Rapid Reality: Two More Games

The gameplay of Machines is predominately based on player vs. player FPS action and territorial warfare, but by incorporating role-playing elements, such as dynamic character development in a persistent world, it becomes much more than just a high-scoring deathmatch. Players may join one of several NPC factions or splinter off to form and manage their own, fighting over natural resources, provinces, and glory. Character creation begins with selecting one of eight different chassis: Juggernauts, the towering lords of the open battlefield; RepCons, enormous repair and construction platforms; Mechas, agile humanoid robots extremely capable in melee combat; Androids, who use advanced interpersonal algorithms to influence others; AltSubs, capable of manipulating electricity in amazing ways due to their unique physical properties; Drones, smaller utility droids with unparalleled fine manipulation skills; ToyBots, a cute, misleading stature concealing a machine with incredible stealth capabilities; and finally Digital Entities, collections of programs and data that have no physical form, but instead rule the computer systems and communication lines.

Machines takes place on an artificial world called Satellite, constructed entirely of metal and synthetics. All of its inhabitants are likewise composed of inorganic materials, thinking with processors, moving on hydraulics, interacting in algorithms, and observing their environment through electronic sensors. Satellite itself is as vertical as it is horizontal, with skyscrapers towering far above the surface and cavernous tunnels reaching just as far below. Navigating requires legs, wheels, jets, or anything else a character can find to attach to their base chassis. They can swap out software for different skills, insert hardware modules for increased functionality, or even swap out entire limbs.

Survival Instinct - website

To anyone who thinks that victory in a first-person shooter requires only a big gun and enough ammo to mow down everyone else on one tiny little map, Survival Instinct is going to be a complete surprise. Although it uses an FPS interface and focuses on ranged weaponry in combat, making your way in this post-apocalyptic thriller takes just as much intellect as hand-eye coordination. In a world devoid of the infrastructure humanity currently relies on, things like communications, mass transit, and financial stability, a winter coat becomes just as valuable as a rifle. The choice between a box of ammo and a bag of rations suddenly doesn't seem so clear.

Survival Instinct is largely player vs. player oriented, but the player vs. environment factor takes on a literal meaning as characters must struggle against wildlife, hunger, and the weather itself to succeed. Resource management is very important, and people gather into groups for protection, not just taking down the next area boss. Do you charge in and try to kill everything you see, or do you reconsider meaningless combat, thinking what would happen if you broke your only knife or wasted ammo you might need later? Survival Instinct aims to add an exciting new element to MMORPGs, one in which the world itself is a challenge in addition to the people and creatures in it.