BioWare revealed new information about Anthem at PAX West. The developers talked about how every player will experience an individual story despite the online multiplayer aspect. The NPCs in the city of Fort Tarsis will play a significant role here.
The story of Anthem is said to have somewhat less scope than what players are used to from the single-player RPGs from BioWare. At its core, the game will be a loot shooter, where players chase increasingly better gear for their Javelin exosuits.
New story details at PAX West: Nonetheless, BioWare aims to create a profound story for Anthem that players will experience partly alone and partly with others. The developers explained how this will work during a panel discussion at PAX West 2018.
Players experience their own story through NPCs
In Anthem, you will encounter various characters and personalities. Much of the story unfolds through interactions with these NPCs.
NPCs offer choices: When you return from missions, you can talk to the NPCs. In the conversations, you learn about their backgrounds, motivations, and more about the world of Anthem. Here, you can choose your responses and reactions from various options. Your choice influences the story you individually experience in Anthem.
Choice from two options: However, the options are quite limited. You will always choose from only two options. While more than simple “yes/no” choices will be presented, the two options will often be polar opposites of each other.
Choice does not limit content: The relationships you build with the NPCs may vary – including what they tell you. However, your choices will not restrict you in terms of content.
You cannot make someone so angry that they will no longer give you a quest. Similarly, you cannot make someone so happy that they suddenly provide you with better gear.
The story only takes place in Fort Tarsis, but there are “lore treasures” in the open world
Anthem is a multiplayer online shooter, but it is still expected to have a profound story, as is typical for BioWare. To ensure this, the story and multiplayer will be kept separate.
Fort Tarsis will be your hub: In the city of Fort Tarsis, every player is alone. Here, you will manage your gear such as the Javelin exosuits, accept missions, and encounter numerous NPCs. Through interactions with the NPCs, you will experience your story and can personalize it.
NPCs remain in Fort Tarsis: Unlike in the Mass Effect series, you cannot take NPCs on missions. There is a clear separation between the story and the multiplayer in the open-world map.
NPCs are less deep than what is usually expected from BioWare: Since the only interaction with NPCs occurs in Fort Tarsis, the bonds formed may not be as deep. BioWare itself stated that they are not written as deeply as in other games from the studio.
There are many NPCs: To compensate, Anthem has numerous characters with whom you can talk and build bonds.
Lore treasures in the open world: Similar to the Grimoire cards from Destiny, you can find small treasures during missions. These will reveal more about the backstory of Anthem, relating to a powerful anthem and gods.
The shared story runs through events in the open world
The PAX West panel was titled “Our World, My Story”. BioWare aims to create a narrative connection between players despite the separation between Fort Tarsis and the open world.
Experience shared events: BioWare has already explained that Anthem will not suffer from content drought due to special events. Events can include a major weather phenomenon. The stories of the players will be interconnected by experiencing and discussing these major events in Anthem together. These events will also contribute to the story.
This is how the developers explained the point “Our World”.
There will be 4 factions with which players can ally
You will encounter four factions that agents belong to. If you build a connection with the agents, you will receive new missions and tasks from them more easily. Once you have progressed through the story of Anthem, you will be able to enter into contracts with the agents to receive further tasks from them.
These are the four factions:
- The Sentinels: This faction acts as a type of police force and the highest guardians of the law in cities and settlements. Freelancers do not have a good reputation with the Sentinels and are seen more as an unorganized mob.
- Corvus: The Corvus avoid direct confrontation. They prefer to uncover threats through a network of secret agents, spies, and diplomats. They prefer to assign dirty jobs to freelancers so that their own agents do not get their hands too dirty.
- Krypter: Agents of this faction can communicate mentally over long distances and perform complex analytical calculations. They support freelancers on their missions by providing them with information and analyses from a distance.
- The Arcanists: This faction is dedicated to scientific mysticism, and its agents explore the mysteries of the world of Anthem. They aim to collect and categorize the entire knowledge of humanity. Through their technical interests, they have also developed the technology in the world of Anthem and brought progress.
Free DLCs to further develop the story
Anthem will receive free DLCs: As a “games-as-a-service” title, Anthem is set to be supplied with new content for a long time. There will be free expansions that will also advance the story of Anthem.
At PAX West, there was also a new story trailer, which you can see here:
