Manhattan has never been in as dire a situation as what’s depicted in new online-only shooter “Tom Clancy’s The Division.” But in the world of video games, the Big Apple rarely has looked more impressive.
“The Division” takes place after a smallpox pandemic sweeps the city on Black Friday. With Manhattan under quarantine, sleeper agents for the Strategic Homeland Division are activated to keep the peace for those trapped on the island.
Players are tasked with subduing by force the myriad criminal groups that have sprouted up and rooting out the cause of the outbreak. This can be done solo, but it’s more fun in groups as big as four. Matchmaking is available for those without enough available buddies with which to play.
Playing alone makes for a strange MMO experience. There’s a huge open world with tons to do, yet there are no other human players roaming around the main area of the game, save for those in your group or when buying gear at vendors stationed at safe houses.
In such situations, “The Division” can at times feel like a single-player campaign. At least it’s a fun one, thanks to its excellent execution of third-person cover shooting and laundry list of collectibles and gear upgrades. Beware of load times, which feel all the longer thanks to a boring loading screen.
But when playing with friends, the game takes on new life. Communication is key in tense situations, such as when several armored snipers are keeping your team pinned. Missions are challenging — especially on the optional harder difficulties that offer better rewards.
Aside of the campaign, a competitive arena called the Dark Zone offers excellent replay value and the best rewards in the game, with the caveat that players cannot level up their characters within it. Playing with teammates is vital, as the AI enemy squads can be tough to dispatch alone and other groups of human-controlled players can decide to “go rogue” and take your loot.
The true achievement of “The Division” is its digital representation of Manhattan. All the landmarks are where they should be and look fantastic, which at this point is to be expected. But the level of details goes much deeper. Although individual restaurants aren’t licensed, there are burger joints where they are supposed to be. A generic supermarket takes the place of at least one Duane Reade in midtown. Only those who know the city well will notice, so this is an extra treat for locals.
Available now
“Tom Clancy’s The Division,” published by Ubisoft and developed by Ubisoft Massive, is out now for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Windows PC. $59.99
