Defiance

 PC
User Score
6.6

Mixed or average reviews- based on 661 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 353 out of 661
  2. Mixed: 123 out of 661
  3. Negative: 185 out of 661
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  1. 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
  2. Shax
    Apr 24, 2013
    7
    The graphics could be better but I guess they could be considered good for a mmo. Before I started playing this game I was worried since it's my first mmo since World of Warcraft. WoW basically took over my life and became a part time job for me. Defiance has none of time killing traps that WoW is rife with. There are no mobs or mats to farm. No farming period really. You can play solo ifThe graphics could be better but I guess they could be considered good for a mmo. Before I started playing this game I was worried since it's my first mmo since World of Warcraft. WoW basically took over my life and became a part time job for me. Defiance has none of time killing traps that WoW is rife with. There are no mobs or mats to farm. No farming period really. You can play solo if you want. No dungeons to raid and no guildies to have to contend with over loot drops.

    The game is worth buying at full price I definitely think you will get your monies worth.    … Expand
  3. MikeStone
    Apr 24, 2013
    7
    Defiance is a good game with a lot of potential, but also many issues. All in all I would give it a 7/10.

    What I like: - Its fun to shoot things - I haven't really seen a better MMOTPS - PvP was pretty good until the hackers started to take over - Arkfalls were great until the hackers started to take over. - Great Co-Op missions - Interesting story - TV Show tie in (and the show    Defiance is a good game with a lot of potential, but also many issues. All in all I would give it a 7/10.

    What I like:
    - Its fun to shoot things
    - I haven't really seen a better MMOTPS
    - PvP was pretty good until the hackers started to take over
    - Arkfalls were great until the hackers started to take over.
    - Great Co-Op missions
    - Interesting story
    - TV Show tie in (and the show is actually good!)
    - No loading time unless you fast travel
    - Up to a few hundred of players on screen at a time with no lag

    What I hate:
    - Slow patch progress
    - Lack of weapon progression
    - Crappy modification system
    - Everything is very expensive and you can buy lockboxes using cash (so you can buy powerful gear, making it P2W).
    - No working chat system
    - Crappy tutorial I had to go outside the game to get into on BASIC game mechanics
    - Lots of bugs, exploits and hackers
    - Lots of server downtime
    - Lack of incentive to PvP or PvE after you finish the main story
    - Very little content. Around 50 hours to "beat" everything
    - No cover or blindfire system in a TPS

    If you want to find out more about Defiance, be sure to check out Lex's great Defiance guide http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=136738681

    Given enough time, I can see Defiance becoming a hit, as it is it's probably not worth it unless you are a huge TPS fan, or love the show (which I am).
    If you can pick this up for around $30, don't hesitate but at $60, it's simply not worth it.    … Expand
  4. Atalvyr
    Apr 24, 2013
    9
    This MMOFPS has solid fundamentals: the progression system gives you lots of small rewards without letting players substitute time played and loot for skill, the shooting is as snappy as Borderlands and the vehicles have actual handling models and physics instead of just being speed boosts in disguise.

    If they can polish it up some and start releasing stronger content crossing over with    This MMOFPS has solid fundamentals: the progression system gives you lots of small rewards without letting players substitute time played and loot for skill, the shooting is as snappy as Borderlands and the vehicles have actual handling models and physics instead of just being speed boosts in disguise.

    If they can polish it up some and start releasing stronger content crossing over with the show (like the exclusive pre-show content available at launch), they might just have a winner here.    … Expand
  5. 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.
  6. 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
  7. 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
  8. MMORPG_WIllhe
    Apr 23, 2013
    0
    This game doesn't even deserve a rating of 1
    I bought the game, and don't get me wrong, it IS fun! But For people that don't play many mmo's or mmorpgs. However, if you look into it, the character customization is pretty much..... less then nothing! MMORPG's or MMOS (shooters) should at least give SOME character customization, but this game has non.
    For in-game combat, its just as    This game doesn't even deserve a rating of 1
    I bought the game, and don't get me wrong, it IS fun! But For people that don't play many mmo's or mmorpgs. However, if you look into it, the character customization is pretty much..... less then nothing! MMORPG's or MMOS (shooters) should at least give SOME character customization, but this game has non.
    For in-game combat, its just as repetitive as many, however, like i said, for someone who hasn't played many MMO's. This game is for you. It's a great start to the MMO world. But compared to others... it is dog poop on the bottom of the shoe    … Expand
  9. Baelelzebub
    Apr 22, 2013
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Defiance is one of those trend setting games. It will set a precedent as the first MMO/TV show. A great GIMMICK, I've watched the TV show, I've played through the story and then some of the game. The show is far more enjoyable.

    I have spent over 40 hours in game, customizing guns, co-oping with friends, joined in a shadow war and some regular PvP as well as lots of arkfalls and of course completed the story mission. But I open up Defiance apprehensively every single time. Sometimes I'm disconnected from PvP 2 or 3 times and give up. Sometimes my weapons vanished while zoning into a co-op. And sometimes it was just asking myself how many ark-falls am I going to do before I get bored.

    Defiance at the start is exciting, I crash into a strange new area. Then about 2 hours in you decide everything looks the same, so lets try a co-op. 3 hours in you realize they retooled solo mission dungeons as co-op dungeons(and the rewards aren't very good). So one decides to try the challenges, and then you see someone's score of over 100k and decide okay let me try, and find its far harder than it should be to even get a reward like one of those bad carnival games. So then on to racing, then you notice your hands are on a keyboard and mouse and decide to pass(even on a controller they are not too exciting....you are racing a time, like those ghost races in Mario Kart). So on to the story missions.....(you can finish them within about 7 hours)....done. Side quests and area quests are retooled story missions hooray! Go do this and collect or kill that. Now onto the bread and butter, ARKFALLS! Shoot EVERYTHING! You are presented with waves of enemies regardless if that's the objective or not and sometimes you go to several locations shooting the same stuff and then you find one big boss where you exploit weak spots and then destroy the summoned minions and then exploit weak spots...Rinse, repeat until dead. The ark falls are very interesting up until you do your fourth one (that is if you can find more than 1 or 2 in a row) when you decide well lemme do something else because i'm kinda tired of this guy whose got the grenade launcher that spawns more grenades on impact and I might have a seizure. Onto a shadow war! After an hour wait you spawn in to die by someone who has cloak and a double barrel shotty at your back. Re-spawn! Someone runs over you with a vehicle. Re-spawn! You spawn falling down with your shield gone and get sniped by someone on higher ground as you fall. Etc.

    You may be asking well what redeeming qualities does this game have. Defiance is extremely fun for the first 20 hours or so. After as such it is simply ALOT of the same content replayed and retooled. You think you can take it for longer seeing the same scenery, the same guns, the same mods for an extended period but you don't, nay can't. Let alone the lack of balance of weaponry, people say there are a lot of guns to mess with, this is true, but if the Light machine gun has a clip of 111 before you have to reload and does 416 damage per bullet give or take with a fire rate of 5-6 per second and the rocket launcher you need to reload after 2 rockets and each rocket does approximately 1200 damage per shot with a 6 second reload time, which will you choose? You say you are a sniper though and you only do sniping in shooters!? You do the same damage as a rocket launcher with 6-12 bullets in your clip. Do you see an issue?

    Now we come to the abilities. The abilities are unique and fun to use but once you maxed one out around level 350 with the perks you are set in using there is no more imagination. There is no point to go any further with the skills. You can make yourself a little more powerful with every 30 levels or so but it doesn't play a big enough part to matter. I'll dodge a firefight or a few bullets with decoy or cloak. Ill Initiate with some good damage with blur or overload. But other than that I don't see anyone going too much further with them.

    I give Defiance a 5 because it has elements of a great game, and you can start up do an ark-fall for 10 minutes and then get on with your day and still feel like you accomplished something in the game. The co-op rewards need to be improved, actually grouping with people for a reason is nice. Weapon balance will in turn balance out PvP. And as for the scenery, create some new venues Trion! Your game is great but it feels like it's extremely incomplete! ONLY the bay area while the show takes place in St. Louis? Does anyone else see a problem with this? Or how about more than 5 factions to fight because you have 7 races in the Votan collective PLUS humans. Some people might say hey what about DLC, but I remember the days when dev's would release a COMPLETED game before they would announce an expansion. Just saying. Worth 60-100 USD? NO! Worth getting into? Absolutely! But not right now.    … Expand
  10. 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
  11. 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
  12. Txejo
    Apr 21, 2013
    10
    I can't why people put so bad ratings to this game,It's a really good game with very good ideas.
    I just make my acount in metacritic to say this,obviusly the game can be improved if we talk about bugs,but who MMO doesn,t have any?
    I have been playing 3 days non stop,10 hours per day,and i can really say is something that other games cant make me do it. Whoever has give to the game less    I can't why people put so bad ratings to this game,It's a really good game with very good ideas.
    I just make my acount in metacritic to say this,obviusly the game can be improved if we talk about bugs,but who MMO doesn,t have any?
    I have been playing 3 days non stop,10 hours per day,and i can really say is something that other games cant make me do it.
    Whoever has give to the game less than 7,8 should try to play it with some friends,and the game will become in a 9,7 points game.

    The system of taking cover and even cover your partners while they activate a mission objetive is awesome!, worth it to play it.    … Expand
  13. mg83
    Apr 21, 2013
    3
    I expected so much more from Trion, but this game is flat out terrible. Bland environments, clunky user interface, laughable AI, boring quests and a completely unimaginative EGO "skill tree." It's sad too because I paid $100 for the special edition, figuring it COULDN'T be that bad. Well it is. There are more bugs with the game, then there are "bugs" in the game. Maybe they'll turn thingsI expected so much more from Trion, but this game is flat out terrible. Bland environments, clunky user interface, laughable AI, boring quests and a completely unimaginative EGO "skill tree." It's sad too because I paid $100 for the special edition, figuring it COULDN'T be that bad. Well it is. There are more bugs with the game, then there are "bugs" in the game. Maybe they'll turn things around? Right now this game wreaks of some F2P crap.

    Weapons and gear disappear or play hide and seek between logins, load outs get screwed up, EGO gets reset, quests are bugged. Poor explanation of gear stats. I wanted this game to be good, I really did. Maybe it gets better in the future. As of right now, don't waste your time until some SERIOUS changes are made. This needs a lot more than "Tuesday downtime" type patches. I'll check the progress periodically so my $100 wasn't in vain.    … Expand
  14. 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
  15. 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
  16. Yupitstime
    Apr 19, 2013
    10
    People are ragging way too hard on this game, I played this game for 30+ hours heres my score.
    Solo PvE 6.5 /10 (7.5 if your a huge sci-fi nerd like me)
    Solo PvP 8/10 This can only go up with more game modes and maps) Co-up PvE 9/10 (um we have guns, cars atvs and a large world to roam collecting loots) Co-op PvP 10/10 what cannot be done in solo PvP unless you get lucky is team    People are ragging way too hard on this game, I played this game for 30+ hours heres my score.
    Solo PvE 6.5 /10 (7.5 if your a huge sci-fi nerd like me)
    Solo PvP 8/10 This can only go up with more game modes and maps)
    Co-up PvE 9/10 (um we have guns, cars atvs and a large world to roam collecting loots)
    Co-op PvP 10/10 what cannot be done in solo PvP unless you get lucky is team strategy, I have 4 friends and we all PvP together, omg. :D :D :D     … Expand
  17. FrostyGreenacre
    Apr 19, 2013
    4
    This game sadly shoots itself in the foot.

    There are many good things in the gameplay of Defiance, and there are moments that have indeed been fun. However, each one of those is equaled or marred by some badly designed game mechanic or bug that either destroys player immersion or should have just outright been fixed during development. Pros. the shooting and dodging mechanics seem    This game sadly shoots itself in the foot.

    There are many good things in the gameplay of Defiance, and there are moments that have indeed been fun. However, each one of those is equaled or marred by some badly designed game mechanic or bug that either destroys player immersion or should have just outright been fixed during development.

    Pros. the shooting and dodging mechanics seem pretty well made, servers have very little lag, there's plenty to do across the world and you can have a lot of fun rushing to an objective in your vehicle with 20 other users down a deserted highway. This core element of the gameplay could make up for the following misgivings if the bugs were fixed, however the issues stay ever visible whilst the good gameplay is plagued with visual glitches. One thing I did like, however was that players didn't need to be in a team to do a mission together, if three players shared the same goal it didn't matter who took down an enemy or activated the 3 objectives, all three players got the quest with no queueing.

    Cons: very sketchy tutorial. very little is explained in the tutorial. the tutorial also takes place in a "danger zone" and whilst reading the descriptions of the 3 paragraph mission dialogues you can be attacked, damaged and presumably killed without being able to defend yourself. There is no tutorial on how to perform social interactions, in fact, I've seen the MMO in no way encourage social interaction between players whatsoever. The storyline is only so-so, however this is true with many MMO games where you'll find yourself either skipping past the majority of quest dialogue or spending more time reading than fighting.

    bugs: this is where the game experience is truly ruined for me. the best game in the world can fail if it's just unplayable (diablo 3, simcity etc.) we can often look past game mechanics we don't agree with so long as they're running as they supposed to. However with my first 4 hours of playing Defiance I encountered: random invisible structures in the wilderness that would stop you driving or running (note, you could go around these small items, they are not barriers, just textureless objects) the game also bugs out when you stand on some of the bridges in the first city area you play in. standing on them with the camera at a certain angle with make all 3D models disappear. to make things worse this includes NPC enemies. You can be getting shot whilst not being able to see your character, the area you're stood on or the enemies who are shooting. particularly frustrating when your mission objective is on that bridge. Some of the terrain has been added into the landscape awkwardly as well, leaving gaps between the landscape and the items themselves so you can see that they aren't solid, very bad for game immersion. I've also been driving down a highway when I saw a "random encounter" quest where enemies were kidknapping some innocent NPCs, except all of the cars added into the encounter were floated a good 7ft above the road...

    overall I'd say that this game WOULD be fun if if worked properly. Heck, even outright addictive. However there are many problems that need to be addressed before it's properly playable. unfortunately for me they already have my money now, so I can only motivate them to fix these by letting everybody else know about the issues before they get your money too.    … Expand
  18. 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
  19. 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
  20. brokenhalo
    Apr 18, 2013
    2
    This mediocre FPS MMO is littered with glaring flaws and distractions from really integrating the social aspect of the game. The gear/looting and menus options just feel dated and clunky. Top that off with dull environments and super predictable AI and you have a game worth half it's current retail price at best. IMO wait for the price cut or steam deal before you blow money on this...
  21. 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
  22. 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
  23. 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
  24. 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
  25. KarlT
    Apr 18, 2013
    10
    I have never in all my years playing an MMO stayed with the storyline for longer than the first couple of minutes, I end up skipping through the cut scenes and not actually understanding the story of the game, I simply play for the sake of playing, or playing to win.

    This game is the ONLY game I have been stuck watching the story all the way through, I've actually been eager to start    I have never in all my years playing an MMO stayed with the storyline for longer than the first couple of minutes, I end up skipping through the cut scenes and not actually understanding the story of the game, I simply play for the sake of playing, or playing to win.

    This game is the ONLY game I have been stuck watching the story all the way through, I've actually been eager to start the next part of the main quest. Needless to say I personally feel that this game engages me and from what I can understand an awful lot of other people as well.

    I find the community thus far simply the most helpful community I have ever come across, people help out without even asking. I find myself going from quest to quest and even stopping to help other people if I see them doing a quest of their own, no one complains or about things, perhaps this is due to the 18+ tag? I don't know but I'm thoroughly impressed.

    There are glitches and bugs yet to be ironed out (One thing I find the most annoying is in a buggy hit a tyre in the middle of the road and stop dead! :D quite funny really, not the end of the world, just avoid them. I've come across a couple of bugged quests, however I can clearly see this development team and community manager making changes, changes for the good.

    I've felt overall this game has been the most immersing, different and a potential contender to World of Warcraft, different concept but equally as enjoyable, the next generation of MMO's.

    All I see around the internet the majority of critic reviews are mediocre to average at best reviews. What is this new release being benchmarked against to get such conservative reviews?

    I'd hasten to add that Trion are behind RIFT which is probably second to WoW which as with every MMO, this included started off with bugs and improvements you will never be able to make without a huge player base.

    Get off their back and give credit where credit is due. This is simply the best game of its kind!    … Expand
  26. Aredyl101
    Apr 17, 2013
    6
    This game has quite a bit going for it: a unique world, large assortment of weapons, quite a few modifications for those weapons, and large variety of random encounters.

    Sadly, quite a few bugs mar this game, from patching to almost every aspect of playing. Errors during downloads of patches, random moments of getting disconnected, unable to enter instances properly (either not    This game has quite a bit going for it: a unique world, large assortment of weapons, quite a few modifications for those weapons, and large variety of random encounters.

    Sadly, quite a few bugs mar this game, from patching to almost every aspect of playing. Errors during downloads of patches, random moments of getting disconnected, unable to enter instances properly (either not entering them or getting tossed into an instance with a full group), overpowered weapon/perk combos (shotgun stealth in PvP is still very common, even resulting in 1 shots after a nerf), nerfs to gains in currency, constant weapon reloading bugs, etc.

    Shooter fans can find quite a bit of gameplay that will outweigh the numerous bugs, but the average MMO or Sci-Fi fan may be turned off by the large issues. Until the dust settles, I can't give this game anything above a 6.    … Expand
  27. 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
  28. 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
  29. MuffAlorJr
    Apr 17, 2013
    5
    Story was ok, wasn't too engaging, the world was pretty cool, i liked the third person and it was pretty fun to play with friends, now this is just for me i hope, but there was a crap ton of lag and errors. And by errors i mean ones that caused me to wait 14 hours for it to download that sten stop and start over again, it made me really made, but that was just for the beta, so i was fineStory was ok, wasn't too engaging, the world was pretty cool, i liked the third person and it was pretty fun to play with friends, now this is just for me i hope, but there was a crap ton of lag and errors. And by errors i mean ones that caused me to wait 14 hours for it to download that sten stop and start over again, it made me really made, but that was just for the beta, so i was fine with that, i mean i am sure alot of people were playing it, so i waited for the release, and i stood in line for 3 hours to get the game, and when i buy it.... SAME ERROR, and i was mad, but i gave it yet another chance and said "alright maybe alot of people are playing it" so i waited about a week, same thing but it finally worked a couple days later, and took 14 hours to download, and stayed there for 28 because it had to restart again, gameplay was stiff and not worth 60 bucks, it's terrible, but i guess if you want you can wathc the show that they have on scifi that i thought was cool.… Expand
  30. 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.
  31. HockeyBalboa69
    Apr 17, 2013
    8
    I am surprised at how much fun this game actually is, I was little hesitant at first but I am now hooked. Sure it gets some things wrong like the UI and lack of social interaction (especially on PC) but when you do get a group of people together or even start chatting with clan mates, it really works. Arkfalls are incredible to take part in, watching hundreds of Ark Hunters blasting awayI am surprised at how much fun this game actually is, I was little hesitant at first but I am now hooked. Sure it gets some things wrong like the UI and lack of social interaction (especially on PC) but when you do get a group of people together or even start chatting with clan mates, it really works. Arkfalls are incredible to take part in, watching hundreds of Ark Hunters blasting away at the same objective is a sight to be seen. The solo quests are enjoyable and even more so when a random Ark Hunter who happens by just stops to help you out because he/ she can is brilliant. The weapons and shooting mechanics are great and the EGO customisation is terrific. I think it is unfair the comparisons that this game has to other proper MMO's, I personally wouldnt classify it as an MMO, Im not sure there is a specific classification for this, it fills the middle ground between single player and MMO, and I think it does it quite nicely. I am sure in time with new features to be added (hopefully a revised UI and chat screen for PC) this game will be even more incredible than what it is and I cant wait to see what Trion does with this game… Expand
  32. 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
  33. 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
  34. KevBurnsJr
    Apr 16, 2013
    10
    This game is going to deliver content in a way that no other game has. By tying directly into the TV show, weekly content updates will keep the game fresh from week to week. A lot of people are asking what the end game is, but the character of the plot is much different. This is not a Max Payne or a Half Life who's plots more resemble a movie from start to finish. Nor is it an open worldThis game is going to deliver content in a way that no other game has. By tying directly into the TV show, weekly content updates will keep the game fresh from week to week. A lot of people are asking what the end game is, but the character of the plot is much different. This is not a Max Payne or a Half Life who's plots more resemble a movie from start to finish. Nor is it an open world free for all like WoW or Rift.

    Rather, this game is a slow trickle of unique content developed continuously and released weekly just like all your favorite television shows. People will be tuning in every Monday for the new missions and pursuits.

    Some people say this game tires easily and so far they're right. The driving force in the long game will become apparent once people begin to experience the weekly updates. The value of this game will continue to grow. 6 months from now, the amount of available content will be significantly higher than at launch.    … Expand
  35. theRoodieDoodz
    Apr 15, 2013
    8
    Defiance is a nicely balanced shooter. Although it can be repetitive, (no more that any typical MMO) the amount of content is staggering. This will only be expanded with the five promised DLC packs. The complaints of bugs and glitches are rampant, but very concentrated. Trion seems to be consistently updating and improving their game.

    If you enjoy shooters and/or MMOs then this is a    Defiance is a nicely balanced shooter. Although it can be repetitive, (no more that any typical MMO) the amount of content is staggering. This will only be expanded with the five promised DLC packs. The complaints of bugs and glitches are rampant, but very concentrated. Trion seems to be consistently updating and improving their game.

    If you enjoy shooters and/or MMOs then this is a safe buy, even at it's full $60 price tag. The game seems that it will appreciate with age.    … Expand
  36. IllusiveEnergy
    Apr 15, 2013
    9
    Despite the terrible reviews most have laid down on us, I believe Defiance deserves more appreciation. It has done more than any game has previously, bringing a MMO to the two top consoles and PC. As we all know, MMO's have room to grow and improve in a single patch, which means more content and bug fixes as they see fit. I also believe that they knew the new upcoming TV show would notDespite the terrible reviews most have laid down on us, I believe Defiance deserves more appreciation. It has done more than any game has previously, bringing a MMO to the two top consoles and PC. As we all know, MMO's have room to grow and improve in a single patch, which means more content and bug fixes as they see fit. I also believe that they knew the new upcoming TV show would not only back up the storyline of the game, but make it a whole different experience and suck you into the saga of Defiance.… Expand
  37. Mortr0n
    Apr 15, 2013
    9
    I don't write reviews for games. In fact I don't often rate them. I can say that this game and the scores that it is getting made me feel the need to in order to get this right.

    I have to say that Defiance starts out extremely slow and at first appears to be every bad cliché of FPS gaming possible. I almost quit playing very early, but I felt after spending the money that I should at    I don't write reviews for games. In fact I don't often rate them. I can say that this game and the scores that it is getting made me feel the need to in order to get this right.

    I have to say that Defiance starts out extremely slow and at first appears to be every bad cliché of FPS gaming possible. I almost quit playing very early, but I felt after spending the money that I should at least give it a solid go.

    After getting through the initial training portion and using trial and error to figure out what was going on, because the information for the game is very limited. I was able to find a gem buried inside. I now honestly have found what I might refer to as a guilty pleasure. You see so many bad and mediocre reviews, but I think it's from people who didn't get past the initial mediocrity.

    Once you get in and just start playing it for what it is you begin to find moments of brilliance. I can jump in and out of the game quickly and play for a few minutes or a few hours which in my busy life is a great thing. I don't have countless hours to spend playing, and that works fine within the game's structure. I find that the guns and shields and other collectibles catch my attention and keep me wanting more. The ark falls in the game which happen as semi random events are tremendously fun, if a little easy and repetitive at times. I love all of the little mini events all over and the unusual guns have me excited every time I get a new drop.

    This gives me the MMO experience that I would not have time for otherwise and I am able to play this shooter with people that I would not be able to compete with in any other game. That's not to say that the playing ground is level with the shooter diehards. Just that I can at least feel like I'm not wasting my time playing.

    I am excited to see what new things they will add and I have high hopes for Defiance's future. I am iffy about the show tie in, but I'll give a watch for a few times by way of DVR and see if it's any good. I haven't had a lot of great experiences with the Sci Fi networks shows as being high quality. Here's hoping for an ever improving game and a show on the Sci Fi network that I might actually like.    … Expand
  38. 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
  39. 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
  40. NeverSayDie
    Apr 14, 2013
    10
    To start out, it really bothers me that all these reviews/ ratings have come out for a game that we are technically in the "Prelude" of. This game is wonderfully crated, engaging, and an absolute all around BLAST! Once again, all of this being true the game has not even STARTED yet.

    The Defiance world has two counterparts: Game & Television Series. What everyone is currently playing    To start out, it really bothers me that all these reviews/ ratings have come out for a game that we are technically in the "Prelude" of. This game is wonderfully crated, engaging, and an absolute all around BLAST! Once again, all of this being true the game has not even STARTED yet.

    The Defiance world has two counterparts: Game & Television Series. What everyone is currently playing is just the beginning/ preamble prior to the start of the Show. The Defiance world was designed to change based on what takes place in the show and what the players do on their servers. New content & changes are to come with each episode.

    In fact, it was even posted in the daily log-in news blurb that players will want to complete the missions prior to April 15th when the show releases. Sadly, many of the gamers today (H*ll bent on INSTANT gratification) are unfortunately too daft to grasp this concept. After reading countless terrible excuses for “reviews” with people complaining that they “ALREADY” beat the game (blah blah, etc.), it is readily apparent that Trion will have their work cut out for them. I guess that is the problem with the internet in essence; the availability for the few bumbling idiots (who are not intelligent enough to play a game, and therefore become frustrated and unhappy) to have their drivel of an opinion read by many, is rather high. In the long run, people who are happy and content tend NOT to post reviews because they are enjoying themselves and just having a grand old time playing the game. Whereas the few people who are upset, want everyone else to know about it and be upset with them; misery loves company after all. ;)

    It seems so silly to judge/ condemn something based on a tiny snippet, rather than on the whole. Then again, that is one of the most brilliant pieces of the Defiance world; in theory, if the show continues on there will be a potentially endless stream of new content and playability as updates are pushed after the release of new episodes. I for one am extremely stoked and anxiously await the game to actually begin tomorrow, and to see the Defiance world unfurl before our very eyes.

    Extremely sick concept put together by an awesome game company. I truly enjoy this game, and give it a hard 10.    … Expand
  41. 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
  42. Sawsparrow
    Apr 14, 2013
    8
    Very addictive game! A must to have if you are the kind of guy who play with friends or clan. The graphic is not exellent but the map is big and no big load of the maps
  43. NecrOdium
    Apr 14, 2013
    7
    PC Gamer said "A competent MMO shooter marred by a lack of polish, whose TV tie-in ambitions only seem set to cause problems. My question is, how can PC Lamer say this when the TV series has not started yet. I wouldn't listen to a magazine critic that scores base on how much advertisement a game company spends on them. The game it self is decent. Hard to say untill the TV series starts.
  44. Synol
    Apr 14, 2013
    1
    I gave this game a 1 out of 10. Only because I managed to make it all the way through the buggy main storyline (10 hours worth of gameplay at a stretch).
    Side quests are also bugged.
    Progress for the daily and weekly quests keeps resetting so unless you do an entire weekly quest in 1 sitting its impossible to finish. Combat is the same all through the game. Equipment is the same at    I gave this game a 1 out of 10. Only because I managed to make it all the way through the buggy main storyline (10 hours worth of gameplay at a stretch).
    Side quests are also bugged.
    Progress for the daily and weekly quests keeps resetting so unless you do an entire weekly quest in 1 sitting its impossible to finish.
    Combat is the same all through the game.
    Equipment is the same at level 1 and level 4000.
    Everyone gets every skill regardless of which Race and Class you choose at the start of the game.

    The main draw of the game is the link to the show but the Episode quests (only 4 of them) took about 10 minutes to complete. All round this is a completely terrible game, if you are thinking about buying it just wait 3 months and it will be free to play. Free is exactly the right price for this garbage game.    … Expand
  45. Fros7bite
    Apr 13, 2013
    10
    If you like Guild wars 2's pay model, Plantside 2's giant map, Borderlands gun play style, then you will love this game to no end. There is plenty of progression with fixes and updates everyday. With the addition of the show and a major content patch in the first week of release, I can only see a bright future.
  46. hairtrigger
    Apr 13, 2013
    9
    Alright a few things first off this game doesn't deserve a 10 out of 10 but nor does it deserve anything lower than a 5 for any reasonable reviewer. Personally I'd give it a 7.5 out of 10, it's got an interesting story, the quests are normal for mmo's, people complain you run here do this and go back and do it for another quest, I'm sorry but I've yet to play an mmo that doesn't do thatAlright a few things first off this game doesn't deserve a 10 out of 10 but nor does it deserve anything lower than a 5 for any reasonable reviewer. Personally I'd give it a 7.5 out of 10, it's got an interesting story, the quests are normal for mmo's, people complain you run here do this and go back and do it for another quest, I'm sorry but I've yet to play an mmo that doesn't do that with it quests, there are only so many quest variations out there for mmo's so come on lol. The visuals aren't terrible but they aren't the best either, reasons for that are I believe they made the game to play on a wide variety of systems and pc setups. My biggest gripe with the game is you can tell the pc version is pretty much a port of the console version, but with that being said those things can be worked on and ironed out. The game isn't bad by any means and it does have the potential to get better. A lot of the issues people are complaining about can and I'm sure will be taken care of in time people cast aside a game too easily before it has a chance to really take off. While it's nowhere near the best game I've ever played I can see myself playing and enjoying the game for sometime to come. I look forward to checking out the show and seeing how the game and show really come together.… Expand
  47. omgitsturtles
    Apr 12, 2013
    8
    When you reda reviews for this game all I ask is that you scroll down and read the comments. Many of them have very valid points that I agree with completely, however the feedback from gamers has been mostly positive. Like many mmos before it defiance had several bugs, glitches and server issues at launch. These issues get ironed out in time and the game changes drastically as you play.When you reda reviews for this game all I ask is that you scroll down and read the comments. Many of them have very valid points that I agree with completely, however the feedback from gamers has been mostly positive. Like many mmos before it defiance had several bugs, glitches and server issues at launch. These issues get ironed out in time and the game changes drastically as you play. The developers have been nothing if not fourthcomming and humble about every issue and have shown great strides and dedication in only a weeks time. The people on here leaving bad reviews more than likely had not delved more than a few hours in or partaken in any of the great pvp or instances that gradually unlock. Trust me, the game really opens up after only a few hours and you can be swept up in it easily. With limitless content, a dedication to free patches and free dlc gameplay this game is more than worth your money. It isn't perfect by any strectch, but we mustnt forget that the key factor in video games is the fun factor and I honestly can't recal having thismuch fun with a game in years… Expand
  48. Bluegobln
    Apr 12, 2013
    10
    Once upon a time a game was released that players and critics agreed had a long list of needed features before it would be truly great, in short a game with amazing potential. Like that game Defiance has a long list of features that are missing, not to mention as many bugs, quirks, and complications as just about any MMO ever released.

    Like that game, Defiance could one day become the    Once upon a time a game was released that players and critics agreed had a long list of needed features before it would be truly great, in short a game with amazing potential. Like that game Defiance has a long list of features that are missing, not to mention as many bugs, quirks, and complications as just about any MMO ever released.

    Like that game, Defiance could one day become the biggest hit MMO ever. What the negative reviews don't tell you is how much they wish the game was already perfect a lack of patience, a demand for immediate satisfaction, no respect for the "life" of an MMO.

    No amount of pretty words will sell this game to you, all I can say is if you've taken one look and liked anything about what you saw, do go further and learn more you don't want to miss one of the most unique MMO experiences ever.    … Expand
  49. 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
  50. 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
  51. Moppin
    Apr 12, 2013
    9
    If you are trying to judge this as a MMO, it will far short of your expectations. It doesn't have traditional levels, auction houses, crafting, or grinding for your first mount. What it is is a very good third person shooter. Very gratifying shooter gameplay. Sniping is fun, LMGs are fun, shotguns are fun. Any game that captures my attention for more than 40-hours is worth my money.If you are trying to judge this as a MMO, it will far short of your expectations. It doesn't have traditional levels, auction houses, crafting, or grinding for your first mount. What it is is a very good third person shooter. Very gratifying shooter gameplay. Sniping is fun, LMGs are fun, shotguns are fun. Any game that captures my attention for more than 40-hours is worth my money. I'm one of those people who stop playing a game the instant it is no longer fun.… Expand
  52. 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
  53. alphtec
    Apr 12, 2013
    10
    This game is very good. Besides the fact of the server maintenance, but that has to happen in every mmo rpg. I think they nailed it on a mmorpg for consoles besides the pc.
  54. ParadoxSe7en
    Apr 12, 2013
    9
    I had to give this game a emotionless score id probably say 7/10. Its not perfect it has a lot of issues but nothing game breaking bad. some aspects can seem repetitive but the game does a good job of keeping things fast passed and moving. Besides your standard RPG questing elements their is also Co-op and PVP. AI is not perfect but no worse then your average AAA title so i cant reallyI had to give this game a emotionless score id probably say 7/10. Its not perfect it has a lot of issues but nothing game breaking bad. some aspects can seem repetitive but the game does a good job of keeping things fast passed and moving. Besides your standard RPG questing elements their is also Co-op and PVP. AI is not perfect but no worse then your average AAA title so i cant really ding them on it. This is also true with the voice acting a cut scenes, most MMO's don't even have it so I'm not really sure why people have taken such an issue with it. I feel like the story is interesting and keeps me moving forward so i can't say share any of complaints that other reviews have brought up.

    Trion has done a great job at fixing issues and paying players back with free items and boosts for the down time and the minor server issues that occurred the first few days.

    I'm adding a point for how much fun I'm having playing this game i am enjoying this much more than many other AAA titles i have payed for. Yeah this game is not WOW or GW2 but it has a lot going for it and has kept me entertained long enough that i easily have gotten 60$ i spent on it. Trion's honesty willingness to step up and make up for issues has been a big Also giving it an extra point for the Syfy tie in, while it's far from perfect this is ground breaking and i know i will enjoy both the Game and the TV show more because i can take part in both. I feel like my money is going to two companies that are at least trying to give me as a customer something new and revolutionary that many of the AAA developers seem to have no interest in even trying.

    So that is why I'm giving this game a 9/10 even with its flaws I'm having more fun playing this video game then i have had in a long time better than Bioshock and Borderlands which says a lot. If you are a hard core gamer looking for perfection this game might not be for you. However I think if you are a casual gamer, like shooters, love the Syfy channel, and are willing to give a game from a smaller developer a chance you will enjoy this game as much as me.    … Expand
  55. 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
  56. 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.
  57. Chaostheory1980
    Apr 12, 2013
    7
    The game is itself quite fun but the lack of a noticeable improvement overtime is a little disconcerting (regarding the leveling process as it is more rep than levels). As long as you don't use the rocket launcher (as it seems to not be very good unless u want to destroy a group of basic hellbugs) the weapons are fun but don't seem to have a huge visual or audio impact but the streams ofThe game is itself quite fun but the lack of a noticeable improvement overtime is a little disconcerting (regarding the leveling process as it is more rep than levels). As long as you don't use the rocket launcher (as it seems to not be very good unless u want to destroy a group of basic hellbugs) the weapons are fun but don't seem to have a huge visual or audio impact but the streams of hot lead you pound into the enemy trying to hit the weak areas will hold your attention. The cars I find quite fun especially jumping them and plowing though enemy ranks. A few things that other games would have done for realism have not been done here and it makes thing convenient and fun. (Can spawn car at a whim and takes no falling damage). For an open environment game I have no qualm with the graphics the serve the style and setting well. The games lack of direction is also a good point I believe meaning you do what you want when you want and even do things on the way to those things. Things do get a little repetitive but that is a norm for modern games to some degrees not that it is an excuse. The AI can be a little dumb but will still kill you if you let your guard down. Controls. K&M is best for the headshot precision junkie the controller is best for the cars and using the roll feature. I use both myself. I would say the game is a solid 7 and I am hoping that when the tv series airs a lot more stuff will become available that is currently missing so as not to spoil the tv series too much before it starts. I personally have skipped any show related scenes just in case on my first character but we will see. I think a 7 is a good score from my 30 hours of play. 0 is ridiculous but so is a 10.… Expand
  58. tritan200
    Apr 12, 2013
    10
    this game has some very bipolar reviews. but i gave this game a review it deserves. iv played a lot of mmos and iv gotten board with them all the combats repetitive and boring and i want to go to sleep. But when i played defiance i felt so excited and drawn in. At one part i was being swarmed on all sides so i went in a house and started sniping the mutant horde attacking me and when theythis game has some very bipolar reviews. but i gave this game a review it deserves. iv played a lot of mmos and iv gotten board with them all the combats repetitive and boring and i want to go to sleep. But when i played defiance i felt so excited and drawn in. At one part i was being swarmed on all sides so i went in a house and started sniping the mutant horde attacking me and when they broke through i took a position in the hallways and held them of. It felt dynamic and unscripted i chose to hide in the house and fight them off like that. it made me feel more excited than any game ever has. was excited this game isn't perfect but it shows the possibility of a dynamic mmo shooter and that's more than enough for a ten to me.… Expand
  59. Xerrospk
    Apr 12, 2013
    4
    Its a fun game but filled with weird bugs and a terrible launcher that just spoils the atmosphere of this game It has an engaging storyline but the launcher is just a mess downloading to at least 90% at some points before a dreaded ''X'' appears and it says launcher error .This has been occurring to all my friends too .Angry Joe ,the famous kickass reviewer has the same problem as IIts a fun game but filled with weird bugs and a terrible launcher that just spoils the atmosphere of this game It has an engaging storyline but the launcher is just a mess downloading to at least 90% at some points before a dreaded ''X'' appears and it says launcher error .This has been occurring to all my friends too .Angry Joe ,the famous kickass reviewer has the same problem as I do Please fix the launcher… Expand
  60. GuruChaz
    Apr 11, 2013
    8
    After playing this game since release and in its current state, I'm giving it an 8. I have no doubt that over time, Trion will get this game up to a 10. The Arkfalls have been some of the most fun at this point. The main story quests are good and the side quests are fairly good but can get a little repetitive. I think the only thing I really don't like about the game is that the AIAfter playing this game since release and in its current state, I'm giving it an 8. I have no doubt that over time, Trion will get this game up to a 10. The Arkfalls have been some of the most fun at this point. The main story quests are good and the side quests are fairly good but can get a little repetitive. I think the only thing I really don't like about the game is that the AI seems a bit helter skelter. If I'm hiding behind bushes and snipe someone, all of a sudden every single person around the one I sniped knows where I am and starts bum rushing. That doesn't seem right. Beyond that, I think with more quests, more interesting Arkfalls, and more multiplayer events, this game would be perfect. I have never really played an MMOFPS before but if that's what this is then I kind of like the idea.… Expand
  61. 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
  62. 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
  63. 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.
  64. ShadowDDD
    Apr 11, 2013
    4
    I bought three copies of this game for my friend, brother, and I and we were disappointed.

    First problem is getting this game to install on your pc. It will start downloading then it will stop with several "error" message causing you to re-download it over and over. Once you have final download it then the patch wouldn't start up. Second, this game has a lot of bugs. You'll lost weapons    I bought three copies of this game for my friend, brother, and I and we were disappointed.

    First problem is getting this game to install on your pc. It will start downloading then it will stop with several "error" message causing you to re-download it over and over. Once you have final download it then the patch wouldn't start up. Second, this game has a lot of bugs. You'll lost weapons when you are trying to modding it, you might get the items you have buy with your game currency, some mission wouldn't start up causing you start and abort it to get it to work, and sometime I have to redo a mission because it didn't record my completion Third, it hard to chat with other players in this game. The chat window is on another window. If you open up your chat screen it will block your screen. Fourth, there several missions that you have play it solo. Fifth, every time you start a mission or travel away from your group members you will have to change "phase", which cause other group member to change phase as well. Six, the enemies AI is joke. You can simply walk behind them and shot them. Seventh, the missions are boring. Protect this area, kill this guy, run to point B... same old thing. Lastly, there's the lack of personalization. Everyone look the same. Same outfits and weapons.

    Do I think this game is bad? No, I think this game just need a lot of work. The story is OK for a typical sci-fi game. Hope the TV show is more enjoyable than this game.    … Expand
  65. 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
  66. TheAmazingYeah
    Apr 10, 2013
    4
    I agree with the low-end of the spectrum. The (early) pilot episode of the show was fantastic and I think it will be a worthy successor to Eureka, Warehouse, and Alphas. However, the game just gives up on the story after you chase down Random Bald Scientist #1. It plays more like co-op Planetside 2 with a Borderlands leveling system and I was hoping that this would be the MMOS that soldI agree with the low-end of the spectrum. The (early) pilot episode of the show was fantastic and I think it will be a worthy successor to Eureka, Warehouse, and Alphas. However, the game just gives up on the story after you chase down Random Bald Scientist #1. It plays more like co-op Planetside 2 with a Borderlands leveling system and I was hoping that this would be the MMOS that sold me. Unfortunately the plethora of launch bugs, the poor graphical execution even by console standards, and the complete lack of story after the first chapter weigh me down.… Expand
  67. mod81rcracing
    Apr 10, 2013
    10
    I don't understand this reviews. A six hour call of duty have over 80. And a game like Defiance, what has new features and a playtime longer as 50 hours, a game which is perfect to have action with friends. this game become a 6,8???
    But yesterday i found the first german review. it gives the game a 8,5
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBtNCgPiCEA
  68. WeNTuS
    Apr 10, 2013
    10
    Game is a good MMOTPS with rpg elements, Some of the Rift feature and amazing filled into nice sci-fi story. PvP in this game is incredible and it possible to use any weapon on any character which makes truly balanced online gameplay
  69. 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
  70. Oceanhawk
    Apr 10, 2013
    3
    Don't let the positive reviews fool you. This game is an early Beta at best. While some elements of the game are fun, they are extremely overshadowed by the bugs and lack of depth. I think eventually the game will be patched to make it playable but right now the issues make it boring and frustrating. Also this is a direct console port game so expect it to look like a game from 1999 not aDon't let the positive reviews fool you. This game is an early Beta at best. While some elements of the game are fun, they are extremely overshadowed by the bugs and lack of depth. I think eventually the game will be patched to make it playable but right now the issues make it boring and frustrating. Also this is a direct console port game so expect it to look like a game from 1999 not a current title.… Expand
  71. Pakchoi118
    Apr 10, 2013
    8
    I really enjoyed the openness of this game, jumping from one quest to another while other people helping me take on some grotesque alien boss! It may take a little while to actually get into, but once you get in the action it becomes a great deal of fun. The only reason i was slightly dissapointed with the game was due to the awful patcher which reduced my download speed far beyond of it'sI really enjoyed the openness of this game, jumping from one quest to another while other people helping me take on some grotesque alien boss! It may take a little while to actually get into, but once you get in the action it becomes a great deal of fun. The only reason i was slightly dissapointed with the game was due to the awful patcher which reduced my download speed far beyond of it's usual rate. I think overall it took me 12 hours to download after 3 failed attempts.… Expand
  72. 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
  73. robert2589
    Apr 9, 2013
    0
    should be free to play not worth the $60 at all. weak store bad side quests seems the the finish game is still just a early beta.
  74. 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
  75. 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.
  76. 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
  77. Mugatu
    Apr 8, 2013
    0
    The game is trying too hard to be too many things. This leaves the game feeling very broad, but having virtually zero depth. This, coupled with game crashes that the majority of users seems to be experiencing, leave me wondering if this game was ever truly finished, or simply rushed out the door. With many F2P options out there, I am disappointed I paid for this game.
  78. blisters
    Apr 8, 2013
    10
    Game-play is addictive MMO veteran since Everquest (shows my age). If you are bored of the current MMO's on the market and are looking for something fun and innovative this may be it. Innovative in the fact that this games Ties into the T.V. show. You have to show some love to Trion giving this a shot!

    The story has me hooked the game play is FUN. The driving and weapon mechanics are    Game-play is addictive MMO veteran since Everquest (shows my age). If you are bored of the current MMO's on the market and are looking for something fun and innovative this may be it. Innovative in the fact that this games Ties into the T.V. show. You have to show some love to Trion giving this a shot!

    The story has me hooked the game play is FUN. The driving and weapon mechanics are Great! The Tie in to the show and the free DLC you get after every episode will be the Ice breaker for me. There will be at least 5 Extra DLC's at around 9.99 each that we can purchase during the season as well but it will not be mandatory.

    I have seen way worse launch's but there are some issues- Big patch out on the 15th should address a-lot of these.

    Do yourself a favor and read about progression and game-play before jumping in. This game has a lot to offer that's not fully explained in the tutorial. you level up weapons talent trees and Reputation.

    the games social side is a little weak at the moment but does offer VOIP-- But the positive side is that there is no gold sellers spaming. The UI can use some work.

    Overall this game keeps me playing everyday and I look forward to seeing the T.V. shows Tie In every week. I have my EGO to 250 20 hours playing and see MUCH potential to this exciting game. Go in with an open mind and you may be surprised how much fun you are having! Hit me up in game.

    *Blisters    … Expand
  79. 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
  80. zumazama
    Apr 7, 2013
    9
    Trion is still ironing out the bugs. But when it works, it's very fun. Also excited to learn more about the world they've created.

    Plays kind of like Mass Effect and RIFT mashed together.
  81. Kharax
    Apr 7, 2013
    6
    Well, yes it is a good game. In what means? The quests are put together in a very fast-paced manner. You have a lot to do, all the time. You are always playing multi-player, and you find yourself in a quest, together with other people WHO are fighting for the same cause. Players are not killing each other, the concept of the game is good, the graphics, especially the characters are veryWell, yes it is a good game. In what means? The quests are put together in a very fast-paced manner. You have a lot to do, all the time. You are always playing multi-player, and you find yourself in a quest, together with other people WHO are fighting for the same cause. Players are not killing each other, the concept of the game is good, the graphics, especially the characters are very well drawn, but there are a lot of repetitions and the modifications of weapons (in which the game is very proud of) is not put together in a fun way. It is unnecessarily complicated. The AI of the villains is not bad, the inventory is a little too small for a game like this. But the story is good, the physics are average, the villains have better than average complexity, you do not really think that a huge price is not really worth paying for the game. For 29.99, it could be ok.… Expand
  82. 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
  83. JoeLIkesGames
    Apr 7, 2013
    9
    Great ark fall scenarios with large groups participating, guns have a wide variety, FUN gunplay, interesting main quest line story, cool tie in "episode quests", multiplayer is nice (being higher level doesnt mean you'll be over powered) driving around is fun, anyone can jump in and help you with quests, their "dungeons" are pretty neat aswell with cool final bosses.

    Sidequests arent    Great ark fall scenarios with large groups participating, guns have a wide variety, FUN gunplay, interesting main quest line story, cool tie in "episode quests", multiplayer is nice (being higher level doesnt mean you'll be over powered) driving around is fun, anyone can jump in and help you with quests, their "dungeons" are pretty neat aswell with cool final bosses.

    Sidequests arent very interesting, graphics are par, and the mechanics are a little hard to learn at the beginning    … Expand
  84. th3n00bthatPWNS
    Apr 7, 2013
    9
    Let me start by disputing all of the negative reviews.

    UI~ No disputing their claims, it's somewhat goofy, but learning the quick menu (ctrl) makes it bearable Character creation~Don't listen to people about lack of customization. They are clueless and didn't chose the options... It's extensive! Shooting mechanics~ Shooting mechanics are spot on. No clue why anyone would have a    Let me start by disputing all of the negative reviews.

    UI~ No disputing their claims, it's somewhat goofy, but learning the quick menu (ctrl) makes it bearable

    Character creation~Don't listen to people about lack of customization. They are clueless and didn't chose the options... It's extensive!

    Shooting mechanics~ Shooting mechanics are spot on. No clue why anyone would have a gripe about them.

    Controls~ What is so bad compared to any other shooter?! They have the exact same controls as any other game, CoD or anything else.

    Chat~ this is pretty bad and something that needs to be adjusted. But same dev's as Rift so things will be fixed... Games been out less than a week so...

    Not sure why there are so many haters of this game. They are just butt hurt that they aren't going in with tons of friends rolling across the map hogging all the loots. This game is great. Check it out. No monthly fees and lots of fun!    … Expand
  85. ANTI-
    Apr 6, 2013
    8
    Borderlands meets Fallout 3 meets Rift.
    Pros:
    -fantastic gameplay -some of the best combat I've ever experienced in an MMO -no subscription fees -looks great on high settings -PvP is very fun, especially Shadow Wars -4 man instances are superb -some fun vehicles to cruise around the map in -Arkfalls (world events) -tons of tons of weapons to customize and use Cons: -bugs, a    Borderlands meets Fallout 3 meets Rift.
    Pros:
    -fantastic gameplay
    -some of the best combat I've ever experienced in an MMO
    -no subscription fees
    -looks great on high settings
    -PvP is very fun, especially Shadow Wars
    -4 man instances are superb
    -some fun vehicles to cruise around the map in
    -Arkfalls (world events)
    -tons of tons of weapons to customize and use

    Cons:
    -bugs, a lot of them, mostly minor ones but its quite frustrating to deal with
    -will seem short in its current state if you aren't into pvp
    -some features painfully broken (voice chat) or lacking (text chat) or missing
    -limited storage, no bank outside your inventory, Trion trying to get you to buy extra inventory space    … Expand
  86. Wilcar
    Apr 6, 2013
    5
    I have been playing for a couple of days now and i have seemed to have finished the main story (which was fun i rate that a 8/10) BUT all that is left is repeatable quests and shadow wars (team pvp) to level to 5000 ego?! the game starts out pretty fun but QUICKLY becomes boring you basically do the same type of quests over and over and over.. hostage rescue..clear out enemies.. collectI have been playing for a couple of days now and i have seemed to have finished the main story (which was fun i rate that a 8/10) BUT all that is left is repeatable quests and shadow wars (team pvp) to level to 5000 ego?! the game starts out pretty fun but QUICKLY becomes boring you basically do the same type of quests over and over and over.. hostage rescue..clear out enemies.. collect pieces of stuff etc etc.. and the icing on the cake is enemy A.I is really bad.. i feel really let down because it looked so good in previews that i even pre-ordered it… Expand
  87. 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.
  88. 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.    … Expand
  89. renderman
    Apr 6, 2013
    10
    this game is a lot of fun, once you figure out the UI and where things are, it really has a great feel to it as well as look! Arkfalls with a bunch of other players are truly epic, working together in order to get through them is so much fun! Whether or not it has a lasting fun factor is yet to be seen, but I definitely have gotten my moneys worth of this game since there is nothis game is a lot of fun, once you figure out the UI and where things are, it really has a great feel to it as well as look! Arkfalls with a bunch of other players are truly epic, working together in order to get through them is so much fun! Whether or not it has a lasting fun factor is yet to be seen, but I definitely have gotten my moneys worth of this game since there is no subscription. There are bugs here and there but nothing hindering game play that I have seen..... yet… Expand
  90. Shadex
    Apr 6, 2013
    5
    Pro's: Attractive world design, interesting story, good voice work, television show link
    Con's: Minimal repetitive content, badly designed social/chat system, heavily tilted toward very expensive cash shop purchases especially for a PvP game.
    A very rocky start marred by a stealth launch and a seemingly endless stream of issues, even for an MMO. Very expensive initial out of pocket as    Pro's: Attractive world design, interesting story, good voice work, television show link
    Con's: Minimal repetitive content, badly designed social/chat system, heavily tilted toward very expensive cash shop purchases especially for a PvP game.

    A very rocky start marred by a stealth launch and a seemingly endless stream of issues, even for an MMO. Very expensive initial out of pocket as well for a title that will be routinely charging for episodic material. Suggest monitoring for a while to see if title stabilizes and if either it or the TV series survives.    … Expand
  91. Silok
    Apr 6, 2013
    3
    Let me start by saying that I took time to create this account just for the review as well as leave my 110 pound woman in bed to write this. This game is awful. Clunky UI. Meh graffix. Go to point A and kill some guys. Now to point B same thing.........over and over. Yes every game has repetitiveness but a good game will "hide" this by intriguing story or awesome game play.
    The grouping    Let me start by saying that I took time to create this account just for the review as well as leave my 110 pound woman in bed to write this. This game is awful. Clunky UI. Meh graffix. Go to point A and kill some guys. Now to point B same thing.........over and over. Yes every game has repetitiveness but a good game will "hide" this by intriguing story or awesome game play.
    The grouping system is horrible. Controls are bad. AI looks like it was programmed by a ten year old on a Speak and Spell. Everything about the game is wonky. Even leaving the game you press L, hold space bar, radial tab to settings, click exit game twice..................

    DO not get roped in to playing this. Yes your first hour is fun because its new but after three days of waiting for the game to get good,,,it just doesnt......................    … Expand
  92. 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
  93. WARRAW
    Apr 6, 2013
    10
    I have sunk 20+ hours into the game already and I am realizing possibilities are endless in terms of content. Anyone who is giving this game 0's just don't understand the concept, and the diamond in the rough that is represented in Defiance. Maybe this is not a true MMO but it definitely is massive open world and in my opinion is as refreshing as it is fun to play. Trion took a gamble andI have sunk 20+ hours into the game already and I am realizing possibilities are endless in terms of content. Anyone who is giving this game 0's just don't understand the concept, and the diamond in the rough that is represented in Defiance. Maybe this is not a true MMO but it definitely is massive open world and in my opinion is as refreshing as it is fun to play. Trion took a gamble and I guarantee it will pay off for them as long as they continue to improve, GO BUY THIS GAME NOW!… Expand
  94. Noctrin
    Apr 6, 2013
    10
    I've read some of the reviews and a lot of the negative ones are not very accurate. I'm about 30 hours into the game and this is my experience with it:

    ---------------------------------------- The good: The mechanics are fun, this game is 90% skill and 10% items. Pixel perfect precision, dodging, crouching, jumping. Everything you do matters. You can play stealth and head-shot    I've read some of the reviews and a lot of the negative ones are not very accurate. I'm about 30 hours into the game and this is my experience with it:

    ----------------------------------------
    The good:

    The mechanics are fun, this game is 90% skill and 10% items. Pixel perfect precision, dodging, crouching, jumping. Everything you do matters.

    You can play stealth and head-shot enemies from afar with a sniper rifle; or go in guns blazing, throw greandes and bash enemies. They all have weak spots where you can score critical hits and you can go about doing things any way you want. You also get some powers and perks (think skill talents) that complement your play style.

    The game has challenges placed all over the map, be it driving or shooting. I find they take 3-4+ tries to get gold and there are leader boards for each one. You can level way faster doing these than side missions and they're quite unique and way more fun.

    Co-op maps require 4 players and they're not easy. The fights get very intense very fast and require a decent amount of skill to pull off.

    People complain about the driving, I've been doing most of the goals and challenges related to it using the roller and am having a blast. The challenges involve getting a certain time on a course, you have to dodge obstacles and deal with unexpected enemies or events popping up. Getting gold on some of them requires pulling everything off perfectly. The goals require things like doing a 720 spin off a jump, and getting gold on the driving challenges.

    The PVP is fun, although right now some guns have balance issues. Going stealth and blowing someone with a shotgun point-blank is way more effective than it should be. I'm pretty sure this will get ironed out.

    The story and chapter missions: You have your story missions which deal with in game characters and chapter missions where you interact with the movie characters. They're not incredible, but they will keep you going. Once the series comes out, it might give them more meaning and back story, which they are lacking.

    All weapon types have about the same base stats, better quality weapons just have some added bonuses such as increased mag and some small effects like reloading part of your clip on critical kills or speeding up grenade recharge. Nothing massive, but enough to get you to seek them out. You can play with the first weapon you get during the tutorial and not be gimped. Items give you a nice bonus, but are not the deciding factor in effectiveness.

    -------------------------------------
    The bad:

    Side missions are typical kill this, fetch this. The good thing is, the game mechanics make killing enough fun and there are plenty of other ways to level.

    Interface was clearly not designed for PC and is terrible atm. Luckily you don't need to use it all that often.

    The game has a lot of features which are not immediately obvious. Going with the norm will result in a poor experience. A guide to character creation (which provides a decent amount of customization, if you find the tabs for it on your first try-- i didn't) and game activities would make it a much better experience for new players. I suggest reading the forums for tips when starting out as things are pretty confusing at first.

    Server instability is there, getting a lot better now though.

    Rewards for events kinda suck and getting rep from contracts is the best way to get upgrades.

    -----------------------------------
    Good or bad depending how you look at it:

    Most of your upgrades come from weapon mods and not the weapons themselves. These include slightly higher crit damage, increased magazine capacity, faster reload, slightly less recoil etc. Farming the mods is a bit of a pain as the boxes that give these produce random mods. Each weapon can have 4, and weapons come with different slot numbers. Higher grade weapons tend to come with more, but you can add them in using ingame resources. Once again, the upgrades are more convenience than making you more powerful. Having to reload less and not having to re-stock on ammo as often is nice, but not crucial.

    -----------------------------------
    Overall:

    The PC version feels a bit rushed, but compared to most other MMOs i've played on opening day, it's about the same story. The core is fun; if you played Rift, trion went with the same sort of ideology in regards to random events. Ark falls are much like rift events. Everyone gets credit for kills, and rewards are based on participation and score.

    The mechanics are fun, the game is challenging but i doubt it will cater to people who are more item driven. If you like shooters and online games with an open world feel which allows you run over enemies with cars, complete challenges and pvp. A game where skill is the deciding factor and having a higher level and better items will still get you killed vs a higher skilled lvl 1 player. This is the game for you.

    Once the series gets going, the story part might play a bigger role.    … Expand
  95. Xodan
    Apr 6, 2013
    3
    This game is really not interesting at all, I had the chance to watch the game "grow" during early progress. And everytime I restarted it, i had no interest in playing it longer than ~30 minutes. I see almost no immersion in this game, the story is "strange" and stopped interesting me from the start. The effect are good bad the textures and animations are very ugly compared to other recentThis game is really not interesting at all, I had the chance to watch the game "grow" during early progress. And everytime I restarted it, i had no interest in playing it longer than ~30 minutes. I see almost no immersion in this game, the story is "strange" and stopped interesting me from the start. The effect are good bad the textures and animations are very ugly compared to other recent MMO. And one other big negative point is the business strategy: Buy2Play 50€, and announced DLC's after a few month for additional 8-9€ (calculated from the season pass price). So its like a small Buy2Play for a game that is not worth its money at all, in my opinion. Summarized this makes 3/10 for Defiance.… Expand
  96. voltan_peace
    Apr 6, 2013
    10
    A fun new game. This game has held my attention from the start. I have been playing it since the first beta and alpha until now. I have played so many MMO's over the years and have been disappointed with lack of new content. I wanted something new and different. It's great to finally have a game that is exciting and new. This game does have it's glitches and bugs. The developersA fun new game. This game has held my attention from the start. I have been playing it since the first beta and alpha until now. I have played so many MMO's over the years and have been disappointed with lack of new content. I wanted something new and different. It's great to finally have a game that is exciting and new. This game does have it's glitches and bugs. The developers have come a very long way from pre-launch. I am amazed at all the fixes they did, even up to a week before launch. The Trion team is very receptive and quick with fixing the issues and listening to their customers. I am looking forward to playing this game for a long time to come and watching the TV show on Syfy.… Expand
  97. jcrothers88
    Apr 6, 2013
    10
    all the haters its a fun ass mmo shooter more story based than rpg focused but thats why they also made rift if your more for the latter. Its more realistically an 8 though
  98. 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
  99. 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
  100. Old_Skewl_Gamer
    Apr 5, 2013
    5
    I pre-ordered on the last day before release. This game is NOT worth its $60 asking price. $20-$30 max; especially with its F2P cash shop. It definitely will be at this level by the STEAM Summer Sale and more like $5-15 thereafter. It has some interesting elements for a shooter, I'm not really in to coop shooters so some of it is new to me. I can't shake the feeling that it's RiftI pre-ordered on the last day before release. This game is NOT worth its $60 asking price. $20-$30 max; especially with its F2P cash shop. It definitely will be at this level by the STEAM Summer Sale and more like $5-15 thereafter. It has some interesting elements for a shooter, I'm not really in to coop shooters so some of it is new to me. I can't shake the feeling that it's Rift lite though, lots of the same textures and similar artwork in places none of the awesome skill trees or anything. Terrible Console UI, *TONS* of bugs (loses keybinds, crash to desktop, disconnected from server constantly, have to turn off voice comm manually EVERY TIME YOU PLAY). PvP Is decent, maybe a little twitchy for my taste, matchmaking is okay and it's still new enough to have fast matches. You can level via PvP which I like. Arkfall events Rifts. The blatant Dodge Charger product placement is repulsive. This game is okay for a quick play, running over npcs in vehicles is fun for awhile. Cheesy single-player game style cut scenes. Main story line is pretty lame. Kind of reminds me of SWTOR here with out the "choices"; worse voice acting. Borderlands/Fallout this is NOT. I have an enormous amount of MMO experience; this isn't an MMO.… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

38
#38 Most Discussed PC Game of 2013
91
#91 Most Shared PC Game of 2013

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
64

Mixed or average reviews - based on 40 Critic Reviews

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.
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  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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