Everything we know so far about Anthem.
Our Anthem guide contains everything we know so far about the game, including a release date, Javelins, progression and system requirements.
Anthem is Bioware’s first foray into the “live service” genre and it’ll be bringing big mechs, gear grinds and levelling to the table. It aims to compete with the likes of Warframe and Destiny by injecting the loot chase with Bioware’s famed storytelling prowess.
Below we’ve put together everything you need to know about Anthem, including when the game launches, what Javelins (classes) you can pilot and how gear and progression works.
Once the game launches and we’ve got hands on with it, we’ll be overhauling this guide with all sorts of new info and strategy advice. Do make sure you’ve bookmarked this page if you want to get clued up on everything Anthem when it goes live.
Navigation
- 1. Overview – Everything you need to know about Anthem.
- 2. System Requirements – What you need if you’re playing on PC.
- 3. Gameplay – Gameplay footage that’s been released so far.
Anthem: Everything we know so far
Here’s an overview of everything that’s currently been confirmed for Anthem:
Release Date
Anthem is due for release on 22nd February 2019 on PC, PS4 and Xbox One.
A VIP Demo took place between 25th-27th January, as well as an Open Beta which went live on Friday, 1st February and ran through the weekend.
Javelins
In a similar vein to both Destiny and Warframe, Anthem features four Javelins to choose from, and they’re basically exosuits which define your abilities, playstyle and the sort of loot you’ll be able to use throughout the game.
You’ll actually start the game as the Ranger, and you’ll go about unlocking the rest as you progress through the story.
Here’s a brief look at them all:
Ranger
An all-rounder with great attack power and mobility. You’ve got access to an array of both close and long range attacks, which makes this Javelin perfect for almost any scenario.
Colossus
King of the frontline, the Colossus is a bulky tank who’s capable of soaking up a frightening amount of damage, as well as dish it out too. Think flamethrowers, rocket launchers and shield smashes.
Interceptor
The assassin, or rogue archetype of Anthem. It’s easily the most agile Javelin in the game and is capable of delivering powerful damage combos while dashing between enemies.
Storm
Anthem’s version of a mage, the Storm Javelin is a glass-cannon who can manipulate the elements to deal huge burst damage from afar or get up close and personal with a fist full of fire blast.
Progression
In Anthem you’ll play as a pilot who can use a variety of different Javelins to complete missions. Both your pilot and Javelins are customisable and upgradeable, which might be a little confusing, but it’s actually pretty simple. Here’s how it works:
As your progress through the game you can put points into levelling up your pilot. This means focusing on aspects of being a pilot which aren’t linked to using a specific Javelin. We’re talking an increase to flying for longer periods of time without overheating, for example.
On top of this, your pilot will gain experience when using a certain Javelin. You’ll equip special components to upgrade your Javelins, choose optimal loadouts and reduce cooldowns.
Expect a wide array of missions, dungeons and other activities which will all go towards levelling up your pilot and gearing up your character. We’ll update this section once we know more – we can’t wait for more endgame details!
Endgame
Strongholds
Bioware is keeping its cards close to its chest when it comes to revealing every endgame pursuit, but there’s one dungeon themed activity which it hopes will entice players into a lengthy loot chase – Strongholds.
Again, Strongholds are comparable to Destiny’s raids. They’re lengthy, linear missions which you’ll tackle with up to three other players. Think tonnes of mobs, puzzles and challenges leading up to a huge boss battle.
Complete Strongholds and you’ll gain access to some of the best loot in the game which will go a long way to powering up your Javelin.
Legendary Bounties
In basic terms, you can take on high level missions which will reward you with high level loot. Once you reach max level these will appear periodically in Fort Tarsis, and you can accept them through agents or by visiting the bounty board.
Enemies will be randomly generated when you jump in, so they won’t get stale if you barrel through the same mission twice.
Trials/Challenges
There are daily, weekly and monthly challenges to complete. As you’d expect, daily challenges can be completed in a day, while monthly tasks will take you far longer to complete and the loot will scale depending on the difficulty.
Expect daily tasks to be pretty simple: “Kill X number of enemies” or “Use your ability X times”. Weekly and monthly tasks will likely be a little different, perhaps increasing the number of enemies you need to defeat, or tasking you with beating several endgame activities within a month.
YouTuber Arekkz has a great video on everything that’s been revealed about the endgame so far, so make sure you give it a watch. Consider subscribing for more Anthem content like this too!
Romance Options? Loot Boxes?
Sure, Bioware’s known for Mass Effect and Dragon Age but there aren’t any romance options in Anthem (sorry folks). This makes sense really, as it’s live service game with a focus on co-operative play, shooting, looting and exploration. There’s a strong story element tying things together, but this won’t involve wooing and romancing your fellow freelancers.
The video above by YongYea highlights how loot boxes will work in Anthem.
On the topic of loot boxes, they will be making an appearance, but the rewards you will receive will be purely cosmetic and won’t affect gameplay. As you can imagine, loot boxes will grant you things like skins which will grant you new looks for your favourite armour pieces and weapons.
Anthem: System Requirements (PC)
Here’s what you’ll need to be packing under the hood if you want to run the game at even the minimum level of performance:
Minimum
- OS: 64-bit Windows 10
- CPU: Intel Core i5 3570 or AMD FX-6350
- RAM: 8 GB System Memory
- GPU: NVIDIA GTX 760, AMD Radeon 7970 / R9 280X
- GPU RAM: 2 GB Video Memory
- HARD DRIVE: At least 50 GB of free space
- DIRECTX: DirectX 11
Recommended
- OS: 64-bit Windows 10
- CPU: Intel Core i7-4790 3.6GHz or AMD Ryzen 3 1300X 3.5 GHz
- RAM: 16 GB System Memory
- GPU: NVIDIA GTX 1060/ RTX 2060, AMD RX 480
- GPU RAM: 4 GB Video Memory
- HARD DRIVE: At least 50 GB of free space
- DIRECTX: DirectX 11
Anthem: Gameplay Footage
First off, Arekkz showcases 15 minutes of brand new gameplay:
This Anthem Developer Livestream which showcases Strongholds and the Interceptor Javelin:
Next, here’s another developer livestream which answers some questions on gear and progression in Anthem:
Here’s some insight into Javelin personalisation:
