Tom Clancy's The Division Reviews
Tom Clancy's The Division is a game that demands to be played with other people. It's biggest gameplay flaws are forgivable once you add a friend into the mix, but as a solo experience it can be an exhausting grind with little in the way of rewards or satisfaction.
Any enjoyment to be found in The Division could easily have been smothered by its tremendously dull side content. Fortunately, it's saved from some all too familiar open world bloat by not only the high stake thrills of the Dark Zone but its top notch story missions. When added to a wealth of other positives – like its loot system and detailed open world – this entertaining action RPG manages to muster more than enough antibodies to overcome what thankfully turns out to be a mild case of the Ubisofts.
Ubisoft has created a wonderful world for gamers to play in, but The Division is held back by a lack of mission diversity and some gameplay quirks.
Tom Clancy's The Division is a beautiful and addictive looter shooter that lacks depth and innovation in gameplay, mission design, and story.
Even with its blemishes the Division establishes itself nicely as a new tent pole for Ubisoft and the Massive Entertainment studio and lays the foundation for future expansions to come.
Like Destiny, The Division ruthlessly exploits the pleasures of the RPG, MMO and shooter to create one hideously addictive feedback loop. Combine that with the excitement of demanding co-op play and it can be an unstoppably thrilling game.
If The Division was without its Dark Zone, it would be an ignorable, banal experience - a soulless grind in a game created by committee. It's to the credit of the game that this one additional section elevates the experience from this, to something actively great. Contrary to advice The Division might give you, stay out of the Dark Zone at your peril.
I wouldn't go so far as to say The Division is the online shooter experience that will usher the genre into a new golden age, but it is a worthy alternative for those who are looking for a more methodical and immersive experience than what games like Destiny can offer. There are still no guarantees about The Division's long-term sustainability, but the strong out-of-the-gate showing it has already made is certainly a good start.
Right now though, at launch, The Division is a well-made open-world shooter with lots of ways to keep you busy. It borrows from the right games and improves on them while still doing enough different to feel like its own game instead of a rehash.
Despite the cynics who might try to marginalize what this game truly is, it's something you must 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.
The Division sets a new standard of excellence for shared-world shooters
It's not perfect, and in truth it was never likely to be. The Division is, however, a truly accomplished multi-genre title that has something for virtually everyone.
They say that New York City never sleeps, and those who play The Division may understand the feeling.
Approach it with the view to completing the campaign and sightseeing New York with friends and you'll have a blast. But this isn't a world you'll be living in for years to come.
The Division is a strong start for a game that Ubisoft is clearly aiming to keep alive for a long time. It gleefully fulfills promises instead of just making them, even if some of its later elements fall prey to the inevitable wait for more content.
In its current form, "The Division" is an impressive newcomer in the shoot-and-loot genre, but success in the genre is defined by more than just first impressions. Games with no end need regular support from developers that adds new missions, gear and areas to explore. It's too early to tell how "The Division" will evolve in the coming months and years, but the current offering is an excellent starting point.
New franchises are always risky business, but Tom Clancy's The Division delivered on everything it promised and more, with only the occasional hiccup.
The Division is a great shooter that's primarily let down by glitches, drabness, repetition, and a thoroughly underwhelming first raid.
The Division is an addictive entry in the shoot & loot genre with some quality visuals, but an afterthought story and lack of innovation hold it back from greatness.