My Thoughts of Defiance 2050 Closed Beta
Last Updated on April 24, 2018 by Michael Brockbank
Over the weekend, I was invited by Trion to experience Defiance 2050 closed beta. In reality, I wasn’t sure what to expect in this process other than discovering what a “re-imagining” of the game looks like. Overall, I was a bit disappointed in the experience.
From the developer’s website, I was expecting something a bit more. Don’t get me wrong, I’m still a fan of Defiance. But the way they announced what was going on, I half-expected a new game of sorts.
Perhaps it was all the talk about “continue the fight” and “next chapter” that threw me off. To me, it sounded like they were delivering a sequel. Instead, it looked and felt like the same Defiance game from 2013.
Unfortunately, I didn’t get to dive into it as deeply as I wanted. A few things came up here at the house and I even forgot to take screen shots.
Not a very good start, I must say myself.
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Graphics and Visual Effects
There is nothing new to report for Defiance 2050 closed beta in terms of visual appeal. It looked identical to its predecessor in virtually every way. Well, at least that I can remember. I played a little bit of Defiance prior to the beta just so I had some comparison.
After all, I hadn’t played the game in about four years.
Explosions, characters, sound effects and all seemed to be ported directly from the Defiance game itself. Which I guess was part of the point.
Inventory Control
One thing I do have to praise Defiance 2050 closed beta for is the use of the inventory screen. The original Defiance is a bit wonky and difficult to manage, especially if you want to mod a weapon or equip a device.
Although the first inventory screen itself is still the same, it’s the mod layout that seems to be much better. It’s not as much of a confusing chore just to add a stock to your rifle or enhance a scope.
This is not to mention how the mouse pointer is slightly off from the button in the original Defiance. At least, it is on my screen – regardless of what resolution or video settings I have set.
The Skill Tree
In the original, the skill tree was something you had to get used to. It was in a patterned layout across a board that seemed to sprawl across the screen. It wasn’t terrible, but definitely not keeping with traditional aesthetics.
The skill tree in Defiance 2050 closed beta was more reminiscent of an actual tree. Skills were listed vertically and easy to manage when I went up levels.
Unfortunately, the Assault class was all I had access to in the beta, so I don’t know what kind of appearance is available if all classes are available.
Expansion, Sequel or Just Updated Functionality?
I suppose I got my hopes a bit. Like I said, I though this was a continuation of the original game…like 20 years in the future or something. Instead, it’s Defiance with a better inventory and skill tree.
In retrospect, couldn’t they have just created an update for Defiance instead of giving me a project “built from the ground up” that was nearly identical to the original?
Just seems like a waste of manpower, time and money to me. But hey, what do I know. I don’t build the game, I just play them.
Will I Play Defiance 2050?
In a nut shell, I wouldn’t call the Defiance 2050 closed beta a re-envisioning. It’s a slightly polished version of the same game with a few tweaks to its functionality. With that being said, it’s something I could see myself playing once in a while.
Personally, I really like the idea behind Defiance even without its television counterpart. It’s a decent spin on future events complete with alien invasions, new technology and methods of travel.
The team work or solo aspect is still in the game, which is something I liked a lot about Defiance. Sometimes I just don’t care for PvP and like to simply team up to take down a 10-story bad guy with a group of about 40 people unloading with superior firepower.
Not everything has to center around killing other human players.
I only wish the Defiance 2050 closed beta had a better selection of upgrades and a functional merchant. Then again, it’s beta – what do you expect?
Reserving Complete Judgement
I normally wait to pass judgement on a game after its official release. Being a closed beta, there’s all kinds of things that could be changed in the game before it actually goes live. At which point, I’ll revisit the game again and give a more detailed breakdown of the experience.
But at the moment, it seems more like Defiance with an inventory and skill patch than a new, entirely, “built from the ground up” game.
Which isn’t bad…just slightly disappointing.
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