Anthem - Some Concerns

Farflame spotted two articles that express concerns about Biowares new IP Anthem:

Playstation Enthusiast:

What I Want BioWare to Avoid With Anthem

Screen Critics:

Major Concerns With Bioware’s Anthem

More information.

Nearly everything about this project is a concern.

I would probably join in the concern if I ever expected much from it

Looks like a very pretty and competent shoot-and-loot - and that's about it.

Exactly - zero expectations, zero concerns. Safest approach for AAA stuff these days!

Originally Posted by Pongo
Exactly - zero expectations, zero concerns. Safest approach for AAA stuff these days!

Which also allows for the pleasant surprise - which buying into the hype never gets you

Originally Posted by NewDArt
Looks like a very pretty and competent shoot-and-loot - and that's about it.

You're being kindly

Not really, I think it looked beautiful and well-crafted. Exactly like any big-budget game being demonstrated at E3 years before release

What I didn't see, however, was a single example of how the game would meaningfully set itself apart - except for how pretty it was.

Well, maybe the underwater swim was cool - and it has the potential to add some interesting exploration.

I just wish they'd shown some of that - instead of just shooting stuff.

Originally Posted by henriquejr
You're being kindly

Yea, I'd put the word "boring" instead of "competent" there, but he's probably trying to get a job at IGN.
Pretty the game is. But then again, I was 15 several centuries ago to care only for "pretty, who cares if boring".

The EA/BioWare "Origins" app has long been a privacy sore spot for gamers. Until now, some relief from data-mining aspects of Origins could be accomplished by off-line game play for sp games. To date EA/BioWare has refused to say whether this will change with Anthem, instead refusing to answer whether gamers will be forced into an always online data-mining situation even in so-called single play mode.

EA/BioWare apparently never got the memo about increasing sales by treating customers with respect.

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Is this an RPG? The one article says it's an "always online co-op shooter".

No interest either way so no concerns, either.

Originally Posted by RPGFool
EA/BioWare apparently never got the memo about increasing sales by treating customers with respect.

Or…. treat customers however you like.
Lose a few customers and harvest from the rest.

Right now the scales are so tipped in favor of people that just mass buy games the idea of respect is more an illusion than a reality.

Like ap permissions on a phone. People don't care what they accept as long as they get the ap.

Originally Posted by Wisdom
Or…. treat customers however you like.
Lose a few customers and harvest from the rest…

Strange that you use the verb, "harvest" -- a bit reminiscent of ME1-3, in which the Reapers were focused on "harvesting" DNA and other resources from organic species.

At some point I realized that the Mass Effect series originated generally at a time when BioWare was being sold to larger corporate entities. In turn, it seems possible that the genesis of the "Reapers" was actually large game companies "reaping" the assets of smaller game companies, and "harvesting" everything they could in the process (human resources, i.e. employees, included).

This could also explain the otherwise unfathomable ME3 ending; i.e., employees who stayed with BioWare through multiple buy-outs needed to become automaton-like creatures to survive in the EA/BioWare galaxy.

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Originally Posted by Fluent
Is this an RPG?

No. It's MMO.

Actually EA/Bioware describe Anthem as "a shared-world action-RPG,"

Others may call it "data-mining."

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EA just as anyone else can advertise something with any words they want.
It's still bollocks. Anthem is basically yet another MMO, completely unoriginal, with nice looks and promised boredom.

Originally Posted by luj1
Nearly everything about this project is a concern.

Reminds me of "Stardew Valley", which was developed by ConcernedApe.
Which clearly shows that concerned beings can do something good as well.

Personally I think Karpy is a bit "overrated", L'etoile is their best writer in my book ( Carnifex hates both though).
Seems loot will play a large role here, can't do worse than Division, but what they showed in brief, could have been more interesting.
But azarhal is sure to bring us enlightenment on this.

Originally Posted by BoboTheMighty
But azarhal is sure to bring us enlightenment on this.

It should be L'Étoile was their best writer, he left around ME2 releasing. A lots of stuff attributed to Karpyshyn were his ideas but written by other writers too, I personally always considered the dark matter stuff in ME2 more interesting than what we got in the end for example.

Saying that, he joined Anthem last year and the lead writer for Anthem was Jay Watamaniuk last I checked. I haven't seen any mention that this changed, Jay was the lead in 2014.

As for the gun (loot), it looked a lot like MEA gun to me stat-wise and so far BioWare has used purple for unique items, even when using a RNG loot system for basically everything else (see DAI and DA2, they were even called legendary in DA2). They took the "rng loot with tiers" direction with DA2 and only ME3 skipped that design since. Also, Anthem website mention crafting, going by MEA and DAI…that's where you are gonna get the best stuff. I even suspect some stuff for Anthem were tested in MEA too (like random encounters).

DA:I was the test and everyone lapped it up and now welcome to the new Bioware.
Frostbite engine powered open-worlds + mmo style action + grind + DLC out the wazoo.