Editor-in-Chief Chris "Pwyff" Tom went spelunking in Tribes: Ascend to discover that this might not be the Tribes some veterans want, but it's the Tribes we all need.

For veterans of the Tribes genre, the most common line I've heard is that Tribes: Ascend is "like Tribes, but not". As to whether this means Tribes: Ascend is an improvement or a detriment to the franchise depends on how dearly the player holds to his or her nostalgia. It's no secret that Tribes has always had a very steep learning curve, and Hi-Rez is walking a very fine line in trying to pull in newer players without repelling the crusty veterans. For example, in Tribes 2 it was common for players to hit speeds in excess of 500 kph, meaning they could grab a well-defended flag and be out of the enemy base within a second of appearing on the screen. In Tribes: Ascend, all classes have certain maximum speed caps, preventing them from becoming almost unhittable for the average defender.

[Edit: The Speed Caps have since been removed as of the most recent patch, but the example still acts as an example of Hi-Rez's balancing approach.]

The above example is a great case of Hi-Rez choosing to value accessibility over a very specific skill learned through hours and hours of trial and error. The Tribes franchise was always touted as a game that players needed to master before they could really enjoy themselves, but this is an ancient creed that will only succeed in turning away the thousands of players who just want to enjoy their first game of Tribes.

If I had one criticism right now with Tribes: Ascend, it would simply be a complaint of depth. At the moment, while there are 12 classes to choose from, only two are unlocked from the beginning, and unlocking a new class requires a whopping 15,000 tokens. After logging a few hours to play for almost a week, I've managed to accumulate close to 2,000 tokens. There is the option to purchase a class with gold, but without a trial period (or even a rental period for a token cost), it's difficult to ascertain which class is right for you. Finally, I understand why Hi-Rez wants to avoid giving players custom load-outs, but it can be frustrating knowing exactly what your team needs, but being incapable of fulfilling the role because you lack the proper class or equipment load-out.

To wrap up this preview, however, Hi-Rez has captured the spirit of nostalgia without bowing to its ancient customs. There are flaws and balance issues, certainly, but at the core of it all, Tribes: Ascend is an adrenaline rush of a game that offers some of the most satisfying frags I've ever had. You might get frustrated with the learning curve in the first few hours, but give it some time and you'll really get that rush when you nail someone mid-air with a Spin Disc while simultaneously whisking the enemy flag away.

Christopher "Pwyff" Tom, Editor-in-Chief.