Tom Clancy's The Division is a hard game to describe. Even its closest video game cousin, Destiny, is markedly different than Ubisoft's upcoming open-world shooter/RPG hybrid.
As such, it can be hard to convey exactly what The Division is about. Without video or hands-on time with the game, understanding what the game is aiming to do can be difficult. Unfortunately, Ubisoft's first large-scale test a few months ago was locked behind a non-disclosure agreement — basically, no one was allowed to talk about the closed alpha test, regardless of their opinion.
Thankfully, Ubisoft has lifted the NDA for The Division's closed beta — and, for the first time, fans are getting their first true hands-on experience with the game. That being said, it is still a closed beta — meaning that, unless you participated in the alpha test or preordered the game, you might have a hard time getting in.
While it can't necessarily compare with actually playing the game, we've got the next-best thing: the first 30 minutes of The Division's closed beta test:
Just like Ubisoft's previous test, the closed beta opens with players arriving in New York City, exploring the opening zone and establishing a base of operations. While the mission path in the beta is relatively linear, players are free to head off the beaten path to explore for extra supplies, complete "Encounter" side-missions and fight off the rioters that dominate the city.
Aside from getting a home base up and running, players are tasked with rescuing a doctor from a makeshift hospital in Madison Square Garden. Actually reaching the doctor isn't all that tough ... but getting past the guards on the roof and extracting her to safety won't be nearly as easy.
While there's not much in the way of new story content compared with the closed alpha, it's definitely worth playing — anyone who's even remotely interested in The Division should definitely try to secure a spot in the beta.
Otherwise, the game is set to hit store shelves on March 8.
