Hi-Rez Studio turns 20 this year, and, to celebrate, they’re offering up the Tribes universe of games for free. Currently, any PC user can go to the Tribes Universe website and find the link to each game from 1994-2012. The list includes Earthsiege, Earthsiege 2, Starsiege: Tribes, Tribes 2, Tribes: Aerial Assault, Tribes Vengeance, and Tribes Ascend.
The original 1994 release of Earthsiege and its successor, Earthsiege 2, allowed players to step into mech combat with fully realized 3D environments. One apocalypse later and the Earth lies in ruin from these heavy metal marauders.
As the series progressed, players stepped out of the large mechs and shared the battlefield on foot. Starsiege: Tribes introduced the Tribes Universe to multiplayer competitive action. What was also brought to the forefront was the ability to fly around with jetpacks, something that would become a staple and mainstay of the series even to this day.
Fast forward to 2012, after 8 years of absence from the gaming world, Tribes: Ascend was released. Fitting with the trend of competitive, online shooters, it was the first free-to-play game in the series. With numerous, sprawling maps and great weapons and class systems, it also held on to many of the classic Tribes mechanics players have become used to, like gliding and sliding after long and far jumps (known as skiing). It was always a unique way to maneuver around the maps, speeding up the game as competitors were able to keep their momentum going with well-timed ski moves.
While they’re by no means the front-runners or heavy-hitting games they used to be, a free trip into a storied universe is always appreciated, especially as the expensive holiday season approaches.
