It's a good game that feels like it is going to be addictive. There are still server issues but those will be fixed over time.

They have the fairest microtransaction system (I know, it seems impossible for a MTX System to be "Fair" but I mean it) that I have ever seen in a live service game. Skins cost like $2 if you want to buy them with cash but within two hours of starting the game I had gained enough of the premium currency just by playing the game to get some stuff off the store and by this point (13 hours of gameplay or so) I have saved enough currency to clear out a couple of daily resets. The Battlepass system is also a breath of fresh air and seems to expand on the system that Halo Infinite uses, which I was always sad to see get kicked to the curb after the game failed to retain the hype that surrounded it at launch. The idea of "Once you have a Battlepass it stays forever and never times out AND you can always buy any past Battlepasses at any time because FOMO is ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ stupid" is one that is incredibly simple but seemingly no other live service games dabble in.

The story is all in the background, by that I mean you hear news reports while on your ship and see a few interactive locations in game rather than having a lot of cutscenes. Outside of those, the story takes a backseat and the main draw is just some excellent gameplay. This game really is one that you want to *try* to get a dedicated team that plays together consistently for. If you can't do so, the matchmaking system is pretty good but you will often end up with teammates who are competent but unable to coordinate due to them not having a microphone.

It's a good game. I give it a solid 8/10 as of February 12th, 2024 and it feels like the sort of game that may become a 9 or a 10 in the future, depending on how they follow up on the launch.

It's a good game that feels like it is going to be addictive. There are still server issues but those will be fixed over time. They have the fairest microtransaction system (I know, it seems impossible for a MTX System to be "Fair" but I mean it) that I have ever seen in a live service game. Skins cost like $2 if you want to buy them with cash but within two hours of starting the game I had gained enough of the premium currency just by playing the game to get some stuff off the store and by this point (13 hours of gameplay or so) I have saved enough currency to clear out a couple of daily resets. The Battlepass system is also a breath of fresh air and seems to expand on the system that Halo Infinite uses, which I was always sad to see get kicked to the curb after the game failed to retain the hype that surrounded it at launch. The idea of "Once you have a Battlepass it stays forever and never times out AND you can always buy any past Battlepasses at any time because FOMO is fucking stupid" is one that is incredibly simple but seemingly no other live service games dabble in. The story is all in the background, by that I mean you hear news reports while on your ship and see a few interactive locations in game rather than having a lot of cutscenes. Outside of those, the story takes a backseat and the main draw is just some excellent gameplay. This game really is one that you want to *try* to get a dedicated team that plays together consistently for. If you can't do so, the matchmaking system is pretty good but you will often end up with teammates who are competent but unable to coordinate due to them not having a microphone. It's a good game. I give it a solid 8/10 as of February 12th, 2024 and it feels like the sort of game that may become a 9 or a 10 in the future, depending on how they follow up on the launch.