The Division Reviews: 8 Early Reactions You Need To Know
With a media blackout reminiscent of the game itself, we sift through the darkness.
For better or worse - and at the minute it's definitely worse - The Division could be seen as a turning point in games media coverage. If you're not up to speed on the way review copies have been handed out... well, they haven't. No outlets were supplied with advance copies, and from consumer to critic, the only widely available hands-on time we've had so far has come from various betas or showroom floors from the last few months. Thing is, although Ubi are presenting the reasoning as wanting reviewers to hold off until the 'appropriate conditions' for the game are achieved i.e. a constantly-online, global multiplayer MMO environment, it also plays into the fact consumers are forced to go in blind. Like Assassin's Creed Unity's embargo lifting on the day of launch, purchasing a fairly expensive product with zero commentary as to its worth, only benefits those watching the sales figures tick over. Everyone from IGN to Reddit have been rushing to put enough hours into The Division to offer a valid critical opinion, at the minute this fervour being reflected in Google's search results, as every outlet throws out catchier and more attention-grabbing headlines to stay on top. By resetting the playing field like this, Ubi have forced us to reconcile with the very importance of reviews themselves, but for right now, all you need to know is if it's worth the asking price. Well...