Firefall was launched (finally!) a couple of days ago and we got the chance to check it out. FYI, in case you don’t know about it, Firefall is a fast-paced sci-fi third person MMORPG from Red 5 Studios. Though the game is free to play the game has launched with two purchasable digital packs, the Digital Deluxe Edition ($99.99) and the Digital Starter Pack ($29.99) that gives players access to a number of in game unique items and VIP status, we were privileged enough to get the chance to have access to a Digital Deluxe Edition account to try out the new items as well as checking out the game in general, which we hadn’t done since beta.
For a quick overview of what the game is about. Essentially in the future we discovered the space folding technology for travelling across space, using a pioneering ship known as the Arclight. On its maiden voyage from Fortaleza, Brazil, the ship suffered problems and pretty much ended up crashing back down to Earth. The Arclight engaged its engines opened up some dimensional rip known as the Melding and from that the Chosen (alien bad guys) appeared to try and take over the world with Brazil turning into a complete warzone. So onto the game.
First things first, the developers have completely changed the initial tutorial mode for the game, where previously players started life in a futuristic training bunker, shooting down droids and learning the basics of control and their gear the developers have taken a completely different turn, and instead now drop you in the middle of combat. Copacabana is in the middle of a huge Chosen invasion and your squad is being dropped right in the middle of battle, moving forward as part of a defensive force, completing objectives whilst trying to recover the decimated area and get the city’s shield backup online. In the middle of battle. Players see the five primary battleframes in action (the five main classes) and get to choose which one they want to use in the fight. [SPOILER] In actual fact the invasion is just a virtual simulation prepping the player for their arrival in the as of yet uncontested area of Copacabana, which is the starting zone for the game.
One of our favourite things about the game is that players are not locked into a specific battleframe for their class and can switch between them independently at a battleframe station, and one of the perks of the Digital Deluxe Edition is that players gain access to all 11 of the advanced battleframes, which would otherwise have to be purchased using in game Beans currency, as well as an exclusive battleframe Cobalt Phoenix warpaint. We took a couple of the new battleframes out for a spin in our play test and they all handled really well, though voice so we were unable to give any of them an extensive play through.
Two of the perks that we gained from not only the Deluxe accounts but also from attaining VIP status (which does come as part of the Deluxe account) were to cosmetic pets, including a Red Pander and a Little Claw, but the most impressive item and were our transport. With the pack. We gained access to the all terrain armoured jeep, a two-man vehicle that can have one person driving whilst the other sits in the passenger seat able to fire at enemies in a drive-by. As well as this we gained access to our own personal glider, which we could drop onto the ground to help all is cover large distances quickly, it even had rainbow wings… so yes, pretty awesome.
Finally, we also hard 200 Beans that we could spend in the store, as well as having 90 days of VIP status, which gave us XP and resources boosts to help us get ahead in the game, which can only be purchased in the shop using the premium beans currency. There are a number of other little perks that go with the Deluxe status, such as titles and some out of game downloads such as soundtrack and concept art.
As far as the game goes, it seems to be working as well as it did in the beta, we managed to do some questing in some open world areas which heads into a bunker, as well as to one of the thumper sites, the huge harvester pods that gather up resources over time, but are attacked by enemies for the duration, forcing players to defend wave after wave until the resources are extracted. The harvester was just a quest mission, but players are able to drop these at almost any point/location in the game to gather their own resources.
Combat is pretty fast and intense, players are often swarmed with mobs of fast-moving enemies, though with a little skill, some powerful weapons and the use of your jet pack that allows players to fly around for a limited duration, it’s still very exciting and fun. The graphics hold up well in the world design is pretty amazing, given that the developers have to account into the fact that players are free to move vertically at any point, using their jet pack there’s plenty of high ledges and low valleys to discover the little exploration.
If you want to know more, visit our profile by clicking on the "info" button below. And, by the way, soon enough we'll publish a first look video so you can see the game in motion.
Really nice game!!