E3 '10: APB Impressions

During every event like E3 there's a game that will come out of nowhere and grab my attention. While I realize that APB is hardly a little known title (with more than five years of development behind it), I quite honestly didn't expect to be blown away by it. I enjoyed Realtime Worlds' Crackdown like most players who experienced it, but I didn't think that I would be as interested in playing online cops and robbers. Boy, was I wrong!

Presenting players with a massive living city of criminals and enforcers, players pick a side and take part in various missions across town, mowing down anyone standing in their path. While not an avid PC gamer, the controls were still easy for me to pick up and I was gunning people down or running them over in seconds. The sandbox/playground vibe from Crackdown is well represented in APB's Action Districts even though it may be a little bit more firmly planted in reality (i.e. no one was seen jumping over buildings). You've still got plenty of things to blow up and ramps to drive over, but the overall tone of the game was one that was a little more serious. Missions had players protecting spots around the city, attempting to escape from the cops' sights, and race through the streets to pick up packages. Simple stuff, but all of it was really fun.

What really set this game apart from the rest are the community aspects found in the Social Districts. You've got guild/gang support and slick VoIP in-game ensuring that communicating and staying connected with others is simple. Social areas dedicated to showing off player collections and even the opportunity to broadcast music. And then there are the customization options... I feel a little bad about this, but I'll admit that during my time with APB I spent the majority of it with the artists from Realtime Worlds asking them about character creation, vehicle customization, and even artwork generation. Featuring the most detailed character generator I've ever seen, it was amazing to watch these wizards put together new characters on the fly, adjusting everything from eye color to more subtle aspects like nose placement and rotation. I was told that no two characters in APB will look alike and after seeing this in person I don't doubt that for minute. Equally snazzy was a section that allowed players to create piece of 2d vector art that can be applied onto cars, clothing, and even characters as tattoos. While they couldn't/wouldn't use the word "Photoshop" to describe this comprehensive set of tools, I certainly will.

One of the most forward thinking aspects of the game was its payment model. Players that purchase the game don't receive a free month like more MMOs, but rather 50 hours that are used in the Action Districts (i.e. combat). Players are free to spend as much time as they want in the game's Social Districts creating items or chatting with others. Those that want an unlimited plan can pay a monthly fee if they want, otherwise the game runs of hours (that thankfully never expire) that can be purchased whenever players need them. Crafty users will even be able to sell the creations they make in the Social Districts for hours as well. How cool is that?

I was stunned by what I saw in APB. From the ease of action to nearly limitless customization options, this is a game that will provide players with the exact gaming experience they're looking for, no matter what gaming experience they're looking for.