The Division 2 has been out for 2 years, the game was released on February 7, 2019, which makes you question Is The Division 2 Worth It in 2021? Well, there is a lot to discuss before concluding. The game has been constantly receiving updates for 2 years making it a different game than how it was at launch. There are a lot of changes in the game that has influenced every aspect of the game but at its core, it’s still The Division 2. Cover mechanics, combat, teamwork and importance of builds is still as prevalent as it was on day one.
As of 2021 in the title update 12.1, the game is nearly useless without Warlords of New York DLC. If you want to know how the game feels without DLC then check out The Division 2 review. There are still some bugs but they are not game-breaking and won’t hinder your gameplay. The repeatability value of the game is still high and so is its teamwork-driven chaotic combat. After more than three years the game still has a large player base. There is a surge of new players along with veteran players. It makes you wonder Is The Division 2 Worth It? After more than 2 years of its release in 2021. Let’s find out.
What Changed In More Than 2 Years?
The game has seen a lot of changes from its release date till the time of this writing. Updates are bringing not only new content but a large number of changes as well. Some weapons and skills were nerfed while others were buffed. A lot of new content was added to the games. The new content since launch includes strongholds, The Summit, two raids, new missions, weapons, gear, events, seasons, and Mission modes. Some of the content is exclusive to Warlords of New York expansion. The only way to reach level 40 is through the Warlords of New York. Getting Warlords of New York will also help you unlock new weapons and gear.
Change In Build Making
One of the most profound changes in the game is its build-making system and gear mechanics. There are new talents and some of the old talents are gone from the game. Even the sub-attributes of some items are different than how they were before the Warlords of New York. Comparing the launch Division 2 with TU 12.1 is not even a comparable situation in most cases. Sure the core gameplay is the same but the approach to the core gameplay is different. The Division 2 is a live service game that has seen changes through updates. Most of the guides are useless when it comes to the present condition of the game. You might be thinking Is The Division 2 Worth It with all these changes? Well, there is more to it.
The changes in the game are so profound that none of the build guides before Warlord of New York would work. If you have only played the game before the new gear system you might even not understand the build-making system. Making builds has always been an important part of the game and that has not changed even now.
The way you make a build in the present version of The Division 2 is different than the launch system. Making builds was complex with the old system. The new gear system makes it easier to make builds but at the same time, it offers less versatility. The amount of creativity that it offers is still as good as it was on day one. However, making a build that excels in all aspects is not an option anymore. In TU 12.1 you can make DPS Builds, Tank Build Builds, Skill Builds and, Hybrid Builds but not builds that offer everything in a single package.
Legendary Missions and The Summit
A lot of new things are part of the game which were not even available before the updates. Legendary missions are part of the new updates that are even more challenging than heroic missions. Playing legendary missions provides a different kind of experience both in terms of difficulty and gameplay. These missions are different than playing traditional heroic strongholds and Invaded strongholds. Legendary missions present different versions of a location. Just like the normal and invaded of mission presents a different version of the same location. At the time of this writing, there are only three legendry missions in the game. Roosevelt Island, Capitol Hill, and District Union Arena are the only strongholds that offer legendry versions of the missions. Is The Division 2 Worth It? for all the new content that it is offering? Well, there is more.
The Summit is also part of new content that was part of TU 11. It is a hundred-floor skyscraper where agents have to reach the top from the bottom. There are some changes in The Summit and it acts a little different than how it was initially. The revamp of the progression system in The Summit is beneficial for the players as they don’t have to grind over and over. It is a good game mode for farming as it offers targeted farming and difficulty can go up to legendry. You can also put directives for additional challenges and rewards. In a sense, The Summit offers a controlled environment that can help you farm quickly.
Gear Pieces and Weapons
A lot of gear pieces and weapons have been introduced to the game. These weapons and gear pieces include normal as well as exotic items. Some of the new exotic pieces can help you make builds that were previously impossible to make. Even the normal items that were added later to the game can help you make different kinds of builds. Over the course of more than two years, many of the changes in the game are profound. The new items can help you make builds that were not viable before all these updates. Is The Division 2 Worth It? for you for all the new items? There is more to it.
Warlords of New York
WONY (Warlords of New York) brings a lot of changes to the game. It brings not only new content but a new player progression system as well. The base game offers progression up to level 30. After level 30, you can start focusing on making your builds. If you want to go beyond level 30, then you need to own Warlords of New York expansion. That’s the only way to reach level 40 and unlock better stuff. Players that don’t have the DLC can’t even play with the players that have DLC. It creates two different types of player bases, making match-making a little difficult. The moment you start WONY all your gear would become useless since it is all level 30 items.
Completing WONY will also unlock a rough watch that can help make your agent become a little stronger with each level up. After reaching level 40 you can keep on progressing to earn points for the rough watch. Each level up offers one point that you can use to increase skill efficiency, Weapon Handling, Defense, and Weapon Damage. To max out everything that the watch has to offer, you have to reach level 1000. The buff that the watch provides is not that much but it does make your character stronger. After maxing out the watch, all of the builds will start to take proper shape due to the buff that it provides. So what do you think Is The Division 2 Worth It? Without WONY.
What Warlords of New York is Offering?
Warlords of New York is going to add a new map to the game. The entire campaign of the DLC takes place in New York so the entire city is added to the game. The expansion brings new missions and open-world activities to the games. Missions are the story of expansion while side activities are just open-world activities similar to the base game. Some exotic items and normal items are part of WONY. You can’t get these items if you only have the base game. To get these items, you need to have the DLC. In a sense, WONY is offering a different kind of experience that is not tied to the base game.
Content is Locked Behind The Pay Wall
It’s not like you have to pay to access each and every mission but most of the new updates are only available for players that own Warlords of New York DLC. The Year One content is defiantly locked behind a paywall but other than that everything depends on WONY. Even after all the updates and marginalization of the base game, the Classified Assignment still needs Year One Pass to unlock. The emphasis on microtransaction is still prevalent in the game. The inclusion of Season Pass and Premium currency makes it a pay-to-play live service game.
Since the release of Warlords of New York, some of the updates are not available for players that have the base game only. Legendary missions, seasons, and The Summit are not available for players with the base game. If you want to access the new content then you are going to need WONY.
The Division 2 has seasons and these seasons are only accessible to players that have the expansion. Seasons include man hunts which start from Warlords of New York and continue through the introduction of new targets. New seasons are also shedding more light on the world of Division. The lore is even setting the path for the sequel of the game.
The base game is not receiving content for quite some time. If you want to play the game with everything that it has to offer then buying The Division 2 Warlords of New York is a must. It makes you wonder Is The Division 2 Worth It? hold on there is more.
Some of The Glitches are Still Prevalent
The Division 2 does not have a lot of glitches like other looter shooters. In fact, it is one of the most stable looter shooters that I have played in the past couple of years. Its core gameplay is completely in integration with its combat, unlike other such games. Most of the infamous glitches are gone from the game but there are still some glitches remaining. None of the glitches are game-breaking but it does crash. However, it does not crash as much as not as much as other looter shooters. If you are playing on PC then you might experience some server issues but it is an individual case, not a generalized issue.
None of the glitches are game-breaking, at least the ones that are common. There are two major bugs in the game. One of them will only impact the looks of your weapons and won’t have any gameplay impact. It just lets attachments stick to your weapon and will disappear the movement you get into the attachment menu of a weapon. The second bug can act as a hurdle depending on the build you are using. This bug won’t let you use skills and usually occurs when you stagger while deploying a skill. There are also some glitches in Dark Zone that can give you an advantage in PVP. Other than these bugs there is not much you have to worry about while playing the game.
Future of The Division 2
For the past couple of months, the game is not receiving any fresh content. Developers are rerunning the first 4 seasons as part of year 2 content until the release of the new update. The base game has not received any content since the Warlords of New York. Iron Horse Raid is the only new content for the base game since then. The game will receive major updates in the future but for now, it’s not receiving any new stuff. Despite all the shortcomings, it is still a lively game for the fans of the franchise.
Verdict
Now let’s analyze the question Is The Division 2 Worth It? In 2021. The game has come a long way from its launch phase. At the time of this writing, The Division 2 is in a stable condition with a small number of bugs. Updates have not only brought new content but changed how the game plays as well. Over the course of more than two years, the build system has received multiple changes which have led to a complete overhaul. Despite all the changes it is still The Division game at its core. Builds, skills, combat, and team play are still some of the major aspects of the game. With each update, the game is receiving new content keeping it fresh. The amount of new content that the game has received as updates over time is more than even the base game.
Warlords of New York expansion is big deal for The Division 2 because it brings new maps and content. At the same time, it restricts players that only have the base game for accessing certain content that is not even in New York. The moment you start WONY, all of your loot would become useless. The level 40 upgrade that it offers makes a big impact on the base game. What are your thoughts about the question, Is The Division 2 Worth It? After more than 2 years of its release. Let us know in the comments.
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