannot be replaced as. And the mechanics explaination of characters being "reborn" or "raised from the dead." by scientific means when they are killed on the battlefield. It explains the spawn mechanics of the game but cannot replace the power of Christ and the Lord God as the only power able to raise the dead, as He did with Lazarous.

Overall I enjoy Planetside, despite it's flaws, for those who love a science-fiction massive game in the vein of "Star Wars" then this is for you.

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Year of Release -- 2003

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