Codemasters has signed up NetDevil's space-based MMO Jumpgate Evolution and will release the game later this year in Europe and North America.
This is the revision of NetDevil's original Jumpgate that released in 2001, and the "blockbuster" MMO that Codemasters said a few days back it was to reveal soon.
It's not quite the blockbuster announcement it was hyped up to be, but that's PR spiel for you.
Anyway, It emerged last year that the NetDevil was giving the title a fresh lick of paint and pumping it full of gameplay additions and features.
Jumpgate Evolution features space combat, exploration and trade, so it's kind of like Elite meets the MMO. Or Eve Online. It's actually a pretty spectacle, as you can see for yourself in the movie running on the game's official website.
So long as it's not as slow and hardcore as Eve, I'll be willing to try it.
We need more Sci-Fi MMO's, I think. Eve's alright (hell, I've been playing Eve on and off for over 3 years, but it's too damn slow and deep for me), and Tabula Rasa's ok (didn't really grab me though, sadly), but I really want a decent sci-fi MMO that is all spacey and shooty and good. Like a Buck Rogers MMO, sort of thing. Focus more on the fun and combat side, and less on the Excel spreadsheet and slooooooowness of Eve.
Considering how many first person Elite-style space mmorpg's are currently in existence (i count 3, including the original jumpgate), you at PC Zone should be a bit more excited about the imminent release of Jumpgate Evolution.
I have played the original game for about 7 years now. The main reason for this is that it was THE ONLY FRIKKIN ONE OUT THERE. A situation which still continues to a degree. Obviously you will cite EVE online, but EVE is as similar to Jumpgate as Doom is to Crysis. They are both set in space - thats pretty much it as far as similarities go. EVE is more of an RTS in the way it plays out, Jumpgate (original and evolution) are seat of your pants hardcore top gun s**t that leaves you shaking with adrenaline after each and every battle. The only thing about EVE that makes me shake is the bill at the end of the month.
You may also cite Freelancer, and you'd be a lot closer this time, but Freelancer has a very arcadey flight model, whereas Jumpgate has a flight sim flight model. Freelancer isn't quite persistent universe either - players providing the servers, making it more like a game of BF2.
That leaves a Brazilian game called Taikodom, which is mildly impressive, but Brazilian fer fecks sake, and an indie game called Vendetta online, which may not even exist anymore.
Considering how excited you get over Generic Dice Roll MMORPG XVIII, not to mention the 15 games released the same month that are to all intents and purposes exactly the same hack and slash kill rats to level up dungeons and dragon crap, one would think that PC Zone might actually give Jumpgate Evolution some attention, as it is in a badly undernourished genre.
Or you could just go play WoW....or Everquest 2....or Archlord.....or RF Online.....or D&D online...or LOTRO or - well, you get the picture.
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