Ten Ton Hammer - Taking MMO Gamers to the Next Level!

Once again, our overlords and slave masters here at Ten Ton Hammer have seen fit to throw me into the F2P “Cesspool of Denial” in the hopes of discovering another game our readers may enjoy. Just because we struck gold in the discovery of Exteel, doesn't mean we can do it twice in a row. Needless to say, since you're reading this, my argument has fallen on deaf ears in the interest of saving our viewers the pain and suffering we endure in our efforts to serve you.

This week's pick, Combat Arms, isn't as horrible as your latest hemorrhoid flare-up, but it's not as soothing as the ensuing application of Preparation H would be either. I've rarely been split so down the middle on a game before; some aspects of Combat Arms are as cool as a glacier while others are as heartbreaking as global warming.

First, think of your average modern day FPS game because then you'll be on the right track to knowing everything you want to about Combat Arms with a few exceptions. Movement is the same as every game from this genre and follows your typical WASD keyboard layout. Some people may imagine this as something to be viewed in a negative light, but I disagree. If you want to get a player into your game with the least amount of resistance, why not make their control scheme as familiar as possible? There's no sense in breaking what isn't broken.

Poor guy never saw it coming.

Before I start foaming at the mouth over some of the more asinine things I discovered about Combat Arms, let's go over some of the things that make the game more than worthy of a deeper inspection. For starters, this game has more guns than an NRA Convention in the Deep South on the 4th of July. Needless to say, that's a lot of guns. From pistols, to sub-machine guns, to a freaking bazooka, this game has them all. Even when you've done it a thousand times, picking off a target at long range with a beautiful headshot never gets old.

While the combat is the typical fare for the genre, the graphics aren't, and believe it or not, that's a good thing. Considering the fact that this is a free-to-play FPS, the graphics are well above par and for that, Nexon (the company behind this beast) deserves a solid round of applause. They may not rank up there with the likes of the latest incarnation of Call of Duty, but they're more beautiful than any girl we have a right to hook up with as gamer geeks. The anti-aliasing is solid (I hate jaggies!) and the game runs as smooth as silk.

When you start the game, you choose your soldier (sorry girls, no female models here), pick a name, and head for the lobbies. Getting into the heart of the action at this point is easier than filling out an ID10T form with your friendly Technical Support team. Simply choose what type of game you want to join (or create) and before you know it, you're ready for action in the match of your choice: Elimination (first team to obtain a set amount of kills), Sabotage (one team tries to plant a bomb, while the other team tries to defend), or One Man Army (your standard free-for-all deathmatch style game).

The action in Combat Arms is fast and furious, and the maps vary in size and scope. Depending on which map you choose, be sure to remember to change your weapon preference. Large maps will see heavy sniper rifle use, while in close quarter matches, you'll be at a disadvantage if you don't choose an assault rifle or pistol. You also have the option of using a knife, but this isn't Hollywood and you're not Crocodile Dundee, so I wouldn't suggest it or you'll end up splattered across a wall faster than a Gremlin in a microwave.

I saw this screen a lot!

Take heed before setting foot in your first instance of soldier-imitating goodness; there will be multiple instances of pain and suffering awaiting you. As with most lobby-based games, juvenile delinquents run rampant through the chat channels. After this annoying (though hardly unexpected) event, get ready to move as soon you enter the game or you may find yourself lying facedown as a bloody corpse thanks to one of your fellow "teammates". Just because you're on the same team doesn't mean everyone wants to save their ammunition for the enemy. If you have the intestinal fortitude, be prepared to deal with campers ready to jump your poor bones more times in each match than most of us had to hear Achy Breaky Heart on the radio. [I still have nightmares.—Ed.]

Like many F2P games out there, there is the option of purchasing your equipment with cold cash (through Nexon Cash) rather than earning the in-game Gold Points (GP) that you receive for time played, etc. Normally, I'd be willing to support this aspect of the game with nary an argument, but unfortunately, there's just one little problem. You remember that spiffy new weapon you just picked up to make your opponents beg for mercy? It’s pretty cool isn’t it? Especially when you spend all of your loot to trick it out with more toys than the guys on Pimp My Ride could cover it with, right? Enjoy it while you can, because you have one day to use it. That's right, I said one day. That's like getting a new bike on Christmas just to have it disappear the next morning. It may keep people playing to continually earn more GP, but that's just cruel.

Even with the complaints I have in regards to the game, Combat Arms would be fun if I had to pay for it. Getting it for free makes it sweeter than a batch of Grandma's cookies on your birthday. It may not be the shining diamond in the rough everyone is searching for, but it's definitely worth the price of admission.

(3 / 5 Hammers)