What “Tom Clancy’s The Division” Offers
The Division is an upcoming MMO shooter developed by Massive Entertainment (a subsidiary of Ubisoft) and published by Ubisoft. It is a third-person cover shooter. This is already a significant criterion that sets The Division apart from the previously presented shooters. The game is set to be released on March 8, 2016.
In what setting does The Division take place?
You take on the role of a special unit agent from “The Division.” A virus spread rapidly and brought public life to a halt. Now it is up to you to survive in the post-apocalyptic New York and restore order in the big city. You are to save what is left. The motto of The Division is:
“When society falls, we rise”
The open-world setting in The Division is realistic. A vibrant game world full of details has been created. The disaster scenario in the game is based on real investigations. According to the developers, the consequences of this viral outbreak are reminiscent of the disaster simulation “Dark Winter” published by the US government in 2001.
What role does the online aspect play?
Like in Destiny, you must always be connected to the servers to play The Division. So if maintenance work or internet issues occur, the game cannot be played in that time. You will encounter other human agents on your journey through post-apocalyptic New York.
What MMO features are included?
A comparison with Destiny is also permissible here: both MMO shooters feature a persistent world. In the game world of The Division, you will also frequently encounter other players and can join them in battle.
Furthermore, social features are highly emphasized: you can team up with others for missions, etc.
Moreover, content for larger groups is expected to be introduced to The Division. What this will look like is still unknown.
What does progression look like in the game?
The Division features pronounced RPG elements. Over the course of the game, your character gains experience: you unlock abilities through certain activities, which can be divided into skills, talents, and perks. You can see exactly what this entails and what abilities there are in this guide. Basically, the abilities provide advantages that are useful in combat.
The maximum level in The Division is 30. After that, it’s about collecting loot and continuously improving with new weapons and armor pieces. There are numerous customization options and choices to modify them.
What does the PvE content look like?
Currently, little can be said about the content extent, as Ubisoft is especially tight-lipped about endgame content.
The currently known PvE content consists of story missions that can be completed alone or in a team. In the endgame, there are expected to be “incursions,” representing four-player activities. What other content Ubisoft is still withholding remains to be seen.
What does the PvP content look like?
The Dark Zone, the PvP area of The Division, has been positively received by the community during the beta phases. You can seamlessly enter this multiplayer area behind the walls of the quarantine zone. Here lies some of the best loot to be found. According to Ubisoft, the Dark Zone is the most dangerous place in the game, where fear, betrayal, and tension skyrocket.
In the Dark Zone, there are NPC enemies that need to be killed to collect loot. Additionally, you can also choose to eliminate other human agents to take their loot. However, this will mark you as rogue, and the hunt for you will begin. Alternatively, you can behave well in the Dark Zone, not kill other human players, and team up with them. However, you never know whom to trust. You decide whether you want to be “good” or “evil.”
When collecting loot, you cannot claim it as your own right away. You must first transport it out of the Dark Zone at extraction points. These extraction points are places where other agents are likely to ambush you. Hence, utmost caution is advised. Only once your loot has been extracted can you rejoice over it.
What can be said about the eSports area?
Since The Division has not yet been released and has to establish itself first, nothing can currently be said about eSports. Whether and how the Dark Zone or potential other PvP modes will be suitable for eSports remains to be discussed.
Who is The Division interesting for?
The Division is suitable for all gaming enthusiasts who enjoy MMO shooters with a realistic setting – even if it is not particularly “realistic” that you need to hit enemies multiple times in the head until they go down. This seems more believable when facing aliens.
The RPG aspect in The Division is pronounced for a shooter. Whether the game will provide long-term fun and what variations will exist in PvE and PvP remains to be seen.
The Division received the USK rating of 18 and over.
What conclusion can be drawn?
The three shooters differ enormously in many aspects, which is why listing all differences would not be fruitful. However, what the games have in common is their strong focus on the online aspect. In Destiny and The Division, MMO features are more in the foreground than in Black Ops III, but even in the latest installment of the CoD series, the trend is evident that shooters are increasingly relying on social features.
In all three games, you can face off against computer-controlled enemies together or compete against other players in PvP. Going out alone and hunting virtual enemies offline does not seem to be the future of major shooter titles.
Ultimately, all three shooters will also be supplied with DLCs to keep players entertained for a long time. This is intended to ensure that online fun can be sustained in the long term.
