PlanetSide

Yes, I'm playing a Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game (MMORPG, think Ultima Online or Everquest).

I'm even paying a monthly fee for the privilege, to the tune of $15ish, after paying full retail price ($49.99) for the boxed game.

What makes this game different enough for me to bite? Well, it's remarkably like one of my all-time favorite team-based shooters: Tribes. However, think Tribes on steroids. Battles take place between 100s of combatants each aligned with one of three different armies. Even at that level, with no outside intervention, such battles can be very organized. The gameplay continues to evolve, but remains very balanced--the 14 year olds that play every day get more hand-eye coordination practice, but their in-game skillset doesn't eclipse those of us that play a few times a week.

(Side Note: That's one of the problems I've always had with MMORPGs, the more you play the more powerful you become in-game. The entry fee for newbie players is to be a powerful player's bitch, or die repeatedly until the newbie lucks into some power themselves.)

Check out the gallery for pix and (eventually) video, or visit the official Sony PlanetSide site for more information on the game.