A review of Planeshift from a long time watcher

Boaal

Planeshift is one of those games that looks good, but plays badly.

I go back this game every now and then, and see a couple of minor changes, and I genuinely think that it's nice to see them doing something every now and then, but the lack of a set team and dedication is crippling. I understand and sympathize with it being a project that is developed by people on the side, who contribute their spare time for free, but honestly I have seen other games that have developed faster in the same circumstances.

Planeshift is built on the Crystal space engine, not amazing but increasingly capable. The main problem with Planeshift is its utter lack of gameplay. I mean a complete void where gameplay should be. Runescape for all it's faults and trivialities was more fun and held my attention for longer than this game. yes this game is nicer looking, but it's not nice enough for me to stay with it. This is a game where even the grind has been crippled. The main principle behind this game is Roleplaying and it's fun. I agree with the name enforcement, I like the community but there is a cut off point. If you want to Roleplay in this game you have to grind beforehand. Why? Because when they implemented the crafting system, they took away all the vendors who sold you weapons bar Harniquest who will sell you a falchion. If you're like me and you'd prefer to hit stuff with something other than a sword, you'll want a bit more selection. But no. In the end you are forced to suffer myrid hours of bottomless mining and smelting and what have you, for very little reward. Even the Crafting system in Runescape was more enjoyable, streamlined and rewarding that Planeshift's. it's ironic that in attempting to give you gameplay, the Planeshift team has taken what little there was away from it.

The community is dogged. They are very nice, and there is a decent air in the game, a pleasant relief from hoards of warbling children screaming out text speak in capital letters with all the sense of an especially brain damaged cow. But that's all there is to this game - the people. They will defend it for all it's worth, spewing out time and time again that 'it's in development'. I have watched this game for the better part of five years and in that time I have seen negligible progress in a time to content ratio. The servers are still unstable, the additions don't contribute much to the game past a 'Oh, that's kinda cool" feel that lasts for a few seconds and dies away.

The grind is sickeningly boring once you get to it and is broken up by a system of progression points that becomes more of a hinderance to the gameplay than anything else. There are still ridiculous amounts of bugs, the streamlining and gameplay is nonexistent. Planeshift is a glorified chat room at the end of the day. It's not supposed to be, but over zealous moderators, a project leader who isn't there half the time and a gigantic lack of any direction seems to root this game in a social-rpg hybrid that doesn't work very well. What additions are made to the game are flimsy and insubstantial, seemingly a nice little addition that came off the top of someone's head when they were bored and decided to play around one day. Any community help is rejected, God knows why as it would certainly speed things along, and the project has become utterly stagnant.

Planeshift is sort of like a cancer patient. A long horribly drawn out death with intermitted coughing, wheezings and shudders, but in the end the onlookers are simply waiting for it to flatline.

Tuxide

Talad promotes uncivil behavior.

Vocadi

Thank you for the truthful post.

I followed this game for a while a number of years back. Since playing Planescape: Torment I was very excited for the idea of a game based on the same.  Its sad to see that it just hasnt followed through with its original goals.  Im still searching and hoping for a game that will fit the niche im looking for.