GameStreet - EVE Online Reviews

Reviewed on Sun, Nov 4 2007 With a market flooded with orcs and elves, it's always nice to have slice of something different. Enter EVE-online. Developed by CCP, an independent developer out of Iceland, is created for the gamer that loves open-ended gameplay and doesn't limit themselves to one particular way to "skin the cat." That is, they jump in their star ship and do whatever makes them happy whether that be PvP, PvE, farming, or even building an empire.

In EVE, Isk (money within the game) is everything, which you obtain by completing missions, mining, or later in the game, you can actually steal from other players by pirating out in deep space. Isk is essential to upgrading your ship, its parts, and even your skills. Unlike traditional MMORPG's, EVE incorporates a time-based leveling method. That is, you're skills and attributes are loaded into your character over time whether you're logged in or out. This really gets the player to use his/her time wisely when playing in game and loading skills. You would rather train up your lower skills that take a matter of minutes online and your heavier skills that sometimes take days when you're offline. The game itself is a give and take relationship, so if you only jump online once a week to watch you're ship float around in space, chances are this game is not for you. But, if you enjoy building your character and social ties with corporations (guilds within the game) then you'll eventually start to see the space battles that you'd dream of when initially starting out. The battle system in EVE is a very intricate one; think Star Trek in terms of pacing and strategy. There is an array of weapons from laser beams to ballistic missiles to automated drones that fight alongside and repair your ship. So it's interesting to see a large fleet battle within deep space against two warring factions.

The graphics in EVE are jaw-dropping. CCP really did a great job painting a beautiful picture of the deep unexplored galaxy. From multi-colored nebulas to blistering bright stars, the game is a jewel to look at. And let’s get one thing straight, this game is massive, it is by far the largest MMORPG to date and will most likely hold that position for some time to come. The game runs great on an average PC with a solid frame-rate to boot. CCP built a beautiful engine which says a lot coming from an independent game company.

The sound within the game isn't half-bad either. The effects you hear while drifting in space, really convey a placid, calm feeling. On the opposite end of the spectrum, when you're in a heated battle the explosions, lasers, and crunching of your hull can be a bit intense. However, there is one problem with the sound in the game, and that's the music. The music is a bit sub-par with a mix of techno and synth sounds, so it's not a bad idea to get the iTunes ready to play in the background.

The beautiful thing about EVE is the fact that it's a growing beast of a game. Since launch it has accumulated an enormous amounts of fans hasn't shown signs of peaking anytime soon. The longevity of this game is really based on how you play. It's a shame that they didn't appeal to the casual gamers that much and it has a huge learning curve, so when you first dive in it can be a bit much. But, they recently tried to smooth over the beginners' experience with a detailed tutorial and a more entertaining beginning. However, with that said, if you can push through the very beginning, the times you'll have in this beautiful, open galaxy are a blast and there's always space to conquer and corporations to fight.