Just when you think ANTHEM can't possibly be hit with any more bad press... This happens. In a huge post, Reddit user TermperHoof has called upon the power of maths to detail why the game's latest patch -- update 1.03 -- has essentially broken the progression system on a fundamental level. It's one heck of a read.
Obviously we're not going to go into all of the details here (we're not that smart!) but the gist of it is that the patch has introduced a power scaling system that renders a lot of ANTHEM's loot completely pointless. As TermperHoof explains, removing equipment, such as support gear, can actually make your character stronger -- we reported on this already. However, the issue runs much deeper than that.
"Combined Power Score is utterly pointless. The game instead just averages what you have physically equipped that isn't level one, and combines that number into a simple variable to select an arbitrary multiplier not related to your equipment," TermperHoof writes. In other words, ANTHEM is essentially feeding players misinformation with regards to their statistics. The only part that really matters is a hidden damage multiplier that, under the right circumstances, can completely overwrite the effects of what is supposed to be some of the most powerful equipment in the game.
"This isn't some sort of bug, this is a fundamental design flaw. At this point, the game is lying to you about how much damage you're doing. This is why there is no Stat Sheet, as there isn't anything worth recording. If you play the game thinking your Power Scores, Weapons, Abilities, Components, or the Inscriptions attached to them matter -- then you're doing yourself harm," the post concludes.
So yeah, this design kind of makes ANTHEM's whole loot chase seem like a total waste of time. Even if you're kitted out with the best gear that grinding can buy, you can probably attain much greater power by simply removing it and sticking with a few legendary items. Sounds nice and balanced to us!
Is ANTHEM ever going to get back on its feet at this point? Give us an honest opinion in the comments section below.
[source reddit.com]
Comments 29
I haven't seen a corpse get paraded around this badly since Weekend at Bernie's 2.
Wow. Wow. This is terrrible. Just wow. I’ve never seen something so bad in such a big release. Maybe Fallout 76, but that’s the only one. This starting time make Skyrim PS3 look okay
Ubisoft couldn’t have asked for a better marketing campaign than this. Hope they remember to thank BioWare today for such a successful Division launch 😂
Haha the fallout from this has been quite entertaining fwiw
I knew the loot system was broken as stats on weapons is completely random rather than having a range to control it but this is just ridiculous. How long were they designing this game for? To have one game area and broken systems, Fallout 76 is looking more competent by the day
I wonder if there are people who are playing this game and are having the time of their lives, not noticing a single bug, flaw, problem or even seeing any of the negative news.
I hope there is to be honest.
As for me, every time Anthem is mentioned in a headline I’m filled with dread, getting that cringe feeling on behalf of BioWare, wishing it wasn’t so bad whilst at the same time enjoying seeing something linked to EA be so bad.
It is somewhat addictive/enthralling, but worries me that I have gotten to this point along with seemingly most of the gaming community.
@Enuo Ahahaha!!!
It gets worse every day, doesn't it?
What the hell happened to bioware, why they're making rookie mistake like this, this is not their first game!
EA is going to shut down bioware for this, aren't they?
With each passing day it looks like Bioware were completely ill equipped or inexperienced in how to make a looter shooter. It was different back when Destiny came out because the genre wasn't as popular back then but we've seen plenty of games that launched with either big technical issues or unrewarding gameplay and sometimes both. So Bioware should have been learning from that.
The fault also lies at EA's feet too. This stupid insistence to have every one of their games using the Frostbite engine is harming their product's quality. An engine that was built for online FPSs is being used to make open world third person RPGs and it isn't up to the job.
Wanna know why Horizon Zero Dawn took 7 years to make? Cos Guerrilla knew it's Killzone engine wasn't capable so Decima was created.
I'm just glad that I got to play the beta. It helped me decide that I wasn't going to buy this game.
BioWare had absolutely no business making a looter shooter, and EA had no business releasing it when it did. This whole thing has been a flaming wreck even before day one.
Well, as Dunkey once said..."It's EA. They'll find some way to f*** it up."
And They killed Andromeda For this Say what you will about the game but at least it worked and they could have even giving us with story dlc
Well, this is clearly done on purpose, then...
There are three possibilities:
1) EA just wants to shut down Bioware and created the perfect excuse;
2) This is all a big smokescreen created by Bethesda to make Fallout 76 look better by comparison;
3) EA has found a way to harvest money from the hate and curses of gamers;
Personally, I lean towards option 3
Golly, I wonder if this game is trying to beat Fallout 76 for the award of "Game that breaks itself more with each patch".
Put that sucker up in the office.
I had so much hope for this game but this does it. I even covninced my friends to buy Legion of Dawn edition on preorder. Now all they wanna do is kill me. Tywm EA and Bioware. Im done with you both.
Surely someone at EA or Bioware must know about this, and surely they haven't been praying to the God's that no one would find out about it!?
To think they might get this sort of mechanic past the gaming public is foolhardy hubris in the least.
Anthem really is a running joke now, and any looter shooter lovers will surely now jump to Division 2 after this. It's a dead duck!
I'm in the middle of mass effect trilogy for the first time and can't help but feeling like the first time I heard bloc party, realised the music was awesome then found out the band had broken up!! Bad times for those who forked out on this and hope bioware get one more crack at a real single player rpg.
Sigh, just another notch on the belt. I can't say I didn't enjoy the 60+ hours I put into it but I really think I'm done with this game. The state of it right now makes it impossible to recommend. Has some good pieces but they all seem held together by gum and scotch tape. Really disappointing
They should just change the game title with the next update to solve the problem: from Anthem to Dirge.
They should just let these developers "play to their strengths" instead of chasing trends.... smh, welp back to The division 2.
So...$10 in the bargain bin soon?
Blimey - even if this is 100% false (not saying it is, just playing devils advocate) the damage has been done. The only reason to play this is loot and with the Division 2 launching in a good shape with lessons learned... well, whats the point?
Well, I guess when you're not paying for the loot....
If games like No Man's Sky, Rainbow Six Siege, GTA Online, and others, can make a comeback, I'm sure Anthem could as well. They just need to (re-)focus on the right things, which admittedly was their problem from the start.
Seriously, forget this game and change it into a future city and make it an Iron Man game. By the time they finish that they should have the loot system worked out.
And Division 2 launched in an absolute solid state. I don't usually like looter shooters but Div 2 is genuinely great and plays very well.
How far Bioware and Bungie have Fallen. Thanks EA and Activision.
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