"Tribes: Ascend" is a free-to-play, multiplayer first-person shooter set in a futuristic sci-fi world. Players choose from various classes, each with unique weapons and abilities, and compete in fast-paced objective-based matches. The game is known for its emphasis on skiing and jetpacks, allowing for high-speed traversal and intense, strategic battles.
Fast-paced gameplay with unique skiing mechanics that make movement exhilarating.
Offers a variety of weapons and classes, allowing for diverse playstyles and strategies.
Despite being largely abandoned, the game still has a dedicated community and can be fun with friends.
Severe connectivity issues and inability to create accounts hinder the gameplay experience.
The removal of the class system and many weapons has led to a less engaging and balanced game.
The player base is dwindling, making it difficult to find matches and enjoy the game fully.
gameplay
470 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
42%
55%
3%
The gameplay of "Tribes: Ascend" is characterized by its unique skiing mechanic, which allows for fast-paced movement and dynamic combat, making it stand out among first-person shooters. Players appreciate the high skill ceiling and the blend of strategy and speed, although some express frustration with the steep learning curve and the game's declining player base. While the core mechanics are praised for their originality and fun, server issues and a lack of updates have hindered the overall experience for many.
“The skiing and momentum-based projectile mechanics were truly something unique to multiplayer shooters, and I enjoyed every moment of playing it when it released.”
“Fast-paced, intense, high learning curve, incredibly competitive gameplay that revolves around team objectives; Tribes: Ascend is no doubt a terrific sequel to the Tribes franchise over the past years.”
“The gameplay is fun, simple, and memorable.”
“Despite its promising gameplay mechanics and fast-paced action, the ongoing server issues detract from any enjoyment the game may offer.”
“Gameplay stagnation led to players optimizing their loadouts, which resulted in games becoming repetitive as victory relied on brainless tactics over skill as players honed into the most optimal strategies.”
“The community is dead and the gameplay has become boring.”
graphics
210 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
55%
37%
8%
The graphics of the game have received a mixed response from users, with many praising their quality and detail, especially considering the game's age. While some players appreciate the vibrant visuals and smooth performance, others criticize the graphics as outdated or demanding on lower-end systems. Overall, the consensus leans towards the graphics being a strong point, enhancing the gameplay experience, but there is a desire for updates to bring them in line with modern standards.
“The graphics are phenomenal for a game that is six years old.”
“This game is amazing for its smooth gameplay and great graphics, many game modes, classes, and more.”
“The graphics are beautiful and full of life.”
“1992 graphics.”
“This game was made in 2012 and has the graphics of a 2002 console FPS.”
“It's disappointing that the graphics are 2003-quality and the maps are tiny.”
grinding
43 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
2%
98%
The reviews indicate a mixed sentiment towards grinding in the game, with some players appreciating the reduced grind compared to other titles, while others find it still quite tedious, especially for new players. Many note that while grinding can be necessary to unlock weapons and upgrades, the game offers a fairer progression system that allows for in-game purchases to alleviate the grind. Overall, the experience of grinding varies, with some enjoying the challenge it presents, while others see it as a barrier to enjoyment.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“Grinding for level 50 not fun.”
“All I could see in my not very bright t: a future was grinding, grinding, grinding.”
“Even after halving the requirements, still a lot of grinding for weapons, classes, and upgrades.”
story
36 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
73%
8%
The reviews highlight a mixed reception regarding the story aspect of the game, with many players noting a lack of a coherent or engaging narrative. While some appreciate the creativity and varied gameplay, others express disappointment over the absence of a single-player campaign or a meaningful storyline, leading to a perception of the game as primarily focused on multiplayer mechanics rather than storytelling. Overall, the consensus suggests that while the gameplay may be enjoyable, the story is often seen as either nonexistent or underdeveloped.
“The story is told entirely through multiplayer games, where the players themselves get to choose the character's dialogue.”
“It details the story of the two tribes that began their venture forth after Egbert and Lalonde messed up again.”
“An epic story about shazbots who want to go fast.”
“What makes this game so gorgeous is not only its creativity with the gameplay, mechanics and weapons, but also a certain simplicity: there is a concept, but no campaign, no special missions.”
“There is no story, no timeline, nothing.”
“The story is also very unimaginative.”
humor
31 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
94%
6%
The humor in the game is a standout feature, with players appreciating its fast-paced, fun gameplay and the amusing interactions within the community, including funny usernames and voice acting. While some critiques mention frustrations with gameplay mechanics, many find the overall experience entertaining and filled with humorous moments, making it a lighthearted alternative to more serious shooters. The game's unique twists and comedic elements contribute to its charm, despite some players feeling it could be frustrating for newcomers.
“It's a very nice and funny game...probably among the best multiplayer shooters...I say you give it a shot.”
“Fun and really interesting, the skiing and jetpack combo is hilariously fun.”
“This game is really funny and exciting; it has good graphics.”
“Quit making Sonic the Hedgehog jokes; that stuff isn't funny.”
monetization
28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
11%
60%
29%
The monetization aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players criticizing the prevalence of microtransactions and their impact on gameplay balance, often feeling that they create a "pay-to-win" environment. While some appreciate that the game remains free-to-play and allows for earning items through gameplay, others express frustration over the grind required to unlock content and the developers' perceived focus on cash grabs. Despite an upcoming update aimed at reducing non-cosmetic microtransactions, the overall sentiment suggests that monetization has significantly tarnished the game's legacy and player experience.
“Given that it's a free-to-play game, there are microtransactions, but nothing is pay-to-win.”
“Another refreshing thing about this game was the absence of pay-to-win microtransactions.”
“I recommend this to anyone; the in-game purchases are not broken, which is nice because you can earn everything.”
“Lost too many players because of really stupid monetization policies, let's make everything unlockable for pennies on the dollar, further alienating any of the original players left.”
“Through awful customer support, terrible anti-cheat, and dreaded microtransactions up the wazoo, they managed to tarnish a legacy that could have been remembered for decades.”
“Sadly, it is clearly a game developed around microtransactions, and it takes an absurd amount of time to get that one weapon you've been eyeing.”
stability
25 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
12%
88%
The game's stability is widely criticized, with numerous users reporting frequent crashes, glitches, and issues with the launcher that prevent gameplay. Many players experienced significant bugs affecting quests, menus, and graphics, leading to frustration and uninstallation. While some found the game enjoyable, the overall consensus highlights a pressing need for improved stability and troubleshooting support.
“This is a great free-to-play game; it's very fun and bug-free.”
“This game will teach you what your everyday fast-paced shooters should be. It runs great on low-spec laptops and PCs.”
“I would definitely recommend this game to everyone who wants to find a game that has people and isn't buggy.”
“I am not even able to play the game anymore, as its launcher is so buggy and bad, that the installation is corrupted every single time.”
“The game is really buggy too; it crashes frequently and doesn't work on many new machines.”
“They left it here to rot, full of bugs and glitches that ruined the experience.”
optimization
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
35%
40%
25%
The game's optimization is a mixed bag, with some players experiencing excellent performance on medium to high-end rigs, while others report severe issues like stuttering and poor server performance, particularly on low-end systems. Many reviews highlight a lack of responsiveness from the developers regarding optimization concerns, leading to frustration among the community. Overall, while some players find the game runs smoothly and is visually appealing, others criticize its poor optimization and numerous bugs.
“The game even runs smoothly on my sub-par PC.”
“Tribes: Ascend is also well optimized technically, and can achieve 60 fps or higher on most systems, including on some laptops.”
“An excellent team-based shooter with high-paced action, appealing modern graphics, and solid optimization.”
“Really badly optimized, not really useful weapons and it's hard to have fun in the first games; the skill level isn't counted in matchmaking.”
“The game was good (when it worked), though abandoned by the developer, left unoptimized and with many bugs.”
“8.5/10, with points lost for a bad matchmaking system, high master server pings for no reason, poor optimization, and a bad developer that ignores the community.”
music
19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
42%
42%
16%
The music in the game is generally praised for enhancing the gameplay experience, with players noting its ability to create an exciting atmosphere, especially during key moments like capturing the flag. While some find the soundtrack enjoyable and fitting, others feel it could be more varied to avoid repetitiveness. Overall, the sound design and music contribute positively to the game's fast-paced action, making it a memorable aspect for many players.
“In capture the flag, when you capture it, the music changes to make you feel like a total badass.”
“The soundtrack and sound design is particularly good.”
“This game is just spectacular, the music is great, the graphics are outstanding and yeah everyone must have this game in their library.”
“And I miss that something special in this type of game, the music in battles, some basic story, and I assure you that you will get far more profit out of this one than Paladins!”
“The soundtrack isn't the best I've ever listened to, but it puts a nice tempo into the game.”
“I can't find the app that is playing music; it shows no activity that I can see.”
emotional
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is described as deeply impactful, evoking strong feelings of heartbreak and nostalgia, with players experiencing intense moments of joy and despair. Many reviewers highlight the game's ability to resonate on a personal level, making it a memorable emotional journey, despite some expressing frustration with the game's developers. Overall, it is characterized as an emotional rollercoaster that touches on themes of friendship and the human spirit.
“I cried so many nights.”
“Tears welled up in his eyes when he realized what exactly was at stake.”
“A touching game about jetpacks, friendship, and the human spirit.”
replayability
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
14%
43%
Overall, the game's replayability is mixed; while some players praise its high skill ceiling and engaging mechanics, others criticize the limited online functionality and lack of content, which diminishes the incentive to replay. The absence of a storyline contributes to a perception of high replay value for some, but the grind for weapons and equipment can make the experience feel repetitive.
“High skill ceiling and plenty of replayability.”
“A blast in every sense of the word: one of the most replayable games I've had the pleasure of playing.”
“-no storyline so maximum replayability.”
“The lack of reliable online functionality severely limits the game's appeal and replay value, leaving players unable to fully experience its potential.”
“Replay value: n/a”
“-no storyline so maximum replayability”
atmosphere
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
20%
20%
The game's atmosphere is characterized by a thrilling blend of high-energy gameplay and expansive landscapes, reminiscent of the Star Wars universe, which fosters a sense of freedom and epicness. Players appreciate the unique mechanics and team-based objectives, although some feel that certain elements, like automatic weapons, detract from the overall experience. Overall, the atmosphere is engaging and enjoyable, contributing significantly to the game's appeal.
“Has the atmosphere and backstory of Star Wars mixed with huge landscapes, goal-based team play, lots of players, and unique mechanics and playstyle for combat.”
“However, I like the overall atmosphere, scale, feelings of freedom, free movements in three dimensions, and feelings of epicness.”
“This game is the definition of several things: high-octane dynamic adrenaline-fueled gameplay, fluid mechanics and gameplay (mostly), great unique weapons and abilities, and an overall enjoyable atmosphere while playing.”
“Other than automatic weapons ruining the atmosphere, this is an amazing game.”