Whatever your impressions of the new MMO space game;
Black Prophecy, it's important to remember that it is completely
free to download and play. Black Prophecy is a twitch based space combat, trading, piracy, PvP, exploration, etc; game where you play as one of the waring factions set around many incredibly wonderful vistas of the cosmos. Graphically it is hard to choose a victor between EvE Online and Black Prophecy, as environmental, ship and station designs are very similar in scope and detailing.
EvE Online has always been considered by many as expensive to play. It's also a very hard world to get ahead in, particularly if one is not able to commit vast tracts of real life to the game and, without consistent success it rewards very little in return. But despite it's harsh nature, EvE Online can claim to be the largest game world in existence featuring thousands of systems and a massive singlular persistant world. Black Prophecy is also a MMO space game but rather than entire systems to explore there are sectors, each with their own dangers present and unique visual styles. Due to the twitch based style control mechanics, the game boasts a cockpit view which is an omission CCP continues to ignore.
It's important to note that this type of online game is only possible through legitimate sales of world items in the absence of subscriptions. Upgrades and expansions to your ships capabilities can be acquired by looting wrecks and completing missions, or by simply exchanging real cash for parts. This business model is not entirely new, but I truly hope it works for the
Reakktor team as I firmly believe that EvE Online mostly rewards the independently wealthy, or the socially inept with progress in the game world, which seems somewhat unfair tho those of us who have lives to attend or careers to nurture.
Although very early in it's life-cycle, Black Prophecy should become more complex and dynamic like EvE Online, but it's already much more financially viable and thus appealing, should you choose. Black Prophecy is here to serve those who, for whatever circumstance cannot continue to pay for play, but that still want a MMO game that is spacial and special.
Sometime in 2012 there will be a major update of the game world featuring walkable stations and rent-able clan zones. Although EvE Online has for years (feels like decades) been droning on about ambulation, none of this has become playable and indeed may become old hat in the great race for the ultimate MMO space game.
For Years CCP have rested on the laurels of their player base assuming that there is literally no competition, online anyway. But since it's Beta launch, I've witnessed an exodus of curious cats eager to discover a game world that offers as much depth, but without the compulsorily financial drain. Black Prophecy may therefore become a serious threat to CCP's monopoly in this style of MMO game. In truth, competition of this type can only serve to drive forward ideas and development further and faster than before, which usually means better and more diverse games for us all.
Both games offer differing styles of play but equally rich and beautiful worlds to play out your life among the stars. But It's up to
you to decide which to play and, if you can't choose, like me, then play both, at will. There's room, I promise.
Related LinksBlack Prophecy (official site)
