Impressive performance from 'The Division 2'

You know the gaming world has got to a weird stage when the common theme of the reaction to a new game is pleasure that it is not completely broken.

Modern releases, especially ones that are online-persistent, are now so frequently launched in incomplete, bug-riddled states that gamers seem all but resigned to having to wait months for the game to be fixed, enhanced or merely finished via online patches.

Witness the progress of games like No Man's Sky, Destiny and, more recently, Anthem. There are good games in there - it is just that they do not emerge until several months after release.

That is very much NOT the case for The Division 2, a solid contender for the most impressive - and, bless it, complete - sequel in recent times.

The 345th (hey, I'm just estimating) title in the Tom Clancy stable, it has hit the ground running, offering a super, all-round shoot-and-loot experience to be played online or with friends. And many hours in, I've barely had a disconnection or technical glitch.

Set in a future version of Washington, it puts you back in the boots of a member of the Strategic Homeland Division, tasked with cleaning up and rebuilding the city following a smallpox epidemic.

Like the original, the game follows a path blending action, exploration and development as you roam around areas of the city packed with increasingly tough bad dudes.

The coverage-based shooting mechanics are almost uniformly smooth, the use of tools such as drones and gun turrets adds an element of strategy, and it all takes place in a broad, graphically impressive world.

Pleasingly, the missions are many and varied, and you never really feel like it's a grind.

Nor does the looting and upgrading loop get bogged down. Loot drops are plentiful and there are bucketloads of tasty weapons to be equipped and handy gear to be crafted.

The biggest difference from the original game is that the enemy AI has received a major buff. Gunfights are not predictable as your foes seem much better at working out your plan.

I'm a bit of a lone wolf when it comes to these games, and you can pretty much do everything on your own. But it's fun to team up with mates - a smart levelling system means it doesn't matter if one has an agent at a much higher level - and matchmaking with randoms online could not be easier.

The Division 2 is already an accomplished looter shooter. As more content is added in the coming months, I can see it entering the pantheon of the genre.

Tom Clancy’s The Division 2
For: PS4, Xbox One, PC
From: Ubisoft
Rating: (R16) ★★★★+

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