Tabula Rasa Preview

WarCry brings us the latest hands-on preview of Tabula Rasa, based on their time in the game's closed beta test.
The battlefields in Tabula Rasa are alive. Bane reinforcements don't simply "reappear". Dropships swoop in and "beam" them down onto the field in a swirling vortex of orange light. Sometimes they are protected by mobile shield drone bubbles that reflect damage back at the player unless he runs inside the bubble, or disrupts it with electro magnetic weapons fire. "Unkillable" cyborg zombies resurrect themselves right where they had fallen moments earlier, like the Necrons in 40k, if you fail to remove their control chips by running over the spot where they lay. Easy enough, unless you get sloppy, and then you've got trouble. Enemies can decide you're punishing them too badly, and beat a hasty retreat to heal and fight again when you're not ready for them (frying a fleeing Thrax soldier in the back with a bolt of psychic lightning is one of the game's more guilty pleasures). Bane flying machines sneak up on you from above, and moments later you wonder who's responsible for the smoking crater you're lying in. If you shoot them from the sky, they can crash next to you and kill you in a powerful secondary explosion. Enemy artillery rain down support fire on you from entrenched positions. Some battlefields crawl with giant spider like creatures, reminiscent of a scene from Starship Troopers. Monstrous 3 legged walking machines erupt from the ground and tower over the battle, capable of dishing out extreme punishment if you attract their notice.

They're also giving away 100 beta keys, in case you want to get in on the action yourself.