Since the trailer for Anthem was announced, we were excited, and we couldn’t wait to get our hands on it. We were definitely amazed by the concept of the game, which at that time looked like it was going to be interesting, wondering around in the open world with your friends, exploring new places with your custom suit. Even since the game got released and played it the first time it exceeded the expectations visually. The graphics were jaw-dropping, the alien looking landscape is gorgeous, and the characters were very amusing.
However, there is a slight issue with this game. After playing a while, you start to get bored and that is a problem, especially when the game was only released two months ago. The visuals and sound effects could be entertaining at the beginning, but if the gameplay is boring, you that is a huge red flag for Anthem.
WHAT IS THE PROBLEM?
Anthem is developed by BioWare, who hasn’t developed any major games and it is published by the well-known Electronic Arts (EA). The game takes place on an alien planet, in which a long time ago aliens harnessed the Anthem of Creation or the energy that expands everything. That is why the planet is suffering from all kinds of strange apocalyptic accidents, and your job is to prevent that from happening.
This sounds cool and entertaining, but unfortunately, Anthem has its downs. First of all, the gameplay can get a bit buggy when you go into combat and the biggest problem is the lack of soul. It feels like the story starts good but it is half-finished. Even though the characters look charismatic, overtime they will get you bored, just because they are always standing in the same spot and always repeating the same things, like a broken radio.
CAMPAIGN
Somehow, they made the story very confusing, and we are often wondering what we are doing and why. As the missions go by, you will kill a lot of aliens in combat with your suit full of extensions, which is fun, but the missions end up feeling monotonous. There is a lack of creativity in it and each time you feel like you are doing something already done before. When you start this game you notice that all the characters are charismatic as we mentioned, but after time you sense that you cannot get real interaction with the characters. All interactions are forced and the relationships you create feel lifeless.
That lack of creativity and clarity goes to the loot system that you are using playing Anthem. Furthermore, the gear is incomprehensible, and kind of boring.
GAMEPLAY
Nonetheless, there are moments in this game which are extremely entertaining: the mechanics of flying feel great and the range of combat abilities is enjoyable - which is where Anthem shines. Still, needless to say, we all expected more. In lower difficulty setting, you can enjoy the game and fly around the enemies with your suit and kill them, but as soon as you dial up that difficulty to a harder level, it is almost impossible to survive.
The RPG mechanics of this game are pretty weird too. You cannot balance the weapons, for example, you can fire a rocket at the enemy which lands inches away from it, failing to do any damage. Also, major bugs and glitches leading to disconnection in the first 10 hours of the game caused the gamers to outrage against Anthem really soon.
VERDICT
Anthem is not the game we were expecting, and it feels disappointing, although it is possible to improve it with a few tweaks. Despite all this, the game world is still beautifully made, with attention to detail, and the combat features are enticing. However, the shallow story, poor mechanics and boring gameplay is where this game is suffering.
So, if you want a beautiful game that will keep you entertained just for a couple of days after you get bored, go and buy it. Still, for $60, it is probably more rewarding to spend your money is horse racing.
Score 6.9/10