Anthem

[Family Fry]

There was a closed alpha over the weekend, will probabaly be some more before Feb.
Then come launch the servers will still explode and we wil all be left wondering WTF was the alpha for?

[Team Andromeda]

How so? Is there a demo or something?

Edit: nope early feb 2019 for even a demo.

Closed Alpha demo over the weekend. Its was utterly amazing too. Think Lost Planet, but on an Epic scale.

[MartyG]

How so? Is there a demo or something?

If I had have played the game at the w/e (which I can neither confirm nor deny as there's probably an NDA associated with it), I wouldn't be placing a pre-order.

[QualityChimp]

Closed Alpha demo over the weekend. Its was utterly amazing too. Think Lost Planet, but on an Epic scale.

I have no interest in... wait, Lost Planet?!

Always love your enthusiasm, TA, but I'm deffo going to have to apply the EA filter and see how much game is in here and how much this is a vehicle for them to make money.

Take a look at Monster Hunter: World Vs. Descent 2 as the kind of thing that I mean with providing content.

[Team Andromeda]

It's not a enthusiasm,.but genuinely a fab game.Even in the Alpha demo, one can see when the 4 years of Work have been spent... Its just wonderful to fly around this amazing world Bioware have created.

[QualityChimp]

Thanks, TA.

I'll keep an eye on it, but with a suspicious Fry squint.

->Open Spoiler<-

[Junko]

Someone broke their NDA and was streaming Anthem on Twitch this weekend

[Team Andromeda]

Thanks, TA.

And I love your dour attitude over the current gaming. One day you might let it go and realise current gaming is rather good, even via EA

[QualityChimp]

And I love your dour attitude over the current gaming. One day you might let it go and realise current gaming is rather good, even via EA

Oh man, I've had a great year, playing more games released in that year in a loooong time!
I need to do my GotY!

[Brad]

EA weren't such a problem when I was gaming on PC because when they pulled crap like inviting me to buy DLC (to save an NPC's life) an hour into Dragon Age I just went FU EA and got a crack. I later bought all the DLC and EA's DRM got in the way, claiming I didn't own the DLC so again, just get a cracked version. But on console that's not an option so if I'm made to *feel* that they are withholding key, core stuff from me it'll spoil the experience.

[Team Andromeda]

EA weren't such a problem when I was gaming on PC because when they pulled crap like inviting me to buy DLC (to save an NPC's life) an hour into Dragon Age I just went FU EA and got a crack. I later bought all the DLC and EA's DRM got in the way, claiming I didn't own the DLC so again, just get a cracked version. But on console that's not an option so if I'm made to *feel* that they are withholding key, core stuff from me it'll spoil the experience.

EA aren't that bad at all, If people are dull enought to buy the extra content then let them.
I think EA have been rather good this gen myself game wise and most of the games have more than enough content that I not look to buy it and like with Battlefield 1 I wait untill its all given away for free .

Anthem is just staggering for me and I can't wait the demo was truly incredible and just a wonder to fly around the amazing world. I was amazed to see that everything EA showed off at the XBox One X reveal, was real and it's all there in real time ...

[Brad]

Yeah, I think you just have to wait to fully enjoy EA output. You need to wait for the Deluxe Everything edition so that the DLC stuff doesn't get in the way. I've been playing DA:Inquisition this way and am quite enjoying it, though I don't know I'll finish it.

[Neon Ignition]

It'd be nice if this was a stand out, they need it really as it's been EA's weakest generation by quite a margin in terms of quality output. Too much nickel & diming and compromised quality

[Tobal]

Did about 5 hours on the "VIP" demo (i pre-ordered on amazon, got code and cancelled) on the Ps4 pro. It's basically warfame with graphics barely better than it and occasional flying which by going on all the press footage i thought it was all about this flying stuff but it's just there to get you from and to each waypoint which so far been standard kill mooks, guard point for bit, pick up item and drop in this device and occasion boss you'll be shooting at for 20-30mins. Those looking for a quality bioware single player story telling will not find it here, thankfully they like you skip everything (almost like they knew it was terrible and boring).

With the "stamina" on the flying being about 10 seconds if you don't have cooldown status (by getting close to water) and with it on doubles that timer at most (occasionally resets if you get into deep water), it's mostly useless in combat as it makes you a sitting duck for the very sharp aim of enemies, of which they always throw about 10-15 enemies at you all the time (casing lag hiccups and randomly tanking the fps) so even if you manage to air dodge some bullets or rockets, the next volley will be on its way and ending up just dodging till your engine overheats, so you'll spend your time on the floor like warframe and destiny popping out some cover to shoot some bullets and let off the abilities.

Make sure to go into the forge after the 1st mission, you can't edit loadouts in field, it can only be done in town. 2 weapons, universal ammo, pretty quick cooldowns on the 3 ability slots and 1 super move. You'll start as only the ranger which has bullet dome shield, 1 heat seeking missile and a grenade, with the super being a barrage of lock on missiles, pretty standard in all areas. Once i got to lvl 12 i could unlock 1 other suit so picked the tank class... pretty steep learning curve as it comes with no recharge personal shield like ranger (and i assume the 2 suits), you have to pull out a shield which will soak up damage from the front, but sadly doesn't take much punishment for it to go down, can only recharge when put away and you can't shoot or use abilities outside the melee strike (becomes shield bash), though you can run with it and do attack similar to the sentinel from destiny shoulder charge. Apart from that you get access to 2 damaging abilities which have quite a start up delay to use, and AoE warcry to agro all mobs in range.

Other tips, turn off motion blur (made me feel sick) and you'll often find the matchmaking into missions pause the load bar about 1 inch from completion which happened 4 out 6 times, just force close the program and restart, it will then say you had a "mission" open and would you like to rejoin it. Also doesn't seem to be away to go straight into hover mode, you have fly first then aim, which always moves you out of position on something you wanted to attack.

Overall a very average looter game, outclassed by Destiny in combat feel and graphics, its one niche being the flying it doesn't use in combat and actively feels like it punishes you for doing so (i was forced once to jump a fire wave boss attack, which didn't even need flying and hover, could have just double jumped)

[Cassius_Smoke]

Thanks for your impressions Tobal.
This sounds exactly as it looks then. Another EA product shamelessly designed for loot boxes and DLC. I suspect this will be biowares last game before EA shut them down.