The Division: Impressions Day 10+

[J4MES OX4D 9,885]

So, it's been 10 days since release and was wondering people's thoughts towards the game now that they are settled in?

 

I am 25 hours in, level 18 but now feeling the repetitiveness kicking in that many angled to who were approaching the finale after roughly the same amount played on record. I've just finished the west side of the map and aside from the Base of Operations; I have absolutely no reason to return there especially in areas North West like Hell's Kitchen. It's a bit of a shame that beautifully crafted and detailed areas are used for only a few encounters, side missions and a main mission.

 

I'm off to Flatiron next and as usual, speak to the JTF office to attain 4 side missions and then head to the situation board to grab 4 encounters and that's all the district has to offer apart from the one main mission and even those have deteriorated - Times Square and Ametherst's Apartment were exceptionally lackluster missions. All the side missions are becoming repeated albeit in other areas - hostage rescue, uplink repair, missing person, bounty etc... and even the encounters are the same; such as assisting the JTF and obtaining supplies. I'm just repeating everything I've done already on another part of the map in almost exactly the same fashion. There's even two water pump missions earlier in the game that have exactly the same interior but are in two different locations. Considering there isn't much copy and past detail in this game; that was rather disappointing to see and I'll probably see another one the same later on guaranteed. 

 

The game still looks remarkable and incredibly detailed the more I delve into it but the gameplay is getting tedious now and as my current level outweighs the locations I am visiting thanks to very generous XP earned previous; the loot I am earning is weak so even that aspect is getting stale. The enemies are providing little challenge either and are nothing more than an inconvenience on the bland streets.  

 

The big thing I've noticed is that I'm only playing about 30-45 minutes a day now before I've had enough. This means I'll be able to string it out until next month but I'm disappointed that I can't sit down and have a highly engrossing session before calling it a day as I don't feel motivated to play. I think the samey missions have played a massive part in this as for the first 10-15 hours when I was learning the ropes; I didn't really mind but after a 6th supply shootout and 4 uplink repairs that are all the same format; it's gone down a typical open world sandbox route of not having the content to match the ambition.

 

I still think it's a great game and I'll get my money's worth but I cannot envision the longevity even with upcoming DLC for the rest of the year as the concept and format is just too weak for the long term. Definitely worth the experience of playing but apart from some different coloured guns that perform the same as the weaker ones against low level enemies; the format is the same all game and you can predict the missions on offer in a district before you've even unlocked them. Collectibles to fill the narrative void seems a waste of time too. 

[phil bottle 9,667]

If Ubisoft have any sense they'll put a lot of resources into new content. It could be a massive seller for them.

But it's Ubisoft. So we'll see how it goes.

Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk

[Riff Machine 2,105]

I'm really enjoying it.  I just hit level 27 and I've been moving slowly through it.  The one thing that really blows me away is the day/night/weather cycles in the game and how it can really effect come encounters.  Dense and foggy, I start sniping enemies from a distance, move to my right and take cover while they blind fire at the location my shots came from.  Enemies in the free roam areas level up as you do, while named boss encounters are at whatever level you currently are.  Unlike Destiny where say the cosmodrome always has level 2-4 enemies when making planet fall. 

 

A few things that I find annoying is how some enemies can nail you even if their weapon is both pointed at the ground and behind cover.  Also, shotgunners from a great distance seem to be awfully accurate and do a huge amount of damage.  I'm sure both will be patched at some point. 

 

Either way, Great game!

[Diddums 4,308]

Well, last night the penny dropped and I removed the disc and put Destiny back in. I'll still play it now and again but it's not a time sink for me. First off, after hitting level 30, I tried one of the dailies and the lag made it unplayable. I'm not talking about a little spike here or there, I'm talking about ploughing three mags (156 rounds a piece) into a bad guy, getting no damage numbers or hit markers, nothing. I'm also taking no damage however. About 20 seconds later, bam! Enemy falls to the ground, and I'm dead. The game basically just stored 20 seconds of activity and flung it all out in one shot. I tried about 6-7 times to find a new party, I stopped everything in the house from using the internet, rebooted my router, PS4, everything. It just happened over and over. I also noticed that by using match making, I was getting all sorts. People get in to a party, die once and leave, or just leave instantly, I get flung in to parties where there are just two of us, there were no other players joining, it was just an awful mess. 

 

I was playing a bit with Josh who also had a few issues but they seemed to come and go. Lee then hopped in so we ran around a bit and did some side missions, killing the same shit over and over and over in the same scenery over and over, then went to another area and did the same again and then it hit me: I'm just not enjoying this. It's boring. There were just the three of us on, which although is good, isn't the same as the six man parties we have in Destiny. There aren't enough people playing this game and the devs decision to restrict who can play with who depending on their level has ruined that aspect too. Someone on Overclockers needed a hand and was level 4. I hopped in (he was doing Madison Gardens) and the enemies were level 4 as well. Went to the next area, bam, all enemies level 25. That's fucking bullshit. So I can't help anyone who's lower than me because the bad guys increase their level and just one shot the lower guys. That was quite possibly the nail in the coffin for me, "here's this awesome team multiplayer game for you to play with your friends in co-op missions which is awesome and everything is awesome" except you must be similar levels or GTFO. No. Not happening. This happened with Lee as well, I was level 30, lee was 24 or 25 and we were rolling together when all of a sudden the guys on the streets are all level 28+. Fuck. That.

 

I haven't even been in to the DZ yet.

 

I then put Destiny back in and partied up with Maz, Gary, Davey Dave, Rod, Lee, Plumber Dave, and we went and had a blast in the crucible. That right there highlighted the lack of fun in the Division. yes the game is good and pretty and all that but you know what? It's fucking depressing. The setting is depressing, the lack of variety is depressing, the samey samey missions is depressing, it's just not a fun game. Destiny has a completely different art style, much broader colour palette, interesting characters, and a fuck tonne more variety. I know we're not supposed to be comparing the two as they're very different games but the fact is that I've had some of my fondest memories in gaming on Destiny and that's what I wanted from the Division, and it's probably not going to happen.

 

Another niggling problem with the Division can be described in one word: Fluidity. The cover system, while really good, is clunky. The third person system is also clunky. Not being able to walk off ledges or fling myself off a building is clunky. Yes it works and you get shit done but when you've got a little niggly ledge or whatever messing with your stride every couple of minutes it really starts to stand out and ruins the moment.

 

Ubisoft have demonstrated that they are listening to the players however so hopefully they'll release an update which changes the game for the better because right now, as it is, it's dull and boring. Angry Joe raised a good point with the game and that it's being restricted by the Tom Clancy licence and their obsession with making everything as realistic as possible. Ditch the licence, make some mutated monsters as bosses and we'll talk. Until then, RIP Division.

[JsinOwl 644]

It would seem many of the concerns I had were valid.

[Sennex 1,903]

I am enjoying Warframe, but will most likely end up getting Division around my birthday. I enjoyed it enough and the style of shooter it is, is something I will spend a lot of time in. 

[TigerBurge 2,374]

So you were bored doing the same missions over and over,shooting the same enemies over and over and you put in Destiny. I'm sorry but that's funny.

[BO7H B4RRELS 2,450]

While I'm not blown away by The Division, I'm definitely enjoying it.

I think I hyped it up so much in my head before release that it feels like a slight let down. But I'm still enjoying it.

I love playing it in a party, but I've enjoyed the challenge of solo too.

[Sennex 1,903]

So you were bored doing the same missions over and over,shooting the same enemies over and over and you put in Destiny. I'm sorry but that's funny.

 

LOLZ this

[JsinOwl 644]

So you were bored doing the same missions over and over,shooting the same enemies over and over and you put in Destiny. I'm sorry but that's funny.

Division enemies: humans

 

Destiny enemies: Fallen (Captains, Vandals, Dregs, Shanks), Cabal (Centurions, Legionaires, Phalanxes, Psions), Vex (Goblins, Hobgoblins, Minotaurs, Harpies), Hive (Wizards, Ogres, Knights, Acolytes), Taken (all of the above), Humans (fellow guardians in the Crucible).

 

Division locations: New York City

 

Destiny locations: Earth, Moon, Venus, Mars, Dreadnaught

 

Division bosses: Humans, Tanks?

 

Destiny bosses: Too long to list all Raid, Strike and mission bosses. Many are more powerful versions of normal enemies, but many are their own thing and require different mechanics to defeat.

 

Division supernatural abilities: -

 

Destiny supernatural abilities: Fist of Havoc, Ward of Dawn, Hammer of Sol, Nova Bomb, Radiance, Stormtrance, Golden Gun, Arcblade, Shadow Shot.

 

Division vehicles: ?, Tricks: No

 

Destiny vehicles: Sparrows, Tricks: Yes

 

Division weapons: limited to present day

 

Destiny weapons: limited to imagination

 

 

 

 

 

I think that's what Dids is getting at. Both games involve doing the same shit over and over, however, there is much more variety in Destiny. Doesn't necessarily mean Destiny is better, but I'd say it's a perfectly valid criticism.

[TigerBurge 2,374]

And one more thing, I'm not picking on you dave but you said the setting is depressing. NY city was hit with a mutated strain of the small pox virus. Do you want rainbows and unicorns? It's supposed to be depressing.

By no means am I a division fan boy but it's fun. It has some major issues that bother me but they have done a really good job on a new game. Very little problems that were game breaking,like destiny and their constant error codes and pvp lag which made it unplayable for many. When I get bored with it I'll go back to warframe. Destiny is pointless right now. Bungie has shown they don't listen to any one on what we want.

[techno 3,491]

Though I hate the comparison destiny is the better game but dead now however I fully understand where dids is coming from.

I did another mission tonight and it was enough though I may have done more if I wasn't tired but I've also no real desire to do more, no urgency no rush yet I've been back on cod for a couple of hours.

All the criticisms are warranted imo. I think it was always going to divide the community.

[TigerBurge 2,374]

Though I hate the comparison destiny is the better game but dead now however I fully understand where dids is coming from.

I did another mission tonight and it was enough though I may have done more if I wasn't tired but I've also no real desire to do more, no urgency no rush yet I've been back on cod for a couple of hours.

All the criticisms are warranted imo. I think it was always going to divide the community.

It's a better game now. Vanilla destiny had a major lack of content. Had maybe 20 hours of content. Comparing The Division to Destiny two years after it released is not a comparison.

[The3rdWalker 1,264]

I'm comparing vanilla to vanilla, but Diablo3 fits Division way better than Destiny, crafting system included.

[TigerBurge 2,374]

I'm comparing vanilla to vanilla, but Diablo3 fits Division way better than Destiny, crafting system included.

To be fair though you can't compare them you haven't played the division

[Diddums 4,308]

And one more thing, I'm not picking on you dave but you said the setting is depressing. NY city was hit with a mutated strain of the small pox virus. Do you want rainbows and unicorns? It's supposed to be depressing.

By no means am I a division fan boy but it's fun. It has some major issues that bother me but they have done a really good job on a new game. Very little problems that were game breaking,like destiny and their constant error codes and pvp lag which made it unplayable for many. When I get bored with it I'll go back to warframe. Destiny is pointless right now. Bungie has shown they don't listen to any one on what we want.

 

 

No, but I want more that one type of enemy. Christ, they could make dogs go rabid with this virus and attack people, even hunt in packs. There's so much scope for stuff here but all we have is dudes in bullet proof vests. Over. And over. And over. It's just boring. Don't get me wrong, I really hope that Ubi flesh this game out because the potential is there, no doubt about it. As it is now however, it feels more like a very pretty framework which is yet to be filled in properly. Yes Destiny is repetitive but at least you go to different settings. One mission you're on earth, next you're on Mars, completely different planet with a completely different setting and bad guys. Say what you want, the Division is going to get boring for most just running around the same buildings all the time. If there were dynamic events or random stuff that happened it'd be better, just something to make it more exciting. 

 

As for comparing the two, I'll always compare them because I ploughed hundreds of hours in to Destiny and wanted that from the Division too. For me it's not about the actual type of game and whatnot, it's the amount of fun I get out of it, and Destiny is in a completely different league, for now at least.

 

I dunno. I'll see how it evolves but it's safe to say that this is the most disappointed I've ever been in a game.

[Sennex 1,903]

Maybe I played a different Diablo, but it isn't anything like The Division.

 

Watchdogs is closer to Division than Diablo is

[techno 3,491]

It's a better game now. Vanilla destiny had a major lack of content. Had maybe 20 hours of content. Comparing The Division to Destiny two years after it released is not a comparison.

And I'm not, I see vanilla destiny as the games pinnacle and tbh people said division could be done in 15 hrs, though not by me.

Oh and vanilla destiny had way more replay ability with the rng loot system, forever 29

I can't complain too much however as I got exactly what I expected after playing the beta, I wanted a change to fill a gap when I'd had enough of Cod, no way was it going to be destiny again.

If they do listen and improve it, it may last beyond the autumn.

[TigerBurge 2,374]

The VoG was released a month after Destiny was released. The update in April with the division is bringing something new.

Ultimately I don't care what people play. Makes no difference to me. I'll get my time out of it as I do every game I play.

[techno 3,491]

Yes it was but you did have to get to level 26 to even do vog.

Destiny also launched with real pvp division didn't and destiny crucible has never been better than it was back then.

Oh by the time I get to level 30 I will have had my time out of it.

[crispymorgan 1,041]

Yes the city is massive, but why waste all that dev time if you only go there once?  There seems to be a blank canvas and nothing to fill it.  They need a team of guys just thinking shit up to do, and then implementing it.  storm a building floor to roof, survive a wave of attacks, full on riot, kill a target in a crowd of friendlies with no casualties.  The list could go on.  But we've gone back to destiny, scan thing, protect thing until time=0.  The dark zone is the key here put missions in the dark zone, make them hard as nails that require coop with sqauds, end boss needs teamwork. THEN one mega drop. squads could join enemy, hold off advance until timer win.  let us join multiple teams together and have a fucking war. 

 

Basically all the hard work is done, THINK OUTSIDE THE FUCKING BOX UBISOFT and make fresh content frequent and free, or at least cheap.

 

I'm taking my PS4 to work, and destiny will be coming this time.

[BO7H B4RRELS 2,450]

Those are some solid ideas!!!

[techno 3,491]

Those are some solid ideas!!!

They sure are!

[J4MES OX4D 9,885]

Basically all the hard work is done, THINK OUTSIDE THE FUCKING BOX UBISOFT and make fresh content frequent and free, or at least cheap.

This is the problem with Ubisoft as a whole - they design these incredible open worlds of scale and beauty and then add overlay gameplay elements that are a huge disparity from the quality of the environment. Credit to the aesthetic team but as with the likes of many of their highly ambitious titles; the gameplay is typically lacking with missed opportunities and questionable implementations. I saw a few days ago that the game director for The Division quit to go join IO and Square Enix so he's pretty much taken the glory and ran before the pressure kicks in. I don't see the point of this game being always online if they don't support it on a basis that includes daily/weekly challenges and new instances. It's not an MMO but they want it to be a social game with MMO traits so perhaps they should start treating it like one instead of leaving it to rot as a barebones RPG. It's too late to be developing the narrative but at least give us more varied material to keep people engaged for hours exceeding 30. 

 

My next mission is to fix an uplink tower in Flatiron - I've done this mission 5 times already in The Division and in about every other fucking Ubisoft title. There isn't enough in the base game let alone the season pass to last..

[Sennex 1,903]

This popped up in Watchdogs for me the first time I played it and it made me realize that Ubisoft is out of ideas.

 

You hack cameras to be able to get closer to a network tower to hack the network...... Regardless of the fact that you are ALREADY ON THE DAMN NETWORK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Thats when I realized I was taking out Templar towers still.