The Division 2

[DeathscytheX 9,732]

Beta sign ups: https://tomclancy-thedivision.ubisoft.com/game/en-us/beta

 

[DeathscytheX 9,732]

The open world is looking promising. 

[DeathscytheX 9,732]

I guess the best thing about this presentation was actually seeing real gameplay and not a rendered souped up graphical showcase that isn't a real representation of the game. This comes out one month after Anthem. I'll have to decide which game I'll want to take a week off to grind out.

[DeathscytheX 9,732]

 

[DeathscytheX 9,732]

The armor system makes sense now. Those one shot shotgunners were the most annoying thing about TD1. To know it was a engine flaw is crazy. The faster TTK is good, because its clear the game isn't really a cover based game when you'd always be forced out of cover in the first one.

More about it, Its good to know there is no more interrupts for repair... I'm glad there is still some type of replish of armor or health. The self healing was pretty much a necessary in the first game, it was just way to powerful not to choose. They did good by spreading it out to everyone making it a non-factor to choose over some other gear slot.

 

 

[DeathscytheX 9,732]

 

[DeathscytheX 9,732]

 

[DeathscytheX 9,732]

 

[DeathscytheX 9,732]

I played for a extended period today hitting the max level, getting some specialized gear, and some decent weapons.

Pros

-The open world is a lot more alive. There are way more enemies, and events that constantly spawn.
-There are tons of loot caches everywhere, whether its guns, gear, or crafting components
-Mechanically gunplay is the same... each type handles like it did in the first game. TTK is much higher for normals and purples.
-Attachments are crafted or awarded and act as a global unlock. You can use them on multiple weapons at once rather than having to unequip or worry about scrapping it by accident when you salvage a weapon.
-Enemies no longer grenade spam as much allowing you to utilize cover
-Side missions are unique and interesting, rather than the rinse and repeat of the first game... this type of content is regulated to the open world.
-The skill variants are nice. The sniper turret is super OP and I expect it to get nerfed... Even though you have to manually operate it, it can one shot normals, and 2 shot almost anything else. A lot of the skills require more manual inputs. Unfortunately it doesn't always work for the best, but thats the price of having a PVP aspect to your game. But each skill has 3-4 options so there is plenty to choose from.

Cons

-The open world is more alive, but its also repetitive. Sometimes these events get in your way when you just want to go somewhere else. The game is different enough to where you cant just run past enemies and tank it until you escape. You're forced into engagements to get to a lot of places. 
-The armor plate system is nice to a certain extent, but it has flaws... if you get staggered out of cover under heavy fire, you're just automatically dead. The rushers can be problematic, but its mostly the specialist enemies that hide and spam there ability while you try to clear the mobs to get to them. The grenadier shoots out a very slow arcing nade that will crush your armor plate. its actually pretty annoying because if you're under fire, it sucks to move. But the worst is this enemy that keeps spamming RC cars that explode.... they'll hide way in the back and keep doing it so you have to keep trying to shoot the car and enemies until everyone is dead and you can chase the bastard down. If the car explodes on you it will take your armor and a chunk of your health which doesn't last long at all under fire. 
-The autopathing needs to be optional... too many times I try to dive/dodge only to take cover facing the opposite way of my enemy and died. Being magnetic to walls is super annoying.

 

[DeathscytheX 9,732]

Kudo's to Ubisoft for an excellent launch on their game... at least for early access. Outside of some framerate issues the game doesn't have any unexpected problems outside of the bit of animation quirks Snowdrop is known for.

Without knowing about the endgame, the story itself is worth paying $60 for and damn sure worth it months from now if you pick it up on the cheap. The depth of the world surpasses pier 93 area of TD1 by a large margin. The side missions are just as good as main story missions... about 12 hours in and I've only done 3 main missions and a good 10 side missions. Each side mission is completely unique and not recycled tasks... which still exist in the game but as random world events. These world events also serve a purpose for upgrading settlements. The control points are a really nice added bonus as once you take them, they become new fast travel hubs, and their storage rooms supply daily loot. I feel like I've only scratched the surface here. Also the environment means a little bit more to be since I use to live 30min outside of DC. Seeing places I've been as a child is surreal, especially the Planetarium I took a field trip to.