EVE Online Review

EVE Online is a free to play 3D MMORPG, by CCP. Possibly the greatest and one of the most awarded sci-fi MMORPG to date, EVE Online, launched back in 2003, still manages to stretch out and break most of the known gaming frontiers for a good reason. To deliver an exemplary space exploration experience, a magnificent and unmatched multi-layered journey of incredible breadth and depth that is still one of its kind.

Set some 20.000 years in the future, humans have managed to achieve travel between solar systems through jump-gates. Following a catastrophic event where the first gate built collapses, cutting off humans from planet earth, chaos ensues and lasts for thousand years. Within this dramatic period, knowledge and technology is lost and colonies strive for survival. Eventually, through the uplift of humanity, various coalitions are formed and the new empires try to protect their heritage and power.

Players will have the option to shape their experience freely in the vast, open space environments of EVE.  You will choose your starship from a great pool of choices, travel between various solar systems and exercise strategic business, relationship and combat decision-making. Available in two different versions, EVE offers the “Alpha” version free, including some of the most popular ships; which is a great option for new or returning players. For the more experienced users or those who like to have no access limitations, the optional “Omega” version is also there in order to unlock the full EVE experience, offering unlimited access to ships, skills and modules.

At a first glance, the game environment and the user interface may prove intimidating for some players, as there is much complicated info around. Nevertheless, if you pay close attention to the guidelines during every step of the way, you will not face any issues at all. Starting from the character creation process, you will move on to choosing your starting skills and abilities and end up in your spacecraft to complete certain tutorial missions in order to get acquainted with the core mechanics of flying in space, fighting, completing missions and objectives, earning money and rewards, developing your skills and upgrading your ships and weapons.

It should be noted that EVE is a game that can be also enjoyed solo, meaning that it is not necessary to be part of a group of other players in order to advance or enjoy the game. However, the true experience lies in the heart of grouping; thus becoming a member of a Corporation. These guilds, called Corporations, can form alliances, engage in collective resource mining and trade with other groups or even declare war if they are unhappy with certain relationships. Various decisions go through an innovative member voting system, where the team members express their opinions and the Corporation’s leader can decide on the course of action and weight his shareholders’ voices to avoid being voted down and removed from his leading role.

Presentation is jaw dropping. Marvelous rendered environments and ships, amazing effects and life-like animations, excellent sounds, great user interface. Most elements look and feel right, totally immersing you to the experience. Centered around exploration, discovery, war, people and a very strong and active community, EVE is a living universe. It is about unlimited choices, politics, player relationships, careful decision-making, continuous balancing of risks versus rewards and personalized story evolution. It is an epic game of tremendous value.