Review: Eliminate Pro - Plus Video
by Staff Writer
November 4, 2009
Update
Ngmoco finally updated Eliminate, but nothing included is a game changer. There's a new map, "Knox," which is relatively small just like the rest. New armor upgrade options are included, so you can buy pre-upgraded armor, but one problem is that they only last for four matches. Also there are more paint jobs for the armor. New player ranks to reach beyond level 50, and new ways to customize your abilities. Overall nothing much, and doesn't change the initial review. It's nice to see ngmoco updating the game, and they promise more to come. Eliminate Pro is still free with the same in-app energy purchase, so you should download it, and give it a try.
Overview
Eliminate is a first person shooter that is composed exclusively of live online mutliplayer death matches. You can compete online anytime anywhere as long as you have 3G or wifi connection. When you play you earn credits, and increase your skill level. The credits can be used to buy upgrades to weapons and armor.
You can only only earn credits when your suit has enough energy. Every day you get 30 energy cells which lasts for about 3-4 games. Any more energy cells you want, you will have to buy from in-app purchases. You can still play live online games you just won't earn any credits.
Features
The main aspect of Eliminate is the in-app purchasing that is causing a major stir. Right now there are a few different bundles of power cells to purchase. You can pick up 20 for $1 or 210 for $8, with quite a few other intervals.
You can play online any time even if you don't have any energy. You can also play against your friends, or just practice with some bots. The are five different arenas to battle in each providing very different layouts. Once you earn enough credits you can buy new weapons, armor, and other special items.
The controls are a little awkward at first, but there's a wonderful video tutorial to teach you the basics. You move by using the virtual stick on the left side, and you aim and fire using the right hand virtual control stick. Tap the bottom to jump, and the top to pause, and the upper right corner to switch weapons or manually reload. In the options you can turn on auto fire so you don't have to tap with your right finger as well as move to aim. when you aim it automatically fires when you're aiming on someone.
The Good
The online mutliplayer death matches are simply amazing especially for a portable device. Now you don't have to sit at your computer or be right by your game console. You can play online FPS anywhere anytime. The games load extremely quick for how much data is being transfered, and connecting multiple people. Once you're in the game it plays so smoothly over 3G or wifi, that you feel like it's all isolated on the device, and not over the internet. It's just such an enjoyable experience blasting away people whenever you feel like it. The game looks simply amazing. It is completely smooth, and the entire game is just so slick with a futuristic theme intertwined into everything. The firing of your weapon, and the blood squirting from the players are great animations. Each of the five areas are very futuristic, plain, but still wonderfully designed. It's weird, but wonderful to see the bullet impacts on the walls, or blood splatter on the ground in the pristine environments.
The sounds are completely authentic from the firing of the weapons to the sounds of people getting hit. It does get a bit excessive with "uuhh" every time a player is hit. There are light techno backgrounds that for the most part you can't hear with all the other overpowering sounds.
The game is free, and it's the best deal you can find in the App Store. If you never spend one cent you get to play 3-4 online death matches every single day, and you will definitely want to. The game is an extremely fun experience, and you will enjoy ever minute of it. The games go by quickly, and will keep you coming back for more. The average round length is about 3 minutes which is a perfect size for portable.
The Bad
Not much to dislike with Eliminate Pro. The thing everyone seems to complain about is in-app purchases. I have no problem with the payment plan. It's very comparable to printers. Many printers you can get for free, and that's because the companies know you will have to buy ink. That's where they make most of their money, on a consumable. Energy cells work the same way, they're consumable items that you can continue to buy rather than paying one price up front. The best aspect is that you get 30 energy cells to use each day, and then if you purchase some energy cells, you can use them once you run out one day, but will have 30 more the next day. It depends how much you're using it on a particular day. I would just spend a certain amount based upon how much I would realistically pay for the game, and then have that many energy cells to use. Ngmoco is one of the few that could pull this off, and we will wait and see if they will. They're letting their product speak for itself rather than charging first, and then letting you see the game.
Another concern is the controls. They're easy to understand, it just takes a little while to get used to. I found that it was hard to stop the aiming movement to be able to lock onto an opponent, and fire away. Also just so you know there is only online mutliplayer FPS deathmatches. There is no other type of gameplay.
One major problem is that if you never buy any energy you will be at a disadvantage. People who spend money will earn more credits and therefore have better weapons and armor that you won't be able to get because you didn't spend money. Skill is taken out of the matches, and instead it's dependent upon money spent which is the biggest problem with the game.
