Originally published January 31, 2016. Updated April 15, 2018.
Mike Mc Grath with some first impressions of Tom Clancy’s The Division…
Tom Clancy’s: The Division is Ubisoft’s second attempt at an MMO style game and after playing around with the beta all weekend, I can safely say its their best although it does still have its issues. The video below has the same content as this article but if you’re one of unlucky ones not to get into the beta or still haven’t decided if the game is for you, I’d advise giving it a watch just to see what the gameplay and mechanics actually look like.
The Division is a cover-based Third Person Shooter RPG. Players can earn access to certain powers and abilities which are split into three skill lines; security, medical and technology. As of the beta players can access a sticky bomb (security), a pulse that identifies and highlights enemies in an area (medical) and a ballistic shield (technology). The powers are assigned to L1 and R1 (or RB and LB) with the player having the ability to swap powers at their own leisure. The closest comparison I can think of is Mass Effect 3 even in the way the cover system works. Players can dash to and vault over cover with ease which is good because you won’t be able to sit in one area for an entire firefight. Enemies come in man different varieties. Some enemies will rush the player with melee weapons while others will throw grenades (both lethal and non-lethal) at the player forcing you to move.
Players are also able to access a wide variety and gear and weapons. The selection of weapons include assault rifles, semi-auto rifles and shotguns. Players can modify their weapons with sights, skins, barrel attachments, grips and magazine improvements. An interesting thing Ubisoft have done is make the players appearance not based on the armour you are wearing. Instead players will pick up hats, jackets, shoes ect. which will determine how the player looks. These items are purely aesthetic and have no armour rating. I love this idea simply because it will add variety to how players will look instead of everyone looking the exact same.
I actually couldn’t figure out the objectives in the Dark Zone PVP area. My experience boiled down to me entering the area, running to an extraction zone and either being shot at immediately or me shooting at someone else because they had those shifty eyes that welcomed trouble. However if you do decide that the guy next to you looked at you the wrong way and introduced him to your double-barrel you are informed that you have gone rogue. Nearby players are also told this and the player that kills you is awarded a bounty. Similar enough my matchmaking experience boiled down to me joining a group and being kicked from said group immediately, so my advise would be play with friends.
Overall the beta gave us a pretty good idea of what The Division will be and I am looking forward to it more than I was. As long as the Dark Zone is actually explained then PVP might actually serve a purpose instead of just being a random death match.
Mike Mc Grath
