The inventory system has been significantly streamlined in the new game, so you can set up equipment presets that go into effect when you use a base inventory station anytime during a match. All the classes have a lot of equipment choices and can carry three to five weapons, plus grenades, mines, and a special equipment pack all at once. You have the choice of three classes of mobile armor suits to wear in battle-the light scout, medium assault, and heavy juggernaut-and they differ in mobility and arsenal. But the context of Tribes 2 still lends some coherence to the in-game taunts and the mix of harsh environments that will become your playground. Most of the contextual story built up in the earlier games has since fallen away, along with the 'Starsiege' surname, since most players came to refer to the original simply as 'Tribes' anyway.

Much of what distinguishes Tribes 2's style from that of other first-person shooters stems from this background, including the distinctively large outdoor settings in the game, and also the focus on high-tech equipment such as jump jets and mobile armor suits. Tribes 2 inherits its sci-fi setting from Dynamix's series of mech games, including Earthsiege and Starsiege. The environments in Tribes 2 are bigger than ever. Unfortunately, a number of technical problems in the initial retail release have dampened some players' enthusiasm for what is otherwise an outstanding multiplayer action game. For those new to the series, Tribes 2 also offers extensive offline training options.

Experienced Tribes players will find that the sequel makes relatively few changes to the successful core mechanics of the original but that it features substantially improved graphics, even larger network games, and more items, vehicles, and equipment to use in battle. The intervening years have seen other popular action games focused primarily on multiplayer competition, but none have had the same emphasis on teamplay in large, wide-open areas, with plenty of players participating in each match. When Starsiege: Tribes came out at the very end of 1998, it was the first of its kind: a retail first-person shooter designed specifically for multiplayer competition.

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