PlanetSide 2

 PC
User Score
7.0

Mixed or average reviews- based on 1356 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 800 out of 1356
  2. Mixed: 281 out of 1356
  3. Negative: 275 out of 1356

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  1. kuyapuffy
    Feb 3, 2014
    9
    I created an account to write this review. I am normally an anti-fps, anti-competitive type gamer because of the awful community it attracts and that 'twitch' skill requirement in order to compete. In PlanetSide 2 you can start off playing a support role as an engineer or medic and stay in the rear of the fight. Be sure to keep an eye on your mini-map for enemy positions and surroundI created an account to write this review. I am normally an anti-fps, anti-competitive type gamer because of the awful community it attracts and that 'twitch' skill requirement in order to compete. In PlanetSide 2 you can start off playing a support role as an engineer or medic and stay in the rear of the fight. Be sure to keep an eye on your mini-map for enemy positions and surround yourself with friendlies (green dots). Doing so will extend your life expectancy significantly until you are comfortable leading the assault.

    If you want to avoid the chaos of close-quarters combat and slow down game some, you can be a tank or apc driver or man the turret. Just don't advance alone and be weary of aerial bombers. Park under trees or near some rocks so you don't get spotted so easily. Coordination and teamwork is very important in this game. These support roles, team play, and RPG elements makes this FPS more than a mindless shooter. I've only played the game for three days, but it's very addicting. My favorite memory so far is running with 100 other infantry, tanks, apcs, under air support across a relatively flat desert towards an enemy fortress while under enemy tracer and mortar fire. As one of the few medics, I saved a lot people that day. It was epic.    … Expand
  2. Cyphor
    Mar 26, 2014
    9
    This game really deserves some more appreciation. It's been a while since its release, and many problems including the existence of bugs, performance issues, and a lacking introduction are fixed. This is NOT a p2w, as everything other than aesthetics can be unlocked using certification points earned from game-play. It does indeed deliver truly amazing graphics on an epic scale (even on myThis game really deserves some more appreciation. It's been a while since its release, and many problems including the existence of bugs, performance issues, and a lacking introduction are fixed. This is NOT a p2w, as everything other than aesthetics can be unlocked using certification points earned from game-play. It does indeed deliver truly amazing graphics on an epic scale (even on my middle class laptop), and all weapons are balanced.… Expand
  3. thehumangerm
    May 26, 2014
    9
    Pros: Fast gameplay and epic battles. You really can't ask for more out of a free to play game. Great game community. Can be addictive as your job is never truly done in game. No single weapon dominates in all fights. Fight on the ground as one of 5 classes or take to the air in one of 3 types of air units or grab one of several ground units from a two person four wheeler to a 12 personPros: Fast gameplay and epic battles. You really can't ask for more out of a free to play game. Great game community. Can be addictive as your job is never truly done in game. No single weapon dominates in all fights. Fight on the ground as one of 5 classes or take to the air in one of 3 types of air units or grab one of several ground units from a two person four wheeler to a 12 person personal carrier. There is now lack of vehicle options in game.

    Cons: Suffers from a lack of Meta game. You will find far to many people grinding kills instead of attempting to gain continent control for your faction. This can be frustrating for the true team player yet does not affect solo play as much. Game updates often feel untested prior to launch but are quickly repaired. Learning curve can be a little high so It is recommended to group up with one of the many outfits in game for a helping hand.    … Expand
  4. SethroFives
    Oct 9, 2014
    9
    The learning curve is tough, and the periodic updates may make the game crash, but the improvements and eventual fixes that have evolved in this game are amazing. A highly engaged community keeps balance improvements and new content coming. If you haven't played since 2012, they've added tutorials, a full scale shooting range, objective and achievement improvements, a 4th continent, 3 newThe learning curve is tough, and the periodic updates may make the game crash, but the improvements and eventual fixes that have evolved in this game are amazing. A highly engaged community keeps balance improvements and new content coming. If you haven't played since 2012, they've added tutorials, a full scale shooting range, objective and achievement improvements, a 4th continent, 3 new vehicles, and countless weapons. Play it for the giant scale, the huge 200+ player battles, and the nearly endless strategies one can employ. Just try and resist the urge to buy camouflage from their store.… Expand
  5. KayVen17
    Jan 3, 2017
    9
    Deutsche Review - Kritik

    Der folgende Test ist in 5 Kategorien zusammengefasst. Diese 5 Kartegorien ergeben die Gesamtpunktzahl von 0 - 100 Punkten. Um einen passenden Userscore zu geben wird auf oder abgerundet. Bei 84 Punkten ergibt das einen User Score von 8. Bei 86 einen von Userscore von 9. Falls eine 85 kommt entscheide ich ob ich es eher positiv oder negativ nehme. Regeln    Deutsche Review - Kritik

    Der folgende Test ist in 5 Kategorien zusammengefasst. Diese 5 Kartegorien ergeben die Gesamtpunktzahl von 0 - 100 Punkten. Um einen passenden Userscore zu geben wird auf oder abgerundet. Bei 84 Punkten ergibt das einen User Score von 8. Bei 86 einen von Userscore von 9. Falls eine 85 kommt entscheide ich ob ich es eher positiv oder negativ nehme. Regeln verstanden?
    Dann sind hier meine Punkte.

    Mein persönlicher Score = 86/100
    Mein User Score = 9/10    … Expand
  6. ciotta
    Aug 8, 2020
    9
    MMOFPS ? > Planetside 2 !!! > Violence, Speed and Momentum.
    A unique game able to immerse players into the mess of a real battle between hundreds of players at the same times. Infantry, land and air vehicles all together. Last but not least > free to play and absolutely no pay to win. Do you like FPS ? forget the others PS2 is the one and only.
    2012 short review : A MUST TRY for FPS    MMOFPS ? > Planetside 2 !!! > Violence, Speed and Momentum.
    A unique game able to immerse players into the mess of a real battle between hundreds of players at the same times. Infantry, land and air vehicles all together. Last but not least > free to play and absolutely no pay to win. Do you like FPS ? forget the others PS2 is the one and only.

    2012 short review : A MUST TRY for FPS lovers ... free and with hundreds of contemporary players .... BEAUTIFUL.

    2016
    After adding a lot of small new features and some vehicle devs brings the construction system update > now you can build and conquer player constructed bases.

    2018
    I have been playing Planetside 2 since 2012 and commanding an outfit (guild) I have accumulated quite a lot of experience. I would recommend this unique game (mmoFPS with 1000+ contemporary players) to anyone who wants to try a new challenge and immerse themselves in a constantly evolving world (4 planets with different climatic areas).

    2020
    after developers/company issue, Planetside 2 team is back to basics. Last updates feature Fleet bastion carriers and Colossus tanks. If they keep going in this direction PS2 has a bright future.

    ABOUT NEGATIVE REVIEWS >> IT'S THE LEARNING CURVE !!! to the people saying the opposite: I hope they have a total of played hours comparable to mine ... otherwise what are you talking about? I see 4 word reviews with actual 35 minutes ... scoundrels! Planet is huge and in 30/60 minutes you didn't even have time to participate or understand anything.

    MMOFPS >>> UNIQUE!
    forget to play Rambo style ... at least at the beginning ... with 30/60 opponents around a single base one false move translates into your abatement and subsequent respawn. If you know how to play FPS seriously, the keywords are "preaim" "prefire" "positioning".
    No game with 15/30 opponents will ever give you the thrill of a battle (infantry + ground and air vehicles with hundreds of real people). If you play immediately join a team and try to follow the orders of your team leader ... otherwise you will be alone and always cannon fodder.

    if you have enough Violence, Speed and Momentum see you on the battlefield.    … Expand
  7. Thornheart
    Mar 12, 2020
    9
    A game unlike any other. It has taken A LONG time to mature, but it has shaped into something beautiful. I take long breaks, but every time I come back I get that same feeling of awe and grandness I felt playing back in 2013. Open continents with battles of dozens or even hundreds of players and vehicles never gets old.
  8. Moxnix1776
    Jun 7, 2023
    9
    In some respects PS2 deserves a 10 just for being the only game delivering on such a large scale and immersive conflict, it really is a feat of engineering and brings a kind of awe and spectacle that not other game can match.

    I would suggest to disregard any review that cites "P2W", these players are either misinformed, or whiney losers. I am likely a top 1-3% player in this game with    In some respects PS2 deserves a 10 just for being the only game delivering on such a large scale and immersive conflict, it really is a feat of engineering and brings a kind of awe and spectacle that not other game can match.

    I would suggest to disregard any review that cites "P2W", these players are either misinformed, or whiney losers. I am likely a top 1-3% player in this game with multiple thousands of hours, and a long history of play in the games top Outfits ("Clans"). I can assure you that I, or anyone else similarly skilled can play a completely free account and be absolutely dominate in game; in fact there are many players who are better than me who do just that.

    For over a decade now the game has gotten continued updates and support.

    The game is genuinely F2P with an extremely conservative cash shop that offers no real combat power.

    The game is shockingly well balanced despite the 4 different factions and diverse arrary of land, sea, and air combat, both as infantry and in vehicles; and the combat of each type feels tight and engaging.

    My only gripe about the game is that it has serious performance issues, maintaining 60 fps or more in these large scale battles is necessary if you want to be a MLG level fragger, but despite upgrading my PC several times over the years I always find myself hungry for more and more performance. As a related issue, a common complaint about the game is that its graphics are dated and ugly, which is at least half way true, Planetside is never beautiful under close inspection, but can be dazzling when admiring the battle as a whole - however in the quest for better frame rates and performance many players (myself included) end up downgrading our graphics to the point that the game does become genuinely ugly. I want to give the developers some slack as top tier graphics just wont work on this scale of a game, but if my performance remains only borderline satisfactory after a decade of new PC parts, this can only mean the game is slowly becoming unoptimized over time as well which leads most players to being in a constant performance limbo where a new PC upgrade only feels tangibly powerful for a limited time.

    All things said, Planetside 2 is an incredible game, at the individual level it is a fun tight shooter as good as any other triple A franchise, on a scale of spectacle and immersion that no other game can even approach. The fact this game has been constantly operated and updated for over 10 years as a genuinely F2P game is nothing short of a miracle.    … Expand
  9. ParagonRenegade
    Dec 8, 2012
    8
    (Forewarning; I apologize for the inevitable slaughter of my format by Metacritic, huge walls of text are the only option :c) The PROS:

    +The game has the largest battles to be found in any game, ever. Barring very special cases in certain strategy games (Namely, Supreme Commander: Forged Alliance and Total War) you will never see larger battles. It simply dwarves all contemporary games    (Forewarning; I apologize for the inevitable slaughter of my format by Metacritic, huge walls of text are the only option :c) The PROS:

    +The game has the largest battles to be found in any game, ever. Barring very special cases in certain strategy games (Namely, Supreme Commander: Forged Alliance and Total War) you will never see larger battles. It simply dwarves all contemporary games in sheer scale.

    +Many of the mechanics from the original game (PlanetSide) have been completely revamped and/or replaced. It is no longer a chore to play. In fact, the gameplay is VASTLY improved, featuring full hitboxes, well-defined class roles and strategic thought simply not present before. Quite simply, its a blast

    +The futuristic setting is very interesting visually and audibly. The lighting, draw distances, shadows and SFX are stunning. I especially enjoy when you fight at night, as it is one of the only modern games where the dark of night is... dark. I have a feeling you will enjoy looking at the immense star and moonscapes in awe, they're spectacular.

    + The game is Free to Play! In case you didn't know, "F2P" means "Free to Play"; Huzzuah! + There are three teams per server, as opposed to the regular two-sided fights that are the norm. This introduces an interesting dynamic with three-sided battles. Extremely fun.

    + While the factions share several things in common, notably certain vehicles and the classes, they each have a unique set of strengths and weaknesses that give you incentive to play as all three. While the lore is not particularly strong (This is an MMO after all), I suspect you will choose your first faction based on their backstory. I prefer the Vanu, being a transhumanist scum in real life.

    +As goes naturally with the large player counts, the maps are enormous; expect to travel in various gunships and APC's more than on foot when trying to get from place-to-place.

    The CONS:

    - My primary concern with the game is the system requirements; you will require a very powerful rig to run the game at a level of 30 FPS or higher. Lower-end computers or older ones will have some problems, most notably in the larger battles. I had no problems with this, as I very recently constructed my own computer with high-end parts, but for the majority of people performance will be a factor.

    - There are quite a few bugs and glitches int he game as-is; friendly tanks running you over push you into geometry, muzzle flash sometimes continues even when not firing,You spawn from a "slanted" perspective... You know, pretty typical stuff.

    - Game-enders; Every now and then, you will have a CATASTROPHIC crash that may require you to disable/reset your router and modem, or at least restart your computer. These are very infrequent (I've had it happen once) but keep this in mind.

    -There are some balancing issues, most relating to the MAX quasi-class/mech and to the power of air vehicles/Anti-Air weaponry.

    - The "Certification" system in the game allows you to purchase weapons and other gear/perks with in-game experience. You "buy" them with things called "Certs" (Short for certifications) which are earned in gameplay for doing essentially everything. The number of Certs you need to buy some things (Notably weapons) is huge, and you earn them very slowly. I place huge emphasis on "slowly" . You can, optionally, circumvent this problem by directly buying things with real money through microtransactions, or buying a $15/month subscription (Which isn't mandatory in any way!) to increase the rate at which you earn things.

    - I mentioned the lighting effects, particle effects and such earlier? Those are great, but the actual TEXTURES in the game are not particularly good, on-par with the industry standard five years ago. This is for the sake of game performance, a necessary evil, but it is still a definite weakness.

    -Tutorials are very weak, you are simply thrust into the game for lack of a better term. I suggest watching youtube videos to get a grasp of the game before you play

    CONCLUSION:

    PlanetSide 2 is FILLED with great times to be had if you have a decent computer, all for the low, low price of $0. Keep in mind the game is somewhat hindered graphically and in terms of performance by the large player counts and huge maps, but simultaneously remember the good vastly outweighs the bad!

    It gets an 8/10 - The game is superb with several minor problems and one somewhat big one. I expect the developers will support the game for years to come, so I will likely amend my score to 9/10 in the future as the performance is boosted and the bigs patched. You have nothing to lose by downloading it, just do it!    … Expand
  10. Ecko69x
    Jan 16, 2013
    8
    Planetside 2 is not your typical CoD or BF shooter game. It has a steep, but satisfying learning curve. It does well on bringing large scale fights to the battlefield. This game is about team play, so don't think you can come in and solo everything. The game does face bugs, balancing, and optimization issues; however, they should be addressed shortly.
  11. SirRaiuKoren
    Nov 28, 2012
    8
    NEW PLAYERS: There ARE tutorials on the game's website. They are terrifically helpful. Anyway, this game is certainly not for casual gamers. It is intense, complicated, and most importantly, requires strong teamwork skills. Also, a mic is practically a must. The graphics, while colorful, are very low res in the environment, though player models look decent., and the lighting is beautifulNEW PLAYERS: There ARE tutorials on the game's website. They are terrifically helpful. Anyway, this game is certainly not for casual gamers. It is intense, complicated, and most importantly, requires strong teamwork skills. Also, a mic is practically a must. The graphics, while colorful, are very low res in the environment, though player models look decent., and the lighting is beautiful at times. The controls are playable, though players seem to have a slower movement speed than in most FPSes out there. This is compensated by vehicular movement and combat, which can take place at blistering speeds, especially air combat. The most stand-out feature of this game is that it is first and foremost a strategy game played at the FPS level. While you can certainly run around aimlessly shooting bad guys, that behavior is very unlikely to aid in victory. I have been in 48-player platoons as the platoon leader, ordering squads around and reading the map while trying to determine the most tactically advantageous strategy for my platoon to take to secure its objective, and had a blast. Most people follow orders well; it is not like Call-of-Duty, where no one works together and mics stay silent. It is closer to Battlefield, but with way more consistency and no time limits or spawn limits - in other words, supremely tactical. It is not about how many kills you get, it's about whether or not you can successfully attack or defend a position against enemy forces. ******* For those concerned with the micro-transaction method: Of course people who put money into the game are going to have small advantages. The game is free to players, but it certainly was not to the developers. Games don't come out of thin air, and they have to make their money somewhere. I have no problem ponying up some dough to say thank you to the game studio, and neither should anyone else. Show some gratitude with your wallet. *******… Expand
  12. Halfmad
    Jun 10, 2013
    8
    The good:

    Great mix of classes/vehicles. Chop and change classes at any weapons terminal whenever you feel like it. Encourages teamwork and also rewards it. Very satisfying gameplay. No play to win or pay to win. It's most down to skill and awareness. Satisfying skill gains. The bad: Most fights are largely repetitive, although each is slightly different. Shame there's no    The good:

    Great mix of classes/vehicles.
    Chop and change classes at any weapons terminal whenever you feel like it.
    Encourages teamwork and also rewards it.
    Very satisfying gameplay.
    No play to win or pay to win. It's most down to skill and awareness.
    Satisfying skill gains.

    The bad:

    Most fights are largely repetitive, although each is slightly different. Shame there's no dynamic fights over a new resource etc.
    Air-combat is dismal and poorly implemented
    Initial skilling up can take a while before you feel that you've got some goodies to play with.
    Stats are focused on kills, leaving many medics/engineers looking like idiots as revives etc aren't recorded.
    Many players don't quite grasp the team play aspects of the game, then whinge about how it's not balanced. This isn't a single player game.

    I'd improve by:

    Adding dynamic resource events away from bases, since many open field fights are vastly more fun anyway.
    Add joystick support to the game, it's hopelessly poor.
    Add generous fuel requirements to aircraft rather than unlimited flying time.
    improve in-game voice comms options, many outfits now use TS/mumble as they are vastly better.
    Allow F2P players to get station cash somehow with an objective in game, even if it's limited/rare.

    Conclusion: Make friends, shoot things win. Single players who don't want to work with others will find it frustrating.    … Expand
  13. sashang
    Dec 1, 2012
    8
    I had low expectations for this game because it was free to play. First impressions were 'damn this is hard...'. There's a steep learning curve and no tutorial as such, just jump in and fight to survive. And I died a lot. My next reaction was the indoor environments are kinda bland, although outdoors it's quite picturesque. I reckon I need better graphics card than the GTX 260 SLI I haveI had low expectations for this game because it was free to play. First impressions were 'damn this is hard...'. There's a steep learning curve and no tutorial as such, just jump in and fight to survive. And I died a lot. My next reaction was the indoor environments are kinda bland, although outdoors it's quite picturesque. I reckon I need better graphics card than the GTX 260 SLI I have to enjoy this game. Another thing is that there is no engaging storyline that I've grown to expect from these sort of FPS games. You are just dropped into the action and left to deal with it. However where this game outstrips every other sort of FPS in terms of scale. The maps are huge and battles can involve 2 to 100 individual units, from infantry to heavy armour, to air all in the scene at once. This is a phenomenal technical achievement. Additionally the squad command facilities are better than those I've seen in previous games. As a result stories form organically, and battle scenes that would be scripted in a COD game, evolve in Planetside out of the natural process where a group of humans have to complete an objective, defined by their platoon leader, like defend a base or capture a point. There's massive potential here for more to explored in terms of player coordinated squad based gameplay and Planetside has barely scratched the surface but has given us a taste of what things could be like.… Expand
  14. Maxxgold
    Sep 11, 2022
    8
    This is the best free FPS I have ever played. If your looking for a shooter and your tired of COD and BF3 you should definitely give this game a try. : )
  15. stimpy77
    Dec 3, 2012
    8
    Incredibly addictive. Just as I thought I'd finally "grown up" and stopped playing PC games for good, Planetside 2 comes out and I find myself completely immersed in the gameplay. This game takes advantage of my decent PC hardware, so I am able to max out all settings and WOW the game really does look incredibly beautiful. At night, playing as Vanu, I see my empire mates' tank shells flyIncredibly addictive. Just as I thought I'd finally "grown up" and stopped playing PC games for good, Planetside 2 comes out and I find myself completely immersed in the gameplay. This game takes advantage of my decent PC hardware, so I am able to max out all settings and WOW the game really does look incredibly beautiful. At night, playing as Vanu, I see my empire mates' tank shells fly and they cast a blinding bright light that itself casts shadows as it wheezes by. I do have a deep concern about this game, though, which is why I've lowered my score from 10 to 8. It's addictive today, it'll be addictive tomorrow, .. but unlike some other sci-fi MMOs like, say, EVE Online, Planetside 2 really has absolutely no depth. There's no point in the chaotic fighting, except to just fight. After seeing my empire capture entire continents now four or five times since the game's launch (this review comes just a week or to after launch) I'm certain I'm going to get bored by the fact that there really is no point. Capturing a continent gets you bonus spending "money" for vehicles and aircraft, but there's no other real point. There's certainly no real story; I've come across a couple hack story ideas (some from Sony) on forums and blogs but there really is no story within the game, you're just out there fighting and respawning, ad nauseum.

    There's also no real point in which empire you choose other than favorite music and colors. They're all pretty much the same. Oh, there are variations in vehicle speeds and power, but Sony played it very safe here on the balancing act and trying to keep all factions equal.

    The shooter side of the game is solid, if sometimes a little bit plastic. Usually not, but sometimes I feel like I'm using a toy gun from Wal-mart. Sometimes the sound is weak and damage effect is light. The sniper rifle and the shotgun, for example, have no oomph, I suppose the sound engineers must not have very good speakers because I have studio monitors and these feel thin.

    Overall, this is a fun game and being free it's definitely worth a shot. I would compare it best to Tribes: Ascend but on a much, much larger map scale in a persistent universe of equally absent meaning.    … Expand
  16. richardfps
    Nov 25, 2012
    8
    Planetside 2 is a very good game. the graphics are phenomenal, the controls feel tight and the sheer scale of the game is just astonishing. it's like playing 30 battlefield 3 matches at once in an area part of a gigantic continent in the world of Auraxis. The hit detection is also remarkable and the gunplay is very tight which would make any FPS fan squeal with joy. But since the gamePlanetside 2 is a very good game. the graphics are phenomenal, the controls feel tight and the sheer scale of the game is just astonishing. it's like playing 30 battlefield 3 matches at once in an area part of a gigantic continent in the world of Auraxis. The hit detection is also remarkable and the gunplay is very tight which would make any FPS fan squeal with joy. But since the game requires a lot of teamwork, i felt that finding friends could've been more simpler. Also, the game feels a bit unfinished, for example, the "Basic training" tutorial videos should've been part of the game instead of being only on their youtube channel which is inconvenient because the game is very complex and it makes you think that the developers were just lazy and didn't think about the newcomers for Planetside 2. But overall, Planetside 2 is an uncut diamond, it's not perfect and it feels a bit unfinished but if the developers shape it and polish it, then everyone will see the real beauty of Planetside 2.… Expand
  17. Pecheckler
    Nov 25, 2012
    8
    The core gameplay is fun, albeit with a few annoyances. The epic scale with smooth gameplay is very impressive. The game is addicting and causes time to fly by.

    Pros: Massive scale, very fun, extremely team oriented. VOIP communication is critical for tactical gameplay. Play the way you want. Support classes are totally viable. Air combat is amazingly fun. Cons: The business model.    The core gameplay is fun, albeit with a few annoyances. The epic scale with smooth gameplay is very impressive. The game is addicting and causes time to fly by.

    Pros: Massive scale, very fun, extremely team oriented. VOIP communication is critical for tactical gameplay. Play the way you want. Support classes are totally viable. Air combat is amazingly fun.

    Cons: The business model. Free to play, but takes 6 months at 25 hours a week to max just one infantry and one vehicle. Subscribers who have bought a few weapons and boosts can do that in 3 weeks. Costs maybe $50 + $15 a month. Simply put, infrequent free players are going to be at a disadvantage. The game is definitely designed to sucker people into buying station cash. I have already spent $180 on the game and have a moderate advantage over new players, but hopefully that advantage will fade after 6 months or so.

    The graphics do not appear to be state of the art because the ultra setting was removed from the game at the very end of beta due to stability issues. The game is not multithreaded, which is a big problem for people with slower CPUs or even high end AMD CPUs. i5 and i7 CPUs are required to have satisfactory framerates on high settings. CPU clock speed directly affects framerates (GPU not so much), so overclockers benefit a lot.

    The annoyances to which I was refering are the invulnerable shield spawn locations where stalemate battles may continue for often 30 minutes at a time. I find these annoying and they are the epitome of spawning camping. You can literally die 20 times in 5 minutes to spawn camping. Some people like this, but I hate it.    … Expand
  18. Dusty_Hayes
    Nov 28, 2012
    8
    Large battles featuring up to 2000 players per continent and is a complete blast, never had so much fun with an online FPS in my whole gaming-life PlanetSide 2 is awesometacular
  19. Zudeare
    Dec 2, 2012
    8
    It is a shame that it is released too quickly, you can definitely spot a lot of thing that are wrong with the game at this point, but whatever the case, i feel like this game deserves to do well, i wasn't sure if an FPS and MMO mixed together would work, but i was luckily very wrong, it's so good,
  20. Banhammer0
    Dec 6, 2014
    8
    It keeps getting better and better with every patch ! PLEASE NOTE that most negative reviews are OUTDATED since the game has changed massively over the last two years. A lot of problems are much smaller or aren't there any more !
    Only in this game battles with literally hundreds of people, on foot or in land/air vehicles.
    The graphics are really good too especially if you consider this    It keeps getting better and better with every patch ! PLEASE NOTE that most negative reviews are OUTDATED since the game has changed massively over the last two years. A lot of problems are much smaller or aren't there any more !
    Only in this game battles with literally hundreds of people, on foot or in land/air vehicles.
    The graphics are really good too especially if you consider this game's grand scale.
    With 5 different classess and 6 vehicles, and 4 continent to fight for it's hard to be bored.
    It has its share of problems though: sometimes the battles are just not going good for your faction and it's hard to find a satysfying one. Balance of the factions is somewhat lackluster often leading to one factin dominating the others on a specific server.
    Most people claim this game has a steep learning curve, which is probably true, it took me quite a while to grasp the basics. Yes, there are tutorials but you may need to force yourself at first or watch youtube videos with guides.
    There is no other game like it and I strongly recommend it to shooter fans. The game heavily supports playing in a squad, but I usually lone wolf and it's really fun, nothing more satisfying than pulling a Rambo-like feat as a heavy assault or sneak behind enemy lines and sabotage the enemy base with the infiltrator. 8/10    … Expand
  21. MCfresh
    Nov 28, 2012
    8
    I hate it when I see people try to compare games like this to black ops or halo. We live in an age where people want to be great at a game from the start, instead of investing time into a game that requires some skill. I wonder what these people would have rated such classic games such as Team Fortress Classic, which had such a high skill curve that beginners would be demolished for aI hate it when I see people try to compare games like this to black ops or halo. We live in an age where people want to be great at a game from the start, instead of investing time into a game that requires some skill. I wonder what these people would have rated such classic games such as Team Fortress Classic, which had such a high skill curve that beginners would be demolished for a couple of weeks before learning some of the more difficult ways of moving around. When I first started playing I was so happy that the game lacked the super accurate Iron Sights of COD, that the scale of the game was massive, and that each faction was unique. Sure, there isn't a great tutorial, and at first the game is can be confusing and frustrating. After an hour or two of playing, you will quickly figure out where you should be, and get the gist of the classes. Pay to win exists to an extent in this game, but skill really will triumph in most cases. With any game of this scale, you can only expect it to improve with time, and SEO has stated mentioned some plans for the future. As it stands now, the game is a solid 8 and it looks to improve. Don't listen to the naysayers, the game offers a lot of good reasons to play, and as people get it better, it will only continue to offer a great MMOFPS experience.… Expand
  22. Zyromkiru
    Dec 10, 2012
    8
    The game is fun none the less but has fllaws..
    Graphics: + Phsyx is in this game (but currently turned off)
    + The environment and changing of day and night is a nice touch - blurry/low res areas - Not really something special compared to other games but due to the size of the planet... its good Gameplay: + The game is a nice futuristic game and plays out well and is much more    The game is fun none the less but has fllaws..
    Graphics: + Phsyx is in this game (but currently turned off)
    + The environment and changing of day and night is a nice touch
    - blurry/low res areas
    - Not really something special compared to other games but due to the size of the planet... its good

    Gameplay:
    + The game is a nice futuristic game and plays out well and is much more exciting than halo 4
    + It really draws you into the war feeling since there is a lot going on
    + Vehicles are fun and useful
    + You can upgrade basically anything you want to and use the classes you like the best or all of them
    - When you are cornered the game feels like a repetitive camp fest where the other team wont back off and you continuously die BUT if you spawn elsewhere there isn't really any helping the team fight at all.
    - bugs, bugs , bugs, bugs, and more bugs... Some people with lag or bad computers teleport and go through walls... some people can be looking 1 way on your screen and actually be looking at you on yours.

    Sounds:
    + Nice in game music (AT TIMES)
    + Have their own sounds for guns
    - You can randomly hear people talk on their mic that aren't in your squad - Not really the best "killed by" screen..

    Other:
    + You can buy skins, etc. to pimp out your characters/vehicles
    - You can buy weapons, etc. instead of saving up to purchase them with in game currency so in a way it's too easy for some to have much better weapons.

    The game is fun, new, frustrating at times, and buggy. Basically it evens out although it still needs some polishing and the performance isn't really the best I've seen but that's okay since it just came out.    … Expand
  23. LordHawks
    Nov 12, 2015
    8
    My first review was unfair because my CPU wasn't powerful enough, and the game wasn't optimized for AMD CPUs when I tried to play. They've had a lot of patches since then, and I've heard it has been optimized for AMD, and it's not single core bound. I don't have a desire to play at this time, but I'll rate it highly because my friends who play enjoy it.
  24. Twitch375
    Dec 16, 2012
    8
    After experiencing more than 3 hours of Planet Side I have to take back my previous review. Starting out you are going to get owned. You have to climb a huge wall just to become good enough where you have a good chance of killing someone without dying 5 times. You will rage (maybe break a keyboard like I did) but once you get passed this "introduction period" you will enjoy yourself likeAfter experiencing more than 3 hours of Planet Side I have to take back my previous review. Starting out you are going to get owned. You have to climb a huge wall just to become good enough where you have a good chance of killing someone without dying 5 times. You will rage (maybe break a keyboard like I did) but once you get passed this "introduction period" you will enjoy yourself like no other game has ever provided. Fighting along side 20-100 other people in 1-5 hour attacks on a single base is amazing and by playing this I now realize how much **** other fps are. The only thing that can come close is BF3. Planet Side 2 is just bigger, better, and more compared to other games. If you really want to feel like you're in a war this game will satisfy and more. Just be willing to sacrifice a keyboard or 2 for that fun (Luckily I had a spare).… Expand
  25. Nataraja
    Nov 27, 2012
    8
    This is a very addictive game and one that is well thought out although the execution is rough. It is a bit rushed and there are some HUGE balance issues (objective data has been assembled showing a massive advantage to the VS over the TR - slightly - but especially over the NC being in the basement in terms of Infantry and vehicles - particularly in the time to kill ratings) but thisThis is a very addictive game and one that is well thought out although the execution is rough. It is a bit rushed and there are some HUGE balance issues (objective data has been assembled showing a massive advantage to the VS over the TR - slightly - but especially over the NC being in the basement in terms of Infantry and vehicles - particularly in the time to kill ratings) but this game is MUCH more about team work. If you try to Rambo this game and run and gun like any idiot in BF3 you will find you are killing your team mates, getting weapon locked and being hated by your side. In this game - friendly fire WILL kill you and no there are no servers where you can turn that off. The action is intense and the coordination required is at times mind blowing. The biggest issues in the game currently are technical followed by the need to better balance the factions. But this is an amazing game. You can be very effective with base equipment, but if you are like me and have a particular way you like to play, you will need to unlock a gun or two and some features for your vehicles. Realistically I would say that you could invest $25 and be set. The membership is only needed if you don't like standing in a queue.… Expand
  26. ScepticalBanana
    Jan 26, 2013
    8
    There is a lot of people who write that the game is riddled with bugs and hackers. But that's a straight up lie. I play on lithcorp EU and have only experienced minor bugs, that's it.

    The good part is the massive battles, solid gameplay, the good graphics and faction difference. If you play in a squad or in a outfit you will have the most fun, coordinating attacks and executing squad    There is a lot of people who write that the game is riddled with bugs and hackers. But that's a straight up lie. I play on lithcorp EU and have only experienced minor bugs, that's it.

    The good part is the massive battles, solid gameplay, the good graphics and faction difference.
    If you play in a squad or in a outfit you will have the most fun, coordinating attacks and executing squad strategies. it's a awesome sight when a horde of soldiers is pushing trough a chockepoint, or a zerg of tanks is rolling trough the indar desert devestating the opposition. That feeling is not found in any other game. The Bad part: many of the weapons look and feel similar, the unlock prosess feel a littlebit grindy, some minor bugs, some balance issues (smal ones) and a steep learningcurve (no tutorial and explanation for what's going on).
    You CAN ulock everything (not cosmetic items) just by playing, but it will take alot of time.
    And the starting weapons and loadouts are very good, it's almost all skillbased how good you will do in the game.
    So it's a OK Microtransactions system, but time-consuming if you don't want to spend a dime.

    Download and try it for yourself, You have nothing to loose since it's F2P =)    … Expand
  27. BroncsRoc
    Oct 26, 2013
    8
    Planetside 2 is a definitive First Person Shooter. This game will change your perception of what is and isn't a truly massive war title. The open world, massive player base, and pure fun this game brings to the table makes this a good title for any PC gamer. That's not to say PS2 is flawless. Far from it. The learning curve is much too steep, and I personally dislike their pay-to-win-esquePlanetside 2 is a definitive First Person Shooter. This game will change your perception of what is and isn't a truly massive war title. The open world, massive player base, and pure fun this game brings to the table makes this a good title for any PC gamer. That's not to say PS2 is flawless. Far from it. The learning curve is much too steep, and I personally dislike their pay-to-win-esque profit style. Still, any FPS aviciando should definitely give Planetside 2 a look.… Expand
  28. FinalBoss
    Nov 20, 2012
    8
    This game is a FPS on massive scale. The point is to play together cohesively as vehicle, infantry, and air support, and compete against 2 other factions to hold your own, with hundreds of other online players on the same map. On a smaller scale, you can form squads with friends or randomly, and work together to take objectives. If that's not your style, you can go lone wolf as well, butThis game is a FPS on massive scale. The point is to play together cohesively as vehicle, infantry, and air support, and compete against 2 other factions to hold your own, with hundreds of other online players on the same map. On a smaller scale, you can form squads with friends or randomly, and work together to take objectives. If that's not your style, you can go lone wolf as well, but the game rewards group play more, simply because you'll die less in a tight group. I've played since beta, there's a few kinks but those are just slight balancing issues. Overall, a solid multiplayer FPS.… Expand
  29. InternetWarrior
    Nov 28, 2012
    8
    Thoroughly fun and well executed game. You are a soldier allied to one of three factions partaking in massive battles across three large continents. There are various air and land vehicles you can drive, as well as several different classes of infantry. The combat is pretty solidly implemented with only minor changes necessary to certain aspects (such as the Infiltrator infantry class).Thoroughly fun and well executed game. You are a soldier allied to one of three factions partaking in massive battles across three large continents. There are various air and land vehicles you can drive, as well as several different classes of infantry. The combat is pretty solidly implemented with only minor changes necessary to certain aspects (such as the Infiltrator infantry class). The game looks good and I have had no performance problems on a high end i7 dekstop PC; which I am honestly very impressed with as MMOs traditionally have huge problems with lag at launch.

    The bad parts of this game that I feel worth mentioning are the actual cost if you want all the bells and whistles, minor class problems (as previously mentioned), the continent system and vehicle zergs. Regarding the cost, if you want to buy everything it will cost you a large chunk of money. A lot of items are merely cosmetic, however, I wouldn't go so far as to say they all are (as SOE has claimed in the past). The continent system often leads to each faction dominating a continent each because people have swapped to the winning location. This means you don't get epic battles as often as you should, a lot of the time you are either being steamrolled or steamrolling. During peak times vehicles can become a little too numerous, forming massive groups that blow everything to shreds.    … Expand
  30. Palor
    Nov 20, 2012
    8
    Planet Side 2 is all about size. Just 1 of the 3 continents is larger than all the MW3 maps put together. The small skirmishes in this game tend to be 20 on 20, medium ones can easily be 50 plus. But where this game really shines is the big battles. Hundreds of people split up across 3 armies all fighting for control of the same zones with dozens of tanks and aircraft supporting them.Planet Side 2 is all about size. Just 1 of the 3 continents is larger than all the MW3 maps put together. The small skirmishes in this game tend to be 20 on 20, medium ones can easily be 50 plus. But where this game really shines is the big battles. Hundreds of people split up across 3 armies all fighting for control of the same zones with dozens of tanks and aircraft supporting them. If you are a lone wolf you will probably become easily bored, but if you enjoy team/squad based tactics there is nothing on the market that compares with PS2.

    The big battles when you get lots of particle effects flying around can be a bit of a resource hog. I have heard of people using AMD builds having more issues but can not testify to that as I run AMD and Nvidia. You also want a broadband network connection, being a shooter latency is very important. The good news if you are unsure about what your system can run the game is F2P so there is no reason not to try it.

    The one part we need to keep an eye on is the F2P element. While it is nice that anyone can try it time will tell if it becomes pay to win. So far it does not seem to do that. Mostly you buy XP boosts or cosmetic items. You can spend money on purchasing weapons also, so far there are not that many weapons to purchase and none of those that I have tried have been ridiculously overpowered. Most have trade offs like higher rate of fire but greater bullet spread. In the end they so far seem to balance themselves out.

    In the end it is a great change of pace from most all modern shooters on the market. As someone who enjoys being another soldier instead of a 1 man army I find the team based game play to be amazing. If you have the machine to do it the graphics look amazing good at higher settings. The servers also seem to be well made, even in the largest of battles I do not experience any real lag. You will occasionally see the random guy blinking across the battlefield but that is them lagging not the server. I would give it 8.5 if I could but will go with an 8. It has room to improve but so far so good.    … Expand
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Awards & Rankings

26
#26 Best PC Game of 2012
13
#13 Most Discussed PC Game of 2012
45
#45 Most Shared PC Game of 2012

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
84

Generally favorable reviews - based on 42 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 38 out of 42
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 42
  3. Negative: 0 out of 42
  1. Armchair Empire
    May 10, 2013
    75
    The shooter fundamentals are all there. The visuals are great but the progression just doesn't seem to deliver any payoff for players outside of the hardcore. It's not quite as much of a shameless cash grab as something out of Zynga, but it definitely sours the experience.
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  2. Everyeye.it
    Feb 19, 2013
    90
    Planetside 2 is a good free-to-play, strong functional and very funny, which does not envy anything to the founders of the first-person shooter genre.
    Read full review
  3. PC Master (Greece)
    Feb 4, 2013
    89
    It might look overly complicated, but PlanetSide 2 is nothing more than your average class-based, objective-oriented competitive FPS. What makes it stand apart from other F2P games (aside from the huge servers, of course) is the co-operation factor with other players. [February 2013]
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