The Anthem Thread

I find that I've had to swallow that the majority of critics and gamers out there simply don't enjoy Anthem that much.

I expected something like 70-75 aggregate scores - but 60? I would never have thought that in a million years.

They seem to agree so overwhelmingly - that the anti-EA/Bioware reasoning just can't cover it all.

To me, it's tremendously unfortunate - and I think it deserves so much better. But, hell, people like what they like and there's nothing I can do.

Game does have serious issues with endgame content - and it has had a number of very unfortunate launch problems on a technical level.

That said, it remains the most viscerally entertaining games I've played in years and years. Maybe ever. It's so much fun on a core level that I struggle to fathom the level of criticism.

But I'll just have to go hide in a corner and love this game for myself - and I hope against hope that EA don't cut their losses and cancel the ambitious plans for future content.
 
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As for my Interceptor, the change to Dash Strike has been amazing.

It was already the most mobile class in any game I've ever played - but now it can also teleport across the battlefield every few seconds, and it's great against shields to boot!

That said, after around 50 hours with the game - I do start to feel the hurt of having so few activities.

I knew content would be light - and it's ok, I have Division 2 coming up.

But, I worry what it means on a grander scale - because the game is bleeding on arrival, and when the obsessive players run out of things to do (which will happen sooner rather than later) - they're going to start whining.

Two months for a new Stronghold isn't going to cut it by a long shot. The Cataclysm in May? Way too late.

I honestly don't know why they thought 3 Strongholds at launch would be acceptable in this segment.
 
Darth Tagnan said:
But I'll just have to go hide in a corner and love this game for myself - and I hope against hope that EA don't cut their losses and cancel the ambitious plans for future content.
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You know, there was a recent article on BBC… About some foreign words without an english one in which those could be translated to.

You'll understand the word and the reason why am I writing it in this thread:
PYT.
 
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Ragnaris said:
Update: Masterwork drops haven't been quite as plentiful for me as they were before the patch (that could just be RNG, though). I did get the Firewall Mortar legendary to drop yesterday, however, and it's incredible. Inscriptions on it give me 75% more combo damage, which is fantastic as it's a primer ability. If I can hit two or more enemies with the mortar, I can instantly use it again, but that effect can only trigger once every 20 seconds. Still, it's handy.

I haven't been able to acquire any other legendaries, but again, I don't necessarily want to. I'd rather take my time and be pleasantly surprised. :)

Some of the inscriptions are pretty well thought out for the Colossus. A lot of them have 'Fire Rate+11%", which incentivizes the use of heavy weapons, something specific only to the Colossus. And trust me, that fire rate makes a huge difference. I'm still hopeful for the Endless Siege autocannon, but I'm happy with what I have, too.

The Storm certainly seems to be the most popular, because I'm always grouped with one or two at least every match, sometimes three. They're fantastic at being able to prime, so it's no real problems. Their inherent ability to spread status effects helps massively, too. Whenever the Storm detonated, status effects would spread and prime nearby enemies at the same time, but I'm not 100% it does that anymore.
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True, Storms are everywhere.

Thankfully, Interceptor seems to be the rarest of all Javelins - and that makes me feel ever so special :)

I keep thinking the reason I adore Anthem combat must be because of the Interceptor, because how could so many games not see how fun it is if they actually played that class.

But then I remember that most people pick Storm or Colossus and they seem to love it.

It's so strange. I guess people really don't think that much of the combat - which, to me, is at the very heart of the genre.
 
danutz_plusplus said:
Ok, I said fuck it and pre-ordered Anthem. Regardless of how much time I get out of it , as I'm not the kind to play purely for endgame, I've certainly spent money on worse games. So I decided to support them.
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You have a very strange process when it comes to deciding what games to buy :)

I hope you enjoy it.

I can only recommend taking it slow and enjoying the world/campaign. While the story isn't exactly Shakespeare - it's pretty good for the genre, and the world is extremely rich in terms of the lore if you're the sort of guy who enjoys reading a lot.

Personally, I find the gameplay is so good that I actually don't have time for story and lore, and that's extremely rare for me.

I usually savor story/lore in games that I love playing - but, in Anthem, I find it mostly just gets in the way.

In fact, one might easily argue that you spend way too much time not killing stuff in this game - which is strange to say about a Bioware game.
 
BTW - the Truth of Tarsis + 3-Dash reload Masterwork component = golden combination :)
 
Darth Tagnan said:
You have a very strange process when it comes to deciding what games to buy :)
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I've been in a serious gaming funk for some time now, even more than a year. I can't seem to get into games as I used to. I do also have personal stuff on my mind that keeps nagging at me. So I suspect that's also contributing. But I also might have a burnout with games. Last game I played was Witcher 3, and I really overdosed on that. And that was during an "inbetween jobs" periods where I could really disconnect from professional life and somehow managed to enjoy it. Before that, I think it was Last of Us, the last game I managed to get into.

Other than these examples, I just can't seem to lose myself in them anymore. When it comes to Anthem, after picking it up I played for 2-3 main missions, and just realized I was lying to myself that I can play it. I just can't at this moment. So I had to refund it.

Anyways, I've also picked up my new mountain bike this weekend and plan for that as a replacement to gaming, at least until I can settles things in my life. I've also got weight to lose and get back into shape. So, I'm hanging it up as far Anthem is concerned, and I'll see how the game is looking in some time.
 
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Darth Tagnan said:
I honestly don't know why they thought 3 Strongholds at launch would be acceptable in this segment.
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Isn't one of the strongholds just the final level, too?

The devs obviously haven't played enough WoW. Players burn through content. They should have been aware of this.
 
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Not replying, huh? That's not like you. :p

Well, I'm not one to hit a man while he's down and certainly don't intend to rub salt on the wound, but, in my defense…
Darth Tagnan said:
SirJames is just trying to get back at me for all those times I "won" what he thinks are competitions. He doesn't know that he can't win - so he'll keep trying, and I find that most entertaining.
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It's very obvious when I've "won" what you think are competitions.

Darth Tagnan said:
Lesson one: stop being deceitful and manipulative. That will give you a position from which I can be baited.

I don't even mind being baited and I will concede defeat immediately if that should happen.

Why? Because I'm not ego-driven like you are.
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Why even say this? Why be a liar? You would most definitely not concede defeat and instead mount a bitter retreat and be, to quote, as you put it, the "king of ego", JDR, "butthurt". This is the indication that I've won, in lieu of an ego-crushing admittance from yourself which you're evidently incapable of.

You see me as ego-driven but don't we always notice our own flaws in other people first? When are you going to realise all these attacks on my character, egotistical, arrogant, etc are actually traits of your own? There has been no deceit or manipulation on my part. I simply had not made up my mind whether to buy Anthem or not. That's always been clear.

I'll bet you're so butthurt by this defeat you don't even remember what you were supposed to be conceding?

The fact is, just to be sure you're aware of it, you couldn't even muster the courage to write a proper defense and counter my actual posts and kept going back to your single line or changing the topic to another discussion from the past! Terrible!

You can do better than this. Where's your courage gone? Let me guess? There's no point trying when you always lose?

Carry on with your retreat. While I don't find it "most entertaining" I do find it to be "most telling". ;)
 
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https://www.nerfnow.com/comic/2508
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https://www.nerfnow.com/comic/2506
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JS's short minireview:


AJ's perhaps too long review:
 
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Darth Tagnan said:
@SirJames;

You sound upset again :) Let's talk once you've calmed down.
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Ehh, it's not like I'll get any satisfaction from hearing you say Anthem is shit. There's more value to me in your optimism. I wish I was good. Unfortunately I'm going to need more than a 15 hour campaign and a bunch of "potential".

The trouble with fantastic graphics is the content takes way longer to make. It's going to cost a lot to develop and with the mediocre sales and bad reviews I don't think it has much of a chance of living up to its potential.
 
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You don't have a history of being terribly genuine, sadly :)

If you did, we could have a productive discussion. Do you have a source for the mediocre sales?
 
danutz_plusplus said:
I've been in a serious gaming funk for some time now, even more than a year. I can't seem to get into games as I used to. I do also have personal stuff on my mind that keeps nagging at me. So I suspect that's also contributing. But I also might have a burnout with games. Last game I played was Witcher 3, and I really overdosed on that. And that was during an "inbetween jobs" periods where I could really disconnect from professional life and somehow managed to enjoy it. Before that, I think it was Last of Us, the last game I managed to get into.

Other than these examples, I just can't seem to lose myself in them anymore. When it comes to Anthem, after picking it up I played for 2-3 main missions, and just realized I was lying to myself that I can play it. I just can't at this moment. So I had to refund it.

Anyways, I've also picked up my new mountain bike this weekend and plan for that as a replacement to gaming, at least until I can settles things in my life. I've also got weight to lose and get back into shape. So, I'm hanging it up as far Anthem is concerned, and I'll see how the game is looking in some time.
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Sounds like you need an extended break from gaming - but you've already figured that out.

I've had a few of those myself throughout the years.

It can be very healthy to get a fresh perspective in life - and gaming will always be there for you, should you care to get back to it.

All the best! :)
 
By the way...
Anthem was never meant to be an RPG, it was always meant to be a loot shooter, similar to Destiny.

Problem is, Anthem was marketed as a Bioware game, so the most of us had wet dreams of a hi-octane Mass Effect / Dragon Age / Baldur's Gate crossover (for the better or worse).
Which was never meant to happen.

So what's the point arguing whether it is a good game or not in a traditional RPG forum like the Watch? Most of us will hate it anyway, because it is not Baldur's Effect ;)
 
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duerer said:
By the way…
Anthem was never meant to be an RPG, it was always meant to be a loot shooter, similar to Destiny.

Problem is, Anthem was marketed as a Bioware game, so the most of us had wet dreams of a hi-octane Mass Effect / Dragon Age / Baldur's Gate crossover (for the better or worse).
Which was never meant to happen.

So what's the point arguing whether it is a good game or not in a traditional RPG forum like the Watch? Most of us will hate it anyway, because it is not Baldur's Effect ;)
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What's the point of arguing in general? ;)

But, yeah, I definitely expected the Watch to hate - or at least dislike - Anthem.

I didn't expect the mainstream critics to hate it. Give it a rough time? Sure - but not THAT rough.

It's just one of those times where I'm genuinely puzzled about the reception of a game.

Last time I was this far away from the general public was probably Hellgate London.

Which is a little disturbing, because that game got killed as a result of poor reception.
 
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