Tom Clancy's The Division 2 Released, Reviews in Progress
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Tom Clancy's The Division 2, Ubisoft's online third-person shooter with RPG elements, is now officially released. The game will put you in the shoes of an elite agent tasked with restoring order to a post-pandemic version of Washington, DC, and in the process picking up heaps of sweet loot. You can purchase the game directly from Ubisoft's store. The Standard edition will cost you $59.99 or your regional equivalent.
Here's a fresh trailer that tells you all you need to know about The Division 2 over the course of five and a half minutes:
And while this is an online game that will take some time to properly review, you can already check out a number of in-progress reviews below.
PC Gamer:
This is a big game, with a potentially long tail, driven by a year of free updates to come. My sense so far is that this is a very complete-feeling follow-up to The Division, from a team that clearly learned a lot about its audience after a series of successful, high-value updates. Those players probably know they want this already—for anyone else who's curious about The Division 2, this should feel like right looter shooter at the right time.
IGN:
Overall, The Division 2’s initial leveling progression has been a relatively joyful undertaking. It clears the low bar set for the genre with ease, but it’s still not an experience I’d subject myself to in a vacuum, without the promise of a deep and interesting endgame. In order to really succeed from here on out The Division 2 needs to show me that my time was well spent by providing me with the kind of unique, progression-based multiplayer PvE and PvP gameplay that I can only get in a shared-world shooter.
If I had to score it now, after 30 hours, I’d give it 8.0, which is great on our scale. To find out if the endgame justifies that score, improves upon it, or disappoints me, stay tuned to IGN – the final review is only a few days away.
But after spending 30 hours completing the campaign and beginning to dabble in the endgame, I'm still enamored with The Division 2. The range of enemy types continues to keep combat encounters challenging, the equipment I earn and pick up continues to feel different and valuable. The ravaged environments continue to intrigue, and sometimes they're so stunning I find myself needing to take a screenshot before I move on. There is still so much to see in The Division 2, but I want to take the time to see it. I have absolutely no clue why I'm here or what anyone's motivations are, and I wish I had a narrative purpose to my endless hunger for progression. But I'm glad to be here right now.
Every conflict feels like a delicate balancing act where you’re always looking out for potential flanking enemies or desperately holding out for one of your skills to cooldown so you can turn the tide of the fight in your favour. I’ve not had the time to play around with every skill and variant yet, but the Incinerator Turret and Oxidizer Chem Launcher have become my offensive go-to. The turret can be placed on the floor and spews out a stream of fire that burns any enemies caught in its path – it’s great for countering rushers and securing a corridor while you focus your gunfire elsewhere. As for the Oxidizer, a single canister will tear off most of a boss’s armour, allowing you to quickly take down a heavy before they can start influencing a fight.
Naturally, this shines when fighting alongside other players, especially when your skills compliment one another. For example, directing two healing gadgets at a teammate and sending them into the fray with nothing but two high-damage shotguns, Leeroy Jenkins-style.
All of that said, even though I’m having a great time, my early first impression is that this is more Division. That’s not a harsh criticism, in fact, it’s what I would expect only a few hours into a sequel. Plus, I liked the original Division. Before I report back in the next week or two, I’ll be looking for the game to open up and show me how it stands on its own. I’ll also be diving into some group PVE and PVP. If my preview was any indication, that might be how The Division 2 is experienced best.
