Anthem E3 Demo Video Released With Dev Commentary

Anthem is a pretty big deal. It’s going to be the first game Bioware did in a decade that isn’t a Mass Effect or a Dragon Age. It’s also the first game they’re going to release after the Andromeda Incident. In more ways than one, it’s a significant thing and all eyes are on Bioware. No pressure. Since we’ve seen little to no actual gameplay footage from Anthem, it’s good to see the devs release their E3 demo video with a side of commentary. Prepare for twenty minutes of Antheming.

The demo shows off a mission called Scars & Villainy, and it begins with the player entering their Javelin exosuit. The first thing you need to do before you’re allowed to start is pick your teammates. You can play solo, or you can invite friends, random strangers and guild mates. You are then presented with the map, which is where you pick your mission. The one from the video requires you to find and destroy a Scar weapon factory.

The voiceover is the classic cringe-inducing PR speak that should be avoided at all cost, and it’s unclear whey they didn’t pick someone who was a bit more passionate about the project. It would be best if you muted the audio and turned off the closed captions, so you can enjoy the footage without wincing.

We get to see some combat, which is completely obscured by ridiculously large damage numbers popping up all over, then a bit of following the mission markers through beautiful locales. We are then notified that lower level players will be allowed to play with their high level friends, so you won’t have to worry about lagging behind your friends group, although they fail to mention how the game is going to accomodate such discrepancies.

It’s a pretty meaty video, but it’s also painfully scripted and awkwardly narrated. If you have any interest in the game, you should probably watch, but you have been warned.