Tribes: Ascend

Last updated
Tribes: Ascend
Tribes Ascend logo.png
Developer(s) Hi-Rez Studios
Publisher(s) Hi-Rez Studios
Designer(s) Scott Zier
Programmer(s) Mick Larkins
Artist(s) Sean McBride
Composer(s) Chris Rickwood
Series Tribes
Engine Unreal Engine 3
Platform(s) Microsoft Windows
ReleaseApril 12, 2012
Genre(s) First-person shooter
Mode(s) Multiplayer

Tribes: Ascend is a free-to-play first-person shooter developed and published by Hi-Rez Studios for Microsoft Windows, as part of the Tribes series. Aspects from previous Tribes games such as jetpacks and skiing are featured in the game. [1]

Contents

History

The game entered open beta on February 22, 2012 [2] (with some modes disabled such as Rabbit) and was officially released on April 12, 2012. [3] In February 2013, Hi-Rez released a Game of the Year Edition, which unlocked all classes, weapons, equipment, and perks in a single package. [4] [5] In July 2013, Hi-Rez halted further development on Tribes: Ascend to focus on Smite, [6] citing lackluster financial returns from Tribes: Ascend and Global Agenda . [7] Despite the previous statement, a small team resumed development in August 2015. [8] In December 2015, Hi-Rez Studios announced a patch, called Out Of The Blue, for the game which introduced major changes. Due to the nature of the patch, the company reverted all previous in-game purchases. [9] The final update, dubbed Parting Gifts, was released on September 29, 2016. [10] Sean McBride, creative director of Tribes: Ascend, likened the game's history to be “death by a thousand cuts”. [11] The game was unlisted on Steam, however it is still available to play on the platform, and removed from the Hi-Rez website in 2018 for unknown reasons, however it is still accessible from the official Tribes Universe website.

Gameplay

The player is in the Temple Ruins map using the Light Spinfusor weapon. Tribes Ascend screenshot.png
The player is in the Temple Ruins map using the Light Spinfusor weapon.

Loadouts and Classes

Tribes: Ascend features a class-based loadout system. Each loadout specifies what type of armor the player has, along with what weapons and items they carry. Each loadout supports two in-hand weapons, a set of belt items such as grenades or mines and a pack. Hi-Rez also sold cosmetic items such as player skins, along with boosters that allowed players to gain experience points at a faster rate.

GOTY edition

There were three possible sizes of armor to choose: light, medium and heavy, with three loadouts in each weight group (for a total of nine). Players can select which loadout to use either when first joining a game, respawning, or at an inventory station. Loadouts may be acquired either through an upfront payment, or through playing the game and earning experience points, which can be used to purchase classes, weapons, perks, and upgrades. [12] Paid-for loadouts are available to the user immediately, while those who unlock them through playtime have a much longer wait. Upgrades to armor, weapons and perks are unlocked based on how much players use them in-game, but can also be purchased by experience points. Players were given three free classes when first starting the game, each wearing light, medium and heavy armor respectively. [13] Players earn in-match credits during matches for killing enemies, repairing structures or capturing objectives. Credits were then used to buy vehicles, supply drops, Tactical strikes, Orbital strikes, and base upgrades. [14]

OOTB edition

After the Out Of The Blue update in December 2015, the game experienced a reduction of playable classes. The nine available classes were condensed into three weight groups. Base upgrades were removed, along with Supply Drops, Tactical Strikes, in-match credits, and Orbital Strikes. [15] All monetization features such as paid classes, experience boosters, and weapons were removed or made free of charge. Some have compared the update to making the game more like Tribes 2[ citation needed ].

Game modes and maps

The map Katabatic, which originally appeared in Tribes 2 , has been remade in Tribes: Ascend [16] along with some other maps appearing in previous games in the series.

Ranking system

The ranking system is a vanity reward for players but used to be an element for the removed in-game queue system. Each level of a rank has a unique rank title and insignia. Players begin as a rank 1 ("Recruit") and earn ranks as they play the game. Each players' current rank insignia is displayed next to their name on the in-game scoreboard. Rank title and insignia are shown to an enemy player that the player has recently killed (displayed on the kill-cam screen). A summary report of rank experience earned is displayed on the post-match scoreboard screen at the end of each map. An experience bar is also present.

Console port

A port to the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 were originally planned but scrapped due to the game's free-to-play business model. [17]

Reception

Tribes: Ascend was met with positive reception, with IGN giving the game a 9/10. It has a Metacritic rating of 86. [24]

Related Research Articles

<i>Tom Clancys Ghost Recon</i> (2001 video game) 2001 video game

Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon is a tactical shooter video game developed by Red Storm Entertainment and published by Ubi Soft in 2001 for Microsoft Windows. It is the first game in the Ghost Recon series. It was ported to Mac OS, Xbox and PlayStation 2 in 2002 and to the GameCube in 2003. Ports for N-Gage and Game Boy Advance were planned, but later canceled. Unlike Clancy's other tactical shooter series, Rainbow Six, Ghost Recon is not based on any of his books.

<i>Unreal II: The Awakening</i> 2003 video game

Unreal II: The Awakening is a first-person shooter video game developed by Legend Entertainment and published by Infogrames under the Atari brand for Microsoft Windows, the game was later ported to Microsoft's Xbox console by Tantalus. It is the sequel to the 1998 video game Unreal and part of the franchise of the same name. Cliff Bleszinski was an executive producer for the title.

<i>Tribes 2</i> 2001 video game

Tribes 2 is a first-person shooter multiplayer video game developed by Dynamix and published by Sierra On-Line in 2001 as a sequel to Starsiege: Tribes.

Tribes is a series of five science fiction first-person shooter video games released between 1998 and 2012. The game plot is set in the far future. The series includes Starsiege: Tribes, Tribes 2, Tribes: Aerial Assault, Tribes: Vengeance, and Tribes: Ascend. Tribes is a spin-off series from the mecha simulation series Metaltech.

<i>Tribes: Vengeance</i> 2004 video game

Tribes: Vengeance is a science fiction first-person shooter video game developed by Irrational Games and released by Vivendi Universal Games in October 2004. It was built on an enhanced version of the Unreal Engine 2/2.5, which Irrational Games called the Vengeance engine. Part of the Tribes series, in addition to its multiplayer network maps, Vengeance includes a complete single-player campaign.

<i>Starsiege</i> 1999 video game

Starsiege is a mecha-style vehicle simulation game developed by Dynamix and released in 1999. Starsiege is set in the Metaltech/Earthsiege universe, which contains its predecessors Earthsiege (1994), Battledrome (1994), and Earthsiege 2 (1996). This universe also includes action game Hunter Hunted (1996), strategy games Mission Force: Cyberstorm (1996) and Cyberstorm 2: Corporate Wars (1998). It also includes the sequels Starsiege: Tribes and all subsequent Tribes titles. In 2015, this game and the rest of the Metaltech/Tribes series were released as freeware by Hi-Rez Studios, but Battledrome and the Cyberstorm series were not.

<i>Tribes: Aerial Assault</i> 2002 video game

Tribes: Aerial Assault is an online first-person shooter video game released for PlayStation 2 in 2002 by Sierra Entertainment. It was one of the first PlayStation 2 titles designed almost exclusively for online play and was the first online PlayStation 2 shooter that supports both modem and broadband connections. It was announced in tandem with Sony's online strategy for the PlayStation 2 at E3 2001.

<i>Metaltech: Earthsiege</i> 1994 video game

Metaltech: Earthsiege is a mecha-style simulation video game developed by Dynamix and released in 1994.

<i>Earthsiege 2</i> 1996 video game

Earthsiege 2 is a mech-style vehicle simulation game developed by Dynamix, produced by Frank Evers (NYPH), and released in 1996. Earthsiege 2 is set in the Earthsiege universe, which contains its predecessors Earthsiege (1994) and Battledrome (1995), as well as the action game Hunter Hunted (1996), strategy games MissionForce: CyberStorm (1997) and Cyberstorm 2: Corporate Wars (1998), simulation Starsiege (1999), and first-person shooters Starsiege: Tribes (1999), Tribes 2 (2001), Tribes: Aerial Assault (2002), Tribes: Vengeance (2004) and Tribes: Ascend (2012).

<i>Global Agenda</i> 2010 video game

Global Agenda is a class-based shooter online team-based game by Hi-Rez Studios developed using Unreal Engine 3. Global Agenda was started in 2005 as the studio's first project. The game went live on February 1, 2010. In April 2011, Global Agenda was re-released as a free-to-play game. The game's servers were shut down in 2018 and reopened in 2022.

<i>Rift</i> (video game) 2011 video game

Rift is a fantasy free-to-play massively multiplayer online role-playing game developed by Trion Worlds. Rift takes place within the fantasy world of Telara. Two competing factions, composed of a selection of races and classes, battle each other and the enemies who emerge from dynamic "rifts". The game was released in March 2011. A port of the game, called Rift Mobile, was released for Android on January 25, 2012.

<i>Blacklight: Retribution</i> 2012 video game

Blacklight: Retribution is a free-to-play first-person shooter video game developed and published by Hardsuit Labs for Microsoft Windows and PlayStation 4. It was initially published by Perfect World Entertainment on April 3, 2012, with a full Steam release on July 2. A PS4 version was released as a launch title in North America on November 15, 2013, followed by Europe on December 4.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hi-Rez Studios</span> American video game company

Hi-Rez Studios is an American video game developer and publisher. The company was established in 2005 by Erez Goren and Todd Harris. Hi-Rez Studios' games include the squad-based shooter Global Agenda, the critically acclaimed Tribes: Ascend, the third-person MOBA Smite, the hero shooter Paladins, and the third-person shooter Rogue Company. In 2012, Hi-Rez Studios was recognized as a Top 30 Video-Game Developer by Game Developer Magazine and Gamasutra. Hi-Rez are the current owners of the Metaltech license, including Battledrome, Earthsiege, Starsiege, the CyberStorm series, and the Tribes series. With the exception of Battledrome and CyberStorm, the games were released as freeware by Hi-Rez on October 30, 2015.

Smite is a 2014 free-to-play, third-person multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) video game developed and published by Hi-Rez Studios for Microsoft Windows, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and Amazon Luna. In Smite, players control a god, goddess or other mythological figure and take part in team-based combat, using their abilities and tactics against other player-controlled gods and non-player-controlled minions.

<i>Loadout</i> 2014 video game

Loadout was a free-to-play multiplayer third-person shooter developed by Edge of Reality. It was released on Steam for Microsoft Windows, then co-published as a special PlayStation 4 version with P-40 Online Entertainment. Loadout focused on arcade-style multiplayer firefights across a variety of modes and used exaggerated cartoon gore. Players could alter the appearance of their in-game avatar, as well as the properties of their weapons using in-game currency.

<i>Paladins</i> (video game) 2018 video game

Paladins: Champions of the Realm is a 2018 free-to-play online hero shooter video game by Hi-Rez. The game was developed by Evil Mojo, an internal studio of Hi-Rez and was released on May 8, 2018 for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One, followed by a Nintendo Switch version released on June 12, 2018.

Mordhau is a multiplayer medieval hack and slash fighting game developed by the independent Slovenian studio Triternion, with a prominent aspect of skill-based competitive play and customization. It features a combat system emphasizing hand-to-hand combat, loosely based on historical techniques such as feints, redirection, and alternative use of weapons. Other features include ranged weapons, siege engines and mounted combat. The game was released on April 29, 2019 for Windows via Steam. Versions for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S were released on July 12 2023.

<i>Realm Royale</i> 2018 video game

Realm Royale is a free-to-play third-person shooter battle royale game developed by Heroic Leap Games. The game features multiple character classes each with unique abilities. It is a spin-off of the hero shooter Paladins, where it originated as a game mode known as Paladins: Battlegrounds. The game was released for Microsoft Windows via Steam's early access program in June 2018, with versions for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One released two months later. Realm Royale entered open beta on PS4 and Xbox One on January 22, 2019. On May 24, 2019, the game entered closed beta on Nintendo Switch and went into open beta on June 20, 2019. On August 22, 2022, the game was relaunched and updated as Realm Royale Reforged, marking the first update to the game since February 2020.

<i>Rogue Company</i> 2022 free-to-play third-person shooter video game

Rogue Company is a free-to-play multiplayer tactical third-person hero shooter video game developed by First Watch Games and published by Hi-Rez Studios. The game was released in open beta on October 1, 2020 for Microsoft Windows via the Epic Games Store, Steam, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, with an Xbox Series X/S release following on November 25, 2020, and a PlayStation 5 release on March 30, 2021. The game features full support for cross-platform play and cross-progression. The game takes inspiration from the Counter-Strike series of tactical shooters. The game came out of the Beta on May 23, 2022.

XDefiant is a free-to-play first-person shooter video game developed by Ubisoft San Francisco and published by Ubisoft. XDefiant is currently in development and is set to be released on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. On PC, the game will be released exclusively on Ubisoft Connect.

References

  1. ↑ Lahti, Evan (11 March 2011). "Shazbot! Tribes: Ascend announced. Multiplayer-only, coming this year, has trailer". PC Gamer. Future Publishing. Archived from the original on 22 March 2012. Retrieved 24 March 2012.
  2. ↑ Kolan, Nick (2012-02-22). "Tribes Ascend Entering Open Beta". IGN. Archived from the original on 2023-02-06. Retrieved 2023-02-06.
  3. ↑ "Tribes: Ascend release date announced". Eurogamer . 9 March 2012. Archived from the original on 6 February 2023. Retrieved 6 February 2023.
  4. ↑ "Tribes: Ascend Game of The Year Edition Now LIVE". .hirezstudios.com. Archived from the original on 2013-10-24. Retrieved 2013-08-21.
  5. ↑ "Tribes: Ascend on Steam". Store.steampowered.com. 2012-06-27. Archived from the original on 2013-08-13. Retrieved 2013-08-21.
  6. ↑ "No major updates for Tribes Ascend in the next six months". Eurogamer.net. 2013-07-12. Archived from the original on 2023-02-06. Retrieved 2023-02-06.
  7. ↑ "Tribes Ascend dev Hi-Rez addresses players' "misinformed conclusions"". Eurogamer.net. 2013-09-13. Archived from the original on 2023-02-06. Retrieved 2023-02-06.
  8. ↑ Pereira, Chris (August 28, 2015). "Two Years After Development Ceased, Tribes: Ascend Being Supported Again". GameSpot . Archived from the original on August 29, 2015. Retrieved August 29, 2015.
  9. ↑ "Out of the Blue Tribes:Ascend Version 1.1, December 10th, 2015". Archived from the original on 2015-12-14. Retrieved 2015-12-11. Out of the Blue Tribes:Ascend Version 1.1, December 10th, 2015
  10. ↑ Joe Donnelly (2016-09-29). "Tribes: Ascend will not receive further updates". PC Gamer. Archived from the original on 2023-02-06. Retrieved 2023-02-06.
  11. ↑ Joe Donnelly (2016-09-29). "Tribes: Ascend will not receive further updates". PC Gamer. Archived from the original on 2023-02-06. Retrieved 2023-02-06.
  12. ↑ HiRezTodd (29 June 2011). "Why Loadouts?". Hi-Rez Studios. Archived from the original on 23 September 2011. Retrieved 14 March 2012.
  13. ↑ "Yak Cast 50 Interview with Todd Harris from Hi-Rez Studios". Yak Cast (Podcast). WordPress. August 2011. Retrieved 24 March 2012.
  14. ↑ ClevverGames (29 August 2011). Tribes: Ascend Hands On Demo With Todd Harris - PAX Prime 2011. YouTube. Retrieved 24 March 2012.
  15. ↑ O'Connor, Alice (2015-09-07). "Tribes: Ascend's First Patch In Over 2 Years". Rock, Paper, Shotgun. Archived from the original on 2022-11-30. Retrieved 2022-11-30.
  16. ↑ obsidiafr (21 August 2011). Tribes Ascend - Interview vidéo avec Todd Harris - Gamescom 2011. YouTube. Retrieved 24 March 2012.
  17. ↑ "No plans for Tribes: Ascend on PS3 and Xbox 360". Eurogamer.net. 2012-05-03. Archived from the original on 2023-02-22. Retrieved 2023-02-22.
  18. ↑ "Tribes: Ascend". Metacritic . Archived from the original on 2020-11-12. Retrieved 2012-06-19.
  19. ↑ Stanton, Rich (2012-04-19). "Tribes Ascend Review". Edge. Archived from the original on 2014-12-15. Retrieved 2016-05-27.
  20. ↑ Stanton, Rich (2012-04-12). "Tribes Ascend Review". Eurogamer . Archived from the original on 2020-11-12. Retrieved 2012-04-14.
  21. ↑ Stanton, Rich (2012-04-19). "Tribes Ascend Review". Archived from the original on 2019-06-17. Retrieved 2012-04-19.
  22. ↑ Stanton, Rich (2012-04-19). "Tribes Ascend Review". Archived from the original on April 23, 2012. Retrieved 2012-04-19.
  23. ↑ Lahti, Evan (2012-04-12). "Tribes: Ascend review". PC Gamer . Archived from the original on 2014-09-25. Retrieved 2014-04-14.
  24. ↑ "Tribes: Ascend for PC Reviews". Metacritic. Archived from the original on 2020-11-12. Retrieved 2013-08-21.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.