Tom Clancy's The Division completely blindsided me just as
Watch Dogs did at last year's E3. After drooling at the trailer during Ubisoft's press conference, I got another opportunity to see a developer commentary walkthrough of the trailer in addition to footage of the companion tablet application. The game places players in the roles of survivor groups that are tasked with restoring order and attempting to save what remains of New York City after a virus outbreak during Black Friday. The game was built from the ground up as both an online role-playing and open world experience. As easily seen in the trailer, the game's level of detail is astounding thanks to the in-house built Snowdrop engine.
The game is built around primary concepts of exploration and customization as players will be able to choose which missions to partake and skills to upgrade. Since the game's skill system isn't based around any specific classes, players can switch around their skills for solo and group play. Missions that are completed by players will have an actual impact on the city as different possibilities might be available in later scenarios. The choices seem endless as the developers described the game as containing an extensive loot and progression system, as well as the notion that everyone can be a threat in the city.
After providing commentary for the E3 trailer, the developers showcased a live demo of the companion experience on a tablet. The tablet player controlled a drone over Brooklyn rooftops as his teammates were engaged in a gun battle with enemies. The player controlling the drone was able to mark enemies for his teammates in addition to a range of abilities from providing skill boosts to launching missile strikes. The tablet view of the game played in real-time and was synchronized alongside players on the console version.
Now, the wait begins for one of my most anticipated games from E3 as
Tom Clancy's The Division will be available in the fourth quarter of 2014 for the Xbox One and PlayStation 4.
