Metachronos overall score = 7.6 / 10
From the creators of Guild Wars, it's MMO
Positive
# Open-ended profession system lets you choose your class as you play
# Shooter-like combat keeps you engaged
# Exciting random attacks on control points and in explorable areas
Negative
# Visually unappealing
# Lots of gameplay annoyances and an assortment of bugs
# Convoluted crafting and lack of an auction house make the player economy stagnant
Aliens aren't new to the massively multiplayer online gaming arena, but they're certainly not as prevalent as elves and gnomes. Tabula Rasa helps balance things out even further, with its universe of secret extraterrestrial artifacts, chainguns, and hulking space creatures. But it isn't just the setting that makes the game interesting: An action-oriented combat system and a unique Battlefield-esque system of control points add some flair to the proceedings. That isn't to say you should expect anything groundbreaking, nor should you expect a world conceived as well as Anarchy Online's Rubi-Ka. Yet even with its flaws, Tabula Rasa is an entertaining game that deserves a look for anyone looking for a little more oomph from their online explorations.
The sound design stands out a bit better. You can hear the eerie whispers of the Eloh race when you collect a logos symbol, and the growls of Thraxx soldiers are creepy and cool. The rock-tinged soundtrack fits the bill nicely as well. On the other hand, some of the weapons lack a sonic punch, though sound effects across the board are rather good. The voice acting is anemic, though. Some of the voice-overs are just overblown military cliché, as if the actor were trying to do an imitation of R. Lee Ermey but failed. Other actors sound as if they were pulled from a local high school drama class. Nitpicks aside, Tabula Rasa's take on the genre is unique enough to make it worth playing. It's fun and action-packed, and if you can get a good group together, the instanced areas are a blast. It's got its share of problems and plenty of room to grow. But if you want something different and surprisingly entertaining, you'll probably find a lot to like about Tabula Rasa.