Ludography
Terra cover

2005 · Mod · MMORPG · Shooter

Terra

Mod

"Quake-style mixed with Doom gameplay"

Released
5 January 2005
Platforms
Windows
Genres
MMORPGShooter
Developers
—
Publishers
—
Modes
Co-opSingle-player
Themes
ActionHorror
Engine
id Tech 1

About

Terra (also known as Terra: 2120 or Terra: Battle for the Outland) was one of the internet's original massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs), debuting in early 1996 from Kaon Interactive. Kaon dropped development of the game within a few years and it has since been taken over and kept running by its loyal fan base. Other than minor updates to run on the newer Windows platforms, the game is still in its original retro format and is free to play.

Keywords

  • episodic
  • quake
  • modding support
  • map pack

Media

The articlegameplay, story, development, reception

Reception

The Tampa Tribune rated it three stars, stating "the tanks are easily controlled and a lot of fun to drive, but the battles sometimes become frustrating". Andrew Rodgers of the Chicago Tribune commented that the game's fans will "call it a madly addictive tank game" where the ultimate "point is to make money by killing other players and taking over enemy forts". The Daily American stated that "Terra takes online gaming to new heights on many levels" – the article highlights the game's "unbelievably smooth graphics, a painless point-and-go tank control interface and countless other unique design feature" along with the inclusion of "social and financial elements" which make Terra "part virtual community, part cyberspace gladiator arena".

The Daily American commented that "money and weaponry are amassed by conquest" and that "the action is nonstop" since the game continues on after players log off and has players across "nearly every time zone". Rodgers noted that Terra has an in-game community with in-game communication which is part of "what sets this game apart" and for advanced players, "there are lots of politics and strategies that make the game fun"; however, Terra also "has a very steep learning curve". He highlighted that player formed clans include a hierarchy so people with authority issues "won't like this game". Michael Saunders of The Boston Globe commented "mini-societies have evolved in the form of fighting teams" and that "another cool feature" of Terra are bots which can be programed "to guard forts or to carry out simple tasks".

Releases by platformdates and regions as published

PlatformReleasedRegions
Windows5 January 2005Worldwide

Editions and related releases

Part of
Quake

Games like this

Collections1 collection

Description adapted from its source, CC BY-SA 4.0.