EA releases Anthem gameplay – No “loot boxes” or “pay-for-power” microtransactions

EA releases Anthem gameplay - No

EA releases Anthem gameplay – No “loot boxes” or “pay-for-power” microtransactions

The highlight of EA’s Pre-E3 press conference was Anthem, well, unless you are football fanatic, taking up the most stream time during the event to showcase both gameplay and cinematic trailers.  

Anthem will release on PC, Xbox One and PS4 on February 22nd, with EA Origin Access Premier subscribers gaining access to the title on February 15th, gaining full access to the game a week before its official release. 

In Anthem, players will play as Freelancers, exosuit wearing explorers who travel across uncharted worlds to protect humanity, either by dealing with threats, gathering resources or compleating missions either alone or in co-op. These exosuits are called Javelins, each of which is customisable. Players can choose between four different exosuit types, though each of these suit types is also changeable before and after missions, allowing players to vary their playstyles.  

Like Destiny, Anthem will act as a “live service” style of game, though EA has committed to having no “loot boxes” or “pay-for-power” microtransactions, something which seems to be a response to the recent criticisms and controversies surrounding Star Wars Battlefront. Anthem will include cosmetic microtransactions. 

  

    In Anthem, up to four players explore and battle in a dangerous, mysterious place populated by great characters and a unique BioWare story. Players will also create stories of their own while they play, so no two journeys are the same.

Javelin exosuits make their pilots powerful heroes in the world, with awesome weapons and incredible special abilities that allow for combat and exploration in a hostile environment. Players will be able to customize and personalize their suits with unique paint jobs and gear so they’ll have the right tools to confront almost any situation, and look good doing it.

Bioware plans to leverage their storytelling prowess, reassuring fans that they have followed an “Our world, my story” approach to Anthem. This element has been a weakness for Bungie’s Destiny series, though it remains to be seen how well Bioware has accomplished this goal. 

Below is a section of gameplay footage that Bioware showcased at EA’s Play event, showcasing some spectacular visuals and a lot more verticality that other recent online looter shooters like Destiny. Hopefully, Anthem will play as good as it looks. It seems light flight will play a major role in Anthem, though let’s hope that this doesn’t mean that the game’s world will be too large to offer real depth. 

You can join the discussion on EA’s Anthem gameplay and microtransactions on the OC3D Forums.Â