E3 2017 - BioWare Talks Anthem Gameplay, Setting and More

Published: June 12, 2017 11:58 AM /

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Anthem Key Art BioWare

BioWare game director Jonathan Warner revealed some extra details with their upcoming action-RPG shooter, Anthem, which was revealed on Saturday at EA Play and received more information at Microsoft's E3 Conference.

During the Youtube Live Coverage, Warner discussed how the world of Anthem is designed to be as free as possible, allowing players to go it solo or play with a group of friends.

As such, Anthem sports a "very big open world for players to explore," with the main settlement of Fort Tarsus being the main hub for players to pick up quests and customize their javelin.

According to Warner, the world is dangerous and savage, with humanity being the lowest of the food chain.  Due to this, the javelins is are needed to survive out in the landscape, away from the walls of Fort Tarsus. The game's landscape will contain many surprises, from vicious monsters to other humans in their own exosuits. Warner was quick to clarify, however, that this does not confirm the presence of PvP in the game.

Combat will utilize a mix of rifles and other weapons, but also attachments to your javelin.  The attachments provide extra bonuses and abilities, as shown in the Xbox gameplay trailer we see a laser-targeting system that shoots multiple rockets and a mortar being used in combat.

The plan for Anthem is to create a game that will engage players for a "long period of time." According to Warner, the world is being built in a way that can be continuously expanded over a long period of time,  giving players an incentive to keep coming back and playing the game.

Of course, Warner emphasizes that a "great BioWare story" is still a part of the game, but Anthem will also give players the freedom to tell their own story as they explore and uncover new things in the environment. No real story details were given, however, and Warner stated he wasn't ready to talk about the now standard BioWare-style romances being in Anthem as well.

 


 

Quick Take

Overall, a lot of the information shared will hopefully assuage longtime BioWare fans, who are worried that Anthem will not contain enough of the "old school BioWare" in the game. It is clear that Anthem is meant to be a major contender to Destiny in some respects, and you can see a few of the design decisions for Anthem taking their cues from the popular, online-only shooter. 

BioWare is attempting to make a co-op action RPG here, but we shall see if they are successful when Anthem is released in 2018. 

What are your thoughts though? Please leave your comments below and make sure to check out our continuing coverage of E3 2017 at our E3 coverage hub

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| Staff Writer

A longtime player of games, creator of worlds, and teacher of minds. Robert has worked many positions over the years, from college professor to education… More about Robert

More Info About This Game
Learn more about Anthem
Game Page Anthem
Developer
Bioware
Publisher
Electronic Arts
Platforms
Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PC
Release Date
February 22, 2019 (Calendar)
Genre
Action RPG
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