GamersFirst has done a bang-up job ironing out the numerous digital kinks that helped doom the original version of the cops-versus-robbers MMO (and its creator, Realtime Worlds), but APB's poorly designed core mechanics, namely its woefully unbalanced combat system, remain. APB has been reloaded, but this is one shooter that still fires blanks.

Where to begin? APB's missions lack variety and feature the narrative depth of a mud puddle. Playing as an Enforcer (the "cop" faction), I didn't feel like a pissed-off citizen driven to become a vigilante in a city run ragged by criminals. I felt like a player with a green name shooting at a player with a red name for no other reason than the color difference. Worse, I never felt like I was "raiding a drug den" or "securing evidence" as the brief mission description paragraph of text tried to lead me to believe. I felt like I was going to point A on my map to press F on an objective before going to point B to repeat.

"...If you want to be rewarded for landing the perfect headshot at 150-yards, APB: Reloaded is not the shooter you've been searching for."
APB's combat is billed by Realtime Worlds as "tactical third-person shooter," but the unbalanced gunfighting feels like it was slapped with the "tactical" tag so as to suggest it's more complicated than you think. "It's not bad, you're just doing it wrong!" Then again, I'm of the belief that twitch skill should be rewarded in any shooter, regardless of sub-genre, but APB's lack of locational damage fails to do that. If you want to be rewarded for landing the perfect headshot at 150-yards, APB: Reloaded is not the shooter you've been searching for. There are also no classes, skills, or a cover system so exactly how APB is supposed to be tactical is beyond me.

As for gunplay being unbalanced, sniper rifles, in particular, should be labeled "death dealers." Because there is no locational damage, you can land a shot anywhere on your target with a sniper rifle and instantly sap half your enemy's life. Two shots equals death. Because they are so accurate, powerful, quick to aim, and effective at long range, facing a foe using a sniper rifle is like playing against a hacker using Aimbot.

Conversely, what the original APB did so well also remains. Character customization options are eye-popping, and your imagination is the only limit in your character's appearance. For example, there are 30 different hair styles to choose from, 23 different eyebrows, and even seven different ear shapes. And that's before you begin unlocking the department store's worth of clothing options. More than any game before it, APB: Reloaded allows players to make a truly unique character, not to mention the vehicle they drive around in.

And you can obtain the game's many, many items and weapons simply by playing. GamersFirst has a ton of experience in the free-to-play realm, and the studio has applied its wealth of knowledge to APB: Reloaded. I earned a ton of in-game cash by completing objectives (which come rapid fire), and at no time did I feel like I had to plunk down my Visa to even the playing field. I'm happy to report APB: Reloaded has avoided the pay-to-win trap.

Extensive customization makes for some original characters.
The game's invisible in-game match-making system is also brilliant. Simply signal that you're ready to join a team and accept a mission, and APB: Reloaded goes to work, pairing you with other players of a similar skill level and designing a multi-objective mission for you to take on. Simultaneously, the opposing faction will be marshaled to thwart you at every turn, and the result is often a wild mix of driving and shooting across the sizable city of San Paro.

What did GamersFirst bring to the table aside from the much-needed free-to-play business model? As I mentioned, driving can be a blast, where it had been a loose, unresponsive mess in the original. Given that getting behind the wheel and flooring it is such a big part of the APB experience, the improvements are huge. Reloaded Productions, the GamersFirst studio formed to take on the game, has also put a priority on fair play after the original game devolved into a hacker's delight. Servers are being policed and players are getting kicked.

A new deathmatch mode, Fight Club, has been added, allowing up to 32 players to jump into 16v16 gun battles on two smaller (but still roomy) maps. In particular, The Beacon, a Fight Club map set in an under-construction office tower, puts the emphasis on verticality and offers a welcome change-up to the core game's sprawling cityscape.

GamersFirst also deserves a ton of credit for taking its time with APB: Reloaded's launch, working out the kinks in a months-long beta. I did encounter a strange Punkbuster error that required me to completely remove and then reinstall the cheat software, but after that, the game ran at a silky rate aside from the rare stutter when chaos erupted on-screen.

It's still not nearly enough to save what is a fundamentally bad shooter. The smartest thing GamersFirst did was make APB: Reloaded free-to-play, allowing players to find out for themselves without the upfront cost.