Planetside 2

[SomTervo]

So I've been sinking about an hour a night into the Planetside 2 beta on PS4.

It's bloody brilliant. And it has a payment structure which actually works for a free to play game. When the game drops in full, we'd better be setting up a PXoD squad. Here are some (old, PC) pics to tantalise you:

 

For those who don't know what it is: Planetside is one of the few MMOFPSs on the gaming scene today. Each online server, with up to 1,000 players I believe, is a continent on which three far-future human factions battle for territory. For an ambitious game with real-time, responsive combat, it's remarkably playable and solid. (I've done little/no hard research on this post so some facts may be off.)

Each continent is a massive (massive) open world, split up into about 50 different Command Posts. Each side starts only with a Warpgate (a sanctuary/safezone in one corner of the continent) and they must capture command posts throughout the landmass to build up their territory. You can only capture bases which are connected to an already-owned command post. You can't just run off to the middle of enemy territory and bag a command post. When your command post's region is in contact with an opposing faction's command post region, either side can attempt to assault the other's command post and capture it for more territory (and glory).

 

Each of these features a capture system very similar to Battlefield's Conquest game type – the attacking side must capture posts (A, or A+B, or A+B+C) whilst knocking out various crucial base systems (like vehicle blocks, player respawners, and player outfitting points). If they do achieve this, they capture the command point.

 

I can't recall what happens when a faction wins all the territory – I think a huge experience buff for everyone on that side, maybe a unique unlock, then the territory resets. They often work in meta-game narrative stuff, too, into this.

 

Gameplay is excellent. It's like a slightly less visceral Battlefield, with really solid, satisfying shooting mechanics, very good vehicular options and a set of classes which are mostly key to success.

 

It has an upgrade system where by, for every 10 levels or so, you earn about 150 Certs.

 

Certs are like upgrade points. To get a shiny new gun costs 100-500 Certs, and this will unlock for your current character only (you get several character slots). Larger, more powerful weapons and gadgets (some very, very useful) can cost upwards of 1000 Certs.

 

The game is free to play – it's incredible for a free to play game – but if you want to, you can pay to unlock weapons/equipment for all of your characters at a price. I don't know how much this will be – but I'd happily pay up to £10 to get a base loadout for all my chars.

 

 

No idea when it will be out yet, they say this year. The beta seems quite complete. It's really something – the fact that you mainly make up your own objectives is a game changer.

 

You spawn in your base when you load the game up, then you bring up the map and look at where the front lines are. (As a player, knowing that the field of battle is totally in the player's hands is a unique level of satisfaction I've seen in few other games. It's the main thing this has well over Battlefield et al.) You might notice that a couple of command posts are be under fire or almost captured. Then, totally of your own accord, you spawn a vehicle, hop in, and blast off to the battle. And the battle is always unique, always challenging but mainly fair, and always thrilling as fuck.

 

Little details like just watching people hop into a Mosquito and fly off, the jet thrusters roaring, into the distance, really makes the game. There's a whole war going out there, a whole world with people making their own narrative. Very close to a playable, emergent Starship Troopers. So great.

 

 

[Mister Jack]

I really want to play this but my PC is too old to run it and I never got a PS4 invite.  Feels bad, man.

[madbassman39]

I played on the pc and enjoyed it when it was fun. When you get into the battle it's good, but if you are chasing battles and just missing them it can get frustrating. I do really like the payment structure and even bought a gun for my dude.

[TheMightyEthan]

My brother in law used to play it all the time on PC. I assume he enjoyed it since it was like all he did for a year.

[Vecha]

Loved this game on PC and looking forward to the ps4 release.

 

 

When it was first out on PC the whole "caant get a command post/base till you are connected" wasn't in. That was a feature planet side 1. Fucking glad they went back to that. Really ruined the game sometimes...as people were even more unfocused.

[SomTervo]

Lol yeah that makes no sense. The fact that you can only capture command posts which are linked to ones you are already in charge of means that there's an actual, emergent frontline which all the players flock to.

 

It's really great, guys, I recommend it and look forward to playing wit' y'all.

 

It looks like I'm not going to be playing it any more though. I just can't justify booting a game up at 11pm when that's the time I should really be getting into bed. It's a game which builds momentum slowly, so often I'm not really in the thick of it until like 11.45 or midnight, at which time I'll be knackered the next day.

 

Edit: Oh, and I neglected to mention lag/network code/server quality in the OP.

 

Basically, it's solid as heck. I've encountered maybe, total, 20 seconds of lag in about 4-5 hours gametime. And this is me playing exclusively with US playters, me in UK. Really remarkable.

[Vecha]

Yeah I'm looking forward to jumping into this. Hope I get my ps4 back from repairs before it becomes open beta/released.

And the network does sound great!