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10 Things We Learned at Anthem’s Live Event

10 Things We Learned at Anthem’s Live Event

CheatCC recently had a chance to fly out to San Diego to check out BioWare’s upcoming game, Anthem , as part of a February 2019 press event. I honestly didn’t know what to expect. In my head, I figured it was something like “ Destiny, but not.” That’s very reductive, though. Here are ten things I’ve learned about the game since going that I think might be useful to you.

Anthem is Beautiful

Anthem is Beautiful

It doesn’t take long for this impression to kick in. In fact, it’s the literal first thing you’ll notice in Anthem ​and, as they say, first impressions are hard to shake. I’ve been telling people for two weeks now, when they’ll listen to me, how beautiful this game is. Every blade of grass, every leaf, every shimmer in the scenery looked beautiful on the top of the line rig I was playing on. I’m hoping this aspect of the game is preserved on every version of Anthem .

The Game is Binge-able

The Game is Binge-able

Of course, beauty is only skin deep, and there needs to be a lot under the hood to totally justify the experience. Typically speaking, I am not someone who binges video games. Even if I am playing for a couple of hours, I get up to wonder around; my attention span is just that lacking. I played Anthem all day, almost unimpeded, and didn’t struggle for a moment to stay focused.

The Game Benefits from Multiplayer

The Game Benefits from Multiplayer

Part of this is because Anthem ‘s multiplayer dynamic is impressive and I can’t imagine I would have had as much fun if it wasn’t for my squadmates. I did get some time to play single player and, yeah, I had fun but the way the different classes play and the myriad of ways players can carve out a role for themselves escalates the whole experience.

The Classes are Well-Defined

The Classes are Well-Defined

Truly, the classes in Anthem are unique. I compare this to Destiny. That is a game where, and don’t chew my head off for this, the classes are different, but overall feel interchangeable with only a few differences. In Anthem , you’ll know which role you’re playing within moments, even if you pick up the controller at random and have never touched the game before.

There are Puzzles

There are Puzzles

Here’s another way Anthem could be compared to Destiny: there are puzzles in Anthem . I appreciate this, because it breaks up the gameplay and helps build a sense of teamwork among players. The one I completed was in a big room where everybody split up to flip color-coded levers. It’s simple enough, but the effect was noticeable. Then it was time to get back to shooting.

The End Game is like Destiny, but Different

The End Game is like Destiny, but Different

The Anthem endgame, as you might expect, will be heavy with raids and challenges. It’s not entirely like Destiny though, and the narrative present feels more explicit in nature. There are two main things to do in the endgame, and it’s good that they are fun because PvP isn’t present in this title.

Legendary Contracts have a quest-like feel. You and up to 3 others go to points on a map and check off goals, but you’ll do so in the presence of fun and interesting enemies. Strongholds, on the other hand, give this sense of dungeon diving into a hostile, intriguing environment. I can see myself jumping between these two options liberally, but I have yet to develop a preference. In fact, they might end up feeling as repetitive as any other game’s end game, but right now it’s shiny, novel, and fun.

Tons of Customization

Tons of Customization

Part of what kept me engaged in Anthem was the degree to which I could customize my character. There are so many ways to paint your armor, and there are even more ways to customize your loadout. It’s very easy to carve out a style of player that suits your personality and, while a meta game will surely develop, this freedom inspires me to hunt down loot to fit my preferred style.

The Story Feels Huge Already

The Story Feels Huge Already

I’m getting a sense of a big story with huge, dramatic turns with Anthem . The game’s opening hits heavy, and the world is built on a lore that has a mythological feel. I’m a big fan of exposition, so this is good, but sometimes worldbuilding is all a game has. This game feels like it’s going to have a very forward moving plot that is easy to follow.

No PvP is a Good Thing

No PvP is a Good Thing

No PvP may sound like a bad thing, but it’s really not. By taking out the PvP in Anthem , BioWare has more freedom to play with the classes. The developer doesn’t have to worry about balancing as much, and it has already showed creativity with what it’s doing. Some classes are just going to put out larger amounts of damage and that is a great feeling in PvE; you get what you choose. It also opens up a lot of future options for DLC.

Roleplaying with NPCs has Potential

Roleplaying with NPCs has Potential

I didn’t get to see much of this when I played Anthem , because I wasn’t in the ideal environment to experience this sort of thing. I’m a bit worried that the social encounters with NPCs that BioWare is so well known for won’t have much of an impact on the story. The few characters I spoke to didn’t exactly win me over, and I didn’t feel like they were all that affected by me either. I’m really hoping BioWare gets this right, because it can really, really help pull players into the world.

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