Tom Clancy’s The Division (BETA)

Played On: Xbox One

Also Available On: PS4, PC

Release Date: 3/8/16

What Is It

An online, open-world, third-person RPG-shooter set in post-pandemic New York City.

What I Played:

I’ve only spent about 1.5 hours with the game. I wandered a bit, completed some random encounters, and played the first (and only available) main story mission. I played solo, and did not try the matchmaking.

I’m Excited to See More Of: 

The Setting – Despite it being America’s largest and most famous metropolis, few games have been set in a modern, recognizable version of New York City. I’ve spent a lot of time there, and from my short time with the game, it appears Ubisoft has created a fairly accurate and faithful version of the Big Apple. I also am a sucker for games set in winter. In The Division, the snow on the ground and the Christmas lights adorning various locales do a nice job of setting the stage of a bare, dangerous city.

RPG Elements – When footage of The Division’s gameplay first leaked online, many complained about the number of shots it took to take down an enemy. In practice, however, I didn’t mind, and in some ways preferred this approach. Like an RPG, combat seems to be statistics-based, so in order to be successful, leveling and improving gear is imperative. I can understand people taking issue with this – it is strange to shoot a man in a hoodie and jeans without killing him – but I find this combat more interesting, given the glut of traditional third-person videos available.

Story Potential – For the beta, Ubisoft cut some of the introductory story segments, so there is little to go on in terms of the plot. However, it has some potential. Despite it seeming to lack the uniqueness and creativity necessary for a truly great narrative, I enjoyed the basic setup of The Division. A weaponized virus, a decimated city filled with baddies, and an organization hell-bent on “taking back the city.” It’s a bit trite, but this narrative setup mixes well with The Division’s setting. Wandering around post-pandemic New York reminded me of the beginning moments of 28 Days Later, and that’s enough to make me want to uncover more.

I Have Concerns About:

Repetitious Shooting = The shooting mechanics in The Division are okay. They are not revolutionary, nor are they atrocious, but are simply functional. However, the one story mission included in the beta essentially plays like a wave-shooter. You work your way through Madison Square Garden, taking out various waves of enemies along the way. The mission ends on the roof, where you have to take down several more waves, along with the first boss, a gunner with heavy armor. After taking out the lower-level enemies, I cornered the gunner, and the mission became a repetitious act of ducking behind cover, popping some shots, ducking again to let my health recover, and then popping out for a few more shots. Similarly, the “encounters” I came upon while wandering the streets simply involved eliminating a group of similar enemies. As side activities or occasional missions, this might be fine. But I fear this game may suffer from senseless repetition and lose its steam after only a few hours.

Solo Play – I have only tried solo play in The Division beta so far, and it is fine. In fact, I prefer solo games in general, and with this setting, playing alone is what I would prefer – wandering the desolate city by myself sounds like a great experience. The encounters and story mission were good in terms of difficulty. I do, however, have some concerns about the longevity of playing alone. Just like Destiny, I imagine I’ll be able to finish the main campaign alone, but if playing solo locks me out of the game’s most interesting content (like Destiny), that will certainly hurt the long game in my mind.

The Story – Despite my excitement about the story’s potential (see above), I also imagine it can go in the other direction. Rather than capitalize on the interesting setting and premise, I could very well see this narrative getting lost, convoluted, or downright bad. I certainly hope this is not the case, but I did play the original release of Destiny…

 

These are just my initial thoughts after my first brief session with The Division beta. I will be spending some more time with it over the next few days  and will update my impressions. In the meantime, let me know what you think. Have you played the beta? Are you planning to? Do you even care about The Division? Let’s talk about it in the comments below!