To the release Anthem less than a month left, but making an integral impression of the game is still hard. Neither streams of developers, nor trailers can dispel doubts and answer many questions about the upcoming return of the “same” BioWare In AAA-Industry. A public demo version will soon be available to everyone, but of course, we have already played Anthem, talked with the producer of the project Zaku Tien and are ready to tell about our impressions.
The thunderstorm of heaven
Sinopsis of the game you already know. In Anthem, together with friends, travel in armored costumes – "Javelins" – around the world, which the ancient gods left incomplete. But, contrary to the first impressions, Anthem does not try to be a high -budget version Warframe or "killer" Destiny : The developers make the main emphasis on adventures, plot and characters.
The latter is especially pleasing. We are used to waiting from the studio of not only the worked out world and the mechanic, but also a worthy script. That is why the community perceived a new project of Canadian developers in peak: with similar projects, whether it be Destiny or The Division , There are problems with the plot. It’s not easy to tell a cool story in a network shooter, but Bioware seems to understand risks and insist that Anthem will be able to unite a very personal story about the world on the edge of a catastrophe with more global, social, elements of the game.
Strong opponents are able to deliver a lot of trouble at any distance
The same approach to the unification of ideas is noticeable in the gameplay. Here there was a place not only familiar to other cooperative shooters, but also by unusual finds: for example, flights on javelins. And, believe me, not a single trailer is able to convey the fullness of sensations from this. Developers have been pushing this mechanics in advertising materials so for a reason. As in recent Marvel’s Spider-Man It was possible to swing for hours on the web between New York skyscrapers, and in Anthem I would like to soak into the air, fly through the waterfall and collapse from heaven into the heads of enemies. True, unlike the game about Spider-Man, here you can hardly fly through the entire map without touching the earth. The costume engine overheats, and if you do not cool it, you have to make an emergency landing.
Zach Taughan, producer Anthem: We were not going to immediately introduce flight mechanics, but its opening changed everything. We had to look differently at the whole game, and we began to redo things that we had already worked. In the development of Anthem, we moved away from some standards adopted in other shooters. We needed to re -create a world by which the player could move in all planes. The mechanics of flights also influenced the battles: the enemies we created no longer functioned like. After all, now you can fight with them, hanging in the air. I had to redo the opponents so that they always pose a threat to the player.
In the combat system Anthem is noticeable influence Mass Effect: Andromeda : here you have the opportunity to steam over the battlefield, and the combo that are activated when using some skills – but hiding behind the shelters as often as in Andromeda will not work. BioWare made battles dynamic, forcing the player to constantly move and use the skills of costumes. For example, you can bring lightning on the heads of enemies, and then your associate, using the ability of your javelin, will cause a powerful explosion. In addition, the enemies press the number, trying to take it to the open space, and if you stand still, your armored suit will be opened like a tin can, in a couple of minutes. Well, the bosses will do it even faster. So you will often have to use a reactive engine in battle.
By the way, costumes are four types, but we managed to try out two. The first is a ranger, a balanced middle peasant. From his abilities, he has a homing missile, a grenade and a protective dome, like Titans from Destiny. But most of all impressed his special skill : When activating opponents, a swarm of missiles arrives, tearing everything into pieces.
The second was the colossus. He, on the contrary, is slow and clumsy, both on earth and in the air. This Javelin is like a walking tank: he does not have an energy shield, like other classes, but there is a regular, and very thick. They can not only cover themselves from bullets, but also cut the enemy when it comes close enough. In addition, this is the only class that can use heavy weapons like machine guns and grenade launchers.
Zach Town: We did not want the players puzzled for a long time, trying to perfectly equip a shock squad. All costumes are unique, but players always have everything you need to complete any task. Therefore, you can go through a mission, for example, even with the same rangers in the team. The variety of classes in the detachment only opens up new opportunities and solutions that will come in handy when you are faced with certain tests.
You will not die alone
But, no matter what happens in battle, it will remain in the network game, behind the walls of Fort Tarsis. But the stronghold itself is a personal space that reflects the development of your plot. And, I admit, it leaves pleasant impressions: narrow streets and small rooms create the illusion of a busy town, and not an empty location with a handful of NPC. This is pleasing, because we will be a lot of wandering around Tarsis. In addition to the extras that actively imitates life, the fort will have characters with whom you can talk and learn a little about the world of the game or take a task.
On the Anthem release, developers promise many activities in which you can participate alone or in the team: plot missions, side quests, tests, contracts. In the later stages of the game, access to legendary contracts and fortresses will appear.
Moreover, the world outside the walls of the fort supposedly will develop thanks to the system of dynamic events that change the situation daily. Say, several groups can clash for a piece of territory or a whole region. And the next day, returning to the same place, the player will see that one of them won and has already defeated the camp.
Zach Town: We developed Anthem so that it could be played both alone and with friends. The only thing that can cause difficulties is the fortresses. They are originally imprisoned for detachments of four people. You can go there alone, but then the task will be a genuine test. Another important point: the higher the level of complexity, the more cool things can be taken from enemies. Accordingly, to increase the chance of good loot, it is better to go through the game in a cooperative.
Although Bioware creates a network shooter, they also did not forget about single players: the matchmaking system will pick up a party to you before each mission. On the one hand, this is an indisputable plus if you are hard to get together with friends. But on the other, the game with strangers can ruin the impression of Anthem. In the game you can not be reborn after death, you have to wait until the ally deigns to approach and raise you to your feet. My selected Sopartians, for example https://sister-site.org/coral-casino/, ran forward several times, forgetting about me. I had to return to the main menu and start the task again.
The most important fear for Anthem is bugs and falling servers Electronic Arts. Some users were able to play a VIP-demovement normally only the day after its launch, and others later. And it was a limited demo with a very cut online! How the game will prove himself when everyone will let everyone out – the question!
Otherwise, a curious project looms from Anthem. This is not to say that this is the same game from BioWare, which you want to buy without hesitation, but there is definitely a potential. Art design, clinging the setting and the ability to carry in an armored suit above the ground … It remains to hope that the project will not drown in bugs and will not get bored because of a weak shooting support.
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