Entropia Universe (previously known as Project Entropia) is an open world MMORPG.  It has an unusual business model, being the only MMO to have a direct real-world conversion economy.  Meaning, you can deposit real money/dollars into your account and you'll be provided with the appropriate amount of Project Entropia Dollars (PED).  The conversion is 10:1, so for each US dollar deposited, you receive 10 PED.  Many people have criticized the game for this system, calling it everything from a rip-off to a blatant scam.  But is it?  What is there to PE, and what does this economic game system mean for new players?  We went in first hand to find out about the experience and we have a variety of information to share.

Graphics 6/10
In 2009, EU underwent a graphics facelift.  They upgraded their engine from the outdated version they had been using, and it completely changed the face of the planet.  New character models, creature models (really the entire world) were overhauled.  I had tried the game out several years ago, and found the graphics to be rather poor.  Clearly the quality of the graphics was increased; there's no denying that.  However, in terms of whether the game matches up to the level of quality seen in the more current MMO's, there is a lot of room for debate.

The models in the game have a very distinct “artificial” quality, and it was hard to feel a real sense of visual immersion in the world.  And while the models clearly have higher definition to them, the textures were not always so high-quality.  Sometimes overstretched, or simply not fitting in with the surrounding environment, things just don't seem to match up together.  

There was also the matter of the weather system being very “off”.  For example, there was often regular snow falling in an area which had no snowfall on the ground, and never accumulated any either.  In fact, the environment more closely resembled a tropical region.  The ecology of the planet also seemed illogical and often clashed with itself.  Palm trees near shorelines in a field.  Mountains which stopped and started abruptly.  Creatures which seemed to inhabit almost any and all environments.  It all just felt very disorganized.

Overall the visuals of the game were rather unremarkable.

Sound – 6/10
While I would not say there was anything wrong with the sound fx or music in the game, it also wasn't anything inspiring or spectacular.  Much of the sounds were very standard and basic.  Sometimes you just get sick of hearing the same things over and over again.  For example, the sweat harvester (sounds gross, doesn't it) and the laser weapons are very plain and get dull quickly.  Especially when there are numerous people around all making those same sounds.

Gameplay 5/10
So, what do you actually DO in EU?  Well, there are a number of things you can do, but it depends on whether or not you're willing to start off with a deposit of real-world cash or if you prefer to start from rock bottom and attempt to “earn” money in the game.  The only sure way to earn money in PE is by doing what's called “sweating”.  This refers to using your sweat gathering tool to literally harvest the sweat off of the creatures in the game.  Other players then buy this from you, and you've made a little (VERY LITTLE) money for your time.

Now, this CAN be done.  I did it.  I made a plan to not start off with a single penny in the game and see if I could earn enough PED to buy some starting equipment and begin with some actual interesting gameplay.  The one caveat?  It's extremely time-consuming and mind-numbingly repetitive.  It's literally going to take you hours on end to be able to harvest enough monster sweat to afford the most basic hunting equipment.  I estimated about 15-20 hours of mine were spent in this manor, while I also asked questions and learned about the game.  When I was done, I could afford a ranged weapon, ammo, and enough money to pay for repairs.

But you'll have to keep in mind that most things in the game are a money sink, and actually breaking even (or even some who make a profit) is not a common occurrence.  You'll have to buy more ammo of course.  But your equipment also takes hits to durability as its used when you engage in battles.  You DO get loot from some of the creatures you hunt, but it's quite random and there is no guarantee you'll get anything worthwhile enough to cover your expenses.  Again, in this case I WAS able to cover the things I needed, but mostly because I chose to forgo armor in order to avoid the repair costs.  But this meant I needed to sit around and rest a lot more than normal.

The actual aspect of combat is fairly simple.  You target your enemy, then much like a first-person shooter, you keep them in your cross-hairs and fire away.  You actual ability to hit them and cause damage is not only based on your weapon, but how much you have used that skill.  You'll start off missing often and/or causing little damage.  But the more you use that skill, the better you will become with your chosen weapon.  There is melee as well, but I chose ranged as it's more cost-efficient.  No matter which method of combat you choose (if you choose combat at all), it takes a long time and a lot of resources to increase your skills.  And its those skills that dictate your ability in battle.  It's not fast, like many have grown accustomed to in the newer class of MMORPG's on the market.

Note: They have recently added some quest content to the game, which had not previously been available.  The game is very much a “sandbox”, and leaves players to discover and choose their own activities.  But I think this addition will be very helpful, especially if new players can get a jump-start into the game.  The learning curve can be difficult for new players.

There is also the ability to harvest resources and manufacture items.  In fact, most items in the game are crafted by other players.  The most basic items can be purchased at a vendor machine, but beyond that most things will be bought from crafters (item drops as loot are quite uncommon).  You'll have to keep in mind though that this will take a lot of resources and time.  You can spend a lot of PED as you train up your skills, typically ending up empty handed in the beginning.  So, this would not be recommended for the newer players, or those who don't wish to start off depositing real money.

Depositing money was never required, demanded, or even referred to as needed.  There is no nefarious plot going on to scam players out of their money.  Your money doesn't mysteriously disappear from your character, and there is nothing underhanded going on.  Honestly, I think those comments and accusations have most likely come from players who found the game to be more difficult and costly that they had initially expected.  It's not easy, and it's not exactly cheap either.

Again, don't forget that most of these things are meant as a money sink, and only the lucky or highly skilled typically make a profit from their undertakings...

Community 8/10
During my time in EU, I found that typically there were more friendly and helpful players than not.  While most experienced players will not simply offer help in the way of items or money (which makes sense considering it's ACTUAL cash they'd be handing out), they will most times be happy to answer questions or to help teach you the best ways to play the game.  Some guilds actually take it upon themselves to take out new players on “sweating training” to help them learn how to properly slurp up that smelly money (yep, still gross).  Other times guilds will gather newer players together to escort them to the transport stations located around the world.

Overall, the community was helpful and rather mature.  Of course there are always those players who break the mold, and they are in EU as well.  There are the occasional scam artists to be aware of as well.  The last thing you need is someone selling you snake oil and cheating you out of your recent deposit!  As I recommend with most MMO's, find yourself a good guild and start off on the right foot...

Conclusions
While Entropia Universe does have some things to offer in terms of gameplay and a rather good community, I simply have a hard time recommending it to anyone for a number of reasons.  First there is this issue of “deposits”.  While there is certainly no scam going on here, and no one trying to steal your money, many players expressed to me their tendency to over-spend as they continued along in the game.  I know, everyone has the ability to make their own decision on how much they spend each month for their gaming entertainment.  But many players expressed the requirement to make larger and larger deposits in order to keep up in the game as you continue on.  Some said they spent in excess of $50 a month on deposits.

My second reason for not wanting to recommend the game to others is that it simply doesn't seem to offer much that isn't already present in other games of the MMORPG genre.  I've had many years to test and play numerous online games, and there are several of them that offer combat, harvesting, crafting, and even some with the sci-fi theme.  Many offer the ability to buy land, build housing, and other aspects that make up Entropia Universe.  I have a hard time pointing to any aspect of the game that makes it stand out as better than others or enough of a reason to justify either the time needed to accumulate some money or the need to deposit increasing amounts of cash.

Of course, you can always take a look for yourself.  The game is completely free to try, and there are no subscriptions required.  So if you do find a way to continue playing, you're not required to pay the typical $15/month fee.  Just keep in mind how much you expect to spend on your character and see how it matches up.

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