Because it seems like Ubi changed Breakpoint so much more between their previous titles (inc. what some refer to as a cookie-cut Wildlands, but "worse"), I'm going to provide an outline of the gameplay and mechanics, rather than a comparison of previous Ubi / Clancy titles. Suffice it to say, I'm a vet Ubi / Clancy player (& Clancy book reader), so I already like the stories, but this review isn't about the story (no spoilers, lol), only the gameplay and mechanics, which will be unbiased, so you can come to your own conclusions about it. I also played the beta, but this isn't a comparative of the beta, nor what they should have added / took away from the final release... only about the current PS4 version of the game (which I believe is 1.02, if I remember correctly).
FOREWARD
To those who either regret purchasing games like this, or have nothing but complaints about games... (1) There's a reason (beyond final bug testing) many game makers provide an open beta; start making use of this option to form an opinion before you buy the release; and (2) Even with a few bugs ironed out of a beta, new games seldom come out wrinkle-free... if your opinion is based solely on these new-launch wrinkles (every time), then you might as well stop playing games.
GAMEPLAY & MECHANICS
- A LOT of Gameplay Details
I've heard a lot complaints about this game dropping your allies (something that the Ubi / Clancy games aren't know for), but the irony is that I think most people who are complaining about this have never read a single Clancy book. Some of his books involve groups (Rainbow Six) while others do not (Jack Ryan); and Jack has allies that come and go. Breakpoint has struck me as a game which is following the path of "The Empire Strikes Back", where we're finally seeing the dark side of this world... all alone... heavily out-numbered and out-gunned. Without giving anything (else) away, from what I've seen of the beta and official story, this looks to be a very promising story; if you don't like stories in games and are only playing for the "hack and slash" or PvP aspect, I don't think this is the title for you.
In addition to the immersive story, there is also a gear and character level system (which meshes together to determine your "combat rank"). Between the loot / gear drops, crafting system (which for an FPS, is quite immersive), collection system, optional non-guided system (e.g. you can disable all mission / objective hints and find things on your own), open world (which isn't as "open" or wide-spread as Wildlands; making traveling and missions much better), and a classic-feeling (but re-designed) driving / vehicle system, this new title seems to be more overwhelming (in detail and options) that people give it credit for. From a new generation gamer perspective, I can understand the criticism, but as both a VERY old-school gamer and one who has a little experience coding and producing audio, Breakpoint has (so far) proven to be a well thought-out and immersive experience; speaking purely from the perspective of enjoying the gameplay and mechanics (since I haven't had enough time to form a review of the story); and to elaborate on that perspective, it seems like Ubi has taken slices (e.g. mechanics) from Blacklist, GRAW, Far Cry, Wildlands, and systems now specific to Breakpoint to make this game.
- Realistic Movements
Meaning that when your character stops, it isn't a sudden / instant motion like older games or PvP type action games, rather there is some character swaying and what some might describe as "clumsy", but is in fact much more realistic (if your only interest is PvP or instant controller / character response, you'd be better off with a different game; how about Fortnite, Modern Warfare, or Black Ops?). These realistic movements extend to being hurt (via limping) and sliding / rolling down the sides of mountains (if you try to run too quickly or run out of stamina). Since the animations are made to simulate an actual movement / action experience, they can seem clumsy, slow, or "clunky" to some... but I've found that they merely take a little getting used to, and enjoy the experience of how a person would actually reacted in the field. Is it perfect? No. A few of the movements could be ironed out a bit, but beyond that, the movement is everything I'd expect it to be. Thinking back as far as Far Cry 2, Blacklist, and GRAW, (many titles which I still own and have played again to compare to Breakpoint) Ubi seemed to incorporate more focus on "realistic" movement than other games; where the first title that came to mind in typing this is Blacklist. As time has gone on, it seems like this is a strong focus point for Ubi game titles, so it shouldn't be surprising to see such "clunky" (lol) movements in Breakpoint.
- Detailed TacMap & Menu System
If I had a complaint, it'd be that navigating the menu is a bit slow, but given all of the detail provided in the menu, it is understandable why it is so slow (I suppose Ubi could re-code or re-design this a bit in the future to make it a bit snappier though). That being said, there is a LOT of detail in the menu. Among the many menu features, you have an instant drop in / out system, a very nice / detailed map (which is smaller than Wildlands, but as detailed, or more-so, than Far Cry 5), a detailed inventory / gear-level system (VERY much like The Division, if not "cut" from it), a fairly diverse class / skill tree system (again, like The Division, Destiny, or any other MMO-structured game), an objective board (which takes a bit to get used to navigating), an in-game store (which is like Wildlands and other games, that provides both a rewards / crate system and a non-intrusive microtransaction type system; giving players the option to "buy" their game progress), and a LOT of in-game settings (on par with the settings one might find for a PC).
***Menu System Hint***
The whole menu is navigated via your left control stick (like a mouse cursor), and I've found that it is MUCH easier (and snappier) to hit the Options button (as opposed to the touchpad) and use the control stick to navigate the menu, instead of using the trigger buttons to switch tabs.
- Detailed Graphics
More detail to the character (despite complaints over initial character design / customization), the environment (inc. weather effects and lighting), and item textures. The one, odd feature I find is the transitional lighting between indoors and out. While I get the effect they're going for, the result of the lighting "balance" (we'll call it) is just "off". You'll have to play or watch some YT reviews to see what I mean.
- Realistic AI
Contrary to common complaint, the AI isn't "dumber", but (I feel) more realistic. Using a simple example, let's say you and I were playing a game of paintball and I took a shot at you from a distance. Now, if I hit you, (without dealing a "critical shot"), you should be able to get a rough idea of where I shot from by both the sound and where I hit you. If you have nearby allies, they might even see movement or "gun smoke / flash" (in a realistic scenario) in the direction I shot from. This means that you and your buddies will either carefully head towards the last area you saw me, or take cover from that direction and fire back. If you decide to track me, depending on your RL skills, you may be able to track me from my last location or can guess where I might have relocated to and try there. Regardless of your strategy, you'll have one... and so do the AI (depending on their skill / level).; it's not that their strategy is "dumb" (at least, not in every instance, lol; and certainly not if you're playing on anything harder than the normal difficulty). In several instances, I've seen the AI react in different ways, depending on how I chose to approach them. Drones and machinery, on the other hand, are a beast. Not only are their movements harder to predict (if not impossible) over human AI, (inc. an erratic-ness about them), but they each have a strength and weakness, each of which you must (or should) figure out for yourself.
- Realistic Damage and Combat
I've seen a LOT of complaints regarding how a Lv10 character can kill a Lv100+ AI with a single head-shot, but if discovered, that Lv100 becomes a bullet-sponge. Again, let's use a RL example. If you're a lightly-geared soldier going up against something of a "Juggernaut" caliber (e.g. a VERY heavily armored enemy soldier), you should be able to kill that soldier with a single shot to the head (or, like in Breakpoint, one shot to damage the helmet and one shot to kill), regardless of how much more powerful that soldier is than you; a head-shot is a head-shot. On the other hand, if you tried to bring that soldier down with rounds to his armor, you might be there for a minute... and if that soldier is more skilled than you, it might be only a matter of seconds before you're brought down (lol); regardless of your own gear or tactics. When attempting to hide from hostiles, the enviro-camo is nice, being able to throw dirt, mud, or snow over yourself, and adds a nice "guerrilla" type tactic to the battlefield.
- PvP Gameplay
This doesn't strike me as a game designed with PvP in mind, although that type of gameplay IS available. It reminds me of The Division, in that the game mechanics were NOT designed with the snappy control that a PvP'er might be more used to (or prefer), but it does have a tiered reward PvP system like so many PvP games out there have right now. Between the controls, animation, and story, this game should provide a solid experience for any solo or co-op players out there... but for those looking to play this game solely for the PvP experience, I think you might be disappointed... especially if comparing Breakpoint to other popular titles out there.
- Requires a Connection to Ubisoft's Servers
I've heard that there have been issues with connecting to the Ubi servers; and that it's required to play this game. I haven't had any issues connecting, so I can't confirm this... but for others, this connection issue could be due to the new code on their servers, a person's net connection (inc. country), or a number of other factors. I'm based out of the southeastern US, and have never had a connection issue. It's unfortunate for those who have had connection issues, but I wouldn't let that stop a person from buying the game, if they know that they have a solid connection. As I previously mentioned, I haven't had any connect issues, in my region, with this game, nor any other Ubisoft game; save for the occasional hiccup or maintenance down-time.
HERE'S A FEW "CONS" (just to make people aware of some things to expect)
- A 20+/- gig patch needs to be downloaded right after the game installs, (bringing it up to about a 55 gig install)
- Long load times (but if these load times bother you, forget playing any of the modern RPG's, lol)
- Glitchy cut-scenes and character movement (again, this is a new release, so a lot of this will eventually be patched)
- Sluggish TacMap / menu system (may or may not be patched, but not a "game breaker")
- Can't skip the bivouac cut-scenes (but you can skip other cut-scenes and dialogue via the circle button)
It's a bit early for me to add the detail I'd like to (inc. other bugs or glitches that might exist), but with the official release of the game having been so recent, it's understandable. I know that it seems like I give this game a lot of praise and it appears that I'm partial to Ubi games, but understand that it is TOM CLANCY (the stories, specifically) that I'm partial to... not the Ubi games. As with any game containing elements / stories that a person likes, there is bound to be some favoritism there, but I wrote this review thinking hard about each mechanic / element of the game from a completely neutral POV... providing criticism where I felt there should be, but also providing explanation and examples on mechanics that have had a lot of negative reviews. All-in-all, I've not found many issues with the actual coding / texturing of the game, meaning that as long as a person understands how this game was designed to be played (e.g. the things listed above), I think it is a decent title... but that's for each of you to decide.
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