The Division beta impressions

We’ve gone solo, teamed-up with strangers and even marauded in the beta version of Ubisoft’s open-world tactical shooter, The Division, and there’s a few key things we’ve learnt while surviving post-apocalyptic New York.

The Division is a mash-up of Ubisoft’s best properties

When playing The Division, it’s hard not to notice the call-backs to other Ubisoft franchises.

The high-tech augmented interface and cover system is reminiscent of Ghost Recon Future Soldier, while the exploration elements hearken back to the type of environmental discovery associated with the likes of Assassin’s Creed and Splinter Cell.

It’s as if Ubisoft’s prized possessions made a super-baby incorporating all of the best game mechanics, and the result is something quite… diverse.

A taste of what’s to come

The closed beta only offered a small sliver of content for players to try out, letting them enter post-infection Manhattan, set up a base and go on one mission.

The content here is sort of meant to hint at what the full game will include, showing off the base upgrade system, along with various crafting and gear stores that you can mess with.

Even in its limited state, you get a good sense of what’s to come, of the world Ubisoft Massive wants players to explore and contend over.

The-Division

Trust no one

The Dark Zone is the online PvP arena of the game, throwing players into a cornered off segment of New York which contains all of the really good loot, but it’s also inhabited by every other player who desperately wants said loot.

And even though you technically can, attacking other players is frowned upon. Doing so anyway will mean being tagged as a “Rogue” as well as having an indicator and bounty put on your head, incentivising other players to take you out.

Last long enough, however, and you’ll get off scot-free. As a result, you’re left with the conundrum of teaming up with strangers to help one another survive, or go on your own.

Even when teaming up, the paranoia of not knowing who really has your back is a truly nerve racking experience, leaving you constantly looking over your shoulder.

In our case, we went in alone, made friends, did a few missions, bonded, and ultimately got stabbed in the back during an evacuation. It was a roller-coaster.

It’s hauntingly desolate, but incredibly details

The beta shows off the same kind of detailed environmental design as the initial trailers showcased, rendering a dystopian, fallen world where hauntingly beautiful signs of decay and desolation are a common sight.

Abandoned vehicles, deserted quarantined areas, body bags and fires fill the empty shell of New York’s streets, providing a fitting backdrop as well as reminding you what you’re actually fighting for.

The Division screenshot

A little help

Three of The Division‘s special abilities were available in the Beta.

There’s a reusable sticky explosive that’s pretty easy to shoot with pinpoint accuracy, but its detonation barely scratched even normal grunt enemies – whether this will be remedied in the final version is unknown, but it did appear a little ineffective.

Alternatively, the riot shield ability is nice for moving between cover, but it limits you to a pistol when hiding behind it.

Although not particularly original, two of the most useful abilities were a heal as well as the ability to see opponents on your radar.

The menu system hints at a bevy of additional abilities, talents, perks and upgrades that are unlockable as you play, but none of them were available in the beta.

On the side

I thought some of the side missions were actually more fun than the main quest that was available (saving a doctor from a hospital taken over by bad guys).

In one of the side missions, you have to kill a woman accused of murder, but first you have to mow down two of her lieutenants in a long courtyard before you can get to her.

In another, you have to race through a house trying to find some sort of virus data, and before a timer runs out no less.

It’s great to see some emphasis being applied to the side missions; we just hope the main quests get a little more intriguing too.

There were also some small moral dilemmas that emerged while exploring the city, such as sick NPCs asking for a medkit.

We’re not sure how often you’ll be called to sacrifice supplies for the good of another, but it adds to the experience by adding gravitas to the moments between the fights.

The Division