Though Anthem seems to be having a very divided reaction from the Early Access period, many players are enjoying the latest IP from BioWare very much! Social media is alight with players raving about their custom Javelins and promising undying devotion to characters they’ve fallen in love with and that’s where the charm lies. Though in a very different direction than previous IPs from the studio, BioWare very much retains their ability to make us feel attached to characters that aren’t real but never fail to be impactful.
From Rythe’s “sexy danger” (and “sexy bad choices”), to Owen’s hilarious needling that feels like what happens when Mass Effect’s Joker and Dragon Age’s Solas have a crazy, weirdly awkward drunken night together and Owen is the hyper-intelligent sassy love child that is the result. Faye’s incredible intelligence but soft spot for cheesy radio shows, to Dax’s badass attitude and uncanny ability to be where she’s not supposed to be – but where’s she’s supposed to be at the same time.
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Anyone that’s familiar with BioWare knows that the studio is keenly aware of how to reach into your soul and make you weep for characters that don’t really exist — looking at you, Mass Effect’s Mordin — and that’s definitely included in Anthem on an admittedly smaller scale. Immediately upon meeting Owen, I knew he was going to be my in-game BFF. Faye? Love her. Brin? Cinnamon roll. Lucky Jax? Yeah, we’re bros.
Even Tassyn won me over, who is a character I didn’t think I’d connect much to from the trailers. Her slow-but-sure thaw towards the Freelancer is heartwarming and made me genuinely want to get to know her more.
As mentioned in my full review, “After every single mission, I genuinely wanted to go back and hear more about what they had to say about really anything. Daily Fort Tarsis life, what’s new, existential crises, anything! That’s a good thing too, because just like any other BioWare game, you’re not going to get much out of them if you don’t do the legwork. It’s very important to talk to each key member every time you head back to Fort Tarsis. If you do, you’ll unlock cut scenes, conversation options, and get new quests that will help level up those alliances to improve that reputation’s standing. Talk to them, listen to their stories, and you’ll be amazed at how attached you get.”
Though many were worried that this didn’t “feel like BioWare” when it first announced, a big part of that studio’s magic is how they told a tale and how the characters felt to the player. Anthem very much continues on that tradition and for those that love BioWare titles of the past, I’d wholeheartedly recommend giving the game a shot – Just make sure you talk to EVERYONE … and frequently!
Anthem is now available on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC. You can check out my full review here, or hit me up over on Twitter @DirtyEffinHippy!
