Game Review: Tom Clancy’s The Division

Mysterious and dark, Ubisoft’s new release has everyone talking. However, it’s not their usual run-of-the-mill annual grind – has it got the potential to break the Ubisoft mould?

The game opens unusually with a film of mock adverts, news and CCTV. This commitment to creating a believable apocalyptic beginning puts The Division up there as my favourite game opener. The dark tone runs throughout your experience as you pick up threads of story from dropped mobile phones and documents; this scramble of a storyline cleverly reflects the lack of control and direction by the authority in the city. The brilliance of the story-telling is in the stark horror of lost loved ones and cries for help, set in contrast with the humour of mundane conversations picked up from before the virus hit.

Your briefly personalised character is one of many Division agents that have risen up to defend the city against depravity. Limitation on character customisation is a reminder that this is no Skyrim, but more an RPG-lite. Starting outside of Manhattan, you are introduced to the game mechanics and controls in a steady flow of information and controlled situations, shooting beer cans or the odd street looter. While very good at showing you the ropes before throwing you to the wolves, this hour-long process could be a drag for a second playthrough. The option to skip the tutorial would be good, but for first-time players, the scale and complexity of the game makes the tutorial a must.

The RPG aspect of the game is immediately gratifying as you loot your first chest or body, beginning your journey into obsession as you try to decide what items to keep, trade, mod or disassemble for parts. There is a wide variety of supplies to be collected, from cosmetics to structural supplies for your home-base. This keeps you on your toes as you work to buff multiple tiers of progression. Using a colour system much like Borderlands to designate gear quality, it is a smooth process to sort your inventory, and allowing changes on the fly, every menu is seamlessly efficient when you know where to look.

The missions, encounters and side quests are entertaining and develop your understanding of the past in non-linear fashion. However, when you fancy goofing off with a few buddies or a stranger, the Dark Zone never disappoints! Using a ranking system across the map, you will rarely find yourself too underpowered or overpowered, unless you go looking for trouble. With levelled A.I. on the prowl and other players looking for sport or easy loot, extracting valuables can be extremely tense. The ability to drop in on a friend at the click of a button with no waiting for matchmaking is revolutionary; this is restrained in the Dark Zone to an extent for obvious reasons but still creates a seamless experience.

The vision Ubisoft had for this game certainly seems to have paid off so far. In execution, there have been occasional bugs, but nothing that could bring the game down. Assuming the promise of a monthly DLC release is kept, there is no reason to think this game couldn’t go from strength to strength throughout its life. As it is, I struggled to put the controller down long enough to write this. Smooth, dark, smoky and addictive, The Division is certainly a fantastic game.

Author: Joe, Bath store