I did some caps on Xbox One X and did duplicate frame counting. Currently, performance in combat is really, really bad.
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Anthem Review Thread
- Thread starter Earvin Infinity
- Start date
I did some caps on Xbox One X and did duplicate frame counting. Currently, performance in combat is really, really bad.
This is my 6-7 hour impression of Anthem. I might as well post it here.
Even if Anthem doesn't have its annoying multi-loading structure and fixes its baffling QoL issues like mission warp, etc - I don't feel like the core of the game is that good. A lot of the issues I have with Anthem is that it's just no fun.
The core of the combat is basically ME3/A-style power festival, which imo - doesn't really gel that well with Anthem's enemy style/placement and even the level layout. Due to ME3/A's more cover-based approach, there is a clear sense of 'this is where you shoot/aim' in combat area which allowed the combat to feel more tactical in the choices you make both playing fast or slow.
Anthem is you waiting for meters to fill, readying for the next power barrage, and the cooldown and effectiveness of power means there's a Kingdom Hearts quality to it where you basically aim for that power. ( this is not a praise of Anthem btw, KH3's chase for power is one of its combat flaws )
I've complained a ton about how Anthem is probably one of those games that really annoy me with its readability? Enemy design and art blends with the world and environments, it's hard to see certain smaller enemies without the red dot. It's really annoying. It's really hard to just 'see' things. Destiny is really good here at this.
That, combined with how the 'core shooting' ( not power ) itself isn't all that satisfying, on top of the mediocre hit feedback, means the act of shooting itself isn't fun because there's no the loop of 'identify-shoot-feel' that makes headshots in games like Destiny feel good.
Also, the power fest that's laced with particle effects and explosions also serve to make the poor readability of the game spaces even more noisy than it already is. When there's the perfect setup it's fine, but more often than not in tight or dark places it doesn't look good.
The flying is... cool, I guess? But personally it doesn't really satisfy my itch in terms of fulfilling the Ironman fantasy. The lack of any genuine combat maneuverability interplay between flight and combat just reminds me of... dun dun dun, Arkham Knight's Batmobile/tank.
I didn't play enough to grasp a feel of the rest of the game in terms of loot or story, but honestly the core of the game is unsatisfying to me.
I've only played like 3 hours of Andromeda, so I can't really make a fair comparison, but I feel like that game is better.
Even if Anthem doesn't have its annoying multi-loading structure and fixes its baffling QoL issues like mission warp, etc - I don't feel like the core of the game is that good. A lot of the issues I have with Anthem is that it's just no fun.
The core of the combat is basically ME3/A-style power festival, which imo - doesn't really gel that well with Anthem's enemy style/placement and even the level layout. Due to ME3/A's more cover-based approach, there is a clear sense of 'this is where you shoot/aim' in combat area which allowed the combat to feel more tactical in the choices you make both playing fast or slow.
Anthem is you waiting for meters to fill, readying for the next power barrage, and the cooldown and effectiveness of power means there's a Kingdom Hearts quality to it where you basically aim for that power. ( this is not a praise of Anthem btw, KH3's chase for power is one of its combat flaws )
I've complained a ton about how Anthem is probably one of those games that really annoy me with its readability? Enemy design and art blends with the world and environments, it's hard to see certain smaller enemies without the red dot. It's really annoying. It's really hard to just 'see' things. Destiny is really good here at this.
That, combined with how the 'core shooting' ( not power ) itself isn't all that satisfying, on top of the mediocre hit feedback, means the act of shooting itself isn't fun because there's no the loop of 'identify-shoot-feel' that makes headshots in games like Destiny feel good.
Also, the power fest that's laced with particle effects and explosions also serve to make the poor readability of the game spaces even more noisy than it already is. When there's the perfect setup it's fine, but more often than not in tight or dark places it doesn't look good.
The flying is... cool, I guess? But personally it doesn't really satisfy my itch in terms of fulfilling the Ironman fantasy. The lack of any genuine combat maneuverability interplay between flight and combat just reminds me of... dun dun dun, Arkham Knight's Batmobile/tank.
I didn't play enough to grasp a feel of the rest of the game in terms of loot or story, but honestly the core of the game is unsatisfying to me.
I've only played like 3 hours of Andromeda, so I can't really make a fair comparison, but I feel like that game is better.
this would be the score i would give the game too...not enough content, feels awful to play and technically severely underwhelming, on top of this there are many baffling gamedesign and UI decisions.
this will go in as disappointment of the year
is this a troll post? crackdown 3 has auto lock and the enemies are so easy to defend its a joke
No, sorry if it came of like trolling. but I cannot really see why? I am just asking why it got such a bad reception.
From TechRadar's review:
It's almost become the norm or at least accepted to expect that a game will become better 'down the line'. Doesn't instill great confidence if you're interested in getting in from the jump if that's what you should hold out hope for. Games like No Man's Sky have proven it can be done, but this 'release now, fix later' trend is worrying.
It's almost become the norm or at least accepted to expect that a game will become better 'down the line'. Doesn't instill great confidence if you're interested in getting in from the jump if that's what you should hold out hope for. Games like No Man's Sky have proven it can be done, but this 'release now, fix later' trend is worrying.
One of the key appeals in the game is the Iron Man fantasy after all. Problem is, the reception to that still seems mixed.
I agree totally. Some even have accepted or expecting it.
Like:
I can't tell people what to do or think but if you value your hobby/lifestyle, is this really the way to go?
I'll be honest, seeing the negativity around the game gives me a little hope. I don't want to wish it upon the developer, but more on the publisher.
I guess the upside to this strong negative reception would be BW will be more motivated to listen and fix things (insofar as they're fixable).
Provided they will be given the budget and time for it by Papa EA, obviously.
Provided they will be given the budget and time for it by Papa EA, obviously.
20-30 hours up front then free content additions for a year? Why on earth would you NOT want that?
to be fair there isn't any loot shooter/service game that doesn't improve drastically from week 1, or if not 'improve' it's what you play now isn't particularly what you're playing six months from now. (odd exceptions of course, looks like fallout 76 is going nowhere fast for example). so yeah, it's the new normal
i think thing with this game is it's just... there. just a fairly competent loot shooter. but being the BioWare "dream game" it was expected to be on another level from Destiny, Division ect but no, it's just another one of these games to play
Not just the flying but the combat in general, the mobility and the suit customisation. This is the Ironman game I always wanted!
Unless the developer is truly insipid, I bare no ill will to any, and regardless of output it's always disappointing to see developers flounder.
Anthem falls into a category of titles I want to try for myself before I form any real opinion, regardless of reviews, but the advertised title is not one that I've been interested in and I've had my concerns. It's sad to see many of them seem reflected in feedback here and elsewhere, and that those with no agenda are outlining key issues with the game's design and technicalities.
It's not uniform, of course; few collective opinions are. But it's still a bit sad to see BioWare end up in this state for this generation.
For me it personally hurts because while I was never a huge fan of the company, I honestly don't love Baldur's Gate, but do love KOTOR, and was generally pretty mixed on Dragon Age; my time with the Mass Effect trilogy will forever remain amongst my most potent gaming memories. Warts and all, my own personal grievances, frustrations, and disappointments in full, I fucking loved the trilogy to an unhealthy degree and have put an absurd amount of time into all three. Even with their flaws, if that was the average output of BioWare going into this generation I'd be all over it.
So we end up with Inquisition, which I honestly didn't hate at all, but didn't love and was blatantly demonstrative of bizarrely poor game design.
And Andromeda, an enormous fall from grace for one of my favourite series and easily one of the most disappointing titles for me this gen.
And now Anthem.
BioWare is in a weird position. Not sure how their future will go.
Anthem falls into a category of titles I want to try for myself before I form any real opinion, regardless of reviews, but the advertised title is not one that I've been interested in and I've had my concerns. It's sad to see many of them seem reflected in feedback here and elsewhere, and that those with no agenda are outlining key issues with the game's design and technicalities.
It's not uniform, of course; few collective opinions are. But it's still a bit sad to see BioWare end up in this state for this generation.
For me it personally hurts because while I was never a huge fan of the company, I honestly don't love Baldur's Gate, but do love KOTOR, and was generally pretty mixed on Dragon Age; my time with the Mass Effect trilogy will forever remain amongst my most potent gaming memories. Warts and all, my own personal grievances, frustrations, and disappointments in full, I fucking loved the trilogy to an unhealthy degree and have put an absurd amount of time into all three. Even with their flaws, if that was the average output of BioWare going into this generation I'd be all over it.
So we end up with Inquisition, which I honestly didn't hate at all, but didn't love and was blatantly demonstrative of bizarrely poor game design.
And Andromeda, an enormous fall from grace for one of my favourite series and easily one of the most disappointing titles for me this gen.
And now Anthem.
BioWare is in a weird position. Not sure how their future will go.
From my understanding, it doesn't have that. Very slim offering from the start, like in the messages i quoted.
Its taking dedicated players that time to get to level 30. There are a ton of story, character and side missions to play. I'd say its likely for most people it will take over 30 hours to reach max level.
What is reliable about a game review? Do you mean have they faked playing the game?
I feel like every year or so we fall into this rhythm where you say something that rings, as Zaeed would say, as "waxing goddamn nostalgic" and I remember those distant days over on the BSN. (I can't remember whether I've told you this before but I was JeffZero there and on GAF.)
I gave Anthem a whirl with its demos to confirm my suspicions that it's not for me, but I had hoped it would be a great experience for the types of players that it courts. As a big Dragon Age fan (whose heart will always belong first and foremost to the Mass Effect trilogy) I've been yearning for DA4 for over four years and counting. I'm less certain than ever that it will see the light of day.
Man, if only Anthem is a proper sp rpg like Mass Effect instead of what we have right now... I'd be all over it...
The writing was on the wall for this project right from the start. Whether you believe Bioware's PR about this being their dream project, or simply think it was EA pressuring for a "Destiny clone to get big sales numbers". This industry is very reactionary, if something is Call of Duty, everything needs to be Call of Duty. Fortnite is printing money? We all need to chase Battle Royale.
Which then puts time and skill pressure on studios. Can you put your game out in time to ride the wave of "current day popularity of insert genre here" and is the studio doing what you're asking it to do skilled or experienced in this style or genre of game?
Bioware has the legacy most of us are familiar with. While Mass Effect mixed shooting and more action than say Dragon Age, the combat was often the weakest part of Mass Effect. It improved along the way, with Andromeda arguably finally "getting there" to above average combat. But then Andromeda tanked as Bioware lost its way a little with characters and storytelling. Still, characters and storytelling have been the bread and butter of this studio for generations.
The tldr is many of us will be not shocked in the slightest if the entry level of this title is disappointing and underwhelming. Irrespective of the mad race now to "patch it into the game it should be". That can be a death knell for some studios, and the road to recovery even if travelled comes too late and at the expense of the publisher discarding the studio.
To be a fly on the wall inside Bioware and truly know if they were desperate to make Anthem or if external pressure played a role in the mad race this industry has to homogenise and chase current trends.
edit - The horrible play early system for this title will hurt it even more, as those who had to blindly purchase to play early before reviews get even more mad at the state of the game. Another cancerous venture of this industry, largely thanks to EA, but Ubisoft are ramping up their "pay more to play 'early'" trends. The absolutely disdain, paranoia and cowardice the average publisher has for the end user seeing/reading and knowing about reviews before buying is comically evil.
Which then puts time and skill pressure on studios. Can you put your game out in time to ride the wave of "current day popularity of insert genre here" and is the studio doing what you're asking it to do skilled or experienced in this style or genre of game?
Bioware has the legacy most of us are familiar with. While Mass Effect mixed shooting and more action than say Dragon Age, the combat was often the weakest part of Mass Effect. It improved along the way, with Andromeda arguably finally "getting there" to above average combat. But then Andromeda tanked as Bioware lost its way a little with characters and storytelling. Still, characters and storytelling have been the bread and butter of this studio for generations.
The tldr is many of us will be not shocked in the slightest if the entry level of this title is disappointing and underwhelming. Irrespective of the mad race now to "patch it into the game it should be". That can be a death knell for some studios, and the road to recovery even if travelled comes too late and at the expense of the publisher discarding the studio.
To be a fly on the wall inside Bioware and truly know if they were desperate to make Anthem or if external pressure played a role in the mad race this industry has to homogenise and chase current trends.
edit - The horrible play early system for this title will hurt it even more, as those who had to blindly purchase to play early before reviews get even more mad at the state of the game. Another cancerous venture of this industry, largely thanks to EA, but Ubisoft are ramping up their "pay more to play 'early'" trends. The absolutely disdain, paranoia and cowardice the average publisher has for the end user seeing/reading and knowing about reviews before buying is comically evil.
This guy has fast become my favorite reviewer. Will happily watch every review he posts because he's thorough, fair, and thoughtful.
He's gonna savage Anthem, and tbh the game deserves it. It's an unfocused, stitched-together frankengame. I don't know how the hell they managed to get the concept of 'Iron Man looter shooter' so damn wrong, but it reeks of lacking someone at the top with a clear vision and the authority to enforce it.
i mean sure they want to sell the game, but at this point it is a little bit questionable...he also tweeted about "great performances" from the NPC´s, it is pure marketing, nothing more
Oh oh! MarcoStyle's "review" was also quite negative - like the Div2 previews. I guess, the loot-shooter-fanbase is probably tired of waiting for patches and content month and month, if not years after launch.
let me see, they patched the Private Beta 3 times , they featured an endgame mission with endgame enemies (Black Tusk) , I would say they would patch and support the Open Beta coming this March too, if it doesn't improve the game, I don't know what will
It's only worth it if the content is fun. From my 15 hours with the game, it is rarely in anyway fun. It's boring and it's a drag and barely worth my time let alone my money.
I know its harsh, but that's my genuine opinion so far.
It's a fine way to go, if developers can learn that the game needs to launch in a better state.
This is how MMOs work, and they're fine usually. GaaS games just need to break the curse of launch games in bad/lacking states that will be fixed later.
I'm a fan of what many would say "modern" Bioware (Neverwinter Nights and above) to present Bioware with Dragon Age and Mass Effect. I tried for months to like Anthem because it was made by the people I respected, but after playing the beta I realized I can't force myself to like a game. So I just hoped that Bioware really, actually wanted to make Anthem and that it resonated with many players. It hurts seeing what seems to be their biggest effort, which is not targeted at me personally, flounder. Really hoping the best for it and the studio now.
I assume it was posted already but i dont see it in OP.
https://gadgets.ndtv.com/games/reviews/anthem-review-xbox-one-x-pc-1995697
5/10
https://gadgets.ndtv.com/games/reviews/anthem-review-xbox-one-x-pc-1995697
5/10
No way it stays at 60. The production values and budget muscles of a triple A game alone make it at least a high 70s game.
Can't imagine it being lower than 75 tbh. Buuuut I think the landscape has changed so much, really don't know how it will be received.
Can't imagine it being lower than 75 tbh. Buuuut I think the landscape has changed so much, really don't know how it will be received.
I expect a 70-73 metacritic at best. The game has some fun moments but the overall game design is poorly thought out in so many instances. I finished the storyline and dunno if I am going to bother reaching 30 or even really try out the other suits since I only have Storm well geared so far. Especially since I've only been playing with randoms and I have a feeling the truly hard difficulties will require real teamwork.
My anticipation were already shrinking when I tried the demo, and reading some of the impression posted here make me didn't want to buy anymore.
Well, let's see some more review popped up before deciding to buy this game or not.
Well, let's see some more review popped up before deciding to buy this game or not.
