This game is something that I was sceptical on getting at first because I didn’t have the best experience with the first game. However I heard that the game over time improved to where the game felt new. I was curious to see if the Division 2 could continue this good reputation and I am happy to report that it definitely has. Especially when you are a part of a fun clan like I am in the game is so much more fun.
STORY
The game takes place 7 months after the New York outbreak. You get a SHD distress call in Washington D.C. and go see what is going on. From then on the story is a bit loose but good. The story is rather good compared to the one in the Division 1. I mean the Division 2s story is at least there and noticeable and in my opinion is not that bad. I like the story missions. They do seem very well put together for a game like the Division. Mixing cut scenes and drama and boss fights all together does make the story seem rather fleshed out. Problem is once you discover a new area you can complete the story missions in that area while skipping what hasn’t been done in the previous areas which means you can miss out on vital story content which is never good.
But the more you complete the story the more skills you can learn which helps. Like for example if you had the seeker mines at the start and wanted another skill. Complete enough story missions and you will be able to learn another skill like the turret. This does give the player more of an incentive to complete the story missions but I played it because I liked the story as it is. The main characters in the cut scenes however do seem rather emotionless. Like Alani Kelso and Odessa Sawyer didn’t seem to show all that much emotion in the cut scenes apart from 1 cut scene with Kelso holding a child.
GAMEPLAY
The gameplay is amazing and is extremely good. The first thing you will notice is that all the loot has a different look to everything else. For example you get a different rucksack that has the same level gloves but because of the manufacturer and where they came from they look different. So you can always customise how your character looks which is nice. Ubisoft have really aced the loot for this game down to a tee. I mean everything you pick up feels unique. For example if an enemy drops an M4 rifle I will still pick it up as I have one in my inventory but everything can have abilities like the strained ability. This gives the player an addition 5% of damage for every 5% of armour missing from your character. This however is one of many abilities and it is rather cool and in depth enough that it is easy to grasp for the casual player and good for people who like to specify in creating builds.
The main stage apart from the loot is the gadgets/skills. These include the firefly, drone, hive, seeker mine and others. My favourite combo when I am soloing the game is the turret and the seeker mine. Don’t think though that once you get these that’s it you have them and nothing else can be done with them. You can get different versions of the turret. For example the turret can shoot bullets and another variant you can unlock is the flamethrower variant. You unlock these variants by using SHD tech points. You get these by completing missions and finding them in an open world. These are further enhanced by the fact you can MOD all these gadgets too.
The enemies are also where the games shines it’s brightest. You have 3 factions these are the hyenas, True sons and the outcasts. Plus an end game content faction. Every faction plays sort of differently. The hyenas are more in your face with melee attackers and simple foot soldiers. The true sons are the hardest in my opinion as they are like trained soldiers and are quite a challenge on your
own. The outcasts are like a mix of both other factions but with craziness added in. I do like the fact that there is an actual end game content for a game like this. The previous game fell in this regard and so did the big game just like this that came out a month just before. This game was called Anthem. Which had an abundance of end game content in my opinion.
THE OPEN WORLD
The open world here is amazing. The city of Washington DC truly shines in the Division 2. The city of NYC from the first game was good but just felt empty. Lifeless and rather boring in my opinion. However in the Division 2 this is turned around on its head. The world is a lot more bright and lush with greenery and wildlife which is a nice change to the dull city of New York. The world is so detailed that all the monuments like the white house truly stand out from the rest of the worlds locations. But the most astonishing thing for me is that the world feels more alive with the map being full of events to complete, dark zones to enter and the settlements to upgrade by completing missions for them. You can also see friendly NPCs walking around guarding places, scavenging and patrolling areas. It is just a nice thing to have in an open world where the world does actually feel alive.
The sweet spot for this games open world is that it is genuinely interesting to explore. There are loads of collectables and you can help people in the world by protecting them in a convoy. Or you can ambush one by the bad guys and take their loot and supplies. The world does truly feel open. However sometimes the world does feel rather unclear on how you get to places that you need to. But I guess that is the adventure of the game. You will also be very well compensated for exploring by getting great gear and also finding a guy giving out bounties and other missions. This makes the world feel really thick and full with stuff for the player to enjoy and it has been a while since a looter shooter has felt like that. Like you are getting a complete package.
OVERVIEW
The Division 2 is definitely worth picking up if you want a looter shooter that has no strings attached and is a complete package from the get go. This game was a very welcome surprise because I didn’t like the first game but I love the second instalment. Even though the story is rather loose and a bit everywhere it is still an enjoyable experience and the gameplay loop is extremely addictive especially the dark zone. This is something I never went into in the first game and I really wish I had. I love the dark zone. It makes the game a brand new game in my opinion. I would honestly give this game a definite buy because the amount of content on offer is a massive amount that can last a long time. Especially if you want to collect all the collectables.