The Division

Greetings from Lithuania.

"The Division" (2016) is probably the first game i have ever bought right on it's release. I own like 5 legal games to say honestly (Diablo 3 included). I paid 41 EUR for it. When the first reviews came out just a couple of days before buying this game, they were all raving about how brilliant this game is. So after spending 103 hours in it (currently as i'm writing this review), i can safely say to You - this isn't a brilliant game. This isn't even a great game. "The Division" is a very average game made at it best. This is it - "The Division" is average game done at it's very best. By this time patch for incursion has already have been made. At this time i have done 100% story, i have done every single side quest, every encounter and found all collectibles. My current gear status is 190.

While i loved the main plot, the way it is presented in this game is below average. Each and every dialog in this game is absolutely average. Every phone recording is very uninvolving. The videos were OK. The main story is presented not interestingly at all. The characters in this game are below average. I couldn't remember their names nor who they were - i just didn't really care.

The shooting mechanics are very good in here. Shotouts are excellent, you can even feel some "Heat" like shootouts in the middle of downtown. Loot is also great. There are tons talent, perks and etc. So RPG mechanics are the highlight of this game. Music was OK, nothing special, as well as voice acting. This game in some sort reminded my of Diablo 3 - after you beat everything, there is also much of re playability here, because after you will finish main story, new possibilities for new gear are there.

The other very good thing about this game is "The Dark Zone". Basically this is PVP arena where you can shoot other agents and pick-up their loot, or what it's most fun about it you can go with friend to shoot tough enemies (or kill some rogue agents) to find some great loot. This place itself is the probably the highlight of this game. At each and every step you can feel tension, because in order to own loot found it this zone you have to extract it first - just don't think that other players won't have an idea of shooting you during the extraction or earlier - this is in our nature. "The Dark Zone" is the place where "The Division" truly shines.

Overall, "The Division" is kinda mixed bag for me. While the story didn't work at all, and there are many many things that could have been done much, much better, still this is a good game. Not great by any means (so far at least, because there are still 2 major expansions on the way). The main ingredients for excellent online based RPG shooter are here, and as goes for shooting itself, RPG elements and loot they are pretty great. But everything else (especialy quest, storytelling) are average at their best. I can't recommend to buy this game right now, probably wait for half or even a year, after Ubisoft will deliver every patch and expansion and the price will drop, then yes, it will be experience worth the lower price. Still, this isn't a letdown, this is fun game, which could have been so much better.

The Division started out badly with very little to do but as time progressed it got great and fun with the addition of the Dlcs.

Being an Ubisoft game the graphics are mesmerizing because of its careful attention to city details and rich snowy environment.

However, being an Ubisoft game it also has its problems with content quality. Story seems unimpressive, nothing much to remember. It feels like it is there just so the game can be advertised to have a campaign. Your character doesn't say anything, it looks more like you're controlling an NPC. A proper character that cares about city's inhabitants would be enough, unfortunately we have to spend 40ish hours with this faceless robot.

Difficulty is only measured in length of health bars and the quantity of enemy spawns. Gadgets and special weapons, which I hoped the gameplay was primary about, are used only for the 1/10 of combat time, the rest of the shootout feels like a boring gun fight against damage sponge enemies.

It's a game that mainly focuses on exploring the city and finding various loots.

Go here, push a button and wait to be attacked by forces. Go there push a button...

Pretty much the same thing over and over.

Ubisoft decided to jump on the loot-shooter-bandwagon but they had no idea how to brand the game so a Tom Clancy stamp it is. The game is thus as identity-deprived as one would expect, yet i have to acknowledge the exceptional production value. The Winter-Wonderland meets DMZ look is always worth a second glance yet the same can't be said about the actually shooter gameplay. The combo of knee-high walls, bullet sponge enemies and grinding isn't the most fun of formulas. Going through the motions has thus never looked better and i soon started to ask myself why i wasn't playing Destiny or Borderlands instead. I will admit that i have interest to see the From Software-esque Dark Zone concept explored further and a sequel could pull an Assassins Creed and fire on full cylinder next time but i will wait until that day to give this, admitted successful, franchise another go. The game is best enjoyed with a dedicated team, which can be a double edged sword. 6,5/10