Our author Sven ventured into the world of Anthem during the VIP demo. One aspect of the game particularly captivated him.
That’s why I was initially skeptical about Anthem: As a big Destiny fan, I was initially skeptical about Anthem. The gameplay and concept of the upcoming BioWare title sparked my interest. However, despite increasing information, I was unsure if a shared-world shooter with a third-person perspective could offer the same experience as my beloved Destiny 2.
In that game, I play a space hero who can blast alien hordes and even their deities into the virtual afterlife in first-person perspective with all sorts of cool abilities and weapons – all paired with excellent gunplay, a spectacular soundscape, and also together with friends.
Can Anthem actually hold its own? After all, comparable games like The Division or Warframe have personally failed to measure up to Destiny for me. To my surprise, however, I had to realize: Anthem can!
This is how the VIP demo went for me: After a bumpy start to the VIP demo, I was able to play for a total of about 7 to 8 hours and did pretty much everything the demo had to offer. I completed all the story missions, tested freeplay, and tackled the stronghold.
After I was done with that, I went on a loot hunt and experimented with my two Javelins – the Ranger and the Colossus. With these exosuits, I tested different weapons and gear, leading them through various missions and in the open world.
And I have to say: I was pleasantly surprised. Of course, Anthem has its rough edges – and many of them. There were numerous annoying bugs until the end, and the performance on the PS4 Pro was at times really lacking.
Moreover, the world sometimes felt very sterile, and the missions did not offer anything that would really blow me away. In short: There are still many issues that BioWare needs to address before launch. But the demo convinced me of the game’s potential.
I find the graphical presentation very successful; the world of Anthem looks largely breathtaking and invites exploration – despite some areas still appearing empty.
The missions follow the usual pattern but were especially fun when playing with friends. The loot spiral in particular had me hooked like back in the Diablo days and invited me to experiment.
Should I focus on melee combat with my Javelin? Do I prefer to take out enemies from a distance? Am I a fan of heavy artillery or precision weapons? Even with the limited loot of the demo, players could already try out various playstyles.
I also found the gunplay surprisingly appealing against all odds. You can clearly feel what kind of firearm you are holding. In combination with the skills of the respective Javelins and suitable equipment, it creates a flow of gameplay that, in my opinion, does not need to hide behind Destiny, Warframe, or The Division.
What I particularly liked: However, a specific aspect fascinated me about Anthem like no other game has before – not even my beloved Destiny. I am specifically referring to the gameplay feedback that the various exosuits, the Javelins, in Anthem provide.
The game created the illusion that I was truly sitting inside the Javelin that I was seeing on the screen. This feeling came from several factors working together perfectly, creating a gaming experience that I had never had before.
The powerful Colossus plays exactly as it looks. It is huge, heavily armored, and correspondingly armed. This Javelin feels noticeably sluggish and moves very awkwardly – whether in the air, on the ground, or in water.
The suit’s design, combined with the animations and the cumbersome controls, the sound of heavy steps, and the hydraulics working hard – all put me right in the middle of this massive Hulkbuster.
The individual Javelin skills and especially the third-person perspective contribute to this effect. This creates a comprehensive image of the suit that makes me feel every movement.
For example, the Ranger feels significantly lighter and more agile and plays accordingly. The appealing controls, suitable sounds, and animations create the feeling that you’re controlling an “athletic” fighting machine with this Javelin.
With each Javelin, you control a noticeably different exosuit with everything that comes with it – appearance, sound, feeling. I could clearly notice this in my last evening compared to the Storm.
And this feeling makes Anthem unique for me. I have never experienced such a lively representation of the “player character” in comparable titles. From now on, all other competing titles will have to be measured against this spectacular portrayal of the Javelins.
That’s why I’m looking forward to the Open Demo: For the first time in my gaming life, a third-person shooter has truly captured me.
Since I have only been able to intensively test two Javelins so far, I am really looking forward to the Open Demo of Anthem. After the first hours in this new world, I can hardly wait to put the other two exosuits to the test and experiment with different equipment.
Anthem still has a long way to go and must convince in numerous critical aspects such as endgame, content flow, loot, and long-term motivation. But the game definitely has potential.
Therefore, I can only recommend to anyone who is fond of games like Division, Destiny, or Warframe to check out Anthem during the upcoming Open Demo and make their own judgment. It might be worth your while.
What do you think of the portrayal of the Javelins? Do you have any other aspects that make Anthem unique for you?
