Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Forbes
Forbes
Technology
Brian Mazique, Contributor

I'm Not Sure What 'Anthem' Is, But It Looks Better After Every Preview

BioWare’s Anthem

Anthem looks a little like Destiny, a touch like Mass Effect, but it also reminds me of Titanfall 2. That’s a lot, but whatever the combination is, it has my attention.

These days, it’s rare for me to feel blown away by the visuals of a game. Most titles look good, but there are some that seem to tap into a new tier. It’s what happens when talented art design professionals meld their gifts well with an animation team that is similarly gifted.

I don’t know all of the individuals in those positions within BioWare’s organization responsible for the upcoming Anthem, but it’s clear something special could be brewing.

When I first saw Anthem back in June 2017, I could tell EA and BioWare were positioning the game as a big deal, but that’s not usually enough to sell me on a concept. I was lukewarm but aware.

The next time I saw it was at EA Play in June 2018, and I thought, “OK, I’m starting to see what the endgame can be with this game,” but I still wasn’t completely open.



That continued until about a month ago when I transitioned from lukewarm to hot over Anthem. Visually, this is on another level. From the effects, we see from a weapon’s to the ease of flight and fantastic environments, it looks to push the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One as far as any game beforehand.

The recently released video shows off the visual fidelity on PC as well.

Next, watch a demonstration of the gameplay with the Interceptor Javelin. The video is a trailer, but it’s extended enough to convince me the game can be as fun as it appears:

Graphics aren’t everything, but it’s hard to ignore this kind of virtual beauty. While I haven’t had the opportunity to play the game as of yet, the combat looks addictive.

The gunfire mentioned above seems to have that “it” factor that makes want to press the right trigger or R2 button on your controller.

I’m happy the game offers a single-player campaign, but one of the primary focus is the multiplayer cooperative missions. In most of the footage available on YouTube, that’s the theme. Hopefully, that doesn’t mean Anthem is going to deliver a sparse campaign experience that plays like more of an afterthought. We’ll have to wait and see on that.

I’m still struggling to describe Anthem to people who ask me about it, but I can quickly tell you it’s a title I’ll be giving a significant look.

Anthem releases for PS4, Xbox One and PC on February 22.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.