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Tabula Rasa E3 Review - NCsoft
The winner of GameAmp’s 2006 Best Sound Award; may we present one of the coolest games we have ever played. This game immediately sucks you in right from the start. The demo NCsoft had running was a ton of fun. You sit down at the keyboard and put on the headset to find a GM / Dev on the other end guiding you through the demo. I often found myself engrossed so much in the combat I forgot I was on a mission. It plays exactly how I would want an MMOFPS to play. Tons of combat which is aim based not skill based. That’s not to say there aren’t a ton of skills it just isn’t a game where you target a mob and then press 1, 4, 3, 1, 4, 1, 4… This is a game where you are always actively strafing and moving around your target, dodging fire, launching grenades into the fray. This is a title really worth looking forward to.

Tabula Rasa Screenshot

Graphics

The graphics have completely come full circle since last year. Polished and refined, you can immediately tell the designers have gone to great lengths to make an immersive world. Skill and weapon effects are top notch and both are a ton of fun to use. In all honesty I was having so much fun playing I didn’t have a chance to truly dissect every last model and texture. I can tell you for certain that the graphics are absolutely amazing and you will not be disappointed!

Questing

Questing is really a lot of fun and very intuitive. Many of the quests and quest progressions on story arcs happen right on the battlefield and you may find yourself trying to eliminate enemy mobs in the area before you even talk to a quest NPC! Quests have a good amount of text without being overbearing and a waypoint on the mini-map will help guide your way to where you should be heading. Lot’s of story line going on while at the same time not locking you onto any specific path. The world feels Tabula Rasa Screenshot open with a million places to explore. Exploring is even more fun as there are enemies around every turn requiring your immediate and full attention lest you be killed in action.

Gameplay

The gameplay is what really sets this game apart from all the rest. Completely different than anything I have experienced. Neither MMORPG nor FPS, this game draws upon both genres to create a completely unique gameplay that left me wanting to steal one of the computers from the show so I could continue to play on into the night. The only way to completely understand this game is to experience it first hand. Whether beta or you wait till it hits shelves. This is a title you will definitely want in your library! Also worth mentioning, Tabula Rasa also comes equipped with full voice chat support!

Tabula Rasa Screenshot

Character Progression

Character progression in Tabula Rasa is shown very well even in the quick demo. With a wide range of available skills, weapons, and armor there is no doubt that character progression plays a huge role. In fact, you could very easily gimp your entire character setup but that’s where Tabula Rasa’s Character Cloning System comes into play; a completely new and very creative system that allows you to clone your character at a particular level or place and explore new skill paths for your alien granted Logos powers.

Gear

Tabula Rasa’s gear definitely plays a large role in how you play your character. Not only for weapons and armor but also for tools used to gather specific materials and gain access to pass-code protected areas. Playing through the demo there were a variety of different weapons available from human to alien and from solid state to energy to explosives.

Tabula Rasa Screenshot

Overall

Tabula Rasa looks to be one of the most exciting upcoming MMO games. With such a unique feel and blend of MMORPG and FPS it’s bound to addict many of you gamers out there. Packed with nonstop action and battle lines which feel like a real battle front Tabula Rasa is destined for success. GameAmp will continue its coverage and once we get our hands on a few beta accounts we’ll make sure to find you some exclusive content (as long as it’s approved by NCsoft) to further wet your appetite. Keep checking the GameAmp Tabula Rasa Site for more updates!
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