I haven’t been to DC since I was a Vault Dweller looking for my father. While I wouldn’t call this Capitol Wasteland a nuclear apocalypse, there are certainly signs of never-ending wars never ever changing. Let’s take a look at the newest Ubisoft Tom Clancy title, The Division 2.
Right from the get-go, we create our character/agent with a male or female body type. From there, we have some customizations that aren’t extensive, but enough to make my character stand out if I want. We are also given the chance to just randomize and jump straight into the action. While still talking about customization, we do have the option of changing our equipment as we progress. The clothing/armor items appear on our character, but just like in any MMO, utility trumps fashion (at least until we get good). Our strong protagonist is not much of a talker either, even in cutscenes, but that’s alright with me. What drives me against the wall is the robot voice the game uses to help guide me, namely on the main menu or during the character customization. I’d prefer Peter Dinklage to voice it over instead!
In this Tom Clancy title, we observe our character from the 3rd-person POV and over the shoulder. Our model moves around pretty nicely, just like an actual person would. When it comes to fighting, I get excited. You take cover behind a barrier, and you can maneuver to the sides and even wrap around the corners. When you look toward another cover, you can see the path your character will take if you want to swiftly transition from one cover to cover. You can also break cover at any time, or jump away if an enemy throws a grenade your way. You can also vault over objects to move more quickly or to get a better view of the battlefield. Aside from how well we can run around, we also have perks depending on our skillset. I chose to get the drone, which you can command to attack specific targets, but it only lasts a couple minutes. The drone isn’t the only one either; you can get a mobile shield, like in Siege, or lay down turrets. After this review, I am definitely going to go back and explore all the other options for my specialization as well as the other ways I can play.
Every battle feels dynamic, in that there are different obstacles and different enemies. Some hyenas are smarter than others, but I’ll tell you what they have in common: they want to kill you. And they get creative about it too! Some enemies will lay down suppressing fire while others are making their way around you on the flank. When you manage to shoot one of them, already entrenched behind cover of their own, they fall back or even try making a run for it. I’ve even seen on guy trip and fall to the ground. In the heat of the firefight, you can also listen for some of the most entertaining banter in recent memory. When they’re not threatening you, they’re talking trash about each other (or a misfortunate prisoner).
As for the story so far, I’m not really sure what to say about it, at least in the sense that it’s not story-oriented. Tom Clancy games tend to be situational anyway, so it’s fitting. I don’t know who these enemy factions are after finishing the tutorial, but you can clearly see they’re a brazen group that doesn’t shy away from using prisoners as target practice. The streets are littered with bodies. Even in the beginning of the game, I’m not sure who we’re fighting. What has been made clear to me is that we fill the role of an agent, much like a bringer of law and order to a wild frontier. Our chapter, or division, receives a distress call from D.C. and our character is dispatched to help wherever he/she can. Once we get there, however, our new friend Manny essentially just tells us to help civilians and work to take down bandit outposts. Guys, we’re Mad Max on Capitol Hill!
I think the game looks beautiful, and the world is big too! Mind you, the streets are still filled with warring factions. The game only hiccupped on me once while I was walking up the stairs at the Theater settlement, otherwise it ran smoothly. The lighting effects are easy on the eyes, like when you look at the sun for a second and turn toward shaded area. Your screen adjusts, so you don’t go blind. I like how the guns look, how they sound, and how my character looks using them. You can see a health bar over your enemies, and numbers drop as you hit them. On your own end, you have armor and health too, but you can also see your equipment and ammo.
This game really is huge, and there is still I need to explore. I think The Division 2 will offer plenty in the way of replayability and hours of gameplay. It looks and feels good, especially on console. I think a fair rating for this title is a 9.5 out of 10. You can find this game being hyped up all over the Internet, but it definitely stands out for a reason. I thought that it took aspects of my favorite Tom Clancy games and blended them together, like Splinter Cell’s over-the-shoulder POV, Rainbow 6: Vegas’ cover system, and Siege’s guns and perks.
Check Out the Tom Clancy’s The Division 2 Trailer:
For more information on Tom Clancy’s The Division 2, please visit: tomclancy-thedivision.ubisoft.com.
Xbox One Review
I like to think of myself as the average Joe who grew up alongside video games. I have fun playing strategy games, RPGs, shooters, sandboxes, the whole shebang! Every game provides an experience whether it strikes you as profound, mundane, or someplace in between. I'd like to weigh in my two cents before you spend a single penny.
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