The actual game is MUCH different than the beta test game.  I was also a beta tester of this game and was constantly frustrated by the number of bugs in the game and the huge amounts of lag and server down time.  However, I became addicted to this game in spite of these challenges.  I am pleased to report, after 3 days of solid playing that almost all of these issues have been resolved.  I live in the US so other parts of the world have been playing for 4 days.
The game play is excellent with minimal lag and no node crashes.  Most people do not even notice any lag.  Why is this so much different than the beta test?  Well because the beta phase of software development is all about testing.  Not only are they testing the game, but with an online game, they are also testing the connections, server load and failure points for all of the systems.  The only way you can be certain where failure points are is if you push your equipment to failure.  It is clear to me now....this is exactly what the developers were doing.
There are still bugs to work out...but most of the glaring bugs have been patched.  The developers are continuing to work on the bugs and are extremely responsive to any reporting.  All reports that I have filed have been answered within a matter of hours.  So....my advice is to keep in mind that the beta testers were guinea pigs and used to test all aspects of the game....not just the code.
Regarding the game play....well I have always enjoyed simulation games and business sims in particular.  This game blows them all out of the water.  The real markets are fun to watch and exciting to take part in.  You can actually watch the prices rising or falling as you bid against other players.
The graphics and sound are second to none!!  The universe is enormous with over 5,000 solar systems and more to be added later.  I will admit that it takes a little while to get rolling in the game and this appears to be a bit longer than other games.  However, once you get rolling, it becomes even more fun and challenging.
I don't think this game will appeal to everyone.  Twitch players (those first person shooter players) will probably not like the pace of the game.  However, if you liked Railroad Tycoon or Sim City...I think you will enjoy this game.  I hope to see you all in the universe of EVE.
The actual game is MUCH different than the beta test game. I was also a beta tester of this game and was constantly frustrated by the number of bugs in the game and the huge amounts of lag and server down time. However, I became addicted to this game in spite of these challenges. I am pleased to report, after 3 days of solid playing that almost all of these issues have been resolved. I live in the US so other parts of the world have been playing for 4 days. The game play is excellent with minimal lag and no node crashes. Most people do not even notice any lag. Why is this so much different than the beta test? Well because the beta phase of software development is all about testing. Not only are they testing the game, but with an online game, they are also testing the connections, server load and failure points for all of the systems. The only way you can be certain where failure points are is if you push your equipment to failure. It is clear to me now.... this is exactly what the developers were doing. There are still bugs to work out... but most of the glaring bugs have been patched. The developers are continuing to work on the bugs and are extremely responsive to any reporting. All reports that I have filed have been answered within a matter of hours. So.... my advice is to keep in mind that the beta testers were guinea pigs and used to test all aspects of the game.... not just the code. Regarding the game play.... well I have always enjoyed simulation games and business sims in particular. This game blows them all out of the water. The real markets are fun to watch and exciting to take part in. You can actually watch the prices rising or falling as you bid against other players. The graphics and sound are second to none!! The universe is enormous with over 5,000 solar systems and more to be added later. I will admit that it takes a little while to get rolling in the game and this appears to be a bit longer than other games. However, once you get rolling, it becomes even more fun and challenging. I don't think this game will appeal to everyone. Twitch players (those first person shooter players) will probably not like the pace of the game. However, if you liked Railroad Tycoon or Sim City... I think you will enjoy this game. I hope to see you all in the universe of EVE.