“The Division” is a game that was anticipated by potential fans for over three years. Even after that long span of time of perfect opportunity, the game still majorly falls short. The repetitive mission structure and mundane grind for items and experience bored me to death after a few days of playing.

The story of “The Division” takes place in New York City after a smallpox outbreak that spread after Black Friday. It is known as the “Dollar Flu” as it was spread through the exchange of money during the Black Friday sales. The catch is that the virus was not spread naturally; it was man-made and an act of bioterrorism. After New York falls into a state of emergency, the JTF (Joint Task Force) takes control of the state in order to maintain government control. Along with the JTF, “The Division” is formed as a sort of splinter cell group to back up the JTF. Multiple gangs have taken over New York City from the JTF. These groups are the Rioters, who were the initial opposition to the JTF, The Rikers, who escaped from the prisons on Rikers island to enact revenge on those who imprisoned them and the Last Man Battalion, a paramilitary group that was originally employed to protect Wall Street. As a Division agent, it is the player job to take back New York.

The reason I view this game in such a negative light is because it is dreadfully boring to play alone. That being said, doing missions and roaming around New York City with my friends over Xbox Live is probably the best multiplayer experience that I have ever had. It is incredibly fun to orchestrate how a group is going to do a mission, especially when you do it on hard.

Honestly, I would give the game much higher praise if it was solely multiplayer. The fact is that we just cannot constantly be online and playing 24/7 with a group. With people’s busy schedules, it is just not possible.

I have a love/hate relationship with this game, and unfortunately the fact that I can’t enjoy the game unless my friends are online overshadows the positives.