It's finally safe to say that Sony's online plan has arrived. From the minute they announced the details of the plan at E3, I had a feeling it would be something special. However, since the plan's launch in August, it has always felt like there was something missing - an FPS. Sure, there's SOCOM, which does an incredible job of getting gamers the run n' gun action they want, but it still lacks the fun and excitement of a FPS Deathmatch - the backbone of online gaming. With the recent cancellation of TimeSplitters 2's online options, the chances for a multi-player FPS looked dreary.

Enter Tribes: Aerial Assault. The one thing Tribes has always been known for is the sheer size of its levels. I mean, these things are big enough to land Star Destroyers on (okay, maybe Interdictors - but you get the idea). Each map is essentially a giant open battlefield with bases you can walk around in. Most of your encounters will take place in the open fields, but closed-in base fights are not uncommon. When you first enter a map, you're more than likely to confine yourself to a small area of the field, but it's not until you start cruising around with your jetpack or in a vehicle that you get a good idea of the massive scope of the game. The best part about all of this is that it's all so amazingly crisp and clean. I'm not going to lie to you and say the PS2 version gives the PC version on a high-end model a run for its money, but it's still very good. The difference between the two is mostly noticeable in the game's sparse use of polygons. Tribes' world (or at least its PC world) is incredibly angular. There are very few curved or round objects to be found; it is mostly a collection of angular, straight edges.

Considering the game's scope, a little slow-down is to be expected. I was happy to see my expectations were unfounded since this game runs smoother than Bill Clinton hitting on an intern in the Oval Office. The downside to this is the game's sparse detail. As mentioned earlier, most of the battlefields are giant, open areas. You may run across a tree or two, but that's about it. But, when you're fighting for your life, there's not much time to sit and admire the wonders of nature.

I was less than impressed by Tribes' sound. Weapons fire and vehicles are standard and show little creativity. I was especially unimpressed by the stiff, monotone delivery of voiceovers. One of the things good voice acting should do is make you care for the characters and help them, yet after listening to the remarks of my comrades, I began to hope death would come soon for them and end their boring, monotonous lives.

After dedicating a good part of my online life to SOCOM, I also missed the ability to talk to my online team members. Tribes is a game of teamwork, and the lack of voice communication is sorely missed.

For those who have had the opportunity to play Tribes 2 on the PC, you are not missing much with the PS2 version. For what it's worth, they are identical. As with most FPSs, Tribes is meant as a multi-player, online experience so it lacks any real story. From what I was able to gather from the opening intro, a bunch of armored guys are fighting with a group of armored lizards for control of the game's flat, curveless world (and its two or three trees).

What sets Tribes apart from most FPSs is that while other games allow you only 2D movement when dealing with other enemies (you can go forward, back, left, or right), Tribes allows you to add a 3rd dimension to your arsenal and go up via your jetpack. As if that wasn't cool enough, Tribes also offers three different vehicles to use in battles.

Tribes offers four modes of play: Single Player Online, Single Player Offline, Two-Player Online, and Two-Player Offline. Yeah, that's right - Tribes allows two players to play split screen while online. While I personally had little use for this feature, I am sure it is making many a mom's day a little easier since she doesn't have to listen to her kids fight over who gets to play online. The offline modes consist of either a standard Deathmatch with bots, or the Campaign mode. At first it sounds like the Campaign mode would give you a good story, but other than a few training missions, this mode is little more than a collection of Capture the Flag and Deathmatches.

I'm usually one to blast a game for showing as little depth as Tribes, but I seriously doubt many are buying it for the Campaign mode since Tribes is meant to be played online. Getting online and finding a game was quick and painless. While I cannot comment on what the game plays like over a dial-up connection, I found the broadband connection mostly lag free and smooth. The only thing that hampers the online experience is the lack of communication between teammates. There are a few preset commands so you're not totally helpless, but it is so easy to forget about them that you might as well be playing with a bunch of mimes.

Why is it that enemy AI is so extremely hard and ruthless, while my allies' AI (which in theory should run on the same general principles as the enemies) is incredibly dumb? Both offline and on, Tribes is not an easy game to just pick up and play. This is largely due to the added 3rd dimension when fighting with enemies. It takes awhile to get used to not only being aware of defending yourself from the ground, but also from the air. This requires total clarity and once mastered, makes the game a deeper, more strategic shooter than most.

Analog controller or mouse/keyboard combo? It's a debate which will probably outlive us all so why bother worrying about it. The controls in Tribes are tight and generally easy to pick up, although feel free to customize them to your heart's content. The biggest issue facing the game is aiming accuracy. Using the analog stick to aim is usually not the best method of control, and leads to missed shots. Usually, some sort of aim-aide is in place to help your shots, but in Tribes you'll find no such help. When facing bots, this is a disadvantage since the computer has a very good chance of killing you before you can line up a shot. On the other hand, online foes also face this problem, making for a more even playing field.

By now I have either done a very good job at peaking your interest or you left a few paragraphs ago. Aside from the total lack of communication with other players (which, as you can tell is a very sore spot for me), Tribes: Aerial Assault is just as good a console FPS as its PC counterpart. My only fear is that with the relatively quiet release this game has received (until we got a copy, I wasn't sure when it was supposed to come out), it will end up being lost in the shuffle of other, higher profile online games. Hopefully, this game will at least receive a good online community to help keep things fun. Until then, I will continue to play online and hope to see a few readers there as well.