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| Regional areas: | 3-4 business days |
| Remote areas: | 3-5 business days |
Status:
Complete and Play Tested
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**Review of Anthem (PS4)**
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### Gameplay & Mechanics
*Anthem* on PS4 was BioWares ambitious attempt to blend **sci-fi storytelling** with **looter-shooter gameplay**, setting players in a shared open world filled with futuristic technology and powerful exosuits known as **Javelins**. While its premise promised an exhilarating mix of *Mass Effect*s depth and *Destiny*s cooperative action, the execution delivers a mixed experiencethrilling at times but inconsistent and repetitive overall.
Players take on the role of a **Freelancer**, a pilot who dons customizable Javelins to explore the wild, untamed planet of Bastion. Each of the four Javelin classes**Ranger**, **Colossus**, **Interceptor**, and **Storm**offers distinct abilities and playstyles. The Ranger provides balanced all-around combat, the Colossus tanks damage with heavy armor and massive weapons, the Interceptor specializes in agility and melee attacks, and the Storm wields powerful elemental abilities.
Flight mechanics are *Anthems* standout feature. The ability to soar across mountains, dive through waterfalls, and hover mid-air during combat feels exhilarating and smooth. It gives a unique sense of freedom rarely seen in shooters.
Combat combines **third-person shooting**, **ability combos**, and **team-based coordination**. The action is fluid and flashy, especially when chaining elemental effects between teammates. However, mission structure quickly becomes repetitivemost objectives involve eliminating waves of enemies, collecting items, or defending zones.
The loot system, a core aspect of the experience, suffers from poor reward balance. Many weapons and upgrades feel underwhelming, and the random drop system often gives duplicate or weak gear. The grind becomes tedious, especially once the campaign ends.
Technical performance on PS4 at launch was rough, with frame rate drops, long loading times, and occasional crashes. Later patches improved stability, but the game never fully shed its technical issues.
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### Story & Setting
The story begins with a strong foundation: a world abandoned by gods, left incomplete and filled with chaotic energy known as the **Anthem of Creation**. Humanitys survival depends on Freelancers, who use Javelins to keep the chaos at bay.
The narratives first act shows promise, setting up mystery and intrigue. However, the plot loses momentum midway through, with a lack of meaningful character development or emotional stakes. The villain, the Monitor, feels underutilized and disappears without making a lasting impact.
Interactions in **Fort Tarsis**, the main hub, offer glimpses of BioWares storytelling talent through character dialogue and world-building. Yet most conversations feel static, with limited player choice and minimal consequences. Compared to *Mass Effect* or *Dragon Age*, *Anthem*s narrative depth feels surprisingly shallow.
That said, the lore itselfancient civilizations, godlike technology, and relics of creationis rich and imaginative, even if the storytelling doesnt fully capitalize on it.
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### Sound & Music
*Anthems* audio design complements its sci-fi setting exceptionally well. The orchestral score swells during flight and combat, evoking a sense of heroism and scale. Ambient soundswind rushing past your Javelin, thunder echoing through valleys, explosio
