ESCorp or FURI?

By LayzAyzn

This is to be an objective, yet reasonable comparison between the gameplay difference of staying with ESCorp or shifting over to FURI. Discussion should be kept to the comments.

The Gameplay Differences

Leaving the Karbonis Belt

ESCorp: Those who stay with ESCorp must complete 52 Zone Cleanup Missions before going outside of the Karbonis Belt. Some may find this task tedious after some time, as they will wish to do other missions, or visit other planets and merchants.

An argument against this seemingly bad restriction is that both factions will have to complete 100 of their cleanups or prisoners freed, in the end, to obtain their last faction-exclusive item (more on this later), whether they are Zone Cleanups (for ESCorp members) or Freeing Prisoners (for FURI members).

FURI: Those who transfer to FURI have the liberty of going wherever and whenever they please.

Zone Cleanups vs. Freeing Prisoners

ESCorp: Zone Cleanups originally start as 2x2 areas, but they eventually increase to 3x3, 4x4, 5x5, and ultimately 6x6. You are rewarded 10 Mineral per sector after you complete the cleanup, thus, you would be rewarded 40 for a 2x2, 90 for a 3x3, 160 for a 4x4, 250 for a 5x5, and 360 for a 6x6. They will also sometimes overlap, so you may not have to play the entire area. However, sometimes the zone will be placed in an area that contains an anti-radar asteroid.
FURI: Freeing Prisoners only requires clearing one sector, and you are awarded a constant 75 Minerals for each prisoner freed. Similarly to above, the sector may be placed on an area that is an anti-radar asteroid, but the chance of this happening is rarer than above, as zones cover larger areas.

Envelope Extensions

ESCorp: Those who stay with ESCorp will retain their original Envelope extension, as well as receiving another extension upon the completion of an ESCorp-only mission (that is unlocked once you complete your 100th Zone Cleanup).
(length after obtainment of all extensions)

A counter-argument to ESCorp's extensions is that because Extension Power-ups are commonly found in levels, and there being a limit to how far your envelope can extend, FURI members benefit more from Extension Power-ups.

FURI: Those who transfer to FURI will lose their original Envelope extension, and will not be entitled to the same envelope-extension-mission that the ESCorp have.
(length after completion of Red Lycans mission and leaving the Karbonis Belt)

An argument for the smaller envelope is that its smaller size will make it more convenient to avoid attacks from sentinels/orbital nuts/etc, but the obvious (but still valid) counter-argument is that the ESCorp's larger envelope will make it more convenient to catch drilling balls when they come down.
A less substantial argument in support of the smaller envelope is that it is easier to land upon planets.

FURI Supporters

ESCorp: After you have unlocked The Fight (ESCorp mission that requires 63 Zones be cleaned up), you will receive 20 Solid Hydrogen Capsules. Also, for every FURI Supporter that you discover and denounce, you are awarded 5 Solid Hydrogen Capsules.
FURI: As soon as you pass the Karbonis Belt and leave ESCorp, you will be able to liberate FURI Supporters. While some of them will give you Solid Hydrogen Capsules similar to as if you were an ESCorp member, the number given to you will range, and sometimes you will be given Minerals instead of SHCs.

The numbers on the FURI Supporters page essentially show that ESCorp is getting a better value.

Traveling

ESCorp: Those who stay with ESCorp (and complete The Retrofuser, a mission that is unlocked after 73 Zone Cleanups) will receive the Lithium Retrofuser, an item that moves your position to [0][0] for no cost, regardless of where you are in the universe.

One argument for the Lithium Retrofuser against the Syntrogenic Accelerator is that while FURI members will be getting more plays a day, ESCorp members will not need to travel as much as FURI members would, as they could utilize the Lithium Retrofuser in moving back and forth across the expansive universe.

FURI: Those who transfer to FURI (and complete The Syntrogenic Accelerator, a mission that is unlocked after 20 Free a Prisoner missions) will receive The Syntrogenic Accelerator, an item that increases your plays a day (Liquid Hydrogen Capsules) from the standard three, to four-a-day instead.

One argument for the Syntrogenic Accelerator (and against the Lithium Retrofuser) is that by playing with four-plays-a-day versus three-plays-a-day, you will have explored more of the universe, and thus be able to navigate back onto those paths to move faster.
Another argument for the Syntrogenic Accelerator is that the player should focus on his or her enjoyment and more plays a day would (likely) mean more time spent playing and enjoying the game.

A counter-argument against this argument is that because of the extra play each day, FURI members will likely have a higher chance of not failing the total four plays for that day, compared to the three plays that ESCorp members have. Thus, the ESCorp traveler would be more likely to get an extra play from the mission Bad Luck more often.

Drilling Ball

ESCorp: ESCorp members' most advanced Drilling Ball is the OX-Delta, which will bounce back right after hitting a brick. ESCorp members will also begin with only one Drilling Ball.
FURI: FURI members' most advanced Drilling Ball is the AR-SRX Asphalt Ball. The Asphalt Ball's drilling strength is 1 more than the OX-Delta. Also, instead of bouncing back after hitting a brick, an Asphalt Ball will continue to hit up to 3 more times (for a total of 4) before bouncing against bricks again. FURI members will also begin with two Drilling Balls each time they use a life on a play, if they have the Saumir's Twinner item. (To acquire the Asphalt Ball and the Saumir's Twinner, the respective missions Unknown Prototype and Holovan Land of Peace must be completed. They respectively require 100 Prisoners Freed and 5 Prisoners Freed to be unlocked.)

(Here is a video of the Asphalt Ball in action, if its description is still unclear to you. The video also demonstrates beginning the level with two balls instead of one, as the traveler has the Saumir's Twinner item)

This video also clears the misconception that the Asphalt Ball will only continue drilling if the drilling ball hits a normal brick.

An argument against the Asphalt Ball's usefulness is that there are already many Powerups that boost the drilling ball's effectiveness, such as Volt, Halo, (sometimes) Glacial, and especially Kamikaze, and that the Asphalt Ball's effect would be negated by these helpful powerups.

There are a number of bugs when the Asphalt Ball is combined with the Halo powerup.

The Halo'd Asphalt Ball may bounce off of bricks or go straight through them, yet not break them.
The Halo'd Asphalt Ball may swerve or go completely off of the screen, causing you to lose a life.

Video showing the previous two bullets

The Halo'd Asphalt Ball may also crash your browser when bounced against a Factory Brick.

A counter-argument to this argument is that powerups such as Flame, Multi-ball, New Ball, and Safety have more of an effect, because the drilling ball they are working with is stronger. Also, with Safety, upon your new life, you will again begin with two drilling balls, thanks to the Saumir's Twinner. Another thing to note is that, while revert molecules can take positive effects off of both drilling balls, the Asphalt Ball cannot lose its natural effect.

An argument against the Saumir's Twinner's usefulness is that one of the two Drilling Balls will likely have to eventually be ignored to catch the other. Also, more balls will may unintentionally trigger Guardian, Orbital Nut, & Sentinel Bricks, resulting in the entire life being lost.
An argument for the Saumir's Twinner, however, is that the additional ball could allow you last longer in levels with Death Bricks, or drill farther and faster up the level should there be Regenerator Bricks.

FORA 7R-Z Mines

ESCorp: ESCorp members have access to up to 4 of the FORA 7R-Z Mines. These mines will be randomly positioned on bricks through the level, and upon contact with a Drilling Ball, will explode, similar to an orange Explosive brick or the orange destructive molecule. (The FORA 7R-Z Mines can be unlocked for ESCorp members by completing the mission Cilorile's Guards. This mission is unlocked by completing 58 Zone Cleanup Missions.)

An argument against the Mines' usefulness is that because of their random positioning, they may be placed on bricks not surrounding many others, or in very difficult-to-reach bricks, which would render its use to very little, as you'd have to drill through the bricks around the mine to get to it.
Another argument against the Mines regards their cost. While the first Mine is given to you after the completion of the mission that unlocks them, the other three must be purchased at Merchants, and will total to approximately 100,000 Minerals. The Mines are the only faction-exclusive item that is not completely given after its unlocking-mission.

FURI: FURI members do not have any access to these Mines.

Missiles

ESCorp: ESCorp members' most advanced missile is the AR-SRX, which can destroy up to 25 bricks (a 5x5 area) with one missile. (The AR-SRX can be acquired by completing the mission The Pink Crystal!, which can be unlocked by completing 100 Zone Cleanups.)

An argument for the AR-SRX over the MAS-Z is that missiles can easily be replenished (through the Perpetual Synthesis Motor [Item that generates a missile per play], missile-bricks, the Provision Powerup, or refilling for 1 per missile at a Merchant)

FURI: FURI members' most advanced missile is the MAS-Z, which can only destroy up to 9 bricks (a 3x3 area) with one missile.

Ranking

For those who care about positioning on the rankings list, a FURI member will be able to explore more levels. While the ESCorp member will receive about 170 more SHC from the FURI Supporters, they would also have to pay approximately 100,000 Minerals for their FORA 7R-Z Mines, which, at (an expensive) 200 Minerals per SHC, results in a loss of 500 SHC. Also, FURI members have access to 4 plays-a-day compared to ESCorp's 3-a-day, as FURI members get the Syntrogenic Accelerator.

This advantage assumes that the FURI member would have equal or less difficulty in completing levels, compared to an ESCorp member.

Item/Upgrade Summary

ESCorp

FURI