Tom Clancy's The Division Reviews
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We finally have a set of initial reviews for Tom Clancy's The Division to dig into, with the general consensus being that it's a highly entertaining third-person shooter/RPG with a few nitpicks here and there.
GameSpot gives it an 8/10:
Still, no matter how frustrated I grew with the game's semi-indestructible enemies or its repetitive leveling structure, I absolutely could not stop playing. The world was too engrossing, the loot was too enticing, and the campaign was too gripping for me to simply walk away. I stopped caring about the game's flaws after the first few hours and proceeded to lose myself in obsessive stat optimization and cooperative gun battles. The problems (and frustration) never disappeared, but I was more than happy to play through the pain.
Ars Technica doesn't score it:
It's not a boring loop, exactly. But like the plot and setting, it doesn't hold up to much scrutiny once you start to think about what you're doing and why. The shooting is fine, and the Dark Zone (when it's as dangerous as intended) borders on thrilling. How long that loop can continue to be satisfying will depend on how determined Ubisoft is to keep The Division a going concern.
Digital Spy gives it a 5/5:
But, there's no getting away from the fact The Division is the best open-world that Ubisoft has ever created, while the gameplay is consistently entertaining and cohesive. The deep RPG elements and tactical gunplay just add to that. Plus, the fact you can get so much enjoyment out of being a solo player, with that experience heightened by buddying up, is quite a feat. Playing The Division is a bit like having the flu - you can't get it out of your head and it doesn't ever want to let you go. But unlike the flu, you won't mind at all.
HardcoreGamer gives it a 4/5:
Despite a few noticeable warts, The Division'˜s highs are high enough to warrant millions of players sticking around for a significant amount of time. The combination of fantastic late-game experiences, a fascinating setting, solid core gameplay and a freedom-laden set of RPG mechanics that make Destiny feel exceptionally restrictive makes Ubisoft's fastest-selling title absolutely worth diving into. There is something to be said for the sheer amount of collectibles, the lackluster side content and the sheer number of plot holes that can be poked in the core narrative, but all of those flaws feel secondary to what is a dynamic online shooter experience. Add in the fact that the Dark Zone features seamless matchmaking technology that will surely be copied by future titles, similarly to how the Nemesis System is going to appear elsewhere, and The Division actually represents the rare AAA game that lives up to its promise. The Division isn't perfect, but considering how wrong things could have gone, it's fantastic to have such a solid online title to suck up hours of our lives this Spring.
CheatCC gives it a 4.6/5:
Cooperative play is a joy, an abundance of gear means your agent is ever-evolving, and an air-tight narrative set within a game world that is unmistakably Tom-Clancian provides a sense of purpose and urgency that makes it nigh impossible to put the controller down. You'll be like me soon enough: fighting off sleep as you recount recent battles with your friends and think about which branch of your base you'd like to upgrade next. It's an addiction as contagious as the fictional virus sweeping through The Division's New York. The wait was worth it, so get out there and gear up, agent. I'll meet you in Brooklyn.
Empire gives it a 4/5:
If Destiny is Borderlands without a sense of humour, The Division is one step further removed a loot-packed open world that also abandons any sense of fantasy or whimsy. But in stripping things back to a scarily plausible reality, the whole experience becomes that much more engaging.
And Examiner gives it a 5/5:
Despite the cynics who might try to marginalize what this game truly is, it's something you must experience, whether that is with friends or on your own. The Division shows you can have both an incredible online multiplayer experience, while staying true to the roots of an immersive campaign. The Division is a magnificent revelation and one that was well worth the wait.
