UPDATE Dec 2023: With some changes on the dev team, it seems that there are going to be some major changes that the community has been asking for, in order to make the game a better experience overall. I'd wait to see the next major update before deciding if you do not like the game.

TL;DR: While I love this game, devs have been making bad choices to ignore player feedback that impacts the game with bad performance, bad balance, taking away player agency, and monetising too aggressively.

Since I realized that I haven't written a review of this game yet, despite having over 1600 hours on one character in it.

Pros:
- Massive Scale, large 8km by 8km maps, with 250 v 250 v 250 provides a unique large scale battle experience.
- Easy to gain certs points (free to play currency) thanks to many changes to allow more experience to be gained from smaller actions.
- Only cosmetics are locked behind a paywall.
- Everything is projectile based, so no hit scan weapons.
- Head shots multipliers are so large that you can win after being ambushed if you land more head shots.
- Players can be organized into squads of 12 and further 4 squads to a platoon. Also players can form outfits (clans) for community building.
- Bases serve as objectives to capture, and form fights around; but they don't necessarily matter if you don't want to play them. It is the sandbox nature of the game.
- Profanity filter uses in game terms, or dev names; chat is actually more amusing with it on than off.
- Teamwork is highly rewarded, and can mitigate the risk factor in many strategies that would be high risk-high reward.
- Everything has a counter, some more effective than others, but high skill can overcome the counter.

Cons:
- Sandbox style leads to uneven fights in certain territories on the maps. A base can have 2:1 for the attackers because the defenders are fighting elsewhere. Sometimes this can be 96+ people jumping to defend against 1-12 people.
- New spawn system that was designed to prevent uneven populations has actually compounded the problem, since the platoons are organized enough to easily bypass the spawn system.
- Vehicle game play is unforgiving until you have put many certs into it. This gives the impression of pay to win to new players.
- Implant system, while not necessary, is easily felt missing when starting on a new character and not having access to them again, and seeing the person who killed you with implants does give a pay to win impression. However, I am still able to be competitive without the same implants I have on my main character.
- Some weapon-implant combinations are far more powerful than they should be; such as shotguns and Nightmare 5 (which cloaks you when you get within 5m of an opponent).
- The tutorial is Higby brutal in how little it teaches you. All it does is teach you basic FPS mechanics, how to change class, pull a vehicle, overload a generator, capture a base, IFF shields, and how to change maps. There are so many mechanics missing from their, such as how cloaks work, class abilities, suit and utility slots, weapon resistance types (small arms can damage light armour but not heavy).
- There is NO matchmaking, so players of all skill and experience, all are on the same battlefield. Some fights will be easy fighting inexperienced players, other fights you may be up against people who can kill you just as you see them in frame with their snipers.

Overall the game has average shooting controls, but the scale and combined arms is where this game shines. Seeing huge battles of 96+ v 96+ pushing over terrain between bases is the true Planetside 2 experience; however those experiences are less frequent than they should be. The sandbox nature of the game allows even mildly organized large groups of players to control most of the map, but skilled players can come in and crush those 2:1 or even 3:1 numbers. I would recommend this game to everyone to at least try, though it is best played with friends; especially friends who have already sunk a few hundred hours into the game, so that they may show you the ropes.

In substitution of the tutorial, please check out some youtube tutorial videos, Iridar's Gaming Blog for tips and weapon data; and avoid the subreddit as it is full of salty, burnt out vets.

UPDATE Dec 2023: With some changes on the dev team, it seems that there are going to be some major changes that the community has been asking for, in order to make the game a better experience overall. I'd wait to see the next major update before deciding if you do not like the game. TL;DR: While I love this game, devs have been making bad choices to ignore player feedback that impacts the game with bad performance, bad balance, taking away player agency, and monetising too aggressively. Since I realized that I haven't written a review of this game yet, despite having over 1600 hours on one character in it. Pros: - Massive Scale, large 8km by 8km maps, with 250 v 250 v 250 provides a unique large scale battle experience. - Easy to gain certs points (free to play currency) thanks to many changes to allow more experience to be gained from smaller actions. - Only cosmetics are locked behind a paywall. - Everything is projectile based, so no hit scan weapons. - Head shots multipliers are so large that you can win after being ambushed if you land more head shots. - Players can be organized into squads of 12 and further 4 squads to a platoon. Also players can form outfits (clans) for community building. - Bases serve as objectives to capture, and form fights around; but they don't necessarily matter if you don't want to play them. It is the sandbox nature of the game. - Profanity filter uses in game terms, or dev names; chat is actually more amusing with it on than off. - Teamwork is highly rewarded, and can mitigate the risk factor in many strategies that would be high risk-high reward. - Everything has a counter, some more effective than others, but high skill can overcome the counter. Cons: - Sandbox style leads to uneven fights in certain territories on the maps. A base can have 2:1 for the attackers because the defenders are fighting elsewhere. Sometimes this can be 96+ people jumping to defend against 1-12 people. - New spawn system that was designed to prevent uneven populations has actually compounded the problem, since the platoons are organized enough to easily bypass the spawn system. - Vehicle game play is unforgiving until you have put many certs into it. This gives the impression of pay to win to new players. - Implant system, while not necessary, is easily felt missing when starting on a new character and not having access to them again, and seeing the person who killed you with implants does give a pay to win impression. However, I am still able to be competitive without the same implants I have on my main character. - Some weapon-implant combinations are far more powerful than they should be; such as shotguns and Nightmare 5 (which cloaks you when you get within 5m of an opponent). - The tutorial is Higby brutal in how little it teaches you. All it does is teach you basic FPS mechanics, how to change class, pull a vehicle, overload a generator, capture a base, IFF shields, and how to change maps. There are so many mechanics missing from their, such as how cloaks work, class abilities, suit and utility slots, weapon resistance types (small arms can damage light armour but not heavy). - There is NO matchmaking, so players of all skill and experience, all are on the same battlefield. Some fights will be easy fighting inexperienced players, other fights you may be up against people who can kill you just as you see them in frame with their snipers. Overall the game has average shooting controls, but the scale and combined arms is where this game shines. Seeing huge battles of 96+ v 96+ pushing over terrain between bases is the true Planetside 2 experience; however those experiences are less frequent than they should be. The sandbox nature of the game allows even mildly organized large groups of players to control most of the map, but skilled players can come in and crush those 2:1 or even 3:1 numbers. I would recommend this game to everyone to at least try, though it is best played with friends; especially friends who have already sunk a few hundred hours into the game, so that they may show you the ropes. In substitution of the tutorial, please check out some youtube tutorial videos, Iridar's Gaming Blog for tips and weapon data; and avoid the subreddit as it is full of salty, burnt out vets.