Edge writes: As a proposition, Empire Of Sports is eyebrow-raising, to say the least: a sports-themed, PC-only MMORPG, launching with seven distinct sports disciplines (tennis, basketball, football, bobsleigh, track and field, skiing and gym training), developed in two short years by an inexperienced studio – Parisian newcomer F4 – with investment, not from within the videogame industry, but from a Swiss sports marketing company, Infront Sports & Media.
Empire Of Sports is an unusual mix: persistent avatars with RPG-style character and gear progression meet in a kitsch social space and participate in simple, arcade-inflected sports, rhythm-action training minigames and genuine team sports, scaling up to five-on-five basketball and full football 11s. A single avatar can play any and all sports, but its skills and physique will specialize according to its competition, training and even nutritional regime. Some of the skills gained will be of general use – aiming, balance, endurance – while some will be specific to one sport, or even one style or playing position.
