Deep possibilites - but slow paced game. This is an eye candy wrapped in an even more pretty package !
First, forget Gamespot's review. The game has evolved so much since then, it isn't the same at all. You have to consider this though before anything else: this game isn't meant for powergamers. EVE is built on a skill system. Unlike other MMORPG where you have to train (grind XP by killing NPC/creatures to get new skills) EVE works with a training system. Each skill is ranked from 1-5, and the rank determines how long it takes to train it. For example, a rank 1 skill will take 30minutes train to level 1, 1h30 to level 2, 3h30 to level 3, 1d15h to level 4, and usually 7d15h to level 5. You multiply each time required per level by the rank. I'm uncertain as of the basic learning time (you can buy implants and train skill that will reduce learning time) , but a rank 4 skill will take about 30 days to train to level 5. Yes, it's long ! However, those skills train 24/7. You only have to be there when the one you're training is over, as there are no queuing system. It's a great system for those who do not have time to play a lot. This means every hour your make your character better ! No lost time !
Of course variety isn't left aside here. Four races (each race has bonuses to particular aspects in the game), many, many ships, many professions possibilities. The profession you take (mining,combat,pirating,etc) is mainly influenced by your skill learning path. The great thing is, there are NO limits to how many skill you can learn, which means if you change your mind, you can go in a completely different way and lose no progress at all. Veteran players are of course advantaged by this. The most popular professions are those I mentionned before: pirating (quite evil, involves you gunning people down for their cargo and is quite lucrative, but dangerous, and not at reach for newbies). Mining is lucrative but can be boring, and combat is incredibly fun !
There are only one server for EVE, where at peak times, 19K players play at the same time (the 19K peak record was beaten only yesterday). This is a lot of players in one game, but suprinsingly enought, it doesn't lag that much, as CCP is always upgrading their server. EVE's community is probably the best MMORPG community I have experienced. Very helpful and nice folks in general ! The fun of EVE starts when you join a Corporation (there are many out there: look in recruiting forum on the official boards at www.eve-online.com) and start mining in group or doing missions in groups. Seeing 5 ships warp together and upon their exit of the warp bubble seeing a group of 25 missiles launch from the group is a very nice effect ! You feel like in Star Wars :) Corporations will help you get around and probably donate a little ISK (the currency in EVE) to get you up on your feet . This is truly a must to enjoy the EVE experience at its best.
Graphics are of course pure eye-candy. Warp effects, explosions, space and ship texture and CGI... all very, very well done. Audio I find it to be annoying (nothing special there, except the big booms... VERY Satisfying :))
Gameplay is quite easy. Point and click and the ship will execute (this is no realtime action, meaning you can't dogfight with your joystick). The value of this game is almost infinite... you can do missions all day, go after bounties all day, mine all day... there is no much you cannot do !!! The potential here is really huge, albite quite repetitive sometimes... mining will get boring really quickly, and missions are only worth doing alone from lvl 2, which requires a solid cruiser (probably 2-3 weeks of playing, training and acquiring ISK).
All-in-all EVE is a great game with an aweosme community, with good eye-candy and solid gameplay. It won't leave you this feeling of guilt because you didn't have time to play for the entire month although you paid the 14$ ... EVE trains 24/7, which is great ! Sometimes you will wish that it trains faster, but seeing how the market is lacking good space sims (which is why I joined EVE on the first place), EVE is a great game for any space sim fans. With the very recent addition of titans, carriers and motherships, fleet combat has reached a completely new level.