APB: Reloaded had its official launch with the retail release of the game.  However, for those who are not aware of the game's history, this is not the first time it had done so.  While this new incarnation of APB: Reloaded has been greatly overhauled and changed from its previous version, the game initially launched some time ago under the ownership of Realtime Worlds.  It was sold at full box price and called for the standard $15 a month subscription fee to play.  After only a few months of attempting this, the developers announced they would be closing down the servers and their studio.  So the game, simply called All Points Bulletin at that point, hung in limbo for some time until it was eventually purchased by GamersFirst and handed over to their in-house "Reloaded" development studio.  GamersFirst has years of experience as an MMORPG publisher, but this would be their first attempt at developing one.  The question is, have they succeeded where others had failed?

Welcome to San Paro

APB: Reloaded is a first-person shooter/MMORPG hybrid game based on a "real life" setting where Criminals and Enforcers (the citizen police force) battle for control, status, and money.  However, unlike many other online shooters, APB:R does not rely on small maps or heavy use of instancing (with the exception of a new feature which we'll discuss later).  Instead, the fictional city of San Paro where the game is set is a very large open area where as many as 100 players are often filling the streets with all sorts of violence and mayhem.  There are a various streets, alleys, buildings, construction sites, and interiors that play host to the mission locations where each side is competing to win.  The current "districts" as these large zones are referred to are approximately more than an entire square mile of cityscape.  And if you've ever been somewhere like Manhattan, Chicago, LA, or other major downtown areas, you can imagine what that might be like.

However, before downloading APB: Reloaded, there is one major factor you will need to consider.  And that is "can my computer even run this game?"  Unlike many of the recent MMORPG's that have been released, where they have attempted to include as many players as possible (even those with machines more than 5 years old or laptop computers), this is NOT the case in APB:R.  The game boasts some AMAZING visuals, but this comes at a price.  Be sure to check out the minimum PC requirements before downloading the game.  You may need an upgrade, or you may be disappointed that you are stuck looking at the graphics on the lowest setting, which really doesn't do it justice.  Also keep in mind that the game is optimized for 64-bit operating systems, so if you have the "regular" 32-bit version of Windows you may have a few initial issues and your memory (RAM) limitations will hold you back from experiencing the graphics on high settings.

Optimum Performance System Requirements:

• CPU: 2.4 GHz, Core Duo 2, Quad Core
• RAM: 2GBHDD Required: 15GB
• Video Card: GeForce 8800GT with 512MB or ATI Equivalent
• DirectX 9.0c
• Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7 (64 bit)
• Broadband connection recommended. 
• Headset with microphone required for voice chat

I wouldn't call those "optimum", rather the MINIMUM.  Those recommendations aside, if you are able to run the game, and especially if you can do so at high or maximum settings, you are in for some visually stunning environments, characters, vehicles and more!  Starting right from the character creation, you will notice the amazing detail and quality of the graphics and the game's engine.  You can customize your character's appearance in very fine detail, from the obvious things like skin color, to the dimensions of your nose, and even the length of your bangs (I'm not kidding about that)!  There are more options for character appearance in this game than nearly every other on the market.  And even when you are done with the physical attributes and appearance of your character during creation, you will get a mind-blowing amount of options during your time playing from the various tattoo and clothing selection.

Detailed Creation & Customization

Not only is your appearance customizeable, but the actual designs and details of your clothing items, your tattoo designs, and even the paint job on your car are completely under your control.  There are practically limitless options when it comes to all the designs and custom artwork you can make.  With some time, creativity, and innovation, you can make just about anything you can imaging using the design tools provided in the game.  Now, even if that's not for you, there are many other players who enjoy creating AND SELLING their custom creations on the player marketplace.  So you can still find some interesting styles (or request a custom piece) from these player artisans.  So, unless you try really hard to intentionally look like someone else or you just wear your "trainee" outfit forever, the chances of you looking like someone else are nearly impossible.

Once you're past the initial character creation you will move into a tutorial zone (unless you choose to bypass it, which I would not recommend a new player do).  In here the game will walk you through all the basic aspects of the game, from the controls to some of the various mission types there are in the game.  After you get the hang of the basics, like navigating around, using your contacts (NPC's who give your missions), mail, etc. you will get your first experience with an "APB" mission.  These are where the real heart of the gameplay is.  Most missions in the game start out as single-player or group (depending on how you've chosen to play), but end up with the opposing faction trying to counter your efforts.  When this happens, all players now in the mission are notified with a sound as well as the large "APB" letters showing up on the game screen.  The game uses automatic match-making (which has been constantly tweaked and adjusted over the many months of testing, though some still don't agree it is balanced) and pits you against opposition of similar skill and number.  So, if you are a newer player, it is likely you will be up against another new player.  Or, if in a group the system will try to balance out the sides accordingly to a varying degree of success.

As you win missions in the game your "threat" level will increase.  This is meant to be the measure of player skill.  The new players will have a green threat, followed by bronze, silver, and finally gold.  Separate from the "threat" measurement is your "rank".  As you play missions, whether you win or lose, you will gain points and earn favor with your contacts.  Gaining favor means unlocking new items for use in-game such as weapons, mods, clothing, and vehicles.  Each weapon has different stats and serves a different purpose, just like in real life, and there is a wide array of weaponry for players to choose from.  You can run in close with a shotgun for high, up-close damage.  You could pick up an assault rifle for some all-around or medium range combat.  Or you could go with some of the more long-range firearms, even unlocking a sniper rifle for some scope action.  All players also have a sidearm they can switch to in case the situation requires it.  These range from a simple pistol, to a heavy .44 calibur handgun or even an automatic fire sidearm with a larger clip.

"That valet is dead!!!"

With all the options, there can be just as much strategy involved in APB:R as there is simple gunplay.  The game comes with build-in voice chat for communicating with group members, clan members, or even just talking smack to someone you just shot down (if you choose to enable the "district" voice channel).  While using the voice chat isn't REQUIRED, it is almost necessary if you want to do your best in the game.  Just like actual law enforcement or military, it is essential to communicate with your team to know what they are doing, and especially for information like the location and actions of enemy players!  If you don't use any voice chat, you may find yourself frustrated by getting shot in the back while your team member looked on helplessly.  If you don't want your team hearing every word you say, you can just enable the "push to talk" button and only relay messages you want them to hear.  But believe me when I say you will do MUCH better if you and your team are using voice chat.  As a side note, some people dislike the Vivox chat feature, and choose to use their own Ventrilo or TeamSpeak servers.  Whatever works best for you and your friends.

Looking at missions themselves, while there are technically a somewhat wide variety of actual missions, the objectives or mission "types" can be broken down into a few key categories (which often change at different stages of the mission).  You typically have objectives like:

• Guard a location from the opposing team.
• Secure or perform an action at a location guarded by the opposing team.
• Transport an object from one point to another.
• Control a single or multiple locations for a certian amount of time.
• Get more kills than the opposing team.
• Kill the opposing team's leader a number of times.
• ... And a few others.

And while this doesn't compare to the hundreds of quests/missions in your typical MMORPG in terms of sheer number, each mission is going to be completely different from the one before it for a couple reasons.  First, you don't typically go against the same team twice in a row.  Secondly, the location and type of mission is almost always different from the previous mission.  So, when adding in the human element, there is almost an endless amount of replayability as your character gains faction, advances in rank, unlocks new weapons and items, and builds a name for themselves.

With the recent retail launch of APB:R, a new type of gameplay was added.  This feature, called "fight club", adds in a more fast-paced style of gameplay for those wanting a change of pace from the standard "missions" system.  There are two new districts (or locations) that use this rules set, though they are significantly smaller than the typical districts.  These maps instead are only about the size of a city block.  And instead of various mission objectives that require you to navigate through the city against the opposing team, you are simply pitted in an all-out firefight with the opposing faction.  For anyone who has played other online shooters like Halo, this is rather similar to the "team deathmatch" style.  Sessions in "Fight Club" are faster, and the time between matches is typically very short (at least in its initial launch).  So, if you're more interested in navigating obstacles and exchanging gunfire with enemies rather than completing mission objectives, you have options.

1st Rule of Fight Club: KILL!

As mentioned earlier, APB: Reloaded is completely free to play.  That means that you can download the game, create a character, and play as much as you want, unlock all the in-game items, and get all the way to max rank on any character.  That being said, there IS a premium shop called the "Armas Marketplace" where players can buy a variety of gear or purchase a premium bonus to increase their faction points and cash rewards from missions.  Nearly all of what is in the marketplace can be obtained from normal gameplay (with the exception of a few weapons that are unique), but they do offer the option to purchase permanent or even temporary 30-day leases on the various weapons available.  Most players will agree that this doesn't really upset the game's balance, considering almost all the weapons can be obtained through gameplay unlocks anyway.  There is some debate, however, on those few unique weapons where some have argued they give an unfair edge to those who purchase them.  Ultimately this just boils down to personal opinion for most, but these weapons won't turn a terrible player into a great one.

One major factor we have been examining since the beta testing phase and after the retail launch has been the level of "cheating" or exploiting that had been taking place in APB: Reloaded.  We even had an interview with the VP of Operations at GamersFirst prior to launch to discuss the work they do to prevent exploiting and their plans to help bring this frustrating issue to an end.  While they couldn't tell us too many specific details at the time, it has become apparent that their steps have been VERY effective.  There had previously been a "revolving door" of exploiters, simply coming back after having one account banned by creating another, and those using exploits were not caught very quickly.  Since launch, it has become apparent that a more permament ban solution is in place, and they are taking more steps to quickly and quietly catch and ban offenders.  For players, this means less frustration from dealing with explioters, and a lot more fun gaming sessions.  The community had been frustrated with seeming lack of communication by the development team o this issue, but the recent changes are extremely encouraging.

At least he has a sense of humor...

In all, APB: Reloaded opens up a new genre of MMOFPS/RPG on a massive scale in a way that had not previously existed.  It bridges the gap between typical shooters with online waiting rooms and makes a truly massive persistent experience for players to enjoy.  With the high level of customization, stunning visuals, exciting gameplay, and new features like "Fight Club", there is a lot of fun to be had in APB:R.  You could easily spend hundreds and hundreds of hours playing through the various ranks of both Criminal and Enforcer, and joining up with a clan or friends makes the experience even better.  The development team has promised to continue adding more features and content as they also work on some remaining issues within the game.  New gear with the "SWAT" theme has already made its way into the game recently, and there has been talk of more districts on the way (with previous mention of a vehicle-to-vehicle combat zone in the works)!  With a price sticker of FREE, this is definitely a game worth checking out for any first-person shooter fan, or those who like games along the likes of Grand Theft Auto or Saint's Row.

Just make sure you check out the system requirements first...

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