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A week after the release of The Division, maybe we're finally in a position to pin down exactly what this big budget genre hybrid is. Maybe not, though. In the run-up to the launch of this ambitious online open world action RPG, countless comparisons have been made to Destiny, Bungie's own MMO-tinged shooter, though that only goes a very small part of the way towards understanding what Ubisoft Massive has conjured up here. Given that The Division is perhaps the ultimate manifestation of Ubisoft's maximalist design philosophy, it might be simpler going through what it isn't.The Division is an open world game for starters, taking in a broad and authentic recreation of a Manhattan abandoned in the wake of a virus outbreak. It's a beautiful, eerie backdrop for an ever-growing checklist of objectives. The veins of the map are lifted from every other Ubisoft open world game, so you'll likely be familiar with the underlying pulse: head to an unexplored area, unlock a safe-house, and your to-do list will bloom with side-missions, collectables and mini-encounters. Tick them off and then watch the XP trickle in as you work towards the level cap.
It's a cover-based third person shooter, too, and a pretty effective one at that. Hunker down behind concrete pillars, car fenders or office desks as you work your way through mobs of enemies, peering out into the crossfire to nail a headshot. The gunplay isn't a major step forward; its impact is muted by enemies who swallow up whole clips of ammunition, and nor is it overly refined, but encounters are lent a dynamism by a smart cover system that applies itself well across the map, and combat gains the brilliant kick of panic that marks out the best of its type as you scurry between objects under duress of fire.
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