PORTFOLIO

While there is not enough content to keep me interested in the long term, I think that XDefiant is mostly doing things right. For those unaware, XDefiant is the hot, new multiplayer first-person shooter from Ubisoft. It plays a lot like the older Call of Duty titles (with enough differences to help it stand out).

For example… XDefiant lacks killstreaks. Instead, it has character specific powers (often referred to as “ultimates” in other, similar games; though I think they’re called “ultras” here).

A lot of people keep asking Ubisoft to add in killstreaks to XDefiant, but I think that would be an awful decision on Ubisoft’s part. What makes XDefiant stand out is its simplicity. However, this very same simplicity will most likely lead to the game’s downfall. I fear.

There really is not a great variety of content in the game in its current state. Which, given the fact that it is free to play, seems like a bit of a silly complaint. And I do think they intend to add in more with the new seasons and stuff. But I am not entirely sure… I’m not paying close enough attention to its development or anything.

But simply judging it by what is currently available, it gets a pretty low score from me. I do not care how fun it is to play. Or how good the movement feels. Or whatever. There simply is not enough game modes or unlockables to maintain the player’s interest. And the lack of a platinum trophy just makes it an even harder sell (especially for me).

Still, I enjoy playing a couple matches here and there. And, overall, I am happy to play something that feels just as smooth as Call of Duty (if not smoother)… That isn’t explicitly Call of Duty itself. Because the most recent Call of Duty game, Modern Warfare 3, has A LOT of problems. Problems that seem to be getting worse with each update.

Not to mention, XDefiant is only about 50 gigabytes of memory. Whereas Modern Warfare 3 is over 200 gigabytes. So, that alone has me considering abandoning Modern Warfare 3 all together. I’m seriously thinking about uninstalling it and focusing just on XDefiant. But, again, XDefiant lacks content. I’m only about 20 hours into “XD” and, already, I feel pretty much done with it. Compared to Modern Warfare 3, where I have over 100 hours in it and I still feel like there’s stuff for me to do and unlock.

So yeah… I guess you could say I’m pretty torn. For now, I am keeping both games installed on my console. But I’m rarely playing either one at the moment. There’s better stuff to be playing right now anyway. But XDefiant is doing things right. As long as Ubisoft doesn’t completely abandon it, it has the potential to be my favorite multiplayer game since Overwatch. But it still has a long way to go.

I’d suggest checking out XDefiant. Just do not expect too much from it or anything. It is a fun game. And it feels great to play. But it still is not without its own issues. But there aren’t many games that feel this great to play, so I understand the love for XDefiant. I just cannot fully support such a barren experience.

Rating: 6.5 out of 10