Fallen Earth is a post-apocalyptic massively multiplayer online game that is a hybrid between the massively multiplayer online first person shooter (MMOFPS) and massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG). It was developed and published by Icarus Studios in conjunction with Fallen Earth LLC. It was released on September 22, 2009 for Windows and OS X.http://forums.fallenearth.com/fallenearth/showthread.php?t=18361 

Fallen Earth uses a monthly subscription model that asks players to purchase the game and pay a monthly fee of $14.99 to access the servers. Since launch, Fallen Earth has offered players who purchase the game, as well as players who wish to try it, one month of free game time.https://www.fallenearth.com/trial  At release, it received generally favorable reviews from most gaming critics with an aggregated rating of 71 from Metacritic.http://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/fallen-earth-welcome-to-the-apocalypse 

Fallen Earth takes place in a post-apocalyptic wasteland around the Grand Canyon. In the 21st Century, a series of natural disasters has hit the United States, crippling its economy and people. This lead to a wealthy tycoon by the name of Brenhauer forming mega-corporation GlobalTech and setting up the self-sufficient community of the Grand Canyon province.http://www.fallenearth.com/node/58 

The elements of the game are set into action after a mysterious virus named the Shiva Virus runs rampant through the world's human population. The governments of the world accuse each other of creating the virus, which leads to a series of nuclear attacks referred to as "The Fall." The events leave the world with less than 1% of it's former population.http://www.fallenearth.com/node/58 This leaves players in the middle of a violent struggle for control and the direction of the remaining remnants of humanity between the six most powerful factions in the post-Fall world. http://www.fallenearth.com/node/10 

The gameplay in Fallen Earth takes place in the are surrounding the Grand Canyon and takes place on a world map that is over 1000 square kilometers and based on actual topographic data.http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/fallen-earth-post-apocalyptic-mmog-launches-via-retail-and-download-on-september-9th  After creating a character, players can be aligned with a certain faction, do quests, craft, and battle with enemies and players from other factions.http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/fallen-earth-post-apocalyptic-mmog-launches-via-retail-and-download-on-september-9th Characters can develop freely, as the experience system does not ask players to choose a class; any player character can gain points in any skill that they like.http://www.fallenearth.com/node/11 Players can also gain abilities through mutations from radiation, the Shiva virus, or through doing faction specific quests as well.http://www.fallenearth.com/node/53 

During combat, the game can be played in first person mode like a traditional first person shooter or in third person mode as is typically seen in an MMORPG. In order to damage enemies, you must center them in your reticle and fire on them. While your attack and defense is decided through your stats, you will still have to hold the reticle over an opponent to do damage.http://www.fallenearth.com/combat As of patch 1.4, Fallen Earth added more traditional FPS game modes, like Deathmatch and Capture the Flag, on top of the MMO gameplay. They are referred to as "blood sports" and are competitions between factions and players in a player vs player (PVP) enviornment.http://www.fallenearth.com/bloodsports 

One of the other main focuses of Fallen Earth is its crafting mechanics, which allow players to create and sell essentially any item that can be purchased or received in the game.http://www.fallenearth.com/node/12 Players travel from one area to another, collecting scrap and equipment in order to build new items to help them in battle or to sell for chips in any of Fallen Earth's auction houses.