21.3.2016

The Division is that rare breed of game whereby all the individual components - the shooting, the cover system, the RPG elements, the missions, the menus, the world, the story - if taken by themselves are only OK (in some cases, poor). When brought together, however, they make something that is greater than the sum of its parts.The glue that brings these parts together and makes it all work is, of course, the multiplayer system. It's really important to stress for any reviewer of this game that you will not enjoy this game without the multiplayer. Not that this means you have to have other friends who own the game - far from it. The matchmaking system allows for you to team up with any group of players for missions,side-quests and even just roaming around the streets of New York. That being said, being able to speak other people (to be fair there are some people who talk, but a lot of people who don't) makes the game that much more enjoyable.This is the crucial point. As I've previously stated, the individual parts of The Division are far from outstanding. Because of the RPG emphasis, those people used to shooting games which treat shots to the head 'realistically' (i.e. enemies die) will be thrown. You can empty 4 or 5 clips into some enemies without making a dent in their health-bar, let alone killing them. On the flip-side, the character building system is relatively restricted. Most players will end up with quite similar builds, as there are only 3 classes (medical, security, tech) to choose from and only 2 'ability slots' to fill until you are a relatively high level (and even then it's only 3). This means that those coming from an RPG background might be disappointed with the limited scope for individualising their character. In this sense The Division is a kind of 'jack of all trades, master of none'. However, when played as part of a team, with an emphasis on ensuring the team gets through the mission, it offers a sense of achievement and accomplishment that I've only experienced bettered in Dark Souls. When you devise a strategy for taking down an enemy (or a group of enemies) with your team-mates and everyone fulfills their role as part of the team and you're successful, it's an extremely satisfying feeling. While there are legitimate criticisms of the variety in enemies (basically, there are 3 variants with a couple of sub-classes within each) The Division succeeds in taking you to enough different locations, and with ensuring the enemy AI is relatively refined to ensure that no fight ever goes by easily. Whereas in other games you might be able to find spots on the map where you can 'cheese' enemies (i.e. spots where the enemy will not go so you can pick them off at a distance, or glitches whereby an enemy will get stuck in parts of the map), the enemies in The Division employ a variety of tactics to ensure that you must engage with them directly. This also means that if one player doesn't do their job then the chances of you succeeding drastically reduce. Similarly, if everyone decides to group together in one spot, chances are you will attract the attention of all incoming enemies as well as a barrage of projectiles (grenades etc) which will mean your team won't last long.The much-heralded Dark Zone is the epitome - high level enemies employing a variety of tactics while you and your team-mates defend your potential extracted loot until its choppered away is a nerve-jangling, intense experience. The added mystery of the potential rogue agent deciding to take you out just before the chopper reaches you adds another layer of tension and exhilaration when you're finally successful (I've not been brave enough to go rogue myself yet!)All-in-all, The Division is one of the most interesting gaming experiences of the current generation. Like I say, it's by no means perfect. The story is for the most part instantly forgettable, as are the characters (even your own avatar doesn't speak so has no redeeming characteristics). The city of New York is OK - but given that it is covered in snow and for the most part abandoned, it tends to take on a very 'samey' feel after a few hours (unlike, say, Los Santos in GTA). Some of the games underlying systems are poorly explained - for instance the 'buffs' that are available to players (energy bars to remove status effects (like fire) and water to add additional damage to top-level enemies) are introduced in a short menu pop-up which given their importance is a bit of an oversight. Players who are unfamiliar with RPGs might not even know to look for such an item, let alone that they should use them. And most importantly of all, players who prefer an individual experience would be well-advised to look elsewhere. Most missions you simply cannot do on your own (even though it gives you the option to) and traversing New York doing the same side-missions again and again will get boring very quickly. However, once you have found a team of players willing to engage with the experience it's a real tour-de-force.

17.5.2016

So, I bought this game together with a Season Pass, I usually play the COD franchise, but thought I would give this game a go on recommendation from a friend. I am on Level 28 and have 2 missions to go. It's a fun game to play, to some extent. But there are some very annoying game play issues with the game, more frustrating that anything else really.- One thing is the game save. Once you start a mission, you basically have to finish it in one session. If you don't, then you have to go right back to the start of the mission. I know I am not the best player in the world, but it might have taken me an hour or so to get to the last part of the mission, I then spend another hour trying to get past the closing sequence,which has been made very hard - I run out of time and can't stay playing, so I close the game. When I return, I have to do the whole mission again. Frustrating! I fail to understand why you can't just pick up where you left off. Fair enough, make players have to do the final sequence again from the start, but not right from the start of the mission!- The servers have got better, but it still kicks you off randomly with weird error messages. So frustrating. Especially, because of the previous point, three times I have been 70% through a mission, the server kicks me off and then when I finally get back into the game .. sometimes an hour or two later .. I have to go right back to the start again.- At times, it's almost like the game cheats when you're close to completing a mission. I have had my character randomly stand up from behind cover, without me even touching the controller. I have had snipers in cover, they stand up and I shoot instantly and drop back down and randomly, they have shot me? Um, how? I have had my character seem to get 'stuck' and won't move, meaning I get shot. Quite a few glitches.- Part of my enjoyment of other franchises like COD is being able to creep up on the enemy and stab them, kill them, keep quiet and stay in cover. It makes it exciting. You can't do that with this game. You can creep about, to some extent, then an exclamation mark appears above the enemy head and you are noticed, almost every time. You can't use a knife and stealth kill an enemy. It's a shame. I think it would be more realistic. Yes, it's fun to go in all guns blazing, but not very realistic- The Dark Zone was created by some very mean, evil people. I don't understand what enjoyment you're meant to get from it. I know it's challenging for some to have a very difficult game, but it's impossible. You are faced with someone who have clearly somehow managed to increase themselves by whatever means to a rating that you simply can't overcome. I guess these players are finding it fun, but for the average player, it's frustrating, annoying and if you're anything like me, you simply avoid that part of the game and don't even bother. I haven't been back into the zone and feel I am missing out on a huge part of the game, but I won't go back in there, it's a waste of time. It's a bit like sometimes when you go into the Online game of COD and you keep getting shot within 6 seconds from a hidden sniper, you just give up after a while,I don't want to make this review totally negative. It is a fun game, you will be addicted, I promise you that! The graphics, in my opinion, are very good and the music is perfect; in fact, the music helps build the tension during the game, can't fault it. You think you will have a 'cheeky hour' on the game and realise you have spent 5 hours straight and wonder where the time has gone!A good game but has it's problems. I would recommend the game and I am sure you will enjoy it. I just think, with some things, it won't live up to your expectations. Which is a shame, it wouldn't take too much to make this game truly unmissable.- On a side note, it would be good if you could have an option to make the game easier for disabled and people with physical or mental issues. The easy difficulty on a lot of similar games is way too easy for a lot of us, but for someone like my sister, who does have some issues, its the fun of playing a game and the sense of achieving something. On this game, the lowest difficulty is still impossible for many people who just want to have a bit of fun, at a level that's more suited to them. Maybe it's something you could include in future games, after all, it wouldn't hurt to add that option and it would open the game up to players who can't play this version through no fault of their own

9.3.2016

So this is a tricky one to review at the minute in the sense that so much of this game will only reveal itself once you have ranked up and unlocked all the extra missions/skills and challenges but for those wanting an early view of the game, here it is.This is a third person cover shooter with RPG/MMO elements, think Gears of War for the way your character moves from cover point to cover point; but then say any RPG you care to name in terms of levelling your character. As you defeat missions and kill the enemies and bosses you will level up and find enemies dropping gear & weapons you can pick up, these get progressively better the further you get in the game, with white items being rubbish,then scaling up with green, blue, purple and then finally what is called “superior gear” being yellow, the current level cap is 30, which I’m sure some “hardcore” will hit really quick, but from my perspective I’ve played 4+ hours and hit level 6 so I foresee it taking a while to max out.Your character has 3 major attributes with minor attributes that can be improved depending on what gear/weaponry you find or buy from the vendors. Some items will improve your firearms, others health/stamina and the other stat that can be improved is electronics/skill power. This gives you a choice how you wish to develop your character and play style. Want to be a tank with huge health? Have weaker firearms and increase your stamina/HP etc. This also makes for some interesting team play as you work out your role within your group if playing with others, which brings me on to the co-op/pvp mode.The co-op so far seems excellent being able to drop in and out of games with no fuss whatsoever is painless and easy to do, setting up a group couldn’t be easier with a group management panel in the menu that allows you to invite/join groups with ease. For those wanting to find random players there is options for matchmaking found at various points in the world and when selecting the main story missions on the map, again all seems to work very easily.Then you have the Dark Zone which offers some of the best (if not the best) gear available, here your aim is to kill AI with the aim of them dropping loot and in game credits, you must then extract that item for you to be able to use it. However other players in the DZ can attack you and steal your item (going rogue in the process) which makes for some extremely tense situations as you wait for the extraction whilst nervously watching the movements of nearby players; in my time so far in the game and the 2 beta’s this has been huge fun, and more activities are planned in the DZ over the course of the game’s life with weekly/daily challenges and supply drops being the few mentioned so far.It is impossible to try and cover the whole game here because a) of the sheer size of it and the myriad options available (haven’t even mentioned crafting and the numerous side missions outside the main story) and b) because the end game component is still somewhat unknown.The graphics/sound are all top notch and definitely feel next gen, the story so far has been excellent and in particular the opening cut scene is superb and really drags you in from the get go. Also so far there have been very little problems with the servers with my brother and I only losing connection once for about a minute out of our 4+ hours of gaming last night, which for an open world game is far more impressive than other titles have managed.All in all if you enjoy third person shooters or RPG style games then I highly recommend this game as what is present now is excellent and the promise of more to come fills me with hope that this game will run for some time and have great longevity.

17.3.2016

Very good game - possibly only 4 star but there are so many dumb 1 star reviews I gave it an extra star - it is and always has been an online game - it says so pretty clearly on the front of the box and in the many reviews - if you bought it without knowing this then it is not the games fault it is yours - don't give 1 star. If amazon delivered a day late - it is amazons fault not the games - don't give 1 star - this is a game review you're writing not an Amazon service review!!Anyway rant over.I see a lot of people compare this to Destiny and there are similarities in terms of weapon and gear purchase, upgrade modification etc. It is all very well handled in this game - slightly confusing at 1st but like any game the more you play the more you understand.The one thing I noticed is there is no clear and obvious upgrade pattern, some items improve certain attributes whilst reducing others - more so than destiny.In terms of game play you have various guns, grenades and special abilities and need to kill various types and strengths of bad guys and bosses to complete main missions, side mission and encounters. All of which progress the game along by giving you access to new parts of New York (you can access various parts of New York from the start but just won't be at a suitable level), access to better equipment and improve your base of operations. It reminds of InFamous in many ways - without the super powers.This is very much a duck and cover game, keep your distance, stay out of trouble and shoot whilst you can.All of the above is pretty standard stuff for online shooter/RPG style games but The Division does do it very well.Where I think it stands out it the sheer size of the map, the graphical style of New York (graphics are pretty good not worth moaning about), the feel of despair across the city and some of the little details such as dogs having a go at you if you disturb them. All very good.The multiplayer aspect is also very good - 4 player teams are almost essential on some missions - the matchmaking works very well most of the time and if not playing with friends it seems to pick other players of an equal level. Everyone I've played with so far has co-operated very well alsoThe dark zone is also very interesting - to rogue or not to rogue - I'm still getting to grips with this section.There are a few problems however.Glitches - it's a brand new game so some are expected - the most annoying is assembling a fire team for a mission only to find you are locked out / can't even start the mission. People joining you on a mission but being locked on the outside. I've also been trapped in a bush with no escape other than log out. I've also been in a safe house where everything lost colour. Doors I've unlocked becoming locked again.Encounters - quickly become very repetitive and somewhat boring but needed for XP and the odd piece of equipmentSide Missions - not as boring and repetitive as encounters but some are pretty identical just with different scenery - these are more essential to progressing the game however.And this one may just be me but it seems to take forever to load - I'm okay to read the epilepsy warning once but every flipping time - come on guys!!

8.3.2016

Having played the both the closed and open beta for the division I must say I was impressed with what I initially saw.TD is a mix of ghost recon, gta and rainbow six all piled into one (I'm not sure if that will be a good thing for some). Being a fan of the Tom Clancy franchise my view on this game maybe distorted. I was massive fan of all the GRAW series, TD seems to take its control set from the traditional GRAW games. The use of running, cover, secondary and primary weapons plus the use of consumable items. I liked the scale involved for the level of customisation for your character, in any modern game, you want to feel as though your character is unique.The use of collectable items and vendors and crafting reminds me of destiny.The missions and side quests also reminds me of destiny, the repetitive nature of the side quests is also abit like destiny(I should really stop comparing it to destiny).The main missions in the game allow for the story development and for you to develop your forward operating base and improve the efficiency of all it's facilities. You will take it from a squat to a palace in no time.Multiplayer takes place in THE DARK zone. I liked this as you could team up with others, unlike battlefront matchmaking is included allowing you to find a squad to hang with. If you want to go rogue you can attack other squads and become a target for all to take down. Hours of fun assured.Overall this is an interesting concept. I hope the overall gameplay doesn't become stail after a few hours. I hope this isn't just this year's destiny. Only time will tell.I would suggest this for fans of the franchise and those who enjoy a good third person shooter experience. I would also say keep your eyes peeled for Ghost Recon Wildlands, an open world shooter coming soon.######UPDATE######I am now 8 hours into the main campaign mode of the game, I must say I am still impressed with the scale of the game. The level of detail that has been poured into asset creation for the New York setting is immense.Straight out of the box this game requires a 27 Gb update so have some coffee standing by.The level for customisation in the game is even larger than I expected, loot is collectible after most major combat engagement. Loot can range from a pair of gloves to a weapon. All items are levelled and provide a sense of achievement once earned collected or crafted.The best feature of the game has to be the match making and drop in drop out co-op in your own campaign and the rest of the game mode. Being able to game with friends when you want to is a bonus.The storyline thus far has been clear in terms of direction and scope. Voice acting in some parts could be improved but on the whole act to help tell the narrative.Overall still impressed with the gameplay mechanics and the overall story (thus far).

18.4.2016

First the positives, the graphics are truly stunning, New York looks amazing and you can have a great time with friends doing the missions, but try them alone and you have little chance on some until you rank up. At the moment I've a gear score of 205, normal rank 30 and Dark Zone level 76, mmm confused yet?There are three currencies in the game, normal credits (you get from the Campaign missions), dark zone credits (earned in the dark zone)and phoenix credits (earned from doing daily missions, weekly missions etc, why there are so many is ridiculous, for example I have over 3 million normal credits and can't but anything usual with them.The Vendors in Safe Houses or the Home Base become virtually redundant apart from you having to grind out daily missions etc to get your Phoenix credits,

22.3.2016

At the start of this game you'll be pleased with the graphics and sound effects of a major city that has spiralled out of control due to a viral outbreak, namely NYC. Trash, crashed cars, abandoned loot bags and bewildered New Yorkers litter the snow covered streets making for an atmospheric back drop to your new gaming environment. Player movement, camera angles, 3rd person over the shoulder aiming and cover system is based on Ghost Recon Future Soldier (another Tom Clancy title) and it works really well. Click R3 and you'll be into FPS aiming down whatever sight you have equipped on your guns. The main storyline and side quests involve various tasks which will inevitably mean battling The Rikers,

15.4.2016

This game is actually a difficult one the review because it can be really fun and exhilarating but also on the other hand it can be boring and soul less, here I will explain why.When I first started playing this I was very disappointed, the side missions are very repetitive and although the main missions are set in different locations to one another you are essentially killing the same mobs of enemies over and over the only difference being their difficulty level. The customization to your character is also abit of a joke, when you create him or her at the start there is probably about 5 or 6 character model faces you can choose everyone looks the same and you have no connection to your character at all.

4.4.2016

Well, essentially my PS4 was a Battlefield 4 machine. Occasional bouts of Fallout, Last of us, Uncharted et al but predominantly Battlefield, until this arrived.Importantly, Tom Clancy's The Division is NOT a First Person Shooter. if you buy it thinking that it is then you could be disappointed, the enemy factions can be Bullet Sponges - and don't just drop when shot, which may be frustrating. BUT, persevere with this simple Shooter RPG' (similar to Destiny) and the rewards (IMHO) are there. The story - an engineered virus outbreak on 'Black Friday' and it's aftermath - the breakdown and fall of society, and the enabling of sleeper 'agents' - the titular 'Division' is scarily somewhat feasible,

7.7.2018

I think it's now in top 10 MMO RPGs, it's overtaken a lot of things and now sits close to 5th. Updates and tweaks have made this game a brilliant RPG and it's end game is where I've put about 190hrs into and I'm still playing it into 240hrs and definitely is due to go beyond until Division 2 comes. Proper number crunching and decision making involved, the game is all gear optimisation and strategy based - you cannot play this game like an FPS, need to properly move use technique on Heroics/Legendary runs and synergise with other playstyles. Variety and freedom of how you can build a character is limitless, DPS, Healer, and Tank are a thing, the game is about health bar depletion on bosses and harder enemies.

15.3.2016

So when The Division first got announced I was completely indifferent to it. "Oh great, another game where you shoot people in a city while kids inform you about the great times they had with your mum last night", how wonderful. All the way up until release, the more I see of The Division, the more I thought it looked like some sick lovechild of Watch Dogs and Destiny (which, in my opinion, are the perfect representations of everything wrong with modern day AAA gaming), but I got gifted it from a friend, so I figured I'd give it a shot.Suddenly before I knew it, I'd played 6 hours in one sitting. This game is unlike any other big name shooter out there at the moment,

9.3.2016

I played this for about 5 hours last night after work. It looks stunning and the gameplay is smooth and fun. I play A LOT of Grand Theft Auto 5, but unfortunately they don't have similar button configurations, so by habit I was tapping 'A' to run...which resulted in my character roly-polying all over the place, but I'll get to learn the buttons.The AI is extremely intelligent, which makes it very very challenging! They don't just stand there shooting you, they will lay down suppressive and covering fire for each other, run for cover when their health is low whilst it replenishes, and try to flank you so you can't just sit in one spot picking them off. You could argue that they are too clever,

17.8.2016

There will be a mixed bag of reviews for this game, and my mind is no different towards it. On the whole, I love playing this game... With friends. I'm fortunate to have a gaming community of over 700 members on Destiny, and quite a few bought the Division to Play. Otherwise, I'd be head butting a wall!The game itself is great fun, and has some great challenging parts. The gear system is always being reworked to make it better and easier to understand. The downside is you're always going through your loot everytime you have a fight to see if something is very marginally better than what you've got on. But for the hardcore rpg player, this is quite normal!The downside to this game is the difficulty levels mixed with the rewards you get.

14.4.2016

What can I say,A brilliant 3rd person shooter with plenty to do and collect.Had a few logging problems to begin with as this game requires you to be connected to the internet to play (Like Destiny) but once these problems were sorted have had lots of fun with the game.This game is a brilliant co op game and even better if you play it with your real friends online rather than just random people online, although still playing with random people is fun.Help each other overcome the enemy by suppressing them while your team mates get into a better position to flank them. Complete objectives, rank up,

12.3.2016

The Division is a very impressive game in many departments. First of all, the atmosphere and ambience is exceptional and engrossing. Ubisoft have really pulled out all the stops to create an immersive gaming experience. I have been playing for 20 hours so far and there is so much to do in the game that you won't get bored quickly. Maybe once you hit the Level 30 cap you might find a lack of content to keep you engaged but there's still the Dark Zone (PVP and High level Elite area) and the Dailies to deal with.I am surprised how much I like it because having played the closed beta, I wasn't that impressed. They seem to have made the gunplay a lot more meaty and enjoyable though. Plus,

Tom Clancy's The Division - Reviews

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