PVP:Yes | Distribution: | Retail Price:$49.99 | Pay Type:Free | Monthly Fee:n/a
Desktop Client | System Req:
Global Agenda Previews: Inside Beta: PvE
Directly from beta, MMORPG.com writer Bill Murphy writes this look at Hi-Rez Studios' Global Agenda and the game's PvE mechanics.
By William Murphy on January 12, 2010
Global Agenda, from fledgling developer Hi-Rez Studios, is something of an odd beast in the MMO world. It's not quite a persistent open-world MMORPG, and it's not quite simply a competitive online shooter. As a mix of both, with a payment model that reflects its hybrid nature, Global Agenda is something of an intriguing market experiment. But the question of what kind of game it really is doesn't quite matter as much as the one you're probably eager to know: is it any good?
I recently had the chance to dive into the beta, and while the big bullet point feature called the Conquest System was not available for testing this past weekend, I did get a fair amount of time in with the PvE Missions and the PvP Missions. Both are instanced chunks of content intended to be the quick and casual methods of character advancement in Global Agenda's grander scheme of things. But let's back up a bit and give you some background on just what Global Agenda is all about.
As the game's official website states, Global Agenda is certainly an MMO... it's just not quite what you may be used to from the genre. When you buy the game, you needn't pay a subscription, and with your one-time purchase you can keep playing the base multiplayer game until they turn the servers off. But by paying the required thirteen dollars a month, you can open the range of what's available for you to enjoy tenfold.
Auctions, crafting, achievements, additional gear and character customization, and most importantly the world domination campaign are all gated by the subscription. There is no open world to traverse, killing NPCs and other players, all the while picking up quests via yellow exclamation points and learning about an overall narrative. Global Agenda's gameplay is entirely based on instanced content with a hub called Dome City serving as the main player congregation area. No matter if you're paying or not, all players will be able to interact, play with, and against each other via the PvE and PvP missions that come with the initial purchase of the game.
;)
The setting is 22nd-century Earth and a global disaster has allowed a tyrannical organization called the Commonwealth to take control. The population of the entire planet is under a billion people and there is a shortage of habitable land. The future tech in place allows limited regions of the planet to be cleansed and fighting breaks out over these areas and their control. Players make up the Agencies (guilds) and Alliances (guild alliances) that fight both against the tyrannical Commonwealth and each other over these pieces of land and the accompanying resources. The backdrop of Global Agenda sets a bleak future for mankind... even in the face of extinction we're still busy fighting each other. But I'll be damned if the war at hand isn't fun.
Upon logging in players will be greeted with a fairly extensive character creation process in terms of visual options. After settling on a bald, square-jawed and bearded fellow, I picked one of the four available classes. Assault is your standard tank-like class, with lots of firepower and hitpoints at their disposal. Recon is all about stealth, speed, and quick deadly attacks. Robotics players specialize in defense with things like turrets and shields at their disposal. And lastly the Medic is the lifeline of any team with powers that focus on keeping his or her teammates alive and fighting. After going with the straightforward choice of Assault I was treated to a quick (and pretty entertaining) cinematic and thrust into the tutorial.
;)
Without spoiling the story of your entrance into the world of Global Agenda, you start off barefoot and in a skintight suit without a weapon to fire and no armor to deflect the fire of the enemy. Like a bite-sized version of a console adventure game, as you progress through the tutorial you'll pick up a melee weapon which does considerable damage when up close to your enemy, a jetpack for evading and speeding up travel across the maps, a standard-issue assault rifle, your first suit of armor and your class-specific weapon. For the Assault class this was a rather lethal mini-gun. You'll also have at your disposal a timed reusable temporary shield, an accuracy boost item and grenades to supplement your base instruments of destruction and defense.
Equipment in Global Agenda seems to be handled a little differently than most MMO players might be used to. You're not going to go about killing bosses for loot or set pieces. And while you may get crafting components from PvE missions to help make certain pieces of equipment, the vast majority of your gear will come from either unlocks leveling or purchasing from vendors. What's more is that save for the melee weapon and jetpack, each item at a player's disposal uses a set number of item points. At level 7, I had 15 points at my disposal to assign to each item. There are four different ranks of each item and each rank requires a point. Being that I fell in love with my mini-gun I assigned it the rank of four in order to give it the highest damage output possible, and had 11 points left to disperse between my other equipment. Three went to my assault rifle (I was playing a primarily offensive class after all) and the rest I split pretty evenly between other items.
Thanks for this, really want to try this, but I fear the economy will force me to chose between GA and APB. I have been waiting to long for APB to back out now. I hope that a trial system gets integrated, and im sure it will.
Never knew that Global Agenda had PVE.
Is it possible to Solo in this, or does it always place you on a team of other players for every mission?
You don't automatically fail a mission at 4 deaths, you lose the bonus.
The variety of maps and bosses increases greatly as you gain access to higher levels.
There is no solo play, but teaming is automatic and the encounters are designed so that even a team of four of the same class can complete the mission--just takes teamwork.
Since I am unclear of the state of the NDA, all I will say about this game is this: DO NOT COUNT THIS GAME OUT. Remember, the vocal majority of unhappy people rant the loudest. Tribes had a massive following, as does TF2. This may wind up being a pretty damn good gem of an underdog, with a loyal following. I highly suggest you try it for yourself before passing sentence on this game.
Can you have a pre-determined group of 4 going into a PVE? or does it always random you? If there are no NPC's how do you get your group into PVE missions ?
Thanks in advance for any non asshattery responses
Yes you can queue up with a full group and go straight into PvE.
As for the second question, im not sure what you mean by no NPC's? To get into the PvE missions, you either go to this console thing in the city and choose a mission, or you can pull up the map and queue up for a mission also.
Yes you can queue up with a full group and go straight into PvE.
As for the second question, im not sure what you mean by no NPC's? To get into the PvE missions, you either go to this console thing in the city and choose a mission, or you can pull up the map and queue up for a mission also.
In many of the MMO's i have played, your group speaks to an NPC to get a mission ( ie city of villains ) then the group travels to the door. By what you are saying, the NPC is a computer that you can que missions from.
Thanks you were helpful
its a average shooter and a poor MMO.
Wait till conquest system if you get a chance to look at it during beta before laying out your hard earned cash.
Save your money buy TF2 on steam for £12 and have more fun.
TF2 doesnt have a monthly fee that grants access to all the features that matter.
If it had no monthly fee then this would be awesome however with a monthly fee its DOA.
I've played TF2 since it released (400+hrs logged) and am utterly bored to tears with it now. GA will fill the gap nicely. I can see myself playing it on and off for quite a while. Unsure about the conquest/subscription part of the game but the boxed price is a bargain for the amount of content you are getting.
With all the content there is in beta now, I can see myself playing that for a long time. The stuff that isn't in the beta would be stuff from sub, including conquest. Although conquest is on at set times, I haven't had a chance to touch that. I think conquest is a mix of eve with tf2. And I love that idea. Either way, majority of the game is really fun to me, and I'll be one to play and sub. Already got my Collector's pre-ordered.
High-Security PVE is some of the most fun I've had in an on-line game. In my opinion at least, it beats the heck out of most MMO's dungeons in terms of challenge (not tedium), teamwork and pure FUN.
Many will continue to scream about how this isn't a 'Traditional MMO', but it's really the best new MMO I've seen in a loong time ...
I hope this game will fare better than Hellgate London did as it seems they are quite similar but with added PvP. I'm definitely looking forward to this one
Is it the sub part that leads to the mmo part of the game?
While the game looks to be fun, the subscription part will kill it. FPS players who will be attracted to this game are not used to having to pay a fee to play. I wish them well, but they are facing an uphill battle.
Personally I don't consider it a MMO, just a moded FPS, but I can see it leans towards MMO's
Wow this game looks quite good, think I may try it out. Hope my laptop can run it though >.<
Same here. It feels very different from what I'm used to (in mmos) but I like it. The missions are actually hard! And, surprise surprise, grinding 5 other levels and coming back later wont make them much easier if you just suck at the game.
Subscription is totally optional. Whether or not the conquest system and crafting are worth subscribing for, I don't know. I bought the game because for the price of just the box, I can indefinitely jump in and play very fun, teamwork-oriented pvp and pve.
And there is an equal amount of irrational people who will delusionally praise the game's potential or substitute their faith in the developers to make up for the game's short comings. Then there are those who will praise the latest game regardless of how good it is just so they can "get back" at whatever game they "left". Oh, and let's not forget those that are actually paid to defend the game itself. Impossible to prove on a forum but such people do exist. Which one of those are you? Many people have been quoting what makes this game bad, giving very specific examples and such. You on the other hand say it is good... because it is. That is not a logical statement.
Yes, tribes had a massive following. Tf2 still does as well, but what does that have to do with the price of tea in china?