OK so I got a little nitpicky with the graphics and environment but I think the game play in Tribes is excellent. With so many items, weapons and armor types to choose from, it seems like the possibilities are endless. You spawn as a light armor player but you can change to any one of three different armor classes. Simply head to an inventory station and you're able to buy new armor, weapons, and items. To help with play balance, armor type limits your choice of weapons. Only heavy armor can use the powerful mortar, while only light armor is allowed to carry the devious laser rifle. We'll delve more into the weapons later. Another aspect that the armor affects is player mobility. Every player has a jet pack that lets you fly for short distances or simply move faster laterally. Heavy armor moves really slowly and the jet pack is practically useless for getting off the ground. Light armor lets you fly great distances and run fast but with just a couple of well placed shots you'll get smoked.

After trying out all the armor types I really hated the heavy armor. You can take quite a pounding but the inability to move around and dodge was very limiting to me. Some players may find the heavy armor to their liking but I consider myself more of a finesse player - I just couldn't stand the clunky feeling you get when using the heavy class. Medium armor was a nice compromise. It allows you to carry more weapons than the light armor, and you've got almost the same mobility plus you can take more of a pounding than the light armor allows.