Anthem Review In Progress

1. Game: Anthem
2. Consoles: Xbox One, PS4, PC (Reviewed)
3. Publisher: EA
4. Developer: BioWare
5. (A review copy of Anthem was supplied by the publisher. A the time of writing this we have not finished Anthem. This will be a review in progress since we still need to experience the post-game content.)

When it all clicks, BioWare’s Anthem is one of the slickest, coolest looking games on the market. Soaring through the air, blowing up aliens, and landing dramatically in the heat of combat is damn near euphoric. This is the closest we have ever gotten to truly feeling like Iron Man and the level of polish on display during battles is superb.

Yet, for every adrenaline-pumping high there is an equally depressing low. There are some absolutely puzzling choices made throughout and Anthem’s design feels like different components were just stitched together. Individually they all work, but when combined together the game becomes unfocused and confusing.

There have been a lot of comparisons thrown around leading up to Anthem’s release, with Destiny being the most common. This is an odd comparison, as Anthem is very much a story-driven RPG that’s being cannibalized by its heavy push towards multiplayer. Don’t get me wrong, performing flashy combo moves on hordes of enemies is deeply satisfying. However, playing with others is a double-edged sword that Anthem gleefully stabs itself with.

When you load up a mission you are given the choice to play alone or with others. Anthem aggressively suggests that completing activities with others is the way the go and public matchmaking is the default setting. The problem is, Anthem has a very bad habit of dropping the player into a group that has already started the mission.

This means I spend 3 minutes in the loading screen, land, then the game teleports me to my allies which takes another 1-2 minutes, and by the time I arrive to kick some ass, the first battle is already over. Even if it’s on my end and I’m simply loading into the mission later than others, it shouldn’t just let my team rush forward. Normally this wouldn’t be a big issue, but Anthem focuses a lot on the story and it’s easy to miss things if you load into a level late.

EAIt’s such a confusing choice to just drop players into missions that are already in progress. There’s a very high chance that you’ll miss some dialogue during a level or arrive just as an objective is finished. Missions are also comically easy and a decent team of four can blow through a level in a matter of minutes. This can sometimes cause the dialogue to trip over itself or make players miss critical story beats.

A lot of this is due to the simple and very straightforward level design. With the exception of tougher, dungeon-like missions called Strongholds, players will find themselves repeating the same tasks over and over again. Too many levels involve flying to an area, shooting some enemies, and then holding down a button for a few seconds. Sometimes you’ll have to use a radar to collect items, but even this mechanic is overused. Their boring and uninspired, with most levels eliciting an eye roll from me as my all-powerful Javelin needs to once again collect some relics.

Thankfully, piloting the Javelins constantly feels exciting and engaging. Players can select one of four Javelins before a mission begins and once they are all unlocked you can freely swap between them at your home base. Each exo-suit boasts three core abilities, two weapons, and an ultimate skill. Each of the core skills can be changed out for others you unlock such as the Colossus’ high-powered flamethrower or Storm’s ice blast. This gives the user a solid amount of customization options that can suit your preferred playstyle and benefit your team’s set up.

EA

There’s a Javelin type for almost everyone. Whether it’s the beefy and explosive-oriented Colossus or the nimble, melee-focused Interceptor, each exo-suit plays completely differently. Mastering these Javelins takes some time since there is an intracity to how each one moves and flies. While there are some tutorials hidden behind a comically cumbersome menu system, it’s up to the user to figure out how to best utilize their flying death machine.

Visually, players can paint their Javelin any color and can change out various parts such as arms, legs, and the torso. Changing the look of your Javelin doesn’t impact the gameplay, which makes the lack of actual cosmetic options confusing. So far, additional parts for your exo-suit are limited and some of the best can be purchased using the in-game currency or real-world cash. As I progress towards the end game I hope that more cosmetic options unlock.

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Tying everything together is a solid story with some endearing characters. BioWare has put a lot of emphasis on the plot and people inhabiting the world. You assume the role of a Freelancer, one of a few pilots that survived a failed mission to keep the world from ripping itself apart. What follows is a complicated web of characters and factions, all of which are vying for control. The Freelancer can either be male or female, both of which are fully voiced.

At the time of writing this, we haven’t finished Anthem’s campaign so it’s difficult to say where the plot is headed. There’s a lot of heart in this story and BioWare has a done a terrific job fleshing out the various characters. This is BioWare at its best. Learning what will happen next has been the major driving force for finishing Anthem and I am curious what happens after the credits roll.

While there is still a lot left to experience in Anthem, my early experience has been mixed. Despite the outstanding combat and terrific story, this title still struggles to find its footing. Poor mission design, unoptimized menus, and some odd choices relating to multiplayer keep this title from rising above its peers. Hopefully, the end-game makes up for Anthem’s underwhelming first impression.