Anthem

Anthem is a science fiction cooperative TPP shooter with MMO and RPG elements. The game was developed by the BioWare Edmonton studio, the team behind some of the company's biggest hits, such as the Dragon Age series and the first three installments of the Mass Effect series.

Plot

The game takes us to a distant planet, abandoned by the ancient gods at the time of its creation, which left a lot of hostile beasts and the "power of anthem" - a tool of world creation, which everyone wants to possess and tame. Players take on the role of Freelancers, daredevils equipped with Javelin-class powered armour. Only they are able to face both the aggressive fauna of this world and the ruthless race of intelligent beings known as Scars, as well as the hostile human faction of the Dominion.

Players must complete numerous tasks given to them by the inhabitants of Fort Tarsis and defeat the Dominion forces that seek to seize the power of anthem.

Gameplay

Anthem is a combination of third-person shooter and MMORPG. Players start the adventure by choosing their first Javelin, and then take part in the exploration of the world and complete missions, alone or together with their brothers in arms. Completing the tasks is rewarded with experience points, thanks to which we level up our character and gain equipment.

Events are observed from a camera placed behind the protagonist. The combat is largely arcade and resembles classic shooters, but the main role is played by Javelin special abilities and area attacks. The game offers four models of powered armour (Colossus, Storm, Interceptor, and Ranger), with varying levels of mobility and armour; additionally, we can modify and upgrade them. All units are equipped with jet engines, which facilitates exploration of the planet and provides greater tactical freedom during battles. It should be noted that the game does not allow for unlimited flying. Javelin's engines overheat after some time; we can cool them down by, for example, falling flight or contact with water.

In Anthem we can complete missions alone, with a group of friends or rely on random companions. However, the base of humanity, Fort Tarsis, is an individual place for each user. It is there that we learn about the game's plot and select missions. Thus, while Anthem main universe unfolds in the same way for each user, at the same time, thanks to the base they have the chance to learn the stories of numerous NPCs of their choice.

Co-op

Anthem focuses on cooperative gameplay, in which four players join forces against artificial intelligence. On the day of the premiere, the authors did not provide a PvP option. The team can be chosen at the start of each new expedition.

After completing the main storyline (it consists of about twenty tasks), players can enjoy additional activities. These include further missions commissioned by the game's main factions (Freelancers, Arcanists, Guardsmen), daily challenges and taking over fortifications (strongholds) always ending in a boss fight. These activities renew themselves regularly, providing us with the opportunity for continuous development. The hero can advance to a maximum of 30 level of experience, but this does not end the game. The strength of his Javelin is calculated separately - we can increase it by installing rare components of higher quality. New weapons and parts can be obtained in the form of loot or manufactured by ourselves based on crafting.

Frostbite

Anthem offers an eye-catching 3D graphics, which was built on the Frostbite engine known from Battlefield 1, among others. The environments we visit during the game are quite similar to each other, because we operate all the time on a small area of a mountainous planet covered with jungle. Mines, enemy bases or the interiors of caves and ancient ruins are a certain variety. The game allows for advanced modifications of our Javelin's appearance, which are visible during the actual game and during intermission scenes. Also noteworthy is Fort Tarsis, which we explore uniquely from a first-person perspective.

Anthem Next

Anthem received a cold reception from players and reviewers alike, so it quickly became a priority for the developers to fix this game. In February 2020, it was officially confirmed that the game will receive a thorough overhaul, and the introduced modifications will cover the basic elements of gameplay, led by the progression and reward system.

Prepared by BioWare big update was referred to as Anthem Next. In the summer of 2020, the developers began to share details, revealing information about a new faction (pirates), publishing concept artwork of new locations, and even suggesting that the game may appear in battle royale mode. Then we learned even more specifics about changes to the inventory and the Javelin development system.

In February 2021, Jason Schreier of Bloomberg (who had previously been the first to report on Anthem plans for a complete remake) revealed that Electronic Arts would soon decide on the project's further fate. Unfortunately, the results of its internal testing were not positive, causing the Anthem Next project to be abandoned, with BioWare ending support for the game and expected to focus on other games from now on.