I'm playing Guns of Icarus
Online, a team-based online airship combat game by Muse Games.
The game features a handful of maps,
each with obstacles such as clouds and grounded objects so you can
hide from and sneak up on your opponents. Guns of Icarus Online
features three classes for your airman: pilot, gunner, and engineer.
You can choose three abilities in your class, and one from each of
the other classes; this allows you to focus on a role but provide
assistance if needed in other areas. There are several ship layouts
(small, speedy, weapons-filled, balanced) and the captain can
customize the ship’s weapons. Learning the ship layouts is part of
the game: you run around in first person, manning guns and repairing
systems, which increases immersion significantly. The game has a
strong focus on teamwork, as one person cannot physically do
everything on their own. The pilot at the helm is in charge of
steering while controlling speed and altitude. He can also spot
enemies (it is difficult to tell who is on which team) and give
orders to assist the other players. The gunner is in charge of the
weapons, which include rocket launchers, flak cannons, mortars,
flamethrowers, and gatling guns. The engineer can also come over and
temporarily buff weapons (or any other system) to increase
performance. The engineer must also extinguish fires and repair the
ship’s armor, engines, and balloon. The chaos of battle is
exhilarating, as each person scampers around the ship, fulfilling
their role and taking down enemy ships. Guns of Icarus Online is a
brilliant idea executed well enough to have an engrossing team-play
environment.
