Defiance

 PC
User Score
6.6

Mixed or average reviews- based on 658 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 353 out of 658
  2. Mixed: 121 out of 658
  3. Negative: 184 out of 658
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  1. Captiosus
    Jul 14, 2013
    4
    During development, Trion Worlds displayed gameplay trailers that showed a graphically rich and dynamic world with all kinds of alien flora, dynamic weather, and great cooperative gameplay. I was quite happy to be chosen to play in beta but what I found was disconcerting. The game was littered with bugs, contained a very sparse UI that was clearly designed for the console rather than PC,During development, Trion Worlds displayed gameplay trailers that showed a graphically rich and dynamic world with all kinds of alien flora, dynamic weather, and great cooperative gameplay. I was quite happy to be chosen to play in beta but what I found was disconcerting. The game was littered with bugs, contained a very sparse UI that was clearly designed for the console rather than PC, offered bare bones graphics, and a dearth of content. When the game went to retail, there was no way I could justify buying it even though Trion Worlds kept assuring us that everything was coming "soon".

    Fast forward to 11 July 2013 when Steam launched their Summer Sale and initially put Defiance on sale for 66% off. I purchased the game figuring Trion had three months of time under their belt with the game so, hopefully, they had addressed some of the issues. Unfortunately that is not the case.

    First, the bugs. Most of the bugs still exist. Most of the bugs you will encounter will be mild annoyance bugs, such as your vehicle randomly disappearing while you're still on it, or your character getting stuck in an animation. But there are also the game breaking bugs which prevent you from being able to finish quests (e.g. NPC or item not spawning, textures with necessary interactive items disappearing) and bugs that will prevent you from doing challenges (e.g. 'invincible' mobs who don't die during a timed "Rampage" mission that requires all mobs to be killed). Bugs still occur FREQUENTLY.

    Second, the UI and controls. Clearly ported to PC as an afterthought, the UI and control scheme still hasn't changed since beta. Vehicles control is some of the worst I've ever experienced when using keyboard/mouse, and on foot controls feel clunky and counterintuitive. Plug in a game controller, however, and it plays like a completely different game. I found some statements by Trion Worlds claiming they were "working on" the UI but so far they've done nothing. And since the UI is responsible for driving social interactions, the piss poor chat and social UI structures continue to make this a largely solo game where the only time you interact with other people is during Arkfall (world coop) events.

    Third, graphics. Forget the old trailers. I can play this game on ultra with the only FPS hiccups occurring during major Arkfall events which tend to pull in two dozen (or more) players in one limited space, yet the graphics look as though they are from circa 2007 Xbox 360 games. Poor textures, medium polygon counts, static lighting and shadows, terrible draw distance, and BARE MINIMUM graphics options available to the user. The world itself is typical post-apocalyptic fare, brown and gray, bland and uninspired.

    Finally, the lack of content. Let's get this out of the way right now: Quests fall into one of three categories; Fetch, Click, or Rescue/Protect. Every quest you do from the beginning to the end will be one of those three or a combination thereof. There aren't even any "kill X number of people" quests, which is probably for the best since enemies in the game can ALSO be broken down into exactly two types: Humanoids and Hellbugs. Although they've added episode based quests (the TV show tie-ins), after about 10 hours, you'll realize that you're doing the exact same thing and that the only thing you have to look forward to is doing the exact same thing.

    "But Cap," you'll say, "ALL MMOs have repetition." To which I will respond that you are absolutely correct. However, unlike most MMOs, Defiance really offers you little challenge and little hook to break the monotony. For example, in classic MMOs where you earn X amount of XP and learn new skill "Y", getting a new skill offsets the monotony of doing the same thing you've already done by giving you something new to add. In other words, if you play a mage and you get a blizzard spell, you don't care that you're marching off to kill another 50 humanoids because now you get to use this awesome new blizzard. You don't get that break from monotony in Defiance because what you do in your first hour and what you do in your 200th hour is the same: point and shoot. There's no need for strategy or theorycrafting and your EGO AI companion holds your hand from start to finish. Loot and passive skills can only carry a game so far.

    Anyone who tells you the story carries the game is lying because after the first cutscene you're left to fend for yourself. You're sent off to the shooting gallery with very little info and the most story you get is from hidden audio logs. Even if you watch the show, often times what you do in game makes little sense. PvP is, by Trion's admission, full of hacks/cheats that they have yet to address. So what COULD HAVE been fun is marred by poor design leading to rampant cheating.

    In sum, I do not recommend this game, even at a super sale price. Frankly, I can't see Trion keeping the servers up for another year at the game's current rate.    … Expand
  2. Hudson
    Apr 5, 2013
    3
    tiny game world and lack of content, extremely repetitive gameplay, utter lack of meaningful progression, easily glitched ranked missions, painfully bad UI. You can do all this game does in other titles for free or way less money. Hell even Firefly which is in beta has more content than this game. Bloggers will hype it to push an agenda but this game is awful for 60 dollars.
  3. Syn_again
    Apr 9, 2013
    4
    Defiance feels rushed in a sense that the content is just not there yet. The Game design is shallow with a very weak story. For these kinds of games you need a compelling story to carry you through the adventure and keep you invested. The world of Defiance is barely explained or interesting to the player. Maybe the show will help with this but based on episode 1 it does not seem to be tooDefiance feels rushed in a sense that the content is just not there yet. The Game design is shallow with a very weak story. For these kinds of games you need a compelling story to carry you through the adventure and keep you invested. The world of Defiance is barely explained or interesting to the player. Maybe the show will help with this but based on episode 1 it does not seem to be too likely. the game and show are going to run separate courses with minimal tie in. That does not sound good for an MMO already weak in a background.

    The world is big. Lots of room to roam and play. There are event areas for Arkfalls (alien invasions) or simple shoot and defend side missions. It is a bit funny to see 25 enemies come out of one small truck but oh well. There is little the actual terrain offers you other than providing the opportunity to just run around.

    Vehicles are nice and fun. Having Guild races and running enemies over was fun and funny.

    The game mechanics are good. As a shooter the game is fun and there is a wide range of weapons to have fun with. Unfortunately the enemy (and ally) AI is horrible. They only do just a couple of things and then become predictable throughout the game. Mutants, Aliens, Humans all do the same thing (with different attack variations). This becomes quite boring after awhile. Some of the missions help try to hide these flaws but your attention can get inadvertently pulled back to them when you listen to the voice acting or force yourself to try and get back into the theme of the story.

    Technically the game is sound. A good engine running on a solid network that provides the same structure for RIFT. There are no problems with account management or logging in etc.

    It was clearly hard for Trion to understand what to give players for an non-Fantasy MMO. This game is really just a standard mediocre FPS game that you can opt to play with others. The MMO component to this is just not there. If/when Trion gets around to adding the functionality to make the game and game world better, this might be worth revisiting in the future but not for $60.

    There is going to have to be a hefty bit of rework for this game to stay around and the show will not carry it since it will have its own problems. The bigger issue here is Trion is limited on what they can do because this game stretches to consoles. Having what is needed on PC to make a strong game will not work for console so it may all depend on how many units will be sold for each to see how Trion will try and save this product.    … Expand
  4. Swampy
    Apr 7, 2013
    7
    This game does have bags of potential; whether it lives upto that potential in the longer term is an entirely different story however.

    On the face of it, it is a 'not too deep' entertaining and casual third person shooter set in a persistant world.. and it makes a pretty decent job of filling this niche. The problem is it's a bit of a one trick pony, and there's very little else to    This game does have bags of potential; whether it lives upto that potential in the longer term is an entirely different story however.

    On the face of it, it is a 'not too deep' entertaining and casual third person shooter set in a persistant world.. and it makes a pretty decent job of filling this niche. The problem is it's a bit of a one trick pony, and there's very little else to occupy your time other than running around an 'killing 10 mutants'.

    The game world is very small, and even the most casual of MMO players will probably rattle through all the current content within a few days, so this game is going to live or die by the amount of DLC that becomes available and the quality of the associated TV series.

    Graphically, it's not bad, but it's not great either.. and the world in which we are meant to play is pretty uninspiring, usually shrouded in a grey haze! There are scant in ame options for graphical optimisation on PC either!

    The social aspects of the game are next to none-existant, in fact I'd go so far to say the way this game/UI is designed makes it pretty antisocial. Which brings me onto the UI.. it is a poor console port that is tedious to navigate on the PC.

    Additionally there are (at the time of writing) still many bugs within the game, some of which are verging on game breaking.. again the speed and quality of fixes is going to go a long way to determine this game's long term future; and Trion has show that it can be pretty agile when it comes to fixing up things.. but I'm not sure if the millstone of console versions is going to affect their ability to respond quickly.

    Despite all the negatives however, as I said right at the top the gameplay itself can be pretty entertaining so long as you're in the market for a bit of lightweight escapism and not Battlefield 4 realism...

    On a final not I have to say the physical Ultimate Edition for PC is amazing to behold, if Trion had executed the actual game as well as this edition they'd be onto a sure fire winner!    … Expand
  5. boydimages
    Apr 12, 2013
    4
    I was impressed with the tie in with the series, and I had fun playing, for about an hour or two. My girlfriend played as well. First off, this game is in no way worth 60 bucks, whatsoever! I played on a console, and considered getting it for my PC. With so many superior F2P games out there, my current favorite is Planetside2. There are no EPIC battles, and no real sense of scale. ItI was impressed with the tie in with the series, and I had fun playing, for about an hour or two. My girlfriend played as well. First off, this game is in no way worth 60 bucks, whatsoever! I played on a console, and considered getting it for my PC. With so many superior F2P games out there, my current favorite is Planetside2. There are no EPIC battles, and no real sense of scale. It absolutely doesn't have that "WOW" factor.… Expand
  6. The_Ommadawn
    Apr 3, 2013
    4
    I pre-ordered after watching some videos online. I wondered why there were no reviews beforehand and now I know why. It's total poo and offers nothing new. I LOVED Rift and had confidence in the Dev, but this is a mess of a game. The AI is a joke, the landscapes are boring (little variety), the gear and looting is confusing, entering/exiting vehicles is hit and miss, the controls (PC)I pre-ordered after watching some videos online. I wondered why there were no reviews beforehand and now I know why. It's total poo and offers nothing new. I LOVED Rift and had confidence in the Dev, but this is a mess of a game. The AI is a joke, the landscapes are boring (little variety), the gear and looting is confusing, entering/exiting vehicles is hit and miss, the controls (PC) are awful, the avatars all look identical, etc. I'm not drawn towards this game at all. I played for a few hours and became bored quickly. The RPG element is clearly not there. It's a generic MMO shooter with little else on offer. I wish I could roll back my life a day and buy Bioshock Infinite instead. Shame on you Trion.… Expand
  7. mehhem
    Apr 22, 2013
    6
    I like Defiance. It's fun. You find lots of guns. A lot of them look the same, and seem the same, but rarity differs. The AI is easy, but some bosses with more health and harder hitting weapons are difficulty. Their AI is the exact same as the easier mobs. The driving is cool. Is it worth $60? I bought it, and I would again. The game needs some work like every other game. TheI like Defiance. It's fun. You find lots of guns. A lot of them look the same, and seem the same, but rarity differs. The AI is easy, but some bosses with more health and harder hitting weapons are difficulty. Their AI is the exact same as the easier mobs. The driving is cool. Is it worth $60? I bought it, and I would again. The game needs some work like every other game. The quests are boring. Go here, tag that, revive this guy, (all with the "E" button). I think if it had a subscription cost most people wouldn't stick around, but since it's buy once and play I think people will stick with it for longer than the initial month.… Expand
  8. Hawkcircle
    Apr 17, 2013
    10
    I've played MMO's since there were MMO's and each has different appeals. Defiance is a special gem, it gets the "fun" feel right. Yes, there are rough parts and its UI needs some definite love but frankly it's just so much fun. While some quests are simple there are others where you really benefit from thinking out your tactics and approach. The modding of weapons allowsI've played MMO's since there were MMO's and each has different appeals. Defiance is a special gem, it gets the "fun" feel right. Yes, there are rough parts and its UI needs some definite love but frankly it's just so much fun. While some quests are simple there are others where you really benefit from thinking out your tactics and approach. The modding of weapons allows customization, your "Ego choices" allows you to affect your stats, and frankly it's just complicated enough without becoming unwieldy. I've never given a 10 to any game before, but I think this one has some serious legs to it. I'd strongly recommend folks give it a try if you like shooters in a science fiction setting! (No, I don't work for them!)… Expand
  9. psychomuse
    Apr 8, 2013
    4
    A little bit country, a little bit rock 'n roll: Defiance tries a lot to be a little bit MMORPG and a little bit MMOFPS at the same time. To be fair (and somewhat forgiving), it's not that bad. It's just not that good. But with all the other MMO fish in the sea, I'm looking for something that is creatively fresh and fun.

    I think Trion (whom I greatly respect for the well-done Rift) is    A little bit country, a little bit rock 'n roll: Defiance tries a lot to be a little bit MMORPG and a little bit MMOFPS at the same time. To be fair (and somewhat forgiving), it's not that bad. It's just not that good. But with all the other MMO fish in the sea, I'm looking for something that is creatively fresh and fun.

    I think Trion (whom I greatly respect for the well-done Rift) is trying too hard to be too many things for too many people. Again, I respect the attempt but I rue the outcome. This is not the next MMORPG and it is not the next MMOFPS- it's a mediocre attempt at both. If it were F2P... maybe. For $60, no way.    … Expand
  10. Ansatsu83
    Sep 7, 2013
    4
    This game, is a sub par, third person shooter, tv spinoff. This having been said let me go into detail about why it is sub par. First of all, let me start with pve. The storyline failed to grasp me. The combat is facing multiple of the same enemies, you have the normal variant and the elite variant. Running around, mowing down, hundreds of enemies in a row is satisfying, at first, then itThis game, is a sub par, third person shooter, tv spinoff. This having been said let me go into detail about why it is sub par. First of all, let me start with pve. The storyline failed to grasp me. The combat is facing multiple of the same enemies, you have the normal variant and the elite variant. Running around, mowing down, hundreds of enemies in a row is satisfying, at first, then it loses its appeal. It took me around 4 hours to get bored of pve and try pvp... It was a mistake to try pvp, let me tell you right now, ill give an explanation in a moment. The pve is similar to hellgate london with slightly better game mechanics and a larger world not separated into separate instances. This is the best way to describe the game. it has features hellgate london could have used... It falls short on everything else...

    pvp, the combat mechanics have zero stamina for sprinting/rolling/etc. No cooldown on vehicles, no bunny hop prevention. The pvp in the game, is a complete mess. It is beyond broken, everyone uses stealth to sneak up on someone, its all about who uses stealth first, who can jump around and hit other bunny hoppers faster. Usually weapons with elemental effects are used. There is zero fairness in pvp and the mechanics are just broken for it.

    I think I would rather play hellgate london. Buy this game, only if you are curious or absolutely adore the tv series.

    Graphics 8, sound 5, music 6, controls 5... Controls gets rated down due to the lack of pvp balance and prevention of bunny hopping, rolling 800 times in a row to avoid fire, etc. There should have been stamina...

    I am going to go play hellgate london as this game makes hellgate london look absolutely brilliant. On a side note, Trion Worlds has made very sub par games for their entire existence, great concepts but the execution is just god awful. They are almost on par with the developing skills of timegate studios... in other words, they are terrible developers...    … Expand
  11. x360ftw
    Jul 14, 2013
    10
    This game is fantastic once you understand it. initially my impressions were mixed Defiance is a very easy game to just pick up and play for a bit. It is a fun and seemingly shallow game. If you play this game on your own and spend your time running around just chasing ark falls you will have a bit of fun but you will miss the point of the game entirely, and become quickly disenchanted.This game is fantastic once you understand it. initially my impressions were mixed Defiance is a very easy game to just pick up and play for a bit. It is a fun and seemingly shallow game. If you play this game on your own and spend your time running around just chasing ark falls you will have a bit of fun but you will miss the point of the game entirely, and become quickly disenchanted. However if you spend some time with the game get into it a bit deeper suddenly you realize that there is a lot more to it. There are events scattered all across the map to participate in there are open world non ark fall non quest related encounters. The "Shadow War" PVP aspect of this game is intense and entertaining. There are the standard co-op instances to run with friends.. This game offers so much variety and with the TV show tie in episodes it has been nothing but entertainment from day 1.… Expand
  12. asmoron
    Apr 2, 2013
    9
    An engaging sci-fi story with the wild enjoyment of Borderlands only with 1,000 friends instead of four. If you're the type of person to get caught up in fevered loot-hording, third person action and large scale PvE and PvP give it a shot.
  13. mindw0rk
    Feb 6, 2015
    9
    Fun game. It doesnt have alot of depth, gameplay is mostly focused on shooting aliens and doing simple missions. But mechanically it is well done. I like the feel of shooting, that there are tons of varied weapons. Storyline tied to TV show is also interesting feature.
    If you seeking for MMO that doesnt require being online alot, and want just to login casually to shoot stuff, Defiance is    Fun game. It doesnt have alot of depth, gameplay is mostly focused on shooting aliens and doing simple missions. But mechanically it is well done. I like the feel of shooting, that there are tons of varied weapons. Storyline tied to TV show is also interesting feature.
    If you seeking for MMO that doesnt require being online alot, and want just to login casually to shoot stuff, Defiance is great game for this.    … Expand
  14. Opetyr
    Jul 28, 2013
    1
    This game I played from the beginning and deserves a low rating. People who exploited the game we congratulated by the company for what they did. They promised things like what you do in the game will affect the show and the show will affect the game which they now say will happen later like Aliens:CM tricked people. They cannot fix issues that have plagued the game since the beginningThis game I played from the beginning and deserves a low rating. People who exploited the game we congratulated by the company for what they did. They promised things like what you do in the game will affect the show and the show will affect the game which they now say will happen later like Aliens:CM tricked people. They cannot fix issues that have plagued the game since the beginning and the DLC promised in the first month still hasn't shown up even though it is now almost 5 months later with no confirmed date of release. Hacks are many in this game since they used a 32bit security systems for systems that can use 64-bit hacks that the 32-bit could not see like gun damage. The game has been on sale so many times each month because they need to try and keep some sort of following. The game goes on sale for 20 dollars all the time. The PVP is unbalanced since a snipers line of sight is too small so people exploit it by coming into peoples range, shoot, and then run back 2 feet so they cannot be shot at themselves. Don't listen to the people that say it is great when at an extremely low level like 250 EGO since they haven't played past the starting area. I have played it through twice and the second time is quick because you can only do the main missions and all the secondary missions are not available. Not worth your time unless they do major fixes and apologize to people that were told lies.… Expand
  15. GottFaust
    Apr 3, 2013
    8
    Lets get the cons out of the way: Limited graphical customization, dated and poorly implemented graphical tech (lacks most modern features), low resolution textures, clunky movement, terrible animations, amazingly bad UI (to log out you have to press escape, hold space, select an option from a radial menu, select an option from a menu bar, and then you can actually click the log outLets get the cons out of the way: Limited graphical customization, dated and poorly implemented graphical tech (lacks most modern features), low resolution textures, clunky movement, terrible animations, amazingly bad UI (to log out you have to press escape, hold space, select an option from a radial menu, select an option from a menu bar, and then you can actually click the log out button.), and bad voice acting. Now, after that what could possibly be good about the game? The answer is: everything else, most importantly the game play. The game is a very fun experience. Think borderlands on a massive scale. Loot drops are prevalent, instanced to each player (which is a good thing as it stops loot rushing), and interesting. Enemies are varied and interesting. The weapons are fun and flashy (outside of your standard shotgun/pistol/rifle guns). The powers are useful and unique. The weapon customization is in-depth, but not obfuscated. The story is interesting (bad voice acting and animations aside). The art itself is amazing (even if the technology that renders it isn't). The back-story and lore to the world is creative and very detailed. I could keep going, but I think you get the picture. Will you like this game if you value graphics and presentation above all else? No. Will you like this game if you enjoy solid gameplay, a good story, and a world with detailed lore to back it? Yes. Overall: Gameplay 10/10, Story 8/10, Graphics 6/10, Animations 3/10, Sound 6/10, Voice Acting 5/10, UI 4/10, Weighted Total (gameplay out-weighs most everything else) 8/10.… Expand
  16. Ironfire
    Apr 8, 2013
    10
    Playing over 23 hours so far on the PC version. Still having fun with plenty of variety of things to do. Make sure you do the Episode Missions with the characters from the TV show Nolan and Irisa. They are fun missions with some good rewards and you will be playing a part in one of the key early scenes of the TV show. The first 14 minutes of the TV show are already on YouTube and if you doPlaying over 23 hours so far on the PC version. Still having fun with plenty of variety of things to do. Make sure you do the Episode Missions with the characters from the TV show Nolan and Irisa. They are fun missions with some good rewards and you will be playing a part in one of the key early scenes of the TV show. The first 14 minutes of the TV show are already on YouTube and if you do the TV missions you'll see the early connections between the game and TV show. This whole concept is turning out to be pretty cool. It adds a whole other element to the game. It seems there will be new Episode Missions each week to keep things interesting in addition to the regular stuff. There is a huge variety of awesome weapons to use. The BMG weapons are awesome since they can drain life from more than one enemy and then you can use it to heal yourself. I started with a machinist so I could start with a rapid fire weapon. I picked the invisibility EGO power. It comes in handy when you need to sneak behind enemies to disable generators or just get a quick advantage when you're outnumbered. The vehicles are fun to drive, especially taking jumps off cliffs or bumps. Best combo of weapons so far is to have one sniper rifle and one automatic weapon. I got my BMG weapon from a tier 4 lockbox so it was worth the cost. Make sure to join Arkfalls when they pop up on your map. There are sometimes dozens of players running around in a nonstop action free for all battling monster bugs or mutants. It's fun having the MMO vibe with your friends helping you out as part of your group or just random people jumping into a battle that helps you out when you need it. It's a fun game and I can't wait for the TV show to start!… Expand
  17. Cytheria
    Apr 18, 2013
    6
    It's a reasonable enough shooter, with a fantastic new IP to work with, and what promises to be a fun tie in with a fresh new tv show to boot.
    It has a certain allure that will draw you back to it again and again to play, but you won't know why.
    I wish I could score the game higher at the moment, as I've really fallen for it, but I'm trying to be as unbiased as possible. In it's    It's a reasonable enough shooter, with a fantastic new IP to work with, and what promises to be a fun tie in with a fresh new tv show to boot.
    It has a certain allure that will draw you back to it again and again to play, but you won't know why.

    I wish I could score the game higher at the moment, as I've really fallen for it, but I'm trying to be as unbiased as possible.

    In it's current state, the game is unfinished. The story is short and the play area is deceptive in its scale it is pretty big, but you'll feel like its only a small region or level from a different game.

    In game communications, regardless of their form, are bugged or inoperable. Users report items going missing all the time, whilst others are swapped out entirely when patches are applied. The in game AI is pretty poor, and its spawn size, rather than actual "skill" or "intelligence" that is used to confer a sense of difficulty.

    A few features players expected never happened, most notably in game weather effects. The in game UI experience is pretty poor and doesn't always make sense (to log out you need to access the settings menu, which in itself is buried inside your main loadout/inventory screen)

    There is an issue with gated content, where some, real time limited, events are only accessible after completing a certain proportion of the PvE campaign.

    There is currently no clear sense of character progression, as in attempting to balance new players against old, Trion have opted for a system which see's players farming for "ego" perk points to upgrade abilities by a couple of percent, and very samey items which rely on mods to help players tweak them to perform in a way that appeals to their play style. What this basically means for the average casual player is that your character will always feel pretty much the same, and whilst they might change outfits once in a while, one user is pretty much interchangable with another. With items playing such a large role in your character development, it's also worth noting that with the lack of an auction house or storage, its very hard for individual players to actually collect together the mods and equipment needed to build their own "perfect" loadout, and with limited inventory space, most players end up either salvaging items they collect for parts or selling them to npc vendors rather than trying to sell them on to people because the alternative is a bit too awkward for most to want to worry about. (namely post on the forums and hope you can arrange to someone that wants the item you want, and that they are on the same server, the same platform, and in the same sort of timezone)

    Arkfalls and random in game events add a slightly chaotic mix to the equation, and something different to do. They're similar to the "Rift" events from Trion's earlier game Rift, but sadly feel like a poor reflection of the original. Similarly, the majority of the quests are pretty lackluster generally typical MMO "fed ex" and "kill 20 of these" type fare. Which is a real shame, as some of the "bigger", scripted events have some excellent narrative work, and really shine. Unfortunately, the few good quests just make you look at the bad ones that make up the majority and see how much better they could have been.

    Lack of reliable/usable comms renders the "Multiplayer" element of this mmo pretty much redundant. Unless using 3rd party tools to communicate with friends, you're going to have a hard time meeting anyone in game, and one random player with an assault rifle is interchangable for any other. Added to this problem is the fact that the main story quests dont work well with groups and generally force you to play solo, mean that what community feeling there is, is heavily forced.

    As a stand alone game, the lack of community immersion is made worse by the fact that a lot of the back story development has actually been left to a handful of in game collectible voice recordings and the TV show. The whole transmedia idea is fantastic, all most players know about the game world has come from information about the TV show, leaving it feeling like all those nasty movie tie in games we've seen over the years that do nothing to actually stand on their own two feet and instead just rely on making money from fans who already know and love an established IP.

    On top of all this are the day 1 bugs we've all come to know and love with new mmo releases, in this case already exasperated by a launch schedule that was rushed in order to tie in with the TV series. Unfortunately, so far, patches have failed to be applied at all to one platform (PS3), and on the remaining 2 (PC & XBOX) have generated an all new collection of bugs and problems for players, whilst in far too many cases, not actually correcting the bugs they were intended to fix anyway.

    I hope it gets better, but atm, its just a mediocre attempt at a TV tie in.    … Expand
  18. JoseTadeuChagas
    Apr 9, 2013
    10
    This game promisses but not deliver, a crappy pc port, trion do not respond tickets when they respond they say the problem is resolved when it is not. If you intend to buy pass this one out.
  19. Doublecross
    Apr 4, 2013
    0
    This game is just boring. There is nothing else to say about it. It is just plain boring. I also do not like that the cursor slows down when you aim. I played the beta and it just sucks, I am very sorry but. Nothing i heard from any reviews by youtubers were excited, it feels washed up and bland. A lot of fake reviews obviously rating it good, no surprise there.
  20. Marcbackman
    Apr 10, 2013
    4
    Not worth your time or money. Utterly lifeless world with zero social interaction for someone not playing with friends, and there is no feeling of personality that you should get in a good video game world. You've seen everything in this game before, but only done better in other games (mix Rift and Borderlands together and port it to consoles and you get the picture). The game shouldNot worth your time or money. Utterly lifeless world with zero social interaction for someone not playing with friends, and there is no feeling of personality that you should get in a good video game world. You've seen everything in this game before, but only done better in other games (mix Rift and Borderlands together and port it to consoles and you get the picture). The game should be on sale for something much more appropriate, I feel as though my $60 was wasted on this one.… Expand
  21. jst68
    Apr 2, 2013
    9
    It's fun to play! The story is pretty interesting so far as well and I am looking forward to see the tv show running in parallel. It is also working quite well on day one so far. Cool thing is that you are feeling to be part of something big. It also quite innovative. It certainly doesn't fit in with the WoW clones we get to see most of the time.
  22. Fore
    Oct 28, 2013
    8
    Not your tank/dps/healer mmo. You need skill to play as your shot goes where you are aiming at. Gear is not as important as your ability to hit the target.
    Big complaint is the clumsy UI and lack of chat. Lack of chat is not bad considering you wont be exposed to chuck norris jokes or gold seller spams.
    At $10 this game is a steal. Try it if you are into FPS games.
  23. Reaper70
    May 10, 2013
    8
    Hi, So I have been playing Defiance for a few hours and I think it is very good. The graphics are average but the atmosphere and combat work really well. After reading mixed comments about it I thought I would see for myself and I am glad I did. If you like Borderlands or rift then you should try this game. It doesnt really feel like an MMORPG but it certainly is unique. Fri May 10 2013
  24. RecoveryRx
    Apr 11, 2013
    3
    The game is fairly fun in gameplay, but it sure lacks in content. The world map is small, the weapon upgrades feel pointless as all weapons have basically the same stats minus maybe a few miniscule bonuses here and there, and you'll be fighting the same boring monsters over and over. Arkfalls are more boring versions of rifts and there is very little variety of these. UI is god awfulThe game is fairly fun in gameplay, but it sure lacks in content. The world map is small, the weapon upgrades feel pointless as all weapons have basically the same stats minus maybe a few miniscule bonuses here and there, and you'll be fighting the same boring monsters over and over. Arkfalls are more boring versions of rifts and there is very little variety of these. UI is god awful as is chat it feels like a single player game. Overall it's a pretty big disappointment for me, but taken at small doses it can be fun. Plus it's a one time purchase so that's good.… Expand
  25. HighwayUK
    May 31, 2013
    8
    Wasn't quite sure what to expect from a shooter based MMO, most of the stuff the game does is pretty good... the controls are sharp, the gunplay is very well done, weapon modding etc is reasonable, driving vehicles around is also mostly done well, the game plays like a mix of LOST PLANET with BORDERLANDS... and for me that's a good mix. My biggest concern is how much of the old MMO fetchWasn't quite sure what to expect from a shooter based MMO, most of the stuff the game does is pretty good... the controls are sharp, the gunplay is very well done, weapon modding etc is reasonable, driving vehicles around is also mostly done well, the game plays like a mix of LOST PLANET with BORDERLANDS... and for me that's a good mix. My biggest concern is how much of the old MMO fetch quests remain in this game... despite a large amount of random quests, it doesn't quite hit Guild Wars 2's grade of fluid, but the combat is certain damn fun and would stand up as well as a single player title. I'd give them more time to get more content into the game, but they been busy fixing most of the bugs so it's forgivable.… Expand
  26. Cik
    Apr 20, 2013
    1
    My thoughts follow this pre-review and then review:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-iKMWrwl74&list=UUsgv2QHkT2ljEixyulzOnUQ&index=4
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZz_KKGpgfk&list=UUsgv2QHkT2ljEixyulzOnUQ&index=3
  27. Terminator514
    May 20, 2013
    10
    GREAT GAME, this is not an MMO in the traditional sense. It's more like a gigantic third person SOCOM, or Borderlands. The leveling system is not your main incentive to play the game, the main incentive is the addictive gunplay, earning new weapons, customizing those weapons, fun missions, and buying new vehicles or unlocking new perks. Overall it's a fantastic game, that is WAY underratedGREAT GAME, this is not an MMO in the traditional sense. It's more like a gigantic third person SOCOM, or Borderlands. The leveling system is not your main incentive to play the game, the main incentive is the addictive gunplay, earning new weapons, customizing those weapons, fun missions, and buying new vehicles or unlocking new perks. Overall it's a fantastic game, that is WAY underrated and misunderstood.… Expand
  28. REDSIPERAS
    Apr 2, 2013
    9
    This game... its great. The gun-play is perfect. The pvp is fun, especially Shadow War. The co-op is amazing. The story is alright so far, but it can only get better and i trust Trion to do so. P.S. hopefully the tv show is as good
  29. Noobverest
    Jun 6, 2014
    5
    Defiance is a game that appears to be new, innovative and interesting in the first hour. As you play on, you realize that the world of defiance is composed of one not-so-very-large map which can be easily explored in a single day.

    The game play is repetitive, for the first hundred or so EGO levels that you gain, it may seem fresh and exciting, but as you play on you realize that from    Defiance is a game that appears to be new, innovative and interesting in the first hour. As you play on, you realize that the world of defiance is composed of one not-so-very-large map which can be easily explored in a single day.

    The game play is repetitive, for the first hundred or so EGO levels that you gain, it may seem fresh and exciting, but as you play on you realize that from level one hundred to level five thousand, you will be doing the exact same thing, over and over again.    … Expand
  30. karmasleeper
    Apr 14, 2013
    7
    First the good. Shooting is fun, controls are responsive, I have not encountered any lag spikes that make the game unplayable or unresponsive both during solo and group PvE and during massive co-op events with hundreds of people on screen. Quest variety is standard MMO fare but this is really to be expected. Tons of weapons variety which is great, but the weapons are not veryFirst the good. Shooting is fun, controls are responsive, I have not encountered any lag spikes that make the game unplayable or unresponsive both during solo and group PvE and during massive co-op events with hundreds of people on screen. Quest variety is standard MMO fare but this is really to be expected. Tons of weapons variety which is great, but the weapons are not very customizable. Weapons have upgrade slots and things like stocks and barrels improve certain qualities of your gun. The problem is, unless you have a super rare weapon mod, the improvement is inconsequential and has no tangible effect. If you encounter players doing the same quest as you, they won't interfere with your progress. Instead, you can enter the quest midstream so to speak and help other players finish, or other players can stumble along and lend you a hand if they choose. This makes grouping seamless and a lot of fun. Random events are dotted all over the landscape and those are often fun to complete. Fun arcade like or time attack challenges with leaderboards are also a nice diversion. Co-op missions are few but well constructed and fun to play. Now for the bad. The arkfall events, where hundreds of players, in the open game world a la Rift, work together to complete big challenges or bring down tons of enemies, are fun and yield good experience and loot, EXCEPT the mechanics behind completing them really suck. The more people there are, and yes, there will be tons of people heading toward these events, the harder the enemies are to kill. So your dude with his +5 shotgun of kickass that normally takes a couple blasts to down guys will now take dozens if not hundreds of rounds to down that same low level enemy. Instead of scaling the number of enemies for large scale encounters, the game simply rockets the HP of enemies to absurd heights. PvP is also a mixed bag. On paper, it sounds nice TDM and Battlefield style domination game modes, but it's super unbalanced because everyone is entering combat with their +3 assault rifle and spray n' pray. There are only 4 active skills, one of which you choose at the start of the game. This becomes your bread and butter similar to how each character in Borderlands had one active skill. You have a lot of freedom in how to craft your character, but characters fail to feel distinct as many of the passive bonuses you invest in are either useless or too context sensitive to be useful. Sometimes, the passive bonuses simply clash with the best, least frustrating ways to play, encouraging play styles that seem counter productive. Truthfully, I'm a bit disappointed having purchased this at launch for full price. Wait for a drop and or more content.… Expand
  31. Krakn3dfx
    Apr 18, 2013
    8
    Defiance is a game that sits in a tough spot. It's probably the first real MMO shooter on the market that has made an effort to bring a solid PvE campaign to the table, as well as maintaining a fleshed out PvP system. Neither is perfect, but both are enjoyable, despite their shortcomings. The game launched with a lot of issues, like most MMOs, but Trion Worlds has clearly been working hardDefiance is a game that sits in a tough spot. It's probably the first real MMO shooter on the market that has made an effort to bring a solid PvE campaign to the table, as well as maintaining a fleshed out PvP system. Neither is perfect, but both are enjoyable, despite their shortcomings. The game launched with a lot of issues, like most MMOs, but Trion Worlds has clearly been working hard to patch those issues out. It feels like a game that was pushed out early to mesh with the premiere of the TV show, which is probably the case. If Trion has shown anything with Rift tho, it's that they're willing to put the work in fix problems and enhance their games.

    I have been enjoying Defiance a lot, the enemy AI isn't great, but it's no worse than most MMO enemy AI either. The combat mechanics have a very Borderlands-like feel to them, which is great, and the weapons feel adequately powerful for what they are. The crits sense, the leveling feels good, and the perks are nice. Hopefully the game does well enough long term to justify keeping it running, because I think it gives a lot of us something we could enjoy, an online massive multiplayer shooter that isn't just everyone trying to kill each other, but work together.    … Expand
  32. Beaver
    Apr 3, 2013
    9
    first MMO I have really enjoyed the gameplay in for a long time. I play a lot of FPS games (Battlefield etc) since good 'ole Counterstrike 0.4, and I enjoyed the shooter mechanics so much I found my self moving from cover to cover sniping mutants with no mission or quest in the area, I just had that much fun just playing the game... For me to have this much fun before my friends havefirst MMO I have really enjoyed the gameplay in for a long time. I play a lot of FPS games (Battlefield etc) since good 'ole Counterstrike 0.4, and I enjoyed the shooter mechanics so much I found my self moving from cover to cover sniping mutants with no mission or quest in the area, I just had that much fun just playing the game... For me to have this much fun before my friends have even bought it, along with the in depth weapon mod system, and the future integration with the television show, I'm hoping I can give this game a 10.… Expand
  33. Mavrick593
    Apr 21, 2013
    10
    I have tried "traditional" MMOs before, which tend to be firmly in the RPG realm, and they have virtually all failed to grab me and keep me playing. Defiance is not like these. Defiance is much more skill-based. There are no true classes, unless you choose to specialize in a particular weapon or fighting style, in which case it might be called a user-created class. Anyone can use anyI have tried "traditional" MMOs before, which tend to be firmly in the RPG realm, and they have virtually all failed to grab me and keep me playing. Defiance is not like these. Defiance is much more skill-based. There are no true classes, unless you choose to specialize in a particular weapon or fighting style, in which case it might be called a user-created class. Anyone can use any weapon and this I think is primarily what I enjoy the most about Defiance: it enables you to make your own choices much more so than any other MMO I've experienced.

    There is still leveling up and unlocking new skills but this is focused mainly around weapon proficiency, and the skills are mostly passive except for the main 4. Everyone can, over time, also have access to all of the skills.

    All of the combat is very skill based. You must actually take aim at enemies weak points if you are to succeed. No attack button mashing here to blindly swing your ax.

    The vehicles and getting around in them are all awesome and just plain fun. In fact the whole game is just plain fun.

    The last thing that really got me into the game was the fact that it does not require a subscription fee. There is real-money credits in-game, but they are not at all necessary. Anything that you can only get with real money is purely cosmetic for your character.

    Now go get Defiance!    … Expand
  34. Chomag
    Apr 2, 2013
    7
    This game is average. It's more of a co-op multiplayer shooter than an MMOFPS. If you wanted MMO features, I can only tell you that these are in small numbers and pretty much bare bones. If you wanted your classic MMO just with shooter features, you will be sorely disappointed.

    The "quests" aren't taken from NPCs in towns (there aren't even any towns, just some peaceful areas amongst    This game is average. It's more of a co-op multiplayer shooter than an MMOFPS. If you wanted MMO features, I can only tell you that these are in small numbers and pretty much bare bones. If you wanted your classic MMO just with shooter features, you will be sorely disappointed.

    The "quests" aren't taken from NPCs in towns (there aren't even any towns, just some peaceful areas amongst the battlefield that is the rest of the map) but they are spread across the map and they're always about activating some things or killing enemies or both. Thing is these quests become very quickly very repetitive and boring. Also, you can do the same quest multiple times as enemies will respawn rather fast after you completed it (which, imo, is very lame and breaking the immersion). The game is FILLED with visual glitches, such as players disappearing from in front of you and reappearing, which looks quite bad when you got a lot of players blinking as you approach them.

    This game is pretty mediocre for our time. I'd say it's actually a more complex Global Agenda than an MMO.    … Expand
  35. Ozimandeus
    Apr 11, 2013
    10
    Have updated my review, this game is a slow grower.. its very worth while indeed. It isn't a MMORPG but it is an MMO. Its compelling, addictive and very absorbing indeed.
  36. gtox11
    Apr 22, 2013
    2
    If you enjoy Borderlands 2 Co-op, and think that you might also enjoy a less polished, buggy version of the same, then you "might" enjoy Defiance.

    If you enjoy traditional MMOs, in any capacity, then quickly hide your wallet before Trion smells your money. What I like about the game: The shooting. Surprisingly the combat is actually pretty good. There is a decent variety of    If you enjoy Borderlands 2 Co-op, and think that you might also enjoy a less polished, buggy version of the same, then you "might" enjoy Defiance.

    If you enjoy traditional MMOs, in any capacity, then quickly hide your wallet before Trion smells your money.

    What I like about the game:
    The shooting. Surprisingly the combat is actually pretty good. There is a decent variety of weapons, and I haven't noticed any bugs involving poor bullet pathing or anything like that.
    Rocket-boosting your vehicle over hills and watching yourself fly knowing there will be no damage or penalty in any way.
    Missile Launchers. I felt this one needed it's own good point; not sure why.
    Everyone gets their own loot and xp is given to anyone who participates in killing an NPC.

    The things I disliked/hated (get comfortable because this list is quite daunting):
    This is not an MMO. This is a Co-op that is awkwardly placed into a persistent world. In fact, I would say that the only aspect of this game that is utilized by an open-world environment is the driving, and even that doesn't NEED the persistent world and might even have benefited from an instanced, scripted event.
    The driving uses the god-aweful controls of A and D to turn instead of the mouse, and there is no way to change it. Needless to say, this is completely archaic and no one enjoys driving with keystrokes. To be clear, Borderlands driving Good. Defiance driving Clunky and unrealistic.
    The game is marketed by offering players the chance to get their hands on alien technology! Exciting! But wait.. you get that technology almost immediately in the game, and it is WORSE than the standard realism weaponry that you get in any other shooter. One weapon simply fills the gap of the fantasy "healing gun", while the other is decent in itself, but fails on the basis of being of limited use. Short answer, you will find yourself using standard Earth technology unless you insist on gimping yourself with their alien technology (this of course does not include the "alien" elemental versions of standard weapons).
    There are no "dungeons" or really any reason to ever invite someone to a group.
    The massive events that pop up are a faceroll. It is all very, very easy.
    The perk system gives off the impression of "uber customization" but in actuality there is very little true options. By selecting one core ability, it cuts off around half of the perks as viable options for your build (since they directly affect another core ability). Looking at the perks, it is very easy to see several possible "builds" in which you venture toward, but a lot of these builds are not actually viable in-game.. Most notably the Melee Build, in which you do very low damage and get eaten alive by pretty much every NPC you encounter, and the Medic Build in which you almost never find someone to revive because the game's difficulty is a joke.
    Lastly, I want to mention the game's use of character speech. Quite a lot of characters talk to you during the game, whether it be during a cut scene or yelling at you as you are doing a nearby mission.. but the one glaring problem is that your character NEVER.. EVER.. SPEAKS.. EVER! He (or she) just stands there like a mute idiot while other people have engaging conversations AT him (or her). (s)He doesn't even change facial expressions or anything. It is as though your character is completely unaware that other people are in the room, let alone talking directly to him.

    TL;DR If you want to spend $60 on something that truthfully should be F2P, then you are in the right place. For everyone else, keep waiting.    … Expand
  37. Sinnfury
    Apr 30, 2013
    8
    The game was a mess at the launch but since coming back on this week I can see they have fixed a lot. There are still a whole bunch of problems but if they keep it up the game will be what I expected it to be. Side quests can get a little boring sometimes though and the feeling it's a single player game needs to be sorted.
  38. Sargonnas
    Apr 5, 2013
    8
    I'm content with Defiance so far and as a long time Rift player it is obvious Trion cares and wants to make great games even if there are a few hiccups along the way. It will be interesting to see how the tv show and game work around each other, and I think my only question, that's too soon to answer at this point, is whether this game will hold peoples long term interest. The PC releaseI'm content with Defiance so far and as a long time Rift player it is obvious Trion cares and wants to make great games even if there are a few hiccups along the way. It will be interesting to see how the tv show and game work around each other, and I think my only question, that's too soon to answer at this point, is whether this game will hold peoples long term interest. The PC release has been pretty smooth overall and I have not run into any major issues so far.… Expand
  39. Spookerton
    Apr 6, 2013
    1
    The story is dry and dead and the characters weak in every possible way.
    The geometry and texture work looks like it was made for a B-list game ten years ago.
    The general user interface is uninspired, cluttered, and barely navigable due to the color scheme. The camera is fixed at a tiny viewing angle of something like 45 degrees. The combat is slow, clunky, utterly lacking in feedback    The story is dry and dead and the characters weak in every possible way.
    The geometry and texture work looks like it was made for a B-list game ten years ago.
    The general user interface is uninspired, cluttered, and barely navigable due to the color scheme.
    The camera is fixed at a tiny viewing angle of something like 45 degrees.
    The combat is slow, clunky, utterly lacking in feedback or pace.

    And this is only the beginning of the journey into the joyless, tepid hell that is defiance.

    Trash. Do not buy this game.    … Collapse
  40. meru
    Aug 14, 2013
    3
    TLDR: Play FireFall instead, the game is not going to get better, as many of the developers were let go after the game was published.

    What a great concept behind Defiance: A Science Fiction game and a TV show which evolve together and influence each other. But what a horrible, horrible implementation. It was fun to play at times, and if the game gets ever finished, I am sure it will be    TLDR: Play FireFall instead, the game is not going to get better, as many of the developers were let go after the game was published.

    What a great concept behind Defiance: A Science Fiction game and a TV show which evolve together and influence each other. But what a horrible, horrible implementation. It was fun to play at times, and if the game gets ever finished, I am sure it will be fun to play.

    Four months after release, it plays like an early beta. In the first minutes, you cannot follow the instructions, as your tutorial actions are constantly interrupted by NPCs. Already the first few missions are bugged, so that you may have to quit and restart in order to do them. Chat is bugged (in the sense of not being able to communicate at all) for the PC version, so that you cannot even ask other players for advice about the bugs; I found the advice to relog finally on the forums. The game has open world missions, but gets confused when two players work on the same mission, so that you cannot finish them.

    The good points: You can try the game for free for three days, but within this time frame you need to download the client, and the downloader has major problems. The price for the game was lowered to 10 bucks in some places, and no subscription is required, so it might be worth buying, if you believe that the developers will ever finish the game. Which is unlikely, as a lot of the developers were let go in May 2013.

    By coincidence I discovered a second Science Fiction MMO shooter called FireFall at the same time, which is in open beta starting August 2013. FireFall plays almost the same as Defiance, with the difference being that it is actually fun, and mostly a finished product.    … Expand
  41. NachtkindFX
    Apr 4, 2013
    8
    Defiance is fast and fun. But it is not like a Borderlands MMO, Guild Wars 2 styled, it's something in between. This game is average... not meat not fish, but fun. It needs more deeps Items and details (world).
  42. stimpy77
    Aug 3, 2014
    8
    After several hours in one day's sitting, I'm impressed. I'm not a stranger to MMOGs, I've played AC, WoW, DoD, LOTRO, Neverwinter, EVE, Rift, more recently Firefall, .. and actually Defiance is like a breath of fresh air. It has a really good recipe, and while I've come across people complaining about bugs, I think the build I'm playing must be after quite a few fixes because I haven'tAfter several hours in one day's sitting, I'm impressed. I'm not a stranger to MMOGs, I've played AC, WoW, DoD, LOTRO, Neverwinter, EVE, Rift, more recently Firefall, .. and actually Defiance is like a breath of fresh air. It has a really good recipe, and while I've come across people complaining about bugs, I think the build I'm playing must be after quite a few fixes because I haven't really come across any real glitches. (Come to think of it, I did have to log out and log back in in order to reset a mission that didn't complete, and do it again in order to restore a mission that was taken over by other players' work on another mission in the same area. Recalling this, I am forced to bump down from a 9 to an 8.)

    Defiance does try to be a lot of things at once -- MMOG, RPG, FPS, etc -- but at this first round of gameplay I think it manages to pull it off pretty well. It's refreshing to see the kind of variety in shooter action that other MMO FPS's lack, while enjoying some of the RPG elements that one can only experience in solo games or in RPGs, like a proper skill progression system. The sound, graphics, physics, et al are really quite spectacular, too, in my opinion, perhaps not raising any bars individually but definitely setting a new bar for their stable combination.

    I do miss the necessity of revealing areas of the map by way of adventure, it seems when in Map view the user can see everything, all the landmarks, all the current events, everything, and I don't know that like that, but this is coming from my recent experience with Firefall and SIN uplinks. in Defiance I had difficulty sensing progression via the map. The flip side, however, is that side quests and both an "episodic" and "main" campaign were all locally visible on the map with their markers, and that gave me a sense of variety.

    This game feels proper. We are a spoiled crowd, notice the negative reviews are all spoiled by the specific bars set by specific features but no game has ever really tried this recipe out to accomplish both RPG and FPS so well. I'm impressed. Well done.    … Expand
  43. Woopya
    Apr 5, 2013
    1
    I dare say all the extremely positive reviews are people who reviewed the game within hours of seeing it. I say this because the game starts off with at least something of a fresh feeling, it appears to be different and people got excited. But, since release the ratings have been spiraling downward for a reason. This game gets very old, very fast. It is extremely linear and simplistic.I dare say all the extremely positive reviews are people who reviewed the game within hours of seeing it. I say this because the game starts off with at least something of a fresh feeling, it appears to be different and people got excited. But, since release the ratings have been spiraling downward for a reason. This game gets very old, very fast. It is extremely linear and simplistic. The lack of tab targeting is refreshing, because it at least makes you feel as tho your doing more yourself than most linear MMOs. But this game was clearly made as an aside to the TV show. On it's own, without the TV show to accompany it, this game would be free to play or failed in a month or 2.… Expand
  44. Mhuang1985
    Apr 3, 2013
    8
    Pros: Great shooting mechanics, enormous weapon variety and kit customization. Instanced PvP and PvE are great fun.

    Cons: Quests are repetitive, annoying crafting interface. Currently at 250 EGO (max EGO aka level is 5000), put maybe at least 12 hrs into this game since release. Shooting mechanics are great which is VERY important for a game like this, quests are a little boring    Pros: Great shooting mechanics, enormous weapon variety and kit customization. Instanced PvP and PvE are great fun.

    Cons: Quests are repetitive, annoying crafting interface.

    Currently at 250 EGO (max EGO aka level is 5000), put maybe at least 12 hrs into this game since release.

    Shooting mechanics are great which is VERY important for a game like this, quests are a little boring but pretty much standard fare for a MMO (tbh, it doesn't bother players like me who spam Esc through all the cutscenes and don't read a goddamn thing because we play for the sake of progression). Both instanced PvP and PvE sessions have been great fun. There are "damage meters/scoreboards" so you can see how you stack with your friends.

    Solid game, add +1 rating if playing with friends.    … Expand
  45. NastyN8
    Apr 5, 2013
    9
    For a newly released MMO, Defiance feels pretty good.

    Visuals are above average for an MMO. The landscape is beautiful in some areas and quite dull in others unfortunately. Some areas of the game just seem to be endless rolling hills. Story missions are well thought out and often very fun and interesting with cut scenes to put things in context. However, the side missions are quite    For a newly released MMO, Defiance feels pretty good.

    Visuals are above average for an MMO. The landscape is beautiful in some areas and quite dull in others unfortunately. Some areas of the game just seem to be endless rolling hills.

    Story missions are well thought out and often very fun and interesting with cut scenes to put things in context. However, the side missions are quite the opposite. Side missions mostly consist of "go here and click on this" and seem to exist for the sole purpose of putting you into a firefight.

    The combat is WAY more involved than most MMOs and actually requires some skill with aiming and good decision making. I was pleasantly surprised with how different encounters can feel from one to the next, even though you may be fighting the same type of enemy. The Co-op mission, I find, are the funnest type of combat.

    Progression seems slower than most MMOS but this is because defiance does not have a traditional leveling system. You can add perks to your character through the EGO system, but most of the meaningful upgrades you will find are new weapons and some of them (such as BMGs, detonators, and injectors) are quite interesting.

    There are a few bugs and some polishing that needs to be done. Although in many ways Defiance does feel like a completed game, I still think it was rushed out a bit to release before the TV show did. I feel confident that future patches will resolve some of the minor bugs soon because Trion has always been a very hard working developer.    … Expand
  46. Mutini
    Apr 24, 2013
    7
    Bottom Line: Game play: EXACTLY like Borderlands(with a slower, "not funny" story), Theme: EXACTLY like Rift(except you are chasing Ark falls instead of Rift openings). If you like the idea of crossing Rift with Borderlands then this is the game for you. And the game can be plenty of fun-for awhile but then it becomes repetitive. All you do is drive from one objective to another, shootBottom Line: Game play: EXACTLY like Borderlands(with a slower, "not funny" story), Theme: EXACTLY like Rift(except you are chasing Ark falls instead of Rift openings). If you like the idea of crossing Rift with Borderlands then this is the game for you. And the game can be plenty of fun-for awhile but then it becomes repetitive. All you do is drive from one objective to another, shoot the bad guys, do the deed and turn in the quest; Over and over and over. Having said that, the gun play is spot on and sniper shots are excessively satisfying-its just that that's all you ever do. I played Alpha and Beta. I don't think its worth 60 bucks but when the price becomes reasonable(around $20 maybe-or maybe it will simply go F2P) I probably will purchase it. Defiance isn't a bad game, its just nothing new or earth shattering and not even close to being worth the price they are asking for it right now-or $100 for the digital omg lol!… Expand
  47. keefbaker
    Oct 31, 2013
    7
    The experiment of game and tv show kind of works.. initially is really gripped me but through time interest has waned. However I got a large number of hours in before I got bored. Lack of a cover system given the type of game it is is a shame but Arkfalls are fantastic fun.
  48. thatfool
    Apr 18, 2013
    8
    This game does have issues. Not as many as on Xbox 360, but there definitely are technical glitches and there are some questionable design choices. I still think it is fun, perhaps surprisingly so. I've spent more time with it than with many games I'd subjectively think of as better games, but that weren't fun to keep playing after I was "done".

    Defiance's biggest selling points are    This game does have issues. Not as many as on Xbox 360, but there definitely are technical glitches and there are some questionable design choices. I still think it is fun, perhaps surprisingly so. I've spent more time with it than with many games I'd subjectively think of as better games, but that weren't fun to keep playing after I was "done".

    Defiance's biggest selling points are that they nailed the gunplay, and that you can effortlessly switch from soloing around to playing with others. Almost everything you do in the open world is automatically public, for example, if you're on a mission and some other player is on the same mission, you'll work together to complete it (similar to dynamic events in Guild Wars 2). Defiance also has its own clone of Rift's rift events, called ark falls, big events where you'll often see dozens of players. And if you want to play one of the co-op maps (basically, dungeons), all you need to do is sign up for either one you want to play or a quick match and the game's matchmaking will put you in a group and teleport you to the map. The same applies to competitive maps, and shadow wars, Defiance's open world based PVP system. Due to Defiance's shooter mechanics, matchmaking is less limited than in many MMOs. There are no classes, and there is no need to group characters by level. This means matches are usually made quickly and I often don't even have time to exit the matchmaking screen and do something else while I'm waiting for a match to fill.

    Defiance also includes some features that are rare in MMOs. There are checkpoint races. There are timed shooting challenges where you need to reach specific goals with one specific weapon. And for some people it might be interesting to know that you can play it with a controller and seamlessly switch between mouse+keyboard and controller if you want. The TV show tie-in is also something it does differently than other MMOs, although I think that one is a bad idea for a game that should be able to stand on its own feet. Removing pre-TV show content after the first two weeks so that some missions are now inaccessible to new players was a terribly misguided move for a game where those were the only real side missions with an actual story.

    I did mention glitches. There's one annoying one that can lose you items if you add mod slots and then zone or log out. There's a few pursuits (achievements) that can't be completed. Sometimes, your last perk slot gets unequipped because the game thinks you just unlocked it *again*. There were more at release, but many have already been addressed in 3GB worth of patches.

    The UI could be less console oriented too, although my main gripe with it is that it's just missing a few short cuts for mouse users. It's not unusable with keyboard/mouse, e.g. they didn't forget making buttons clickable or anything like that, it's more like you'd want a context menu in some certain places that wouldn't be useful with a controller but are kind of expected by mouse users. Chat could really do with a movable and sizable window instead of the barebones system they have now.

    All in all I'm rating it at 8. For starters, it actually works, which is more than what you can say about certain other recent titles. The main game play mechanic, shooting stuff with guns, is amazingly fun. It does a lot of other things right, too. Driving your cars around the bay area is fun. Races are fun. Automatic grouping for missions is fun. Matchmaking is quick and easy. They have some things to fix about the UI on PC, they need to re-think their content strategy, and they desperately need to add content that doesn't use one of the two predominant environment styles that are in the game. Objectively that may sound more like a 7, but I'm also basing my score on how much I've been playing Defiance since it came out, and it's currently shaping up to be the best value for my money I got from a video game in 2013. I've played games that offered a better or more well-rounded experience this year, but often one that was also over much sooner.    … Expand
  49. Allions
    Aug 31, 2013
    8
    Ok let's start this review with a central statement: Defiance is not a classic MMO.
    It's more accurate to define it as an Online Action TPS. The MMO component is present but you should not buy it thinking it as a classic MMO. There are no classes, gear is limited to weapons, shield, grandes, outfits and headgear is only for costumizing the character. The game is quite fun in solo, and    Ok let's start this review with a central statement: Defiance is not a classic MMO.
    It's more accurate to define it as an Online Action TPS. The MMO component is present but you should not buy it thinking it as a classic MMO. There are no classes, gear is limited to weapons, shield, grandes, outfits and headgear is only for costumizing the character. The game is quite fun in solo, and very funny with friends. There are big boss battles with many other players (hundreds), there are vehicles and a lot to explore. the story is OK, not great and a bit repetitive, but it's ok. I always wanted a game like this after Tabula Rasa closed, and this is quite a lot better of TR.
    I payed the game 10 euros, and it's well worth them. I reccomend to buy it at this price is and absolutley great game.    … Expand
  50. Kinyajuu
    Apr 11, 2013
    9
    Engaging story, if you don't skip through it all like I know some do. Quests are go here, defend this, grab this, etc. typical MMO style missions. Still very very fun. If you like third person shooters this is certainly worth a try. Very fun, blew by 8 hours without even noticing. Some of the action kills you find yourself doing gives you a feeling of being very badass. All in all, TrionEngaging story, if you don't skip through it all like I know some do. Quests are go here, defend this, grab this, etc. typical MMO style missions. Still very very fun. If you like third person shooters this is certainly worth a try. Very fun, blew by 8 hours without even noticing. Some of the action kills you find yourself doing gives you a feeling of being very badass. All in all, Trion does a great job of balancing shooter with MMO.… Expand
  51. MikeJezZ
    May 27, 2013
    2
    A friend of mine hyped the game alot for me, so I decided to buy the game (which I did, at launch).

    First, the patcher is horrible. You have to download 15 GB straight. If you close the patcher and opens it again, you have to redownload the whole game again and it does not delete what you already downloaded. Second, theres no real progression in the game. It is a online shooter, and    A friend of mine hyped the game alot for me, so I decided to buy the game (which I did, at launch).

    First, the patcher is horrible. You have to download 15 GB straight. If you close the patcher and opens it again, you have to redownload the whole game again and it does not delete what you already downloaded.

    Second, theres no real progression in the game. It is a online shooter, and the RPG elements are limited to allmost none.

    It would probably have received a better score if they have called it a MMOTPS instead of a MMORPG.    … Expand
  52. vulcanraven27
    Apr 6, 2013
    4
    The UI in this game is the biggest problem. If they were to fix the UI and have real weapon progression/character progression they would probably have a hit on their hands. There are no levels in this game, just an EGO rating. If you log in as a new character and pvp against someone who has played 100 hours you basically are equal strength. Their excuse is that if they had actualThe UI in this game is the biggest problem. If they were to fix the UI and have real weapon progression/character progression they would probably have a hit on their hands. There are no levels in this game, just an EGO rating. If you log in as a new character and pvp against someone who has played 100 hours you basically are equal strength. Their excuse is that if they had actual levels they would have to separate us in pvp and pve, not a good excuse, every other MMo does it. I don't want a game that does not reward progression. Don't buy this game if you think its an MMO because it is not.… Expand
  53. Eman3s
    Apr 3, 2013
    10
    Game came out of nowhere, absolutely loving it. It's been a long time since I've felt this way about a game, but I can't put it down. I'm just so surprised how polished it looks from the menus to the game its self, it runs great even with 40-60 people fighting the BIG baddies. I definitely recommend it, but if you do get it, play more than 3 hours before you judge it, do some Co-op, PvP,Game came out of nowhere, absolutely loving it. It's been a long time since I've felt this way about a game, but I can't put it down. I'm just so surprised how polished it looks from the menus to the game its self, it runs great even with 40-60 people fighting the BIG baddies. I definitely recommend it, but if you do get it, play more than 3 hours before you judge it, do some Co-op, PvP, and stuff like that to break up the single player stuff. I'm having a lot of fun with it and its definitely been worth my $60 thus far. It's a big game and there is a few bugs but its not a big deal, they will iron it out over time.… Expand
  54. kendrickdk
    Apr 16, 2013
    8
    The game installed in about an hour and has run perfect so far. One of the most bug free installed in recent memory. I've played this for 2 days now and have become addicted. It's basically like a fps (a good one) in an antisocial MMO. I say antisocial because no one talks to each other. Your basically playing an MMO where you run in groups and kill like crazy. Love it.

    The    The game installed in about an hour and has run perfect so far. One of the most bug free installed in recent memory. I've played this for 2 days now and have become addicted. It's basically like a fps (a good one) in an antisocial MMO. I say antisocial because no one talks to each other. Your basically playing an MMO where you run in groups and kill like crazy. Love it.

    The interface needs work and the inventory system needs work but other than that it's great.    … Expand
  55. Hadrijan
    Apr 6, 2013
    5
    Overall the game is mediocre at best, not terrible by any stretch of the imagination, but not very good either.
    The thing that probably bothers me the most as a PC player is the absolutely terrible user interface.
  56. kirkkh
    Feb 13, 2014
    3
    It's lazy and repetitive. The game dies immediately (never picks back up). Players are all identical. --It feels like a facebook game. Barely playable. Any positive review here must be a developer. I don't know how someone could recommend something so tedious and gray. Just play co-op Borderlands instead.
  57. Shrugnick
    Apr 27, 2013
    9
    This game gets a bad rap for having a TV tie-in and for people expecting something that it is not. First off, don't expect a Bioware-level story or experience here. It is unashamedly an MMO first and foremost. If Borderlands and Guild Wars 2 had a baby this is what the result would be like. The pros are the gun-play is very fun, vehicles have actual physics and don't work like the usualThis game gets a bad rap for having a TV tie-in and for people expecting something that it is not. First off, don't expect a Bioware-level story or experience here. It is unashamedly an MMO first and foremost. If Borderlands and Guild Wars 2 had a baby this is what the result would be like. The pros are the gun-play is very fun, vehicles have actual physics and don't work like the usual "mounts" in MMOs, it's free to play, and PvP is quite satisfying once you get the hang of it. The cons? Well like any MMO it can get repetitive, there is no real difference in guns as you level (a pump-action shotgun at level 30 will essentially be the same as it is at level 2000), but you can mod them and you do level your skills with that gun type to make it better, and I don't see a real end game in sight at the moment. However, despite the cons if you approach it as an MMO with guns (think of how Tabula Rasa SHOULD have been) you will have a good time. If you are expecting MMO Mass Effect, you will be disappointed.… Expand
  58. Graphic
    Apr 19, 2013
    10
    Firstly.... I wanted to give this game a 8 as I feel that there is room for improvement, however because of people just throwing 1's and 0's out there I feel I want to help get this title to where it should be in the ratings. While maybe not the typical MMO or 3PS that everyone is used to this game can be a great time and I think people need to give it a go. I have no regrets about myFirstly.... I wanted to give this game a 8 as I feel that there is room for improvement, however because of people just throwing 1's and 0's out there I feel I want to help get this title to where it should be in the ratings. While maybe not the typical MMO or 3PS that everyone is used to this game can be a great time and I think people need to give it a go. I have no regrets about my purchase and love the fact that I can log in for an hour and feel like I accomplished something. The graphics while needing more customization for the PC user they still seem to be quite pleasing. The sound track is also above average and I have been playing with the in game music since launch. Some of the quests do get repeatable and variety could be enhanced but that is something they can address future content updates. Group Instances have been a blast and PVP is good times! Trion has had excellent community updates in regards to just about everything and I haven't seen feedback like this from any other company in recent years, maybe a rocky start but things are feeling a lot better with each passing day. Furthermore this is a one time purchase with no monthly subscription so if you cant dedicate your every waking moment to gaming this could be for you. I did watch the Defiance TV season premier and it was decent nothing to get excited about yet!!

    I miss the old review types so I am adding my own =)

    Presentation 8
    Graphics 8
    Gameplay 8
    Sound 8
    Lasting Appeal 8

    Overall 8

    Too many opinions, not enough people sticking to facts    … Expand
  59. SighMN
    Apr 11, 2013
    3
    I just feel kind of neutral about this game. I think some of the ideas behind it could be exciting. A really good Borderlands MMORPG would be wonderful, but unfortunately the more you play Defiance the more you realise it has many many flaws. The first problem really is that the game was designed for consoles and PCs at the same time. It looks like because of the limitations ofI just feel kind of neutral about this game. I think some of the ideas behind it could be exciting. A really good Borderlands MMORPG would be wonderful, but unfortunately the more you play Defiance the more you realise it has many many flaws. The first problem really is that the game was designed for consoles and PCs at the same time. It looks like because of the limitations of consoles, the PC version got the short end of the stick. The PC version has really really unintuitive menus that are extremely clunky which are much more suited for a console system. The UI is so bad, that it does really diminish any fun the game has to offer. There is limited inventory space, which means you have to constantly go into the UI menu to breakdown items you get. This would normally be easy with a mouse interface, Instead its 4-5 clicks in a window that is full screen. I can't say the number of times I've died because I wanted to pick up a gun, but in the process of breaking down an item, mobs spawned and killed me without warning. The UI also provides other problems in that quickly identifying which guns are better than others is really hard when you first start. This is combined with the really awkward way they implemented moding weapons.

    The Ego "Perks" system is a horribly aborted and badly implemented talent system. The two main problems are:

    1) All the "talents" have to be placed in perk spots, but you often have too few spots to place all the talents you invested ego points into. Its like putting points into a talent tree, but then only having the ability to select 3 of those talents to use, even though you may have placed points into 8 talents. The ego perks
    2) The perks are horribly uninteresting, and to top it off any perks you can't unlock at the moment are locked and their descriptions hidden so you have no idea what perks you want to head towards.

    The quests and storyline are really poorly done. The quests are extremely repetitive, and do nothing to advance the story. It takes hours of gameplay to come across the first interesting storyline, and its spoiled by really awful cutscenes and voice acting. In a world that seems as interesting as this and has a tie-in television series, I'm shocked they couldn't have developed a gripping storyline with requisite quests from the start.

    The combat is generally fun. Unlike some shooters, there is a sense of reward if you aim more carefully, and most mobs don't feel like bullet sponges. Ammo for the most part is readily available via ammo crates, and mobs drop usually an ample supply of ammo. I haven't PVPed so I can't combat on balance in that domain, but just in questing it is clear that some types of guns are generally useless.

    Unfortunately this game does seem to suffer from server side performance issues during arkfalls, and I notice the combat is much less responsive when there are 10 more people in a close area. I've also encountered a few bugs, where my weapon starts to aim upwards in areas with higher player density. The "arkfalls" are badly done, and give generally uninteresting rewards. They are nowhere near as engaging as other games public quests or even rifts in Rift.

    The graphics of this game like the UI are limited by the fact this is released on consoles as well. But even worse than just graphics, the actual artwork and environments are just plain boring. I'm not sure how they made the San Francisco bay area look so boring. There simply isn't much style or effort gone into making this game look great despite the possible technical limitations of consoles.

    In summary, this game has a pretty good combat system, but I'm really disappointed as it could have been so much more. I'm not sure how Trion misstepped so much considering all the good things they did with Rift, and it makes me wonder whether or not this game was rushed. I think its biggest downfall is the really disappointing storyline, and really generic and uninteresting quests.    … Expand
  60. CowboyCannibal
    Jul 11, 2014
    0
    If a game goes free to play it means it's a failure/dead and you should avoid it. The only content updates they are releasing are laughable cosmetic items such as masks for sale in the in game store. "We’ve added two new cosmetic headgear" I read with excitement in the email they sent me; telling me I should watch the TV show and buy these digital masks that don't do anything. ApparentlyIf a game goes free to play it means it's a failure/dead and you should avoid it. The only content updates they are releasing are laughable cosmetic items such as masks for sale in the in game store. "We’ve added two new cosmetic headgear" I read with excitement in the email they sent me; telling me I should watch the TV show and buy these digital masks that don't do anything. Apparently this game is based on some kind of TV show nobody has ever heard of or watched. After ripping everybody off who paid full price for this game by making it free to play, I advise you to not waste your time on this.… Expand
  61. Vorch
    Apr 17, 2013
    5
    If you want to buy it, you can find it for less than 40 bucks online.

    The show looks good...the game is pretty "meh" at the moment. * Combat is good, but it's standard TPS. * Quests get repetitive REALLY quick (run to point, kill spawns, hold E, repeat) * Menus need some work * Mods give weapons a custom feel. * Game has nearly NOTHING to do with the show (so far) I bought the    If you want to buy it, you can find it for less than 40 bucks online.

    The show looks good...the game is pretty "meh" at the moment.

    * Combat is good, but it's standard TPS.
    * Quests get repetitive REALLY quick (run to point, kill spawns, hold E, repeat)
    * Menus need some work
    * Mods give weapons a custom feel.
    * Game has nearly NOTHING to do with the show (so far)

    I bought the game because I trust Trion. I'd wait 3-6 months to see where this one goes.    … Expand
  62. Schitso
    Apr 5, 2013
    0
    I can't even begin to describe how disappointed I am in this game. It's like someone took a high school video game project and patched in some awful multiplayer code. It offers nothing new, the documentation is lacking, the gameplay is stale, the quests are boring.

    But there's one thing that blows my mind: it costs the same as a premium game, BUT IT'S STILL FREEMIUM. You read that    I can't even begin to describe how disappointed I am in this game. It's like someone took a high school video game project and patched in some awful multiplayer code. It offers nothing new, the documentation is lacking, the gameplay is stale, the quests are boring.

    But there's one thing that blows my mind: it costs the same as a premium game, BUT IT'S STILL FREEMIUM. You read that right. A full-priced game, with the stupid freemium model built-in. Absolute BS.    … Expand
  63. ValorousJames
    May 26, 2013
    8
    I purchased this game with little hope for it. I have now put in over 200 hours of game-play. I have to say I had no idea it keep me coming back to it this much. It is a very flawed game; the story is kind of lame, enemies get repetitive as do missions, graphics are muddy at best, and voice acting is terrible at best. That all sounds horrid, but let me tell you the good parts shineI purchased this game with little hope for it. I have now put in over 200 hours of game-play. I have to say I had no idea it keep me coming back to it this much. It is a very flawed game; the story is kind of lame, enemies get repetitive as do missions, graphics are muddy at best, and voice acting is terrible at best. That all sounds horrid, but let me tell you the good parts shine through all this. Great shooting mechanics, good mmo elements that don't require a lot of hassle, good customization, and just general fun. The fluid nature of the world with other players crossing paths with you is very intriguing and draws me back more than anything. I won't say it is a great game, but I think it is an interesting move in a direction I think will be huge once it catches on. This is not for everyone, I feel it is very much dependent on personal preference as to whether you will enjoy Defiance or not, but if you liked Borderlands or really like the 3rd person perspective there are far worse places to go for a good time.… Expand
  64. ozorxoron
    Apr 5, 2013
    2
    Defiance is an average, painfully repetitive game, but it is oddly addictive.

    The game is very bare bones, there are only a handful of missions and they are repeated throughout the game. The weapons rarely feel unique, you get your RPG's, AR's, pistols, sniper rifles and so on, but most feel weak and you'll stick to one or two through most of the game. The missions themselves are    Defiance is an average, painfully repetitive game, but it is oddly addictive.

    The game is very bare bones, there are only a handful of missions and they are repeated throughout the game. The weapons rarely feel unique, you get your RPG's, AR's, pistols, sniper rifles and so on, but most feel weak and you'll stick to one or two through most of the game.

    The missions themselves are very dull, go here, kill all the enemies, activate an object and kill more enemies. The story is pretty bland with main characters that are cliche and boring. The fact that your character doesn't have the ability to speak or even show emotion during the cutscenes leaves little reason to watch them. At first they're a nice break from the constant shooting, but I quickly found myself skipping them as they were just boring, poorly animated scenes of NPC's standing around talking about why I need to go to a location and kill some more.

    The Arkfall's are pretty interesting, they don't really bring anything new to the game, but stick with them and a large enough group of players will arrive making for some chaotic fun. The vehicle controls are poor, the vehicles feel like they're made of cardboard and using the W,A,S and D keys to control them doesn't help.

    The whole MMO thing doesn't really work for this game, at least on the PC. I've never grouped up with people or needed help on a mission, and I rarely see anyone speak as the chat interface is awful and most people either ignore or don't realise it's there.

    Overall the game has some fun to be had, but it's not worth the asking price. Wait for a large price drop first.    … Expand
  65. Enik
    Jul 22, 2013
    3
    You know why there's no demo of Defiance? Because if you do one quest, one arkfall and attach one mod to a gun, you've done EVERYTHING there is to do. Seriously. There's virtually no meaningful character progression, no real crafting, no real social component. It's a pseudo MMO for the Call of Duty dolts. I was bored after an hour.

    I gave it a 3 because the guns are kind of fun and the    You know why there's no demo of Defiance? Because if you do one quest, one arkfall and attach one mod to a gun, you've done EVERYTHING there is to do. Seriously. There's virtually no meaningful character progression, no real crafting, no real social component. It's a pseudo MMO for the Call of Duty dolts. I was bored after an hour.

    I gave it a 3 because the guns are kind of fun and the shooting mechanics are solid. But really, it's not an MMO.    … Expand
  66. cedekane
    Apr 25, 2013
    2
    The game is unpolished, buggy, gameplay is fun at times, but unimaginative. None of this kills the game. That is done by the repetition and a system that doesn't keep you wanting to flesh our your character. After 20 hours, you will have done anything there is to do in this world multiple times. That is pretty normal for an MMO, where defiance differs is its Loot/leveling system, whichThe game is unpolished, buggy, gameplay is fun at times, but unimaginative. None of this kills the game. That is done by the repetition and a system that doesn't keep you wanting to flesh our your character. After 20 hours, you will have done anything there is to do in this world multiple times. That is pretty normal for an MMO, where defiance differs is its Loot/leveling system, which is veryshallow and I'm hesitant to say it even has one. You can easily get to the end of the game with the same guns you had at the beginning, this is because the stats on a higher level weapon is exactly the same as that of a lower level weapon. In the end, you may be tempted like I was. I bought this game and wanted to love it. I have 20 hours logged(for many gamers 20 hours for a game like this is a laughable amount), before I saw this game for what it is, a rushed, shoddily put together money grab exploiting the first game of its kind. Save your money for now and wait it out, by the time the price goes down, maybe it will be a game of comparable quality to some other games out right now. As is, even if it were free, you could do better. To Trion and Syfy, you could of had a contender, instead its just a bum, which is what it is...… Expand
  67. XenoCypher
    Apr 2, 2013
    10
    Defiance is everything that The Secret World SHOULD have been, with more. It has a compelling story with characters that evolve through-out the missions, giving them the feeling that you "know" them to some degree. The ability to drive around in cars, trucks, and quads gives the game an added fun factor with all of the cool things you can do with them (like crazy jumps and 360's).

    The    Defiance is everything that The Secret World SHOULD have been, with more. It has a compelling story with characters that evolve through-out the missions, giving them the feeling that you "know" them to some degree. The ability to drive around in cars, trucks, and quads gives the game an added fun factor with all of the cool things you can do with them (like crazy jumps and 360's).

    The Arkfall system is very akin to Rift's in RIFT and award every player doing the missions there, without the need to be in a group. Even the main missions (quests), do not require you to be grouped to get credit, which is pretty awesome.

    There is so much to love about this game, that it is hard to list it all. It is worth trying for yourself.    … Expand
  68. Numtini
    Jun 24, 2014
    4
    Simply put, it's not very good. The world is interesting in many ways, but it suffers from repetitive gameplay. The largest problem is the developers. It felt like they checked out shortly after launch and as the population dwindled, never returned.
  69. TheDozarian
    Apr 14, 2013
    8
    Anything that is tied to SyFy starts me out skeptical. I wanted to have high hopes for this title when I first heard the concept. When I heard that it was Trion developing it, I wanted to believe that it could be as good as Rift is. The end result was that when I initially got my hands on it (Beta 3), I was expecting very little. Thankfully, I was surprised by what I got.

    After the beta    Anything that is tied to SyFy starts me out skeptical. I wanted to have high hopes for this title when I first heard the concept. When I heard that it was Trion developing it, I wanted to believe that it could be as good as Rift is. The end result was that when I initially got my hands on it (Beta 3), I was expecting very little. Thankfully, I was surprised by what I got.

    After the beta ended, I couldn't help but find myself wanting to play it more. And I have a host of other MMOs that I'm currently enthralled with. So when it went live, I went ahead and picked it up. I've watched the trailers for both the game and the show and I must say that I'm impressed... so far.

    That being said, I'm enjoying the gameplay, if not the story as well. It's a setting that both appeals to me and has been vastly under-served thus far. I like it. At least give it a shot before you dog it. It might just be your thing, too!    … Expand
  70. Etherealistic
    Apr 12, 2013
    10
    I am giving Defiance a 10 only to counteract the negative reviews that have been posted here, it should be about an 8.

    While it is not perfect, Defiance is subject to an incredible ignorance. I cannot speak for the PS3 or 360 version of the game but I know for a fact that the PC version goes very unappreciated. I have read several reviews that do not detail the Competitive, Co-op, or    I am giving Defiance a 10 only to counteract the negative reviews that have been posted here, it should be about an 8.

    While it is not perfect, Defiance is subject to an incredible ignorance. I cannot speak for the PS3 or 360 version of the game but I know for a fact that the PC version goes very unappreciated. I have read several reviews that do not detail the Competitive, Co-op, or Shadow War aspect of the game. I have been in so few competitive matches that do not result in a very close game due to balancing, constant scores of 24-25, 49-50 and even 1490-1500 or 1990-2000.

    Unfortunately there is a very shared opinion about the game being incomplete, the game is not incomplete in the slightest but its suffering from its concept of future planning. Defiance has delivered us a base for whats to come. Trion instead decided not to give it to us all at once, especially since the plan is to coincide with the show which people seem to miss. Every MMO is built on giving us content through patches and/or expansions.

    The gameplay is extremely similar to Borderlands, which personally I believe should not have a rating higher than this game(mind you Borderlands, not Borderlands 2.). Defiance demonstrates many similar features of Borderlands and then some.

    For those strongly considering buying the game the things you need to know is that the gameplay you will come to enjoy is like Borderlands for the main story and side missions, even challenges like Saints Row. There is also a very balanced and challenging competitive multiplayer.    … Expand
  71. philtothetop
    Aug 7, 2013
    7
    I was really interested in this game when it came out and finally decided to get it and to try it out after all of these critics. Well, it isn't bad but it doesn't feels like a top notch game either. Gameplay-wise, the controls are somewhat questionable and the default key-binding is weird as well (it doesn't matters anyway because you can rebind pretty much everything). The story is okay,I was really interested in this game when it came out and finally decided to get it and to try it out after all of these critics. Well, it isn't bad but it doesn't feels like a top notch game either. Gameplay-wise, the controls are somewhat questionable and the default key-binding is weird as well (it doesn't matters anyway because you can rebind pretty much everything). The story is okay, but the overall game is engaging. Be careful, IT IS repetitive.… Expand
  72. Ajdino
    Apr 15, 2013
    9
    This game is incredible. I have played over 70 MMO's in my lifetime and never have I come across one that's more colorful than this. The gameplay is very unique. It has very well executed third person shooter action and the story is spot on. The graphics are very surprising because of how old the recommmended graphics cards are. They did a very good job with the graphics. The sound isThis game is incredible. I have played over 70 MMO's in my lifetime and never have I come across one that's more colorful than this. The gameplay is very unique. It has very well executed third person shooter action and the story is spot on. The graphics are very surprising because of how old the recommmended graphics cards are. They did a very good job with the graphics. The sound is mixed, because enviromental is well done but I can't say the same thing for the weapon sounds. The lore is very interesting and entertaining, because of the television show connected to this game. The PVP is very skilled based, where only a few rounds fired makes the difference of whether you survive or not against your opponent. I haven't played any other game since I have bought this. Defiance is probably one of the best MMO's I've ever had the pleasure of playing. I am 100% satisfied with the $100 I have spent for this game. I couldn't ask for very much more in a perfect game.… Expand
  73. outerringz
    Jul 21, 2013
    9
    Defiance is a 3rd person action-MMO (without a monthly fee) with Borderlands game-play mechanics wrapped around the Defiance TV series story, and I love it. Unfortunately, it also seems to be yet another example of MetaCritic review ridiculousness, which you can easily see by the massive swing in review scores. I play this game cooperatively with a friend, and we're able to join togetherDefiance is a 3rd person action-MMO (without a monthly fee) with Borderlands game-play mechanics wrapped around the Defiance TV series story, and I love it. Unfortunately, it also seems to be yet another example of MetaCritic review ridiculousness, which you can easily see by the massive swing in review scores. I play this game cooperatively with a friend, and we're able to join together as a group, easily keep track of each other in the game world, and can cooperatively complete instance quests. The main story is cohesive and enjoyable, the gear is vast and diverse, and the environments are beautiful. If you've been itching to try it but have been put off by the mixed reviews, and you like what I've described here, then give it a try, you won't be disappointed.… Expand
  74. o2deprived
    Aug 15, 2013
    10
    Unfortunately, I waited for a big Steam sale to play this game. I had read the reviews and feared the worst, but took a chance at the $13 price point. I was so disappointed...not in the game, but that I didn't jump on board sooner. All of the MMO-fanboy negativism and terrible review dynamics have all but put this great game in the grave. One review states..."it IS fun!" and gives it aUnfortunately, I waited for a big Steam sale to play this game. I had read the reviews and feared the worst, but took a chance at the $13 price point. I was so disappointed...not in the game, but that I didn't jump on board sooner. All of the MMO-fanboy negativism and terrible review dynamics have all but put this great game in the grave. One review states..."it IS fun!" and gives it a zero... If you're into MMO-numberRow-button-sauce, standing stationary, generally facing your opponent, and grinding through cool-down attacks, this is NOT the game for you. If you're into go-fetch-me-X-of-Y things, this is NOT the game for you. IF you want to tick up your Schwarzenegger-strength attribute or your Legolas-dex stats...you're not going to find that here either. However, if you like good action gameplay and want to really "feel" like you're killing some stuff based on your ability to point a gun, dodge, sneak, find cover, etc. AND you enjoy some good story elements to follow this might just make a favorite game list for you.

    Following the main story quests and the episode mini-stories, is the most engaging. The cut scenes are generally something you want to watch. They pull you in to the characters and the environment and the "feel" of the world. If you like the TV show, it makes it even better. It's just cool to take on a quest with Lawmaker Nolan and Irisa. And THANK YOU TRION for giving me a friggin' vehicle to get around this world so early on.

    Guns...guns...guns...this is pretty much (as you've seen in many other reviews) a Borderlands MMO. Gun customization is where the crafting comes in. It's not as involved as a lot of MMOs out there...so if you're wanting to farm your ores or yew wood, move along...none of that stuff here. But, if you want to equip your shotgun that shoots grenades with a scope...DO IT!

    As was mentioned, the side-quests aren't very deep, but they are a good way to do some quick killin' and the best way I've found so far to get cool mods for guns.

    For the most part, the interface is pretty easy to use. There are a few annoying quirks, like the need to double-click the menu items in the Salvaging Matrix. Uggghhh, take those double-clicks out Trion! And even tho I started playing later in the calendar...there are still a few bugs. But there are bugs in all games and particularly MMOs. I haven't played one yet that didn't have some sort of bug here and there. Defiance feels good. Looks AWESOME (the reviewers claiming the graphics suck...what the hell game are you playing...?). And sounds amazing too. Details abound all over the world. Stop and smell the roses every once in a while.

    If you're an MMO-snob and have to have your MMO-sauce features...then don't play Defiance. However, if you like to participate in some good action and experience a coop solution that feels more coop and less like a mob of people running around doing their own thing...try Defiance. It doesn't have a monthly fee and is available at bargain prices (Steam: $9.99).

    And like the dumbass that thought "IS fun to play" is worth a 0, I'm giving it a 10 because it is REALLY fun to play!!!     … Expand
  75. brandileigh
    Jun 13, 2013
    9
    The game is beautiful, I'm a fan of the Irathient but the options are lacking human and irathient only In an upcoming DLC that will change with the addition of the Casthithan race.

    I like the fact that it's not impossible for me a person who definitely doesn't play shooters for pick and run with. It's nice that everything is sorted out in your standard MMO quests and the arkfalls,    The game is beautiful, I'm a fan of the Irathient but the options are lacking human and irathient only In an upcoming DLC that will change with the addition of the Casthithan race.

    I like the fact that it's not impossible for me a person who definitely doesn't play shooters for pick and run with. It's nice that everything is sorted out in your standard MMO quests and the arkfalls, Defiance's version of rifts, can be entertaining.

    This game will get a 10 from me if they fix the ingame chat, it's horrible and players have to resort to voicechat which is a big no no for me and provide episodic and lore content. They do have some ties-ins but it's not enough atm and instead are relying on speed challenges like car racing and shooting challenges as filler. Fix those and in my opinion, Defiance is a 100% winner.    … Expand
  76. Mavor
    Apr 12, 2013
    9
    Post apocalypse. Aliens. Modern day weaponry to super high tech alien weaponry. Weapon modification (statwise and visually). Awesome 'Mad Max' style chunky vehicles. Large selection of cosmetic outfits to earn. Fun storyline. Excellent atmosphere. Sandboxy world. Super hella fun gunfights! So much room to grow!

    Horizontal character progression ie: no grinding out levels to use that new    Post apocalypse. Aliens. Modern day weaponry to super high tech alien weaponry. Weapon modification (statwise and visually). Awesome 'Mad Max' style chunky vehicles. Large selection of cosmetic outfits to earn. Fun storyline. Excellent atmosphere. Sandboxy world. Super hella fun gunfights! So much room to grow!

    Horizontal character progression ie: no grinding out levels to use that new awesome weapon you found, its already your level when you find it. Loot in the game is similiar to games like the Stalker series where a given weapon type doesnt do more damage as you level up instead it gets better as you mod it and earn character perks to further increase your combat efficiency not by doing more base damage, but by getting more rounds on target and into those critical hit spots! Finding the same named rifle at high level that you did at low level will not increase its base stats instead it has a higher chance to come with more or all mod slots unlocked already and is more likely to come with multiple built in bonuses and Synergies.

    Defiance takes some skill to play its not a 'select target, begin hotkey rotation' game. Its a reflex based thrid person shooter that is just plain old fun to play and the fact that you can play it with the rest of the world just makes it even cooler.

    Like just about any MMO game these days its got its share of bugs. Many are avoidable others can hit you without warning. Trion has a massive patch coming first of the week that addresses nearly all of these and more.

    My main character is nearly 1500 EGO level and I must say I cannot wait to see whats in store for this game down the road. I know some have found issue with the game from what I see its mainly that the game isnt what those folks expected it to be, which is disappointing Im sure, but it happens. Some folks say theres not enough content right now at release the thing is, this game is a sandbox theres no direction you have to go in if you dont want to. I can spend hours roaming around the world just doing whatever and its just plain FUN!

    If an energetic third person shooter with a post apocaplyptic landscape crawling with alien weirdness and memorable characters sounds good to you dont wait, pick up a copy!    … Expand
  77. r3dl4nce
    Apr 18, 2013
    9
    Game is great. Shooter with a great action combat, skill based (you have to be good in aiming, avoiding shots, taking cover, gear is useful but there is NO gear farm like any wow-clone theme park (so everyone can play and compete and do all the game content without farming totally boring raids for months), MMO elements are good, lot of people arounds (60-70+ people in the big Arkfalls),Game is great. Shooter with a great action combat, skill based (you have to be good in aiming, avoiding shots, taking cover, gear is useful but there is NO gear farm like any wow-clone theme park (so everyone can play and compete and do all the game content without farming totally boring raids for months), MMO elements are good, lot of people arounds (60-70+ people in the big Arkfalls), nice coop missions with a right length (not too long and frustrating), game is B2P and shop is NOT a Pay2Win having only cosmetic items, PvP with BG and open world Shadow War.
    I saw the pilot of the TV show and that was AMAZING, a great mix of Terranova, Firefly, Battlestar Galactica, with a solid lore/background just as seen in the MMO.
    Game can be bought for less than 30 euros from some reseller, less than a single player and you can play for at least 5-6 months before being bored from the actual content, not to mention updates and new content release from Trion.    … Expand
  78. Siegfoult
    Jun 14, 2014
    9
    tldr: Like Borderlands, not quite as polished, but MMO and free!

    A fun MMO shooter, solid shooting and evasion mechanics and Borderlands-style random loot. Events which attract large groups of players who all need to work together makes this game's multiplayer fun, it does not require grouping a lot of the time. Apparently it used to have bugs, so far it has been stable for me.    tldr: Like Borderlands, not quite as polished, but MMO and free!

    A fun MMO shooter, solid shooting and evasion mechanics and Borderlands-style random loot. Events which attract large groups of players who all need to work together makes this game's multiplayer fun, it does not require grouping a lot of the time. Apparently it used to have bugs, so far it has been stable for me. People who are expecting another WoW style game may be disappointed, people who are looking for Borderlands with seamless multiplayer will probably like this. Game is free-to-play now so it is great value, there are few penalties for not being a paid player. Story is not bad (especially compared to most MMO's where the story is dull). Biggest downside is that it might get repetitive after a while.

    Getting to do MMO gameplay in a game that actually makes an effort to have good gameplay is rare. This game lets you drive around in ATVs and do jumps and stuff, so there is actually physics! No riding a horse that has no mass! There is a lot of strategy in what perks you equip, what power you use, and what equipment you have in your loadout. Its refreshing to actually have to think about strategy in a character build instead of just give your tank lots of armor or your healer high Wisdom, for example!

    I find that this game is most fun because it eliminates a lot of the penalties that most MMORPGs have when trying to get a group. Character level is not so important, and there are not classes, so you don't have to, for example, wait forever for a healer to come along before doing a quest, you just play with your friends or anyone in the area who is also doing the quest. Quest objectives are also shared with nearby players, so there is no having to race to complete an objective, and have to wait for it to reset if you didn't get to it first. Very few penalties for playing near other people compared to most MMORPGs.

    Personally I try a lot of MMO games, but was unsatisfied with all of them until this one. Games like WoW and SWTOR have boring gameplay (imo) and most shooters like Planetside 2 are all PvP. This is a shooter with mostly PvE, just what I was looking for.    … Expand
  79. IMKain
    Apr 3, 2013
    10
    This game is absolutely amazing. Trion Worlds did a fantastic job of making this MMO shooter have a nice single player feel and multiplayer feel. There is no need to party up with people unless you wish to. Also the storyline and the missions have some weight, and since some of the missions are phased you won't have to worry about having to do a mission all over again, or even havingThis game is absolutely amazing. Trion Worlds did a fantastic job of making this MMO shooter have a nice single player feel and multiplayer feel. There is no need to party up with people unless you wish to. Also the storyline and the missions have some weight, and since some of the missions are phased you won't have to worry about having to do a mission all over again, or even having someone stealing your kill. You are rewarded for assisting your fellow ark hunters, as well all loot that drops is your own loot...not shared loot...so there is no fear of someone ninja looting.

    Overall the game is very beautiful to look at, and the shooting mechanics are dialed in quite nicely.

    No worry of cooldowns, or a GUI that you end up paying more attention to then the game. If you are looking for a nice shooter with RPG elements, with MMO to boot, then look no further than Defiance.

    Also I caught the 15 minute preview of the show and it looks really good.    … Expand
  80. Nataraja
    Apr 23, 2013
    8
    The simplest way to describe this game is Rift without all of the plethora of spells and abilities and stripped of tab targeting and skill based combat added in. Trion has managed to take the dynamic events that made Rift so much fun to play and made it a skill based 3rd person shooter. The PvP is solid and enjoyable and the Coop maps essentially instances/dungeons are well done,The simplest way to describe this game is Rift without all of the plethora of spells and abilities and stripped of tab targeting and skill based combat added in. Trion has managed to take the dynamic events that made Rift so much fun to play and made it a skill based 3rd person shooter. The PvP is solid and enjoyable and the Coop maps essentially instances/dungeons are well done, quick, challenging and fun. There is a lot of content to keep you occupied, especially if you don't mind the standard fetch quests. There are also faction reputation, Ark Falls, Emergencies, Special Events, The Shadow War (open world objective PvP) and TONS of side quests, skill challenges, etc. For a Buy to Play (B2P) game like Guild Wars 2, this is a pretty attractive game. I really enjoy it and the graphics are great voice acting gets better as the story progresses and it stays in safe territory without a lot of innovation. Basically its Rift's event and world system, Mass Effects competent and enjoyable 3rd person shooter combat, and cutscenes that are short and to the point. Could only give it an 8 because its so mainstream though with no real risks involved.

    If you are tired of having your MMOs flavored with tab targeting and medieval themes then I would suggest trying Defiance.    … Expand
  81. drwebs
    Apr 12, 2013
    0
    The game seems hurried and very repetitive. You go from fetching one item to turning on a panel, over and over and over. You hope into a mount only to drive to an area to kill one guy and fetch a thing or turn on a panel. This is about 40 hours of gameplay. The main quests are boring and I guess tie into a boring show. Overall I would wait a few years before spending 59.99 on this boring game.
  82. Kracket
    Apr 16, 2013
    9
    Interesting world, addicting combat, horrendous UI, lackluster questing. This game is Borderlands mixed with GTA mixed with Rift. Once the UI and bugs are fixed, this game will be pretty fantastic. Even with it's flat characters, console-created menus and a few unexpected problems, I am having an exciting time in the world of Defiance. I bought it for 42 bucks from greenmangaming and IInteresting world, addicting combat, horrendous UI, lackluster questing. This game is Borderlands mixed with GTA mixed with Rift. Once the UI and bugs are fixed, this game will be pretty fantastic. Even with it's flat characters, console-created menus and a few unexpected problems, I am having an exciting time in the world of Defiance. I bought it for 42 bucks from greenmangaming and I have already gotten my money's worth. Consider checking it out.… Expand
  83. NE_Dave
    Apr 18, 2013
    7
    Defiance is a multiplayer online game, but not yet a RPG, despite claims of Trion Worlds. However, with the ties to the SyFy television show, the game is keeping my interest far longer than a standard FPS game which is only about killing one another. The over the shoulder firing system is similar to Fallout's system, another plus for someone like myself with poor reflexes. Still, the gameDefiance is a multiplayer online game, but not yet a RPG, despite claims of Trion Worlds. However, with the ties to the SyFy television show, the game is keeping my interest far longer than a standard FPS game which is only about killing one another. The over the shoulder firing system is similar to Fallout's system, another plus for someone like myself with poor reflexes. Still, the game does lack polish in some areas, and yes, quests are fairly repetitive at this moment. The hope is, however, the game will be adding content beyond 'shoot the raider/dark matter/bug/mutant' standard currently in the game. Role playing elements, to get more in depth with the characters is another area needing a huge improvement, but promised.

    Many of the reviews here have been critical of bugs, but I find few in the PC version of the game compared to what has been said about the consoles. Do, though, play this game with a controller if at all possible. It is very controller friendly compared to other MMOs which have attempted it previously.

    I'd like to rate this higher, but with elements missing to make it a RPG, and with the repetition, I have to hold back until I see the DLC adding more races and missions.    … Expand
  84. Livnthedream
    Apr 5, 2013
    5
    The entire game boils down to mediocre at best, which makes it really not worth the price in my book. The ui is atrocious. It is super wonky and just feels bad on a mouse and keyboard and has no ability to customize. Weapon balance is all over the place, and with how drops work how powerful you are is based more on luck than skill. Graphics are a mixed bag, some effects are cool, but theThe entire game boils down to mediocre at best, which makes it really not worth the price in my book. The ui is atrocious. It is super wonky and just feels bad on a mouse and keyboard and has no ability to customize. Weapon balance is all over the place, and with how drops work how powerful you are is based more on luck than skill. Graphics are a mixed bag, some effects are cool, but the texture quality is really poor and some decent AA would have gone a really long way. The "storyline" missions do not make any sense. You get to meet the main characters from the show in the opening cut scene, then as you run into them half the time they act like they just met you, not to mention it sets it up pretty early that even though you are some random guy off the street and they just plugged a computer in your head and still have not been trained how to use it you just happen to be worth squads of well trained marines. The game is fun, but very much not worth full price, especially when they are selling the advantages they are in the cash shop.… Expand
  85. MilkANdWookies
    Apr 2, 2013
    8
    A few hours in and I am glad to say I am pleasantly engrossed thus far, The massive co-op quests that are a constant in the world are my favorites thus far. I played beta on Xbox and I am now playing the PC version it is much better looking graphically, from a control stand point it seems it was made more console friendly. Overall I would say it is worth giving it a go.
  86. mranere
    Apr 4, 2013
    1
    I was really looking forward to this game, especially with the TV show tie in planned. However, once I got into it, I found it to be seriously lacking. The whole time I was in the beta, it felt like a single player game, I really didn't run into many people, even at the ArkFall areas. It has a Borderlands-Lite feel to it. Not a lot of depth to it, the menu system is horrid, the controlsI was really looking forward to this game, especially with the TV show tie in planned. However, once I got into it, I found it to be seriously lacking. The whole time I was in the beta, it felt like a single player game, I really didn't run into many people, even at the ArkFall areas. It has a Borderlands-Lite feel to it. Not a lot of depth to it, the menu system is horrid, the controls are poorly laid out, the skill system is weak and the quest or mission system is unimaginative at best. All in all, not worth the price tag, not even close.… Expand
  87. Warin
    Apr 4, 2013
    0
    Feels like Borderlands, without the Crazy Humour, the sick amount of loot, and little to nothing thought goes into your build.
    The setting is interesting but it's clearly made more for a TV show than a game. Haven't tested balance yet up to lvl 4000 might be nigh unkillable for normal players if it continues to scale like it does the first 400 levels.
  88. Catch2two
    Apr 3, 2013
    9
    Exciting Story, Fun Characters and a great new take on MMO games. It's not so much of an RPG, but it does have the elements needed to mimic one. I've been playing since the First stages of Beta and throughout the process of becoming full retail, Trion listens to their customers and feedback given.

    This game has a strong community and a stronger Development Team behind it and I cannot    Exciting Story, Fun Characters and a great new take on MMO games. It's not so much of an RPG, but it does have the elements needed to mimic one. I've been playing since the First stages of Beta and throughout the process of becoming full retail, Trion listens to their customers and feedback given.

    This game has a strong community and a stronger Development Team behind it and I cannot wait for the future of this game and what it brings to the table for Innovation and creativity.

    It's got a few flaws, but they're features that are going to be implemented or I have yet to get high enough to see more (Only gotten to 250).
    - Character Outfits could be worked on, more outfits or drops that could be rare.
    - PvP doesn't work for me, but it works for everyone else i play with, must be some sort of Port i need to forward or something that needs to be patched. I played it in beta and I thought it was really fun.
    - Hard to tell if the area we start at is the only area in the game or not, Not saying it's small, it isn't especially with so many players on at the same time, but having a larger outlook on how the world looks in more than just the California would be extremely neat.    … Expand
  89. Maeldun81
    Apr 2, 2013
    10
    One of the rare MMO's that actually grips you in the story, flawless launch so far which you never see in mmos ever. Nice customization, weapons, loving the vehicles.
  90. Landon144
    Apr 26, 2013
    8
    Defiance is a game full of potential. At this moment, we have an excellent MMOTPS with good gunplay, many available guns and even more mods. Several kinds of vehicles and rewarding events that require quite some players to participate. When you do such an event, you will notice you won't have ANY lagg, neither you will lose ANY FPS. Most of the bugs that came with the launch are fixedDefiance is a game full of potential. At this moment, we have an excellent MMOTPS with good gunplay, many available guns and even more mods. Several kinds of vehicles and rewarding events that require quite some players to participate. When you do such an event, you will notice you won't have ANY lagg, neither you will lose ANY FPS. Most of the bugs that came with the launch are fixed already. Defiance will run parallel with a TV Show with the same name. It's promised that when something important happens in the TV show after it airs, it will affect the game. There have been only two episodes so far, so I couldn't really verify this yet. The best pro might be that Defiance doesn't have a monthly fee, so you will only have to buy it once.
    These were the main pro's, there are some con's as well. The AI is not that smart (but it doesn't mean it's the Mindjack AI), the world could be bigger and the missions are very repetitive.

    But overall I had a good experience with Defiance already, and I can't wait for content updates and DLC.    … Expand
  91. Diablo92
    Dec 14, 2013
    6
    I'm not the kind thats fit out for games similar to this but I checked it out and thought it was pretty neat. I'm a little nervous about these MMO types since I was never properly introduced to it and everything in it, so for that I am completely unexperienced in these games in every single way. I hope someday I will get into these games. Very cool game though still. 6/10
  92. gimpyjosh
    Apr 23, 2013
    8
    This game is FUN to play. I am confused as to a lot of the 0-2 reviews. I think a lot of people played it for five minutes, got bored, and tossed it before the game got to the level where combat became challenging and interesting.

    The game starts out in "Easy" mode. This means the only enemies you run into are mutants that stand still and shoot at you. This is so those of us with less    This game is FUN to play. I am confused as to a lot of the 0-2 reviews. I think a lot of people played it for five minutes, got bored, and tossed it before the game got to the level where combat became challenging and interesting.

    The game starts out in "Easy" mode. This means the only enemies you run into are mutants that stand still and shoot at you. This is so those of us with less experience in shooters have a chance to learn the controls. If you keep playing, the game gets harder, and therefore more interesting. You have to consider how to approach a group of enemies. You can't always charge in, stand in one place, and shoot people. Now you have to take cover. Now you have to try to eliminate shielded enemies first. Now you try to snipe their heavy damage enemies first so you can then deal with the peons.

    This is an MMO. If you don't have the patience for server downtime and bugs, you MUST WAIT a few months before buying it. I waited two weeks, and by then the game now has almost no server downtime, I have no lag, and the game runs flawlessly. The few minor bugs I ran into are not game breaking, and I know they will fix them all in a future patch.

    The worst part of this game is the dialogue. It appears to be written by a seven year-old boy that just saw his first boobie. In one line, a character says "Who is this pretty girl and why is she mad at me?" Yes, there are hundreds of groan-worthy lines like this strewn throughout.

    The second problem I have with this game comes from the synergy the game has created with the TV show. It seems the story and info you run across in the game world are intentionally vague, generic and leave out details as to the lore of the world. They developers are worrying too much about treading on the TV show's toes to tell an interesting story which explains and shares the intricacies of this alien infested, war torn world. In future content, I really hope they get that out of the way and try to tell a deeper story that includes more depth into the characters and areas we explore. Right now it just feels like a big empty sandbox and the only people your mute character (good choice... I love playing a game where I get to watch other people talk and make decisions) run into have nothing interesting going on.

    My final problem with the game is the lack of information. Certain things seem to continue to go on unexplained. How do you unlock the coop missions? No one knows. It appears to be random at best. How do you modify your equipment? Just keep pressing buttons and you might figure it out. But, if you happen to have any of the equipment EQUIPPED, you will NEVER understand it, because it doesn't give you an error message telling you to first unequip the item before modifying it... Dear lord, do they WANT people to play the game? The only reason you would need to have it unequipped is because there is an arbitrary ten minute timer to add a mod slot to an item, during which you CAN NOT USE THE ITEM, and neither can you even use the weapon modding system during that ten minutes... This seems like a poor choice. Make me pay to add the slot, but don't stop me from playing the game to perform such an arbitrary task.

    Play the game for the combat. That's the fun part. Despite all the flaws, it is hella fun to ride around on my 4wheeler, killing aliens, and saving the world from mutant freaks.    … Expand
  93. jimbofletcher12
    Apr 10, 2013
    8
    This is one of the best mmos out at the moment i know that's not saying much but its fun got good shooting and just all round a good fun game i wish there was customization at the start like hair Armour color etc but i think its a great game
  94. Spacecraft
    Apr 12, 2013
    9
    The story line is engaging, the gameplay is fun, and the locations look nice. People keep in mind that the show hasn't started yet and that is the main source of our story content in-game. If you've finished the content available right now, you'll have more every single week. What Trion NEEDS to fix is the UI, chat system, and clan system. They must add more clan focused content, like realThe story line is engaging, the gameplay is fun, and the locations look nice. People keep in mind that the show hasn't started yet and that is the main source of our story content in-game. If you've finished the content available right now, you'll have more every single week. What Trion NEEDS to fix is the UI, chat system, and clan system. They must add more clan focused content, like real PVE progression and clan battles. They have said they'll add these things, but we don't know when. Give this game a chance, because it's good now and it will only get better from here on.… Expand
  95. Zackis
    Apr 24, 2013
    8
    I have played and enjoyed the game since launch. Glitches have been relatively minor for me, but prevented a higher rating. Login was fast, no que's were encountered, and the game installed easily on an i7 w 16GB of RAM and a 660Ti without any issues.
  96. Archeus9
    May 5, 2013
    1
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I won't lie. The show is fantastic. The game however suffers a great deal. Here are my points:

    1: Trion tried way too hard to copy their "rifts" from their other title for the "arkfalls" in this game. To the point that arkfalls in the game don't even follow the arkfalls of the show. (asteroids that you shoot at instead of falling ship parts). That's the first thing that set me off... not even following its own lore.

    2. the amount of bugs (as of now three weeks in) this game has. There are many "quests" (pursuits) that cant be finished in the game due to being taken out to be fixed. There are some weapons which cause your weapon damage at the end of an arkfalls scoreboard to be 0.

    3. The what i like to call "slot machine" loot system. You basically get keys (either by rewards from arkfalls or converting a metric ton of salvage) that allow you to unlock chests which give you a chance to get better gear. After reading a post one night i decided to spend all my stockpiled salvage (since the beginning of the game) on keys to see if i even got a legendary. I got only one.. and it wasn't even a weapon i liked to use. 333 major arkfalls worth of salvage.. (yes i did the math).

    4. The outfits. Again with the lore.. most of the suits either sold on their shop or given to you as a reward didnt even look like stuff you would see on the show... power suits? really?! Last time i checked they were survivors wearing what they could. I wont even get into the rehashing of the same skins with a different coat of paint.

    5. Them being more worried to advertise for dodge by letting you race one of its cars. So you can get a new coat of paint for your dodge car. Never mind the fact that that coat of paint can actually be found if you get lucky at a vendor randomly... so it really isnt rare at all.

    6. The non existent co-op. Really.. there wasn't even a reason to team up with people other than having them able to rez you. In fact it just makes it harder on you to have more people around because it just makes the mobs bullet spunges.

    7. Probably the biggest one for me was the lack of a "tie in" or impact on the show. Yes thats right... for all intents and purposes.. there is nothing in the game that impacts the show or vice versa (as of now). Word has it they are even finished filming season 1. Which begs the question.. how are we supposed to impact the show again?

    I could go on but ill stop there. The only good thing i saw in this game was that it was a shooter/mmo. And as much as i could say that was cool. In all reality they could have done much better.    … Expand
  97. Traciatim
    May 28, 2013
    3
    Defiance is generic throw away console trash. Everything about it's design from the terrible control schemes, to lack of graphics customization, right down to the bite sized questing and ADD style action random action points scream console port. If you are looking for a PC shooter MMO, look elsewhere. Save this one for the $9.99 bargain bin.
  98. drmagnumwolf
    May 20, 2013
    10
    At the start, the game is a bit meh. I was even pondering if I chose right to pay for the game. But as soon as I reached EGO RATING(lvl if you wanna call it) 300 or up, the game started to become interesting. There are no levels, no mobs with higher level than you, it require skills to kill it. Granted, it will make it easier if you have a uncommon or rare gun...

    Think of it as    At the start, the game is a bit meh. I was even pondering if I chose right to pay for the game. But as soon as I reached EGO RATING(lvl if you wanna call it) 300 or up, the game started to become interesting. There are no levels, no mobs with higher level than you, it require skills to kill it. Granted, it will make it easier if you have a uncommon or rare gun...

    Think of it as borderlands in third person with the ability to modify your guns.

    It is quite fun the "dungeons" too, if someone leaves your group, someone else can take its place automatically.

    They also have world pvp, where you can actually pvp in the zones where you had your quests, with the mobs hindering or helping you. It's called Shadow war.

    There are also arkfalls, where a chunk of the Ark falls and you have to battle through mobs, and the end boss is amazing.

    Now the TV show felt very stale and slow in the first episodes, but I believe on the 3rd and up it started to pick up steam. It feels quite like the Star Trek Original Series, where the "drama" and the "story" happened more inside the ship than outside.

    So, give it a go... It is worth it, especially because the episode and game tie-in was quite fun, and explained more of the lore.    … Expand
  99. Criptonix100
    Jul 24, 2013
    0
    Those devs are such trolls why they lower the price to 49,99 EUROS TO 29,99 EUROS AND NOW 9,99 IM SO ANGRY TRION WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?!?! I LOVED RIFT AND NOW RIFT IS FREE TO PLAY AND NOW DEFIANCE IS 9,99
  100. mrbigtime
    Apr 17, 2013
    7
    Well, if you want to buy this, prepare yourself. it is not awesome. nor it is not so bad. but wish its money was a bit cheaper. i think it doesnt worth its current money. i paid and iam a bit disappointed.

    still, shooting mechanics are well done, physics are ok. sounds and visuals r good. if you can buy it cheaper it is a good game.
  101. Spookerton
    Apr 6, 2013
    1
    The story is dry and dead and the characters weak in every possible way.
    The geometry and texture work looks like it was made for a B-list game ten years ago.
    The general user interface is uninspired, cluttered, and barely navigable due to the color scheme. The camera is fixed at a tiny viewing angle of something like 45 degrees. The combat is slow, clunky, utterly lacking in feedback    The story is dry and dead and the characters weak in every possible way.
    The geometry and texture work looks like it was made for a B-list game ten years ago.
    The general user interface is uninspired, cluttered, and barely navigable due to the color scheme.
    The camera is fixed at a tiny viewing angle of something like 45 degrees.
    The combat is slow, clunky, utterly lacking in feedback or pace.

    And this is only the beginning of the journey into the joyless, tepid hell that is defiance.

    Trash. Do not buy this game.    … Collapse
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Awards & Rankings

28
#28 Most Discussed PC Game of 2013
87
#87 Most Shared PC Game of 2013

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
64

Mixed or average reviews - based on 40 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 40
  2. Mixed: 33 out of 40
  3. Negative: 2 out of 40
  1. Level7.nu
    Sep 10, 2013
    50
    Defiance may be an ambitious project. Linking an online action game with a TV-series is a smart idea but one that here mostly comes of as a mere gimmick. The story is unengaging and the action mediocre and monotonous. Not to say anything about the myriad of bugs that utterly destroys the experience.
    Read full review
  2. PC Master (Greece)
    Jun 5, 2013
    89
    It’s an addictive game that seems to become even better as you play. If it keeps getting the right support and if the tie-in with the TV series proves successful, we might have a game that will keep us occupied for a lengthy amount of time. [May 2013]
  3. PC PowerPlay
    Jun 4, 2013
    60
    If Trion can introduce better quest design, this will be a winner. [June 2013, p.88]
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