PAX West is currently the next games fair after Gamescom and BioWare has taken the chance to publish countless information on the upcoming role-playing game Anthem, while also releasing a new trailer for the game. The video titled Our World, My Story shows how players are meant to write their own, individual story in the constantly changing, dynamic world of Anthem.
For players that can't wait to set foot into their Javelin suits, there will be a playable demo that can be downloaded by players who pre-order the title or who have subscribed to Origin or EA Access. The demo will be made available on February 1, 2019.
Many ways to play Anthem
According to Lead Designer Mike Gamble, Anthem can be divided into four different areas:
The Main story
Anthem's campaign, a personal story with characters with whom you build relationships. As soon as you choose to go on a mission, the co-op aspect kicks in. You can take on assignments at the Fort Tarsis hub and then experience them on the road (optionally) with your friends, all of you following the same story within the mission.
Agent Missions & Contracts
These are side missions received from Agents and are supposed to give the player more information about the world of Anthem through their assignments.
Strongholds
Strongholds are the endgame content of Anthem. In raid-like co-op adventures, four players have to compete against particularly strong opponents for about 30 to 40 minutes.
Freeplay
The free exploration of the Open World alone or in coop plays a very important role in Anthem. You can not only discover interesting places with hidden treasures and collectables but also participate in world events. The latter are reminiscent of the events in Destiny 2, where you then need to fight special enemies. As you win, you are rewarded with extra loot and experience. Events run for all players at the same time, with the goal to make Anthem feel as if it were a shared place for everyboday.
Javelins
There will be different Javelin Exo suits available in Anthem. While they offer a capable pilot everything he needs to survive in the wild and kill every enemy, you can also fly over problematic terrain, swim through underwater tunnels and deploy a complete set of weapons and equipment. According to BioWare, every Javelin model has its strengths and every pilot is free to decide which Javelin is the best choice for the next mission. You can choose between the Ranger, the Storm, the Colossus and the Interceptor.
The Ranger
The Ranger is the first Exo suit you will receive at the beginning of Anthem. He is precise, versatile and therefore an all-around master fighter. All freelancers have to train with the Ranger first, not because it is the simplest, but because it is the most versatile exo-suit. In the hands of a master pilot, the Ranger can achieve top performance in combat that no other Javelin can imitate. The Ranger has many tricks in store and can effectively tackle any combat situation. The variety of weapon types available makes the Ranger a real jack-of-all-trades and an asset to any team and mission.
The Colossus
As the largest of the four, the Colossus loses agility for increased defence. It is equipped with both an extendable shield and a devastating siege cannon. It is a mighty war machine, which was created only to fight whole nests full of vicious predators with installed artillery guns, heavy weapons and even a flamethrower. If you like to trample through the wilderness comfortably, with heavy artillery on your back, the Colossus is made for you.
The Storm
Mysterious and destructive, the Storm-Javelin uses powerful technology to destroy enemies with the unbridled rage of the hymn. The result is a Javelin that can float effortlessly in the air and unleash the unrestrained energy of the anthem. However, while the Storm can convert incredible amounts of energy, it lacks defensive properties. It requires an experienced pilot to stand above the action and deal damage from a safe distance.
The Interceptor
Even if the Interceptor Javelin doesn't look as threatening as the Colossus, its attacks are brutal. The Interceptor stalks the enemy to inflict close range damage, weaken him, and is gone before the target can even react. With powerful blades and a series of devastating abilities, the Interceptor can be as independent as a lone fighter as a supporting team member.
Factions
In the game, influential factions act to achieve their own goals and often get in each other's way. However, the incompatible parties must necessarily make use of the services of freelancers.
The Sentinels
The Sentinels are the supreme guardians of the law in the towns and settlements of Anthem. They put law and order above everything else and see themselves as a bulwark that protects people from the chaos of the outside world. In the eyes of the sentinel leadership, freelancers are no more than an unorganized mob whose rigid adherence to their independence makes them unpredictable.
Corvus
With its extensive network of secret agents, spies and diplomats, Corvus' primary goal is to detect and eliminate threats without direct confrontation. Although they do not shy away from using their own Agents for targeted sabotage or occasional assassinations, they prefer to outsource their dirtier tasks to third parties, such as freelancers.
Cypher
Cyphers are people with a special gift who undergo rigorous training: They can communicate mentally over long distances, perform complex analytical calculations and process incredible amounts of information. They act as supporters for freelancer and provide them with information and analysis on expeditions.
The Arcanists
The Arcanists are scientific mystics dedicated to exploring the mysteries of the world of Anthem. They deal with the limits of both nature and technology. Their ultimate goal is to collect, categorize and preserve the complete knowledge of humanity. Their tireless search for knowledge and knowledge transfer is directly or indirectly responsible for many of the technical advances in this world.
Exploring the world of Anthem
In Anthem, you grow stronger with every mission and every monster you kill successfully. On your journey, you can also expect to find some surprising gifts with which you can develop and improve yourself in different ways. Furthermore, if you join forces with other freelancers to overcome even greater challenges, you will be able to discover even more. Optically, the part of the world in which Anthem plays corresponds to a jungle. But in between all the greenery, you should be able to discover alien ruins and temples, which provide variety.
DLC's for Anthem will not be hidden behind a paywall, at least as far as the storyline is concerned. Players can purchase gear and custom items for a fee, but everything related to the story will be published for free. There will be no loot boxes and everything can be found in the game world, even if some of it is locked behind challenges.
Fort Tarsis
Fort Tarsis is the central stronghold of Anthem and at the same time your home. The fort serves as a base for the fortified settlements of mankind and the threads of all areas of life converge in this place.
The story of Fort Tarsis
Fort Tarsis goes back to its eponym, the leader of the Legion of the Dawn, General Helena Tarsis. With untiring dedication, she led humanity to a place of strength and security where a fortified city could be built to defy the nightmarish threats sweeping through the lands. Under this beacon of hope, humanity made progress and developed the means and technologies to survive in unimaginably hostile environmental conditions. In Fort Tarsis, the unequal factions come together in a survival alliance and are a living tribute to the heroes who made this possible.
Meeting point for all major factions
Fort Tarsis is also the central location where you will receive your next missions. Agents from all the major factions are here and it's only a matter of time before someone provides you with your next freelance assignment. Some missions can be taken from your runner's safe environment (the four-story mobile base of operations), for others you must personally go to Fort Tarsis. But always be on your guard - some of these agents are not what you would call nice citizens.
Anthem will be released on February 22, 2019, for the PC, Xbox One and PlayStation 4. You can find Anthem cheap for PC in our price comparison.
