Given the most recent gameplay overview reveal from Ubisoft, fans of The Division franchise have been keeping a close eye on what lies ahead for The Division Heartland. Based on the new information shared, it appears as though The Division Heartland will be following in the same footsteps as its predecessor in the aspect of the core gameplay loop and engine but will have a heavy focus on PvEvP in a free-to-play survival experience.
While the matter of this upcoming title standing as a free-to-play title has left many fans worried regarding the microtransactions and how excessive they may be, it has also left room for discussion surrounding what can be done to take the game a step ahead of anything The Division franchise has ever done before.
5 Melee Combat
Despite The Division 2 containing melee combat and builds that can help increase the damage output from it, it is almost non-existent and lackluster. Whilst this could be a result of the primary focus on gunplay and longer-range encounters with enemies, there are multiple sequences amid shootouts where enemies will get up close and personal with players and strike them. Unless players have builds centered around the use of shotguns or high output damage up close with any weapon, this can very easily lead to being overwhelmed.
In the reveal of The Division Heartland and its gameplay, there is a brief sequence that shows the player equipped with a melee baton, so this confirms that melee will see an addition of weapons aside from standard attacks, but developers should ensure that there are more animations, a variety of weapons to choose from, and a system that is built around the melee. This will help mix up gameplay styles and introduce a new element aside from getting into cover and firing.
4 No More Bullet Sponge Enemies
Acknowledging the fact that The Division games are primarily RPG based and focus on many of those elements, there is which likely needs better addressing. When increasing the level of difficulty, players expect a tougher challenge, more intelligent AI maneuvers, and the need for them to use different tactics to survive each encounter, but the amount of time it takes to deplete enemies' armor is incredibly high.
Even when having a build specifically made to defeat this, players will find themselves outnumbered or overwhelmed by difficulties such as 'Heroic' or 'Legendary'. To avoid this in Heartland, developers should look to adjust this to a reasonable standard whilst maintaining the level of intelligence from the AI in their pursuit of players.
3 No More Crashing (PC)
On the technical side of the matter, one of the biggest issues in The Division 2, mostly notable on PC, was the constant crashes at random moments during gameplay. Despite the plethora of recommended fixes and tweaks suggested, it does not stop the frustration, and this often happens when in the middle of a mission among a group of players.
Whether this comes down to the involvement of the anti-cheat system put in place by Ubisoft or an issue related to the game's engine, seeing this addressed and fixed in Heartland would instantly see a major improvement in the overall user experience, and create a level of consistency in gameplay.
2 Faster Movement/Parkour
A major part of The Division 2 was the parkour and traversal that was present throughout the experience, helping players move from point A to point B in the heat of combat. This mechanic was crucial as it is often the very thing that can save players from being eliminated by enemies who will flank them very quickly. Sometimes, the movement in these moments can feel either unresponsive or weighty.
If developers can somehow increase the movement speed for players and greater mobility, this will help to improve the pace and flow of combat encounters and equal the level playing field. Based on the first look fans have seen of the upcoming title, the glimpse of parkour scenarios suggests that work has been put into the movement for players, and the closed beta will allow them to see just how much attention has been put towards this.
1 New Weapons/Better Loot
Regardless of the chance of players finally finding a weapon they were in search of, The Division 2's loot drops will very often give players a duplicate of a weapon they have already attained, with the duplicate only having a slightly different level of damage output. This goes for both weapons and appearance sets which are known as 'Apparel' that players can either earn coming across them in the open world or caches.
If The Division Heartland can draw a heavier focus on the variety of weapons available in both the department of guns and the aforementioned melee weapons, and improve the rate of specific drops that players are searching for, then it will most certainly upgrade the most pivotal aspect of the game in its gunplay, and looting system.
The Division Heartland is in development for release with a closed beta for PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, and PC coming soon.