The best way to introduce "The Infinite Black", by mobile developer Whalesong Games, is to classify it as a simpler, portable, version of EvE online.
The game revolves around the player starting off in a weak space shuttle on the Earth Sector. Moving on from there, everything you do is entirely up to you. Like in EvE, the complexity of the game is up to the player base, and there is no real storyline to follow.
Graphics of the game are simple, and could use some work in my opinion. There is some interesting ship art, but it still needs work, with some background textures looking muddy and stretched.
Sound could also use some work. There is a great soundtrack that fits the theme well, but weapons don't feel like they're as powerful as they should sound, and some enemy outcries are laughable.
The game is played entirely over a massive map made up of "Sectors". Players roam around these sectors, killing NPC's or engaging in PvP with other players while leveling up, gaining credits, finding resources, and getting better equipment. There is no fixed goal, other than leveling up and gaining money. The map of the Universe is divided into two types of sectors, grey around Earth where PvP is not allowed and Black, where everyone is PvP flagged.
Leveling up gains you access to better equipment, which varies in rarity, from common to ultimate. Equipment is generally expensive, and loses durability if killed, losing enough durability will result in the equipment being destroyed.
Equipment provides tons of diversity in the game. There are stealth modules, tractor beams, grappling hooks, various weapons, scout systems, and tons more. These are balanced through an Equipment Point system. The weakest ship, a shuttle, has access to only 3 EP's, and they progressively increase as the player gains access to better ships. Better equipment requires more EP, and the rarity of an item can also lower or increase its EP. In the end, it's an interesting customization system and gives a lot of variety.
Interestingly enough, like in EvE, there are two in-game currencies, Black Dollars (BD), and Credits. BD's can be bought for real money through micro-transactions, and while the game is on the verge of Pay-to-Win through these micro-transactions, it manages to avoid the classification through BD drops from NPC's and a player-driven economy. I am a bit uncertain worried about how they will evolve however, currently a player can buy high-level ships with BD's, which is slightly unfair.
In TIB, players are able to buy and sell BD's, equipment, garrisons, and even alliances, through an extremely efficient trade system. This brings balance and provides opportunities to players looking to get rich through BD sales.
Combat plays out using a time driven fire and delay system. Weapons that do more damage have a longer delay between shots, with the delay ranging between 3 and 17 seconds. Movement between sectors also relies on this system, with higher class ships taking more time to move. Equipment is another variable :stronger shields increase the delay and specials reduce it.
The true enjoyment of the game is from its social components. TIB allows players to form up and create corporations, and work together to dominate the game. It also allows Alliances, which lead to major power struggles over the game map. Corporations can deploy garrisons and Planets on black sectors, and gain perks by leveling up the structures. From personal experience, the social aspect works very well, with massive rivalries between alliances, and fleets of up to 25 ships battling each other in wars.
Players are also encouraged to form fleets to take on Invasions. These are the only type of Missions in the game. Invasions sprawl across 6-35 sectors, and are randomly generated. They consist of stacks of extremely high-level NPC's that require 10-20 ships working together to take out. Rewards from invasions vary, some drop vary rare equipment and dozens of BDs, while others (usually small one's)only drop 5-10 BD's. These are some of the best moments one experiences as everyone is forced to work together to survive.
Overall, The Infinite Black is an interesting game which works well on a mobile platform. With a dedicated, lively, community, and Developers which log in and communicate with players almost every day, it works extremely well as an MMO. Also offering in-depth customization and tons of player choice, it truly is infinite.
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interesting review :)