To say BioWare’s Anthem has been disappointing would be an insult to every other disappointing game we’ve played in 2019. Anthem was a colossal failure for the studio, with mediocre reviews that questioned whether the studio could ever achieve its former glory. But BioWare is willing to try: The studio reportedly plans drastic changes to the game in an effort to save it from becoming irrelevant.
According to Kotaku, several of Anthem‘s biggest elements are going to be completely overhauled, either in one large update or in a series of smaller updates. These include the structure of missions, as well as the world itself and the loot. The game has been criticized for the relatively arbitrary loot scoring system, with weapons not varying enough in power compared to those found earlier in the game.
Other changes could include breaking the one large map into several smaller ones and removing the need to go to the hub area Fort Tarsis between missions. As opposed to in games like The Division 2 that show you your new gear right after finding it, Anthem makes you return to Fort Tarsis, breaking up the action in an unnecessary way that all but nullifies any reason to have an open world at all.
Those familiar with the project said it could even be released as an entirely new game, which would be a different move than other overhauled projects have taken — No Man’s Sky, for instance, bears little resemblance to the 2016 launch game, and all updates have been free to players.
BioWare’s next major project is likely still Dragon Age 4. Had it not been for the disappointing Anthem and Mass Effect Andromeda, expectations for the game would have likely been through the roof. Predecessor Dragon Age: Inquisition is one of the most acclaimed role-playing games of the generation, with the classic BioWare blend of world-building, charming dialogue, and engaging gameplay.
One issue that has reportedly plagued BioWare more recently is the use of Frostbite, an engine Electronic Arts has used in almost all of its recent projects, but is problematic with an open-world RPG. The engine began its use for Battlefield but has since been the backbone behind games like Mass Effect: Andromeda and FIFA 20.
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