Anthem Hands-On Beta Review: 5 Ups & 5 Downs

After being announced to a fairly middling reception and struggling to establish footing as the "next big thing" it was clearly trying to be, Bioware's Anthem has now received a sizeable VIP beta that's actually incredibly promising.

All who've followed the studio over the years know of the immense highs and lows that have come their way. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Dragon Age and Mass Effect all remain pillars of the RPG genre, and video games as a medium, but after Mass Effect 3's ending was a mess, Dragon Age: Inquisition failed to wow and Mass Effect Andromeda was a tragic embarrassment, Anthem has a LOT of ground to make up.

Now, it's been apparent since first reveal that Anthem is Bioware/EA's attempt at "making a Destiny"; a loot-shooter with high production values and immaculate gameplay that gets by on sheer playability over anything on the narrative or immersive side. That description is the polar opposite of why Bioware matter so much to the industry - and what people want from "a Bioware game" - leading to quite honestly, one hell of a risk.

As you're about to read, there's just as much Bioware charm here, as what feels like EA-mandated, mainstream bloat.