The Division: 3 Ups & 6 Downs From The Beta Playthrough

5. Side-Missions & Encounters Need More Variation

Maybe this is just down to a beta being a beta, but the handful of times I attempted to carry out some optional side-missions, they were hostage rescues with the exact same goals, played out in the exact same fashion. Take the hostage rescues. You arrive an a point on the map where the game has told you there's someone in need, and are told to wipe out all opposing forces. You do, and then get a prompt saying to look for a 'key' that will open the door said hostages are trapped inside. Once you've located this key (easily spotted thanks to the game's HUD drawing a massive golden line over the top) you'll free the hostages and be on your way. The entire process takes about five minutes, and if the beta IS indicative of what we can expect, means you'll be doing this a lot in the full version. Other side missions that dynamically trigger depending on what direction you're exploring involve fixing broken antennae for your home base, or clearing out a stronghold of enemy units, Far Cry-style. Again, none of these take longer than a few minutes to get through, and whilst they're fun, aren't anywhere near substantial enough to be talked about positively.