We last saw Tribes: Vengeance not too long ago at the Game Developers Conference, but developer Irrational Games has had a few weeks to tweak and improve the game since then, and now the game looks better than ever.

　　Tribes: Vengeance is the third game in the influential action series; the original Tribes games served as the inspiration for such games as Battlefield 1942. This new game is powered by the latest Unreal technology: You'll engage in futuristic first-person combat as a soldier clad in power armor and a jetpack, which gives you limited flying ability and tons of mobility.

　　Irrational Games demonstrated a new arena level that we had not seen before. In the middle of the arena was a large structure with upper floors otherwise inaccessible without a jetpack. On opposing ends of the arena there were two towers that served as base for each side. We played a two-on-two capture the flag game using the medium-sized armor, and we armed ourselves with the spinfusor (the disc launcher), minigun, sniper rifle, and the scattershot shotgun.

　　The designers are constantly tweaking and balancing the game, and one thing that we definitely noticed was that the power of the jetpacks has been increased a bit. The improved thrust allowed us to gain altitude relatively quickly, and before long we were reaching far-flung platforms that gave us a bird's-eye view of everything below.

　　There's also a new weapon called the grappling hook, which allows you to literally chain yourself to an opponent, and once connected the opponent can't shake you. We're told that with practice you'll be able to execute amazing aerial maneuvers using the grappling hook, so there's no question that players will develop interesting new tactics.

　　While there will be computer-controlled opponents in the single-player game, there will not be bots or computer opponents in multiplayer. As it was explained to us, the designers felt that they could spend a lot of time making lackluster bots, or instead they could use that time to focus on other areas of the game. Since Tribes is renowned for its multiplayer, the decision was to focus on those other areas of the game.

　　Tribes Vengeance continues to impress; the Unreal graphics engine elevates the game to a new level, while the trademark look and feel of the combat remains. Everything we've seen indicates that the game is on schedule and should be out by the end of the year.