Anthem gets VIP demo in January for anyone who preorders
BioWare showed up at The Game Awards to show off the multiplayer online shooter Anthem one last time in 2018. The developer revealed a new trailer that dives into the world and characters of the game. It also confirmed that players will get a chance to try the game before its February 22 release date.
While BioWare is planning a closed alpha test for December 8, the studio has no plans to open that up to a wider audience. Instead, it is planning a separate VIP demo for January 25 through January 27 for PC, PlayStation, and Xbox One. You can get into that early play session by preordering. If you’d rather wait for reviews and word-of-mouth, BioWare and EA will hold an open demo on February 1 through February 3.
But what is Anthem?
Leading up to The Game Awards, BioWare briefed GamesBeat and other outlets on Anthem. This meeting focused on the lore of the world, and it left me with the impression that it will have as much backstory and as many proper nouns as any other BioWare game.
And the developer also reiterated that it’s dedicated to a bifurcated experience where you get a lot of those characters and lore on your own. BioWare calls this “my story,” and it is opposed to the “our world” half of the game. In “our world,” you share experiences with others.
So when you go into town or back to your base, you’ll be doing a lot to progress “my story.” And then when it’s time to group up with your fellow players, you’ll take on missions in “our world.”
You can always try to play on your own, but BioWare designed Anthem as a cooperative experience. It wants you to team up with other folks, and the studio says that’s when it’s at its best. At the same time, it says it will have “a rich ongoing story” to ensure your personal experience stays immersive and interesting.
And of course, if you don’t like Anthem, BioWare has Dragon Age 4 coming in a few years.