The special versions of these games will be available in the June issue of Computer Gaming World, which will hit newsstands starting May 4, 2004, and will be simultaneously accessible for online download through FilePlanet.com.
Released in 1998, Starsiege: Tribes was the first major online-only first-person action game. The combination of team-based gameplay, expansive outdoor terrains, multiple play modes, customizable characters, and controllable vehicles created a game that was an instant hit among fans and press alike. Its sequel, Tribes 2, was released in 2001 and further refined the genre, winning numerous industry awards. Together, both games have sold nearly a million copies worldwide.
Coming in the fourth-quarter, Tribes: Vengeance is the next installment in the Tribes franchise. In Tribes: Vengeance, gamers become immersed in a roiling galactic thriller. Throughout the game, the player catches glimpses of myriad interrelated stories that unfold behind-the-scenes and is given the opportunity to experience the full scope of the single-player story through multiple viewpoints and characters. Utilizing the Vengeance Engine powered by Unreal technology, the world is brought to life with characters that have facial expressions and fully-realized personalities, vehicles that kick up dust as they pass by, and weapons that display spectacular effects.
Tribes: Vengeance will also build upon the Tribes series’ legendary online multiplayer action by continuing to focus on team-oriented goals and fluid movement. Developer Irrational Games has hired one of the Tribes community’s leading developers to head up the design and creation of the game’s multiplayer component. Particular focus is being given to making Tribes: Vengeance easily accessible to the video game modification (MOD) community. Irrational Games and VU Games have worked together to ensure that Tribes: Vengeance’s game modification tools are easily accessible and robust.