*Disclaimer: This review was based off of completing the main missions, side missions, Control Points, and Black Tusk endgame activities. Dark Zone and PvP activities were not attempted during my playthrough.
When a certain someone was elected president a few years ago, many might have envisioned Washington D.C. metaphorically erupt in flames. When it was revealed that The Division 2 would be set in D.C., Ubisoft insisted that the game was not intended to be a political message. Whether or not that’s true, The Division 2 contains plenty of content that’ll keep you busy long enough to realize there’s no compelling story behind the content at all.
The Division 2 departs from the snowy wasteland of New York from its predecessor for the overgrown dystopia that is our nation’s capital. Three enemy factions have taken over parts of D.C. amidst the aftermath of the Green Poison outbreak and the sudden shutdown of the Strategic Homeland Division (SHD) Network: Hyenas, Outcasts, and True Sons. Similar to the first game, players are tasked with exterminating these factions and restoring any sort of peace in the city. Once you’re able to freely explore D.C., the sheer amount of things to do can be a bit overwhelming.
There were countless times when I was on my way to a main mission, but instead got sidetracked to disrupt a propaganda broadcast or take over an enemy control point. It’s highly beneficial to complete any activity you run into on the map, because not only are you rewarded experience and gear, but also might make progress on Projects. Projects are found in each settlement that consist of donating certain items, resources to control points, collecting SHD tech, and helping to secure the area. You receive additional experience and gear from completing Projects, in addition to making upgrades to the settlements across D.C. So even if you find yourself wondering off the beaten path, you’ll always be rewarded for it.
Making your way across D.C. is a beautiful, but sometimes complicated task. The map is a 1:1 representation of the nation’s capital, and the various weather cycles creates a more authentic feeling to the world. Completing missions in the Lincoln Memorial or having to steal the Declaration of Independence were great ways to include historical landmarks while also giving me serious National Treasure vibes. Ironically, the only downside to this beautiful world is how empty it feels. Of course there’s plenty of things to “do” in The Division 2, but I never cared about why I was completing missions, only for the needed experience and gear. Not once did I ever think about what was going on in the story or question who exactly I was instructed to take down. The Division 2 possesses zero character development in an otherwise very large world and that might be the biggest missed opportunity by Ubisoft.
While The Division 2 can be completed by yourself, Ubisoft makes it extremely easy to party up with fellow agents. There’s a wide variety of guns for you to mix and match, and being able to form a team of agents where each person can specialize in a specific weapon can further enhance the already amazing gameplay. In addition to the wide assortment of guns, there’s also plenty of different skills to choose from (the Resurrection Hive is the perfect skill to have if you’re a solo player). Certain endgame missions, like the Black Tusk strongholds, can be a bit too much to handle by your lonesome, especially given that certain enemy type A.I. can be a bit more aggressive than others. Most of the gunfights really get the blood flowing, but it can also be equally frustrating when you’re being attacked from four different directions, and that includes behind you. The Division 2 is meant to be played as a tactical shooter, not so much you going in Rambo-style guns a-blazing. Utilizing the cover system correctly is the difference between clearing out an enemy fortress and finding yourself finding a new respawn point.
In a beautifully empty construction of Washington D.C., The Division 2 delivers a content-loaded experience with a no backbone of a story. The amount of loot in the game is expansive and keeps you wanting to find more to improve your load out. That addiction continues to push you to explore every inch of the fallen capital for hidden loot and that’s where The Division 2 truly shines. It’s incredibly disappointing that there’s virtually no character development in such a massive game, but luckily the gameplay and the content overload keeps you busy enough to look over that missing element. The Division 2 could have been something very special, but the lack of any real emotion behind your actions holds it back from reaching its true potential.
Final Score: 8.5/10
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