Ubisoft’s Rise of the Division

 

Tom Clancy’s the Division

Well, I was supposed to start Rise of the Tomb Raider and rant about Electronic Arts today, but Ubisoft decided to drop a second Division Beta today, and I thought who better to rant about than the Assassin’s Creed making company. So, here is a couple of videos of me playing magnificently (I know, I play like a noob, but technically everyone is a noob since it is a beta, so yeah take that.)

(You'd think with a virus killing most of humanity there would be fewer grunts)

(I know, I know, you're grandmother can aim better than I can) 

(I literally have nothing clever to say on this one)

Before we get to the main course (the rant), let’s talk about the Division. Tom Clancy’s Division was announced all the way back in 2013 with the promise of bringing “Next-Gen” gameplay, and like the promise of “Next-Gen” gameplay from Watch_Dogs (I’ve got a lot to say about that game a little later) everybody got hyped, heck even I felt the hype. Then it got delayed not once, not twice, not even three times, but got pushed out from its 2014 released date into 2016. Games like these are always curious to me because, (granted I’m nowhere close to being a game developer, heck, me and PC are constantly at war, let alone making games with it), the game was announced way too early with an idea, and in the middle of developing the already announced game, found out for some reason the idea isn’t any good, so, they have to rework the game to make it work. I think one of the biggest reason’s it was delayed for so long was because of one game, Bungie’s Destiny. The game’s had similar premises, two shooter RPG games. 

(It is a very pretty game)

Let’s talk about how the game actually plays. This game is absolutely gorgeous, my god, this game looks just like of New York. The game plays like any other 3^rd person shooter. As far as I can tell (this is a beta, things may change) there are no loading screens, which is spectacular. The game feels like someone took Watch_Dogs and made it an online RPG shooter, except the shooting feels better. At times, the game feels cluttered, just take a visit to the headquarters, and my god, there is so much going on that I nearly just quit out the game (it’s like the video game equivalent of stage fright). The game feels generic, just another 3^rd person shooter (although, I am a big fan of that), and knowing Ubisoft, nobody is going to play the game for its story. That said, I think this game is going to be hugely successful. There is a lot in this game that is going to keep a lot of people excited, especially with nothing new from Destiny till the second half of the year. I can tell you this, I can see myself spending some time in this game, though, as long as I can find my dream online team. The Division hits stores March 8th, 2016 for PS4, Xbox One, and PC.

Ubiquitous Software

(Take seat, we need to talk)

Ubi, Ubi, Ubi, Ubi, what happened man, a couple years ago me and you were like this (imagine me putting my hand to my heart, that’s right we were that close). I would have taken a bullet for you (actually no, not a bullet, but I would have taken a pie to the face for you). You’ve lost your way, someone (Activision) has convinced you that the only way to make money in the video game industry is to annualize everything. Contrary to what you’re probably thinking, I think Activision is killing it. (Activision is like that really cool friend who became cool doing some shady things, and as long as don’t ask what those shady things are then you remain friends, personally I think it was murder). In what they are trying to accomplish (multiplayer-centric games), they are succeeding, but Ubi, that’s not you. Let’s take Assassin’s Creed for example, from the first game till the third one (that is five games, I know Ubi has also forgotten how to count also) there was a clear concise narrative going on. The Templars and the Assassins fight for these magical objects that could change the world, all the while the apocalypse was on its way. How was the world going to end? Who was going to end it? What do Adam and Eve have to do with it all? These were all questions me and my little cousin was asking after each game.   

(Why did you end like that, You were the chosen one... to end the game)

So, what was the big payoff in Assassin’s Creed 3? Crap, literal crap (not actually literally, god, my generation has ruined the meaning of words). The big hype over the Revolutionary War ends in a boring foot chase and then culminates into a choice that the game chooses for you (why give us the choice in the first place then). During the first trilogy, Patrice Désilets, creator of the franchise, dictated the story of the game. Ubisoft fired him, and it seems they haven’t gotten anyone to take up that role. The last time someone asked me why I stopped playing the games, I said because the story isn’t any good, and they literally laughed in my face (this time I mean actually literally). The story has seemed to be sacrificed for annualization.  This carelessness of story stretches out to their other games, like the Far Cry franchise, which is known for being fun, but having a forgettable story. There’s the Crew, whose story is so bad, it’s laughable. Then there is Watch_Dogs, the game that was supposed to introduce us to next-gen. The story isn’t the only problem, (the generic main character with a raspy voice has to get revenge on a big corporation who is looking to take over the world).  Everything about the game is so subpar, even to the point that the developers came out and talked about it. 

(No, it's fine I'll stay in Los Santos)

The driving is annoying, the hacking is annoying, the characters are annoying (except for one, I forgot his name and I don’t feel like venturing back into that depressing hole known as Watch_Dogs). Ubisoft did promise they will do better with the next one, and I also promise to go a week without mentioning Batman (that’s sarcasm, still haven’t mastered it online yet, but I will one day). They said Watch_Dogs is like the first Assassin’s Creed game, where the first game is OK, but the second one will be closer to what they were trying to accomplish in the first place. It is fine doing this, but it makes it seem that Ubisoft didn’t put all their effort into the game. The funny thing about this game is the fact that I would have probably thought this game was decent if it wasn’t for the masters of open world games, Rockstar. Grand Theft Auto 5 is one of the greatest games I have ever played, and it made me look at open world games in a different way. GTA 5 didn’t revolutionize anything, Rockstar just took a good look at everything the gaming industry was doing and took the best parts to put into GTA 5. Everything in that game works perfectly, (even online, it took them months but that works now). Funny enough, I think (once again, my only real merit in gaming is the fact that I have been playing since before I could talk), that the GTA 5 release scared Ubisoft into delaying Watch_Dogs, they will never admit it but then you see ads like the one above and it makes you think. 

(I literally don't remember any of you)

The worst part of it all, (I am disappointed, like parents disappointing, and we all know how powerful parental disappointment is) is the fact that Ubisoft thinks it has found a way to mechanically produce creativity. Ubi thinks that they have found a way to produce the kind of quality like Naughty Dog’s the Last of Us or Irrational Games' Bioshock Infinite. The fact is they haven’t all of Ubisoft’s games, especially open world game, play almost the same way (You start in a small area of the map, when you get to a new area, you lose most of your abilities and you have to complete a special mission to activate this new area. All the missions have a very little variation, and at some point in time you have to sneak and not get caught). The reason I harp on Ubisoft about their story is because that is what they have. There are three big publishers, Activision (online multiplayer-centric), EA (sports games, action games), and Ubisoft (?). It is perfectly fine to diversify, EA has done this almost perfectly, they have games like FIFA to games like Mass Effect.

(Why'd you leave Ezio, we miss you)

Funny enough, as I type this Ubisoft has pushed back the next big Assassin’s Creed game to an undisclosed time (*cough* 2017 *cough*). Why? Maybe, Yves Guillemot (CEO of Ubisoft) sensed how I felt about my once favorite franchise, Assassin’s Creed, and decided, for my benefit, to push back the game. Look at that, I am making a difference (you hear that mom We’ve finally made it, forget the store brand we’re getting name brand tonight). Or, could it be that an Assassin’s Creed movie is coming out this year and they don’t need the game. Or, Watch_Dogs 2 may take its place instead. Or, the last Assassin’s Creed game, Syndicate, didn’t sell as well as anticipated, so now they are reevaluating the franchise. I’d like to think it’s the first reason, but let’s face it, it’s probably the other reasons. Yves Guillemot has always said the reason they release an Assassin’s Creed every year is because people keep buying it, well looks like everyone has stopped, or at least enough to raise concern. Whatever the reason is, we miss you Ubi, won’t you come back. Experiment more, like you did with Valiant Hearts and Child of Light. Pay more attention to the story, especially if you want to create more memorable characters like Ezio Auditore da Firenze. I guess till then Ubi, (*a small tear rolls down face*), I’ll be at the train station at noon every Friday, waiting. Oh, and for goodness sake, release Beyond Good and Evil 2 already, it's been 8 years.