Instances
It's worth noting that even the large outdoor zones in TR are instanced, and you can move between replicas of these zones using the teleport system. They have a very high player limit, ensuring that you won't feel alone, but if you find them too busy you can always switch to one that's less populated.
Like most current MMORPGs, TR has some content that is made available on demand exclusively for your party. Some of these private instances in the game can be done solo, while others are very difficult without at least one or two other players. The maximum group size is 6, and so far there are no raid-size instances, although that could always change.
Instances are quite thoughtfully implemented in TR. You respawn inside them when you die, so you're not running forever to get back to your party, and you'll even find vendors in them with ammo you can buy if you forgot to stock up before the mission. Sometimes they seem a little too easy for a full group, and the bosses can be underwhelming, but of course, there is still a lot of high-level content I haven't seen.
Taking on Other Players
The high-intensity combat in TR sort of begs for a contest against other players instead of the always predictable NPCs. The word is that some kind of arena-like PvP will be added in the future, but for now the only option is to join a PvP guild. PvP guilds that have declared war on each other can kill each other on sight, and some guilds are even gathering for big fights at a designated time and place. It's a start, but I'd like to see reasonably balanced, instanced matches with objectives and rewards, even if it doesn't really fit the storyline.
Crafting
Although somewhat obscure, TR does have a crafting system that is mostly oriented toward creating upgrades for your weapons. In its current state, unfortunately, there isn't much incentive to craft things, because most of materials have to be purchased, and items that drop from monsters are almost as good. Worse than that, crafting draws from the same pool of skill points as combat abilities: a bad idea as it only encourages players to make "crafting alts." Crafters are also awaiting the arrival of an auction system, which would greatly facilitate trading wares.
Performance
Despite a relatively smooth launch for a MMORPG, TR does demand a lot computer resources. With less than 2 GB of RAM you're likely to experience a regular stutter when running across a zone that no amount of tinkering with the settings will resolve. Instances tend to get particularly laggy, at times leaving you firing away long after you've released the trigger, waiting patiently for everything to snap back into place.
The Bottom Line
Tabula Rasa has its share of great moments, and it gets it right where it counts the most. The action is frantic and the shooter-like controls add to the rush of taking on a swarm of enemies with your machine gun. The dynamic base system is impressive, and the world is nicely presented with a distinctly massively multiplayer feel. While I don't expect Tabula Rasa to become the sort of landmark title that Ultima Online is, or revolutionize the industry, it does bring some worthwhile new features to the table.
The game also has some weaknesses that are hard to overlook. The more routine missions feel almost like work, crafting seems to have been an afterthought, there's not much for PvP fans at the moment, and performance can be annoyingly sluggish for no apparent reason. As much fun as it is at times, I still have doubts about the game's staying power. Just the same, people that don't hate it really seem to love it, so if you've had your fill of elves and you're up for something more lively than the average MMORPG, Tabula Rasa could be a perfect fit.
