Ghost Recon: Breakpoint Closed Beta – Promising Signs

Hopping into the Ghost Recon: Breakpoint Closed Beta this weekend, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. The E3 trailer toyed with the notion that this release would be drastically different from Wildlands, or any other Ghost Recon game that came before it for that matter. Contrary to that notion, the GRB Closed Beta plays very in a style very similar to Wildlands. The notorious ‘Wolves’ appear to only show up from time to time and do not seem to be your main enemies; this is another fact that contradicts the impressions left by earlier announcements of the game. So, Ghost Recon: Breakpoint might not be exactly what we all had in mind, but how is it? Let’s take a look!

Expectation Realignment

Even though, judging by the Closed Beta, GRB is not as ground-breakingly unique as many of us thought (or perhaps hoped) it would be, that does not mean it is a failure. All it means is that due to our interpretation of the information released so far, many of us will quickly be altering our expectations for the game.

The weapon depth and modification variety is as impressive as it ever has been in a Ghost Recon title, while the gunplay feels decidedly smoother and more satisfying than previous games. Each piece of equipment has its own score and as you progress through the game you will find continually higher-scored gear that boosts your combat effectiveness.

The talent trees have been completely re-done and offer a lot of freedom in how you want to build your Ghost. It would almost be better described as a talent web than a tree, as your skill unlocks are decidedly non-linear. In the long run, I see this as a purely positive addition, providing opportunity for many unique builds in lieu of the traditional Best-in-Class skill line that you either stick to or suffer.

True Open-World Fun

The world feels truly open, with missions ever-present as a guideline but by no means imperative over intel and blueprint collection, which allow you to unlock new weapons and attachments. The story missions available in the Closed Beta were very short, likely as to not give away any of the real plot line.

There was still plenty to do, however, as enemy encampments were abound and there is plenty of intel to recover and blueprints to find. It was also refreshing to see that the game did not offer up the precise locations for these unlockables, but instead gave clues to the general location and left the rest to the player. In a gaming landscape riddled by hand-holding devs, this back-to-basics approach is well received. PS. I am not blaming devs for taking this approach, it seems that one downside to social media is how loud the complaining voices often sound, and the silence of the content majority means little in comparison.

The Ghost Recon: Breakpoint Closed Beta also featured a few bugs and blatant need for further optimization, but it would be unfair to use these against the game in a Beta state, as those are typically the final kinks to be worked out before release.

All in all, the Ghost Recon: Breakpoint Closed Beta was a very enjoyable, if somewhat unexpected, glimpse into what we can expect when the full game releases next month. I can’t wait!

For more information on Ghost Recon: Breakpoint visit: https://ghost-recon.ubisoft.com/game/en-ca/breakpoint