6.6 /10 1 Votes
6/10 GameSpot Initial release date 2 April 2013 Mode Multiplayer video game | 7/10 Steam Engine Gamebryo 2.5
Havok Publisher Trion Worlds | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Release date(s) NA: April 2, 2013
EU: April 2, 2013
AU: April 11, 2013 Developers Trion Worlds, Human Head Studios Platforms PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows Genres Third-person shooter, Action role-playing game Similar Trion Worlds games, Third-person shooter games | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Defiance is a science fiction-themed persistent world massively multiplayer online third-person shooter developed by Trion Worlds. Defiance takes place on a terraformed Earth several decades into the future. It is a tie-in to the Syfy show of the same name. The game was released on April 2, 2013, for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. It was also released on Steam. The game went free-to-play on 4 June 2014 for PC, 14 August 2014 for PS3 and 18 November 2014 for Xbox 360.
Contents
Gameplay
Characters come from one of four Origins: Veterans, Outlaws, Machinists, or Survivalists. Veterans are a group of soldiers who survived The Pale Wars, a massive conflict between humans and aliens. Outlaws are criminals who raid and destroy for fortunes. Machinists are scavengers, who recover alien technology to make profits and a living from it. Survivalists are humans or aliens who attempt to survive in the newly formed, hostile world. Besides initial starter weapon and also costume - this choice, similar to Race (Human, Irathient, and Castithan) {survival} has no consequence in the later game, with all weapons, abilities and costumes being equally accessible to all players beyond the tutorial area.
Players can choose to be either a Human or an "Irathient" (a humanoid alien species who are similar to humans), or the Castithan race if you have a particular DLC available.
The Ark Hunters are injected with an EGO (Environmental Guardian Online), a symbiotic, neuro-muscular bionetic implant developed by Von Bach Industries, which helps players navigate the Bay Area and gives them access to unique abilities.
Setting
The game takes place in the San Francisco Bay Area, 15 years after the devastating Pale Wars between Earth and a loose alliance of extraterrestrial races known as Votanis Collective. The Votans came to Earth seeking a new home after the destruction of their solar system, unaware that the planet was already inhabited. Friction between the new arrivals and Humanity led to war, during which the Votan's terraforming technology was unleashed. The Earth's surface was drastically altered as a result, introducing radical changes in topography, the extinction of plant and animal species, and the emergence of new species. Afterward, Humans and Votans were forced to live together. Player characters are enlisted as "Ark Hunters" by industrialist Karl Von Bach to search the Bay Area for advanced and expensive alien technology. Players also take part in side missions to earn cash or challenges in which they compete with other Ark Hunters.
Development
Defiance had been in development since August 2008. It started as a collaborative effort between Trion and Syfy to make a video game that ran alongside a television series. The publisher has reportedly spent more than $70 million during development.
The game's business model was changed from a paid game to a free-to play game on May 1, 2014 so as to introduce the game to a broader audience. Trion Worlds also added that they would consider the possibility of developing a port for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One once the consoles have a large player base.
In October 2015, Syfy announced that the Defiance show would be discontinued after the end of its third season, but Trion Worlds would continue to support the game after the show's cancellation. On March 1, 2016, Trion announced the "Dark Metamorphosis" update for the game, which was publicized as Season Four of Defiance.
Reception
Defiance launched on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Windows PC on April 2, 2013. It received mixed reviews from critics upon release.