The NDA is lifted and now my “non-press” lips can start flapping 
A couple of warnings though. First, I only played this game for about 2-5 hours in total and my character only got up to about level 9…so this is not even close to a review/preview level that you are use to from this site. If you want a really good preview, please go see Tobold, or Keen and Graev on that front. So, this will fall into the “first impressions/newbie” side of the coin, which is important, but not thorough. OK, now that we understand each other…here we go.
I won’t be getting this game. Reason why is because I know exactly how this game will pan out for me. It’ll pan out exactly like CoH did. Its fun in a very action based kind of way. You get to shoot things with a gun, which is always cool, however; I get the impression (emphasis on “impression”) that this game is only about action and nothing else. I had a blast in CoH up to about level 35…and then things started getting a bit on the boring side. Keen and Graev saw this to say about it and it matches my feeling after playing it for a weekend:
Personally these reviews scare me. You have one person who enjoys the game because it?s fast pace but is clearly someone who is all about ?fluff?. The other two impressions are extremely negative and show a scary future for gameplay mechanics and overall feel. From reading several dozen posts this morning I get the feel that Tabula Rasa plays much like City of Heroes and offers little to no depth.
“But Darren….the MOG guys absolutely love it” Of course they do. This is meant as a put down to them, but they are mostly console players at this point, and this game will appeal to people who like constant action. Gary and Ryan represent the player who is tired of the same old same old MMO (…as some of us are…), but watch when these players get to the mid-game of TR, that?s when the shine will fall off. At least, that is the prediction I and others have at this point and I would love to be wrong about it. Come midgame, my prediction is that MOG will not stick with it. Of course, when the midgame does come, other more attractive MMOs will probably be out there.
Everything about the game is solid, from character creation, to sound to graphics…nothing really wrong in any of those areas that I noticed. The game definitely makes you feel as if you’re in a war zone with aliens teleporting in all around you. You get a sense that you’re in the thick of it and that will be the appeal of this game…it’s immersion of the player into the world. You’ll find the quests also facilitate this immersion with their backstories.
As a new player, the world did grab me…so no issues there. I just don’t think this is a game that will make me want to stay. It seems more like a desert than the main course, and I’m at a point right now where I want a big steak dinner.
D out.
Entries (RSS)
September 7th, 2007 at 8:05 am
[...] shares his thoughts on TR. He seems to share Tobold’s ‘good but not my bag, baby’ [...]
September 7th, 2007 at 8:13 am
[?] Ok, hot off the press is TR?s nda is down, reports are coming in from all over the’ [?]
September 7th, 2007 at 8:19 am
acutally to be honest i thought character generation was lacking …. same ole same ole crap, 8 hair stairs, taller smaller bar etc etc.
and I really thought if this is a war zone, wheres the war …. innovative game concepts yet being let down by the simplest things like character generation etc etc …
September 7th, 2007 at 8:27 am
Hmmm. Sci-fi shoot-em-ups aren’t my “bag” either so I was waiting for the reviews to make my decision to buy or pass on it. Though I’m not being a huge fan of the genre, I’ve been a big Richard Garriott fan since playing the Ultima single-player RPGs on my parents’ Apple IIe as a kid. Unfortunately, most of the initial impressions I’ve read from the bloggers/reviewers I tend to agree with are lukewarm at best. I haven’t been playing MMORPGs since I gave up on Vanguard shortly after release so I’m really jonesin’ for an engaging title. I guess I’ll have to bide my time with real life pastimes until WAR and AoC are released. The industry needs a jumpstart badly, and I’m hoping either Funcom or Mythic can do it. Otherwise, I may have to dust off my 20-sided dice and go back to pen-and-paper.
September 7th, 2007 at 12:24 pm
OMFG… why do people listen to MOG anymore and care about their opinions? They have just driven any credibility from their show. We are talking about guys that stated Vanguard was going to have great PvP, that Dark and Light was an awesome game with tons of potential, and Saga of Ryzom was going to take off. I have no problem with people attaching to games, but when you are constantly wrong (really really wrong) about the potential of games, there needs to be a timeout.
On top of this, MOG is completely guilty of pandering to developers. The second they get an “exclusive” they are all happy faces for a game no matter how fucking crappy the game is. Just look at every single game they have gotten scoops on. Then as soon as the game flops they are all over bashing it.
Seriously, MOG has gone from having valid gripes and complaints and presenting them in an adultish manner; to total paid whores of game developers. I would go even as far to say they have become complete care bears in the truest sense.
September 7th, 2007 at 1:15 pm
I only played CoH for a month since that playstyle didnt really hook me. Everything i have read and the videos i’ve seen about Tabula Rasa gives me that same CoH feeling. Looks like a fun game… but not the kind of fun i’ll pay a subscription for. Oh, and i agree on your assessment about the MOG guys. Not much MMO goodness on that show, but they sure are entertaining
September 7th, 2007 at 1:40 pm
Head on over to my place, Darren to read my impressions if you will. I’m in the same boat as you, really. But I go a bit more into rant mode. Makes me sad I can’t be on the next SUWT as I’m sure this would be a great topic to go on about.
http://bildos.blogspot.com
September 7th, 2007 at 2:20 pm
would be a great topic for Suwt …. lots of ideas for that one, should it have a subsciption or not, is it designed for the traditional mmo player or some other audience etc etc
September 7th, 2007 at 2:49 pm
Reading you’re stuff now Bildo…very nice and it echoes my short time with the game as well. I feel a bit off putting anything up regarding TR given my limited time in there, but I something is better than nothing considering I’m not getting the game.
Re: this being a SUWT topic. Well, we’re supposed to have a PR person from Flying Labs next show. If she’s able to make it we won’t talk about TR specifically…but maybe we can skirt it by talking about what constitutes a monthly fee in an MMO.
September 7th, 2007 at 2:56 pm
ah just kick the flying labs rep out and go for the TR throat lol
September 7th, 2007 at 6:59 pm
Bah! Flying Labs person AND I can’t make it? You suck, Darren. PotBS is my next stop, and I’d love to get to ask some questions. What topics will you be covering with her (I assume it’s Theresa Pudenz)? I can put in a handful of questions if you’d allow it.
September 7th, 2007 at 7:05 pm
well…it’s not a Q&A, just our usual format and she’ll talking geek like every other guest.
September 7th, 2007 at 10:55 pm
Theresa Pudenz… mmmm… saw pictures of her on the FoH boards :$
I’m not too surprised about TR. At first I was interested since I like MMOs and I like FPS, but after watching it and thinking about it… it sounded like CoH only without all the various villains. Just one set of villains (no matter how you dress it) – the Bane.
While it does sound interesting from a lore filled FPS with cooperative play, I do realize I’ll end up dropping it in a month. Speaking of which, anyone know if the box purchase comes with a free month sub? :$
September 8th, 2007 at 11:14 am
[...] Common Sense Gamer: Tabula Rasa NDA Lifted [...]
September 11th, 2007 at 8:04 am
“OMFG? why do people listen to MOG anymore and care about their opinions? They have just driven any credibility from their show. We are talking about guys that stated Vanguard was going to have great PvP, that Dark and Light was an awesome game with tons of potential, and Saga of Ryzom was going to take off. I have no problem with people attaching to games, but when you are constantly wrong (really really wrong) about the potential of games, there needs to be a timeout.”
This is the best quote ever.
For the record we were hoping that Vanguard would have great PvP the potential was there. Dark and Light’s features would have been welcome to any MMO if any of them worked. As for Saga of Ryzom Gary really liked the look and community of this game. And on both points he’s right. “Take off”, those are your words not ours. Each and every time a game fails we report on it … even if we were previously pulling for it’s success … even if it burns bridges to game developers. Keeping positive about the future of MMOs is pretty hard when you’ve got S^&$ in the market. Yes, Hi WOW and EVE /wave … the rest of it is just bunk.
Please keep the dirt flying. We’ll keep playing consoles AND MMOs.
“Gary and Ryan represent the player who is tired of the same old same old MMO”
That’s right now catch up.
PS: We have yet to make a cent from any of our efforts. Who’s whore are we now?
Anyway guys thanks for the free promotion!
http://www.gaxonline.com
September 18th, 2007 at 5:15 am
[...] what a lot of bloggers (1) (2) (3) say on their blogs, the game have a lot of potential. But you can’t play [...]