Back when The Division 2 launched, I claimed proclaimed it as the only looter shooter worth playing. I sunk well over 100 hours into the game; playing both solo and with friends. I eventually dropped it after a series of patches nerfed the high-end gear I worked so hard to obtain and upgrade. Though I occasionally returned whenever a new Episode dropped, my enthusiasm had diminished.
During a recent press event hosted by Ubisoft in San Franciso, I got to go hands-on with The Division 2: Warlords of New York. This expansion brings the franchise full circle by returning to the streets of New York. More importantly, it introduces a number of new and enhanced gameplay elements that make for a better user experience. After playing Warlords of New York for 90 minutes, I can safely say I’m ready to jump back into The Division 2.
Taking place eight months after the viral outbreak that devastated the world in the original game, The Division 2: Warlords of New York sees a new threat emerge. Former Division agent Aaron Keener has gone rogue and taken over lower Manhattan. With the aid of four other rogues, Keener’s goal is to sow chaos and destruction in a twisted attempt to break society away from “the establishment.” As a Division agent, it is the player’s job to stop Keener and prevent society from collapsing even further.
Warlords of New York will have five core missions. Each focuses on taking down one of the aforementioned rogue agents (including Keener). There will also be four safe houses, eight Control Points, and eight side quests. The four explorable areas include Two Bridges, Civic Center, Battery Park, and the Financial District.
In order to get to Keener, players must take down his four lieutenants. The demo I played tasked me with finding and eliminating rogue agent Theo Parnell, who is a tech and hacking expert. He controls the Civic Center portion of lower Manhattan, which is where the entirety of my demo took place.
This is not the same NYC from the first game. Where The Division took place during winter, Warlords of New York happens during the summer. Like the Washington D.C. of the core game, nature is slowly reclaiming the streets of NYC. Wild animals scrounge for food in a city enveloped by overgrown plantlife. Having Warlords’ action in the summer was a wise move since it automatically differentiates it from the original game. At the same time, it firmly keeps it within the timeline of The Division 2.
Being an expansion, The Division 2: Warlords of New York plays exactly like the core game. Shooting, taking cover, and using tech feel as good as ever. Opening up the inventory menu revealed the revamped User Interface (UI). It is now easier to see gear values and skills and compare them with your current gear. Because of this, players can quickly decide what gear to keep which to dismantle. It’s a great way to speed things along.
After shooting my way through hordes of enemies, I finally found my target: Theo Parnell. Taking him out wasn’t as simple as hitting him with everything I had. On top of scores of foes attacking from all sides, I had to contend with Parnell’s holographic body doubles. Whenever Parnell popped up out of cover, about a dozen versions of him would materialize. These were static images, so I just had to keep my eyes open for the one that moved. By navigating to different cover spots and focusing fire on the real Parnell, it wasn’t long before I took down the rogue agent and completed the mission.
Similar to Mega Man games, defeating a rogue agent gives you access to their unique ability. Killing Parnell rewarded me with his holographic projector. Using this holographic decoy to fool enemies is a lot of fun. It’s good knowing that each boss will give you a new toy to play with.
As I mentioned above, it is now easier to see and compare gear stats. This not only lets players know what gear to keep or discard, it also affords them the ability to create unique builds suited to their playstyle. Players can take customization even further thanks to the new Stat Library. Using the main headquarter’s recalibration desk, one can take weapons and gear found in the open world and extract their stats and keep them in the Stat Library. They can then take these stats and skills and place them on other gear. As you can imagine, this opens the door to a wide range of possible builds. It’s also one of the ways players can continue making their character stronger even after they’ve hit the new level 40 cap.
A week after Warlords of New York launches, The Division 2 will introduce seasons. This endgame content will roll out every three months and contain new story-driven missions where players face off against new bosses and their respective troops. Each season will have new gear, rewards, and challenges. Seasons should keep players invested for the long haul.
Global events will make a return. By participating in global events, players gain experience towards their seasonal level. A new raid called The Foundry is also coming. According to Ubisoft, this will be the most challenging raid yet. Finally, players can expect upgrades to Dark Zones which will have new loot along with a renewed focus on PvP.
Warlords of New York launches on March 3 but it actually kicks off this week with The Division 2 Episode 3 – Coney Island: The Hunt. As the title of this add-on plainly states, players will find themselves in Brooklyn’s Coney Island. Those who own the Year 1 Pass can check out The Hunt today. It will become free for anyone who owns The Division 2 on February 19. In addition to two new Coney Island-based missions, Year 1 Pass owners will get two additional Classified Assignments. They’ll also get a new flamethrower specialization for the Firewall class.
As a lapsed player, I’m glad I now have a reason to potentially sink another 100 hours into The Division 2. Downtown NYC makes for an engaging location to play in and is a nice combination of both games’ aesthetics. The new bosses provide unique challenges and weapons for players to check out. The prospect of seasons is also exciting as it gives everyone another reason to continue playing.
Expect our full review of The Division 2: Warlords of New York when it launches on PC, PS4, Xbox One on March 3 for $30. It’ll come to Google Stadia “soon” according to Ubisoft.
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