Newsletter
  • Guides
  • Previews
    • Indie Games
    • PS4
    • PC
    • Xbox One
    • Nintendo Switch
    • Nintendo 3DS
    • PS Vita
    • PS3
    • Xbox 360
    • Wii U
  • Site Info
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Staff Directory
    • Join Our Team
    • Privacy Policy
      • Cookies Policy
    • RSS Feeds
    • Social Media
      • Youtube
      • Facebook
      • Twitter
      • Twitch
      • Instagram
      • Tumblr
      • Linkedin
      • Pinterest
      • Discord
  • Discord
  • Store
  • Logitech G
  • green man gaming
  • Affiliates
    • GAMIVO.com
    • Logitech
    • Astro Gaming
    • Nord VPN
    • Best Buy
    • Namecheap Hosting
    • Blue Mic
    • Ultimate Ears
    • Jaybird
Wednesday, March 29, 2023
BG
  • News
    • All
    • Esports
    • Interviews

    Wanted: Dead Enemies and Bosses Explained Video

    8 Minutes of New Atomic Heart Gameplay

    Chance to make money with valorant?

    Valorant, CS: GO, Dota 2 – Just Online Games or an Opportunity to Make Money on Bets?

    Amazon Luna Games Coming in February

    Wanted: Dead Finishers Explained Video

    Current CS:GO Team Rankings! What’s the Best Team at the Moment?

    Wanted: Dead Shows New Combat Gameplay For A Bloody Valentines Day

    Eminence in Shadow Mobile RPG Gets New Trailer, Available Now

    Crunchyroll Announces 8-Bit Adventure Gam Hime’s Quest

    Trending Tags

    • Top Stories
    • PlayStation
    • Xbox
    • Nintendo
    • Retro Games
    • Mobile Games
    • Indie Games
    • Square Enix
    • Sony
    • Microsoft
    • PAX
    • EGX
    • Gamescom
    • Rockstar Games
    • Electronic Arts
    • Activision Blizzard
    • E3 Expo
  • Reviews
    • All
    • Flash Game Reviews
    • Google Stadia
    • Indie Game Reviews
    • Mobile Game Reviews
    • Nintendo 3DS Reviews
    • Nintendo Switch Reviews
    • PC Reviews
    • PS Vita Reviews
    • PS3 Reviews
    • PS4 Reviews
    • PS5 Reviews
    • Retro Game Reviews
    • Reviews RoundUP
    • Xbox 360 Reviews
    • Xbox One Reviews

    No More Heroes 3 PS4 Review

    Neptunia: Sisters vs Sisters PS4 Review

    Wanted: Dead Review

    The Legend of Heroes Trails From Zero

    The Legend of Heroes: Trails From Zero PC Review

    Amnesia: Memories + Later x Crowd Review

    Dusk Diver 2 PS5 Review

    Yurukill: The Culmination Games

    Yurukill: The Calumniation Games Nintendo Switch Review

    Matchpoint Tennis Championships Live Review

    Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II Nintendo Switch Review

    Trending Tags

    • Resident Evil
    • Call of Duty
    • Final Fantasy
    • Destiny
    • Borderlands
    • Halo
    • The Elder Scrolls
    • Fortnite
    • PUBG
    • Bioshock
    • The Witcher
  • Opinion
    • All
    • Second Opinion

    Manga Review: Summertime Rendering Volumes 2 & 3

    buying, szelling, and trading csgo skins

    What To Expect When Buying, Selling, & Trading CS: GO Skins

    What Are the Best Ways to Gear Up in Retail WOW?

    Chance to make money with valorant?

    Valorant, CS: GO, Dota 2 – Just Online Games or an Opportunity to Make Money on Bets?

    megaways vs regular slot machines

    Are Megaways Better Than Regular Slots?

    Current CS:GO Team Rankings! What’s the Best Team at the Moment?

    game night with friends tips for success

    Top Tips for Games Night Success

    10 benefits of online gaming

    10 Benefits of Online Gaming

    The 5 Most Popular Video Games that Feature Casinos and Gambling to Play

    Trending Tags

    • Is It A Classic?
    • Remember When
    • Do We Even Care Anymore?
    • Humpday Haikus
    • Top Series
    • Thirsty Thursday
    • Aging Gamer
    • On The Way To E3
  • Podcasts
    • All
    • The BagoCast
    • TSR BagoCast

    Bagocast: Interview with Upper Echelon Gamers – The Future of Game Journalism

    Bagocast: Interview with Upper Echelon Gamers – Social Media & Esports

    Bagocast: Interview with Upper Echelon Gamers – Politics in Video Games Games

    Bagocast: Interview with Upper Echelon Gamers – Content Creators vs Game Journalist 2

    Bagocast: Interview with Upper Echelon Gamers – Titan Fall and Apex: Legends Hacked

    Bagocast: Interview with Upper Echelon Gamers – Content Creators vs Game Journalist

    BagoCast EP: 12 – Code Vein and the DLC

    Debate/Discussion: Bad Video Games That We Love

    Discussion/Debate: Is Bioware Gone?

    Trending Tags

    • Film Fallout
    • 8Bit Proof
    • Gaming Historia
    • Bago Anime Cast
    • Gamers In Beta
    • Gamers Unscripted
  • Videos
    178614

    So, You Wanna Play Junker Queen?

    178081

    Matchpoint Tennis Championships Live Review

    176052

    Void Slayer – Review

    174993

    The IDEAL Spider-Man VR Game

    174963

    Crunchyroll Panel Full Video @ Anime Frontier

    174259

    BPM: Bullets Per Minute – Shooting to The Beat (Review)

    173523

    She Will Punish Them – Warning: Mature Content (Early Access Review)

    172416

    Bagocast: Interview with Upper Echelon Gamers – The Future of Game Journalism

    172189

    Bagocast: Interview with Upper Echelon Gamers – Social Media & Esports

  • Geek Culture
    • All
    • Anime and Manga
    • Anime/Manga Review
    • Collectibles
    • Comic Books
    • Cosplay
    • Movies
    • Tech
    • TV Shows

    Manga Review: Summertime Rendering Volumes 2 & 3

    Pwnage Releases New Info On Stormbreaker, The Magnesium Alloy Gaming Mouse

    Eminence in Shadow Mobile RPG Gets New Trailer, Available Now

    Crunchyroll Announces Anime Frontier Panels and Premieres

    Crunchyroll Announces Hell’s Paradise, The Ancient Magus’ Bride S2, and More Upcoming Anime

    The Quintessential Quintuplets Movie Gets New Key Visual, Tickets Now on Sale

    Crunchyroll Rich Presence Now Available on Discord

    Udon Entertainment Announces Persona 4 Arena & Ultimax Manga Coming 2023

    Steve Aoki Releases All-New Remix for the “One Piece Film Red” Original Soundtrack

    Trending Tags

    • Movie Reviews
    • Movie News
    • TV News
    • TV Episode Review
    • Episode Guide
    • Competitive Gaming
    • Tech News
    • Tech Review
    • Anime and Manga News
    • Anime and Manga Review
    • Comic Book News
    • Comic Book Review
  • Forum
No Result
View All Result
Social icon element need JNews Essential plugin to be activated.
Social icon element need JNews Essential plugin to be activated.
  • News
    • All
    • Esports
    • Interviews

    Wanted: Dead Enemies and Bosses Explained Video

    8 Minutes of New Atomic Heart Gameplay

    Chance to make money with valorant?

    Valorant, CS: GO, Dota 2 – Just Online Games or an Opportunity to Make Money on Bets?

    Amazon Luna Games Coming in February

    Wanted: Dead Finishers Explained Video

    Current CS:GO Team Rankings! What’s the Best Team at the Moment?

    Wanted: Dead Shows New Combat Gameplay For A Bloody Valentines Day

    Eminence in Shadow Mobile RPG Gets New Trailer, Available Now

    Crunchyroll Announces 8-Bit Adventure Gam Hime’s Quest

    Trending Tags

    • Top Stories
    • PlayStation
    • Xbox
    • Nintendo
    • Retro Games
    • Mobile Games
    • Indie Games
    • Square Enix
    • Sony
    • Microsoft
    • PAX
    • EGX
    • Gamescom
    • Rockstar Games
    • Electronic Arts
    • Activision Blizzard
    • E3 Expo
  • Reviews
    • All
    • Flash Game Reviews
    • Google Stadia
    • Indie Game Reviews
    • Mobile Game Reviews
    • Nintendo 3DS Reviews
    • Nintendo Switch Reviews
    • PC Reviews
    • PS Vita Reviews
    • PS3 Reviews
    • PS4 Reviews
    • PS5 Reviews
    • Retro Game Reviews
    • Reviews RoundUP
    • Xbox 360 Reviews
    • Xbox One Reviews

    No More Heroes 3 PS4 Review

    Neptunia: Sisters vs Sisters PS4 Review

    Wanted: Dead Review

    The Legend of Heroes Trails From Zero

    The Legend of Heroes: Trails From Zero PC Review

    Amnesia: Memories + Later x Crowd Review

    Dusk Diver 2 PS5 Review

    Yurukill: The Culmination Games

    Yurukill: The Calumniation Games Nintendo Switch Review

    Matchpoint Tennis Championships Live Review

    Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II Nintendo Switch Review

    Trending Tags

    • Resident Evil
    • Call of Duty
    • Final Fantasy
    • Destiny
    • Borderlands
    • Halo
    • The Elder Scrolls
    • Fortnite
    • PUBG
    • Bioshock
    • The Witcher
  • Opinion
    • All
    • Second Opinion

    Manga Review: Summertime Rendering Volumes 2 & 3

    buying, szelling, and trading csgo skins

    What To Expect When Buying, Selling, & Trading CS: GO Skins

    What Are the Best Ways to Gear Up in Retail WOW?

    Chance to make money with valorant?

    Valorant, CS: GO, Dota 2 – Just Online Games or an Opportunity to Make Money on Bets?

    megaways vs regular slot machines

    Are Megaways Better Than Regular Slots?

    Current CS:GO Team Rankings! What’s the Best Team at the Moment?

    game night with friends tips for success

    Top Tips for Games Night Success

    10 benefits of online gaming

    10 Benefits of Online Gaming

    The 5 Most Popular Video Games that Feature Casinos and Gambling to Play

    Trending Tags

    • Is It A Classic?
    • Remember When
    • Do We Even Care Anymore?
    • Humpday Haikus
    • Top Series
    • Thirsty Thursday
    • Aging Gamer
    • On The Way To E3
  • Podcasts
    • All
    • The BagoCast
    • TSR BagoCast

    Bagocast: Interview with Upper Echelon Gamers – The Future of Game Journalism

    Bagocast: Interview with Upper Echelon Gamers – Social Media & Esports

    Bagocast: Interview with Upper Echelon Gamers – Politics in Video Games Games

    Bagocast: Interview with Upper Echelon Gamers – Content Creators vs Game Journalist 2

    Bagocast: Interview with Upper Echelon Gamers – Titan Fall and Apex: Legends Hacked

    Bagocast: Interview with Upper Echelon Gamers – Content Creators vs Game Journalist

    BagoCast EP: 12 – Code Vein and the DLC

    Debate/Discussion: Bad Video Games That We Love

    Discussion/Debate: Is Bioware Gone?

    Trending Tags

    • Film Fallout
    • 8Bit Proof
    • Gaming Historia
    • Bago Anime Cast
    • Gamers In Beta
    • Gamers Unscripted
  • Videos
    178614

    So, You Wanna Play Junker Queen?

    178081

    Matchpoint Tennis Championships Live Review

    176052

    Void Slayer – Review

    174993

    The IDEAL Spider-Man VR Game

    174963

    Crunchyroll Panel Full Video @ Anime Frontier

    174259

    BPM: Bullets Per Minute – Shooting to The Beat (Review)

    173523

    She Will Punish Them – Warning: Mature Content (Early Access Review)

    172416

    Bagocast: Interview with Upper Echelon Gamers – The Future of Game Journalism

    172189

    Bagocast: Interview with Upper Echelon Gamers – Social Media & Esports

  • Geek Culture
    • All
    • Anime and Manga
    • Anime/Manga Review
    • Collectibles
    • Comic Books
    • Cosplay
    • Movies
    • Tech
    • TV Shows

    Manga Review: Summertime Rendering Volumes 2 & 3

    Pwnage Releases New Info On Stormbreaker, The Magnesium Alloy Gaming Mouse

    Eminence in Shadow Mobile RPG Gets New Trailer, Available Now

    Crunchyroll Announces Anime Frontier Panels and Premieres

    Crunchyroll Announces Hell’s Paradise, The Ancient Magus’ Bride S2, and More Upcoming Anime

    The Quintessential Quintuplets Movie Gets New Key Visual, Tickets Now on Sale

    Crunchyroll Rich Presence Now Available on Discord

    Udon Entertainment Announces Persona 4 Arena & Ultimax Manga Coming 2023

    Steve Aoki Releases All-New Remix for the “One Piece Film Red” Original Soundtrack

    Trending Tags

    • Movie Reviews
    • Movie News
    • TV News
    • TV Episode Review
    • Episode Guide
    • Competitive Gaming
    • Tech News
    • Tech Review
    • Anime and Manga News
    • Anime and Manga Review
    • Comic Book News
    • Comic Book Review
  • Forum
No Result
View All Result
BagoGames
No Result
View All Result

BagoGames > Articles > Game Reviews > PS4 Reviews > Divide Review – Divided, It Falls into Apathy & Mediocrity

Divide Review – Divided, It Falls into Apathy & Mediocrity

Kailan May by Kailan May
6 years ago
in Game Reviews, PS4 Reviews
Reading Time: 6 mins read
0
Divide, Exploding Tuba Studios

Divide, Exploding Tuba Studios

Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Story-driven games are a curious breed that always ropes me in and yet shoves me away. When I heard Divide was built from the ground-up to present a story, I knew if it was pulled off well I’d be hooked to it firmly. I do love stories in our interactive medium. A lot of my favourite games are ones built with a tale in mind with the mechanics reinforcing the narrative (e.g. Zero Escape: Virtue’s Last Reward). Yet, like gameplay-driven titles, it can lead to the lack of a safety net if the primary drive falters due to such focus. This is something that, unfortunately, Divide demonstrates to a disappointing level.

Divide is an isometric title by Exploding Tuba Studios whose creation, according to founder Chris Tilton, was to “make a game that told a compelling story about an ordinary person thrust into extraordinary circumstances.”.

Appropriately, you play as an ex professional photographer and now stay-at-home-father whose wife dies in a mysterious accident at work and now cares for his daughter. After one of your wife’s ex-colleagues entrusts you with a suitcase that you then proceed to open (because curiosity is the sweetest and most delicious fruit), you get thrown into another world of lasers, citizen points and augmented reality that is dominated by the research company your wife used to work at. To make things worse, you do not know where your daughter is. So it’s time to find your daughter and get home from wherever you are.

RelatedStories

No More Heroes 3 PS4 Review

3 weeks ago

Neptunia: Sisters vs Sisters PS4 Review

3 weeks ago

At first I thought the hook to the narrative would be said “extraordinary circumstances”. That through a character who know about the same as I do, I would be learning about a changed world in comparison to the modern/near-future setting the game begins on. Except, as I tuck into Divide, I can’t help but feel like I’ve done this tango before. Insidious corporation who controls everything in an authoritarian-like form that you fight against as the central antagonist? Check. Clinical and clean environments hiding a grim oppressive privately-owned security force? Check. Augmentations that create augmented reality? Check. Hacking and drones a frequent threat? Lemme check that!

That’s right, we’ve stumbled waist-deep into a cyberpunk tale. I specify “waist deep” because it seems with this focus on a controlling corporation with augmented reality and “citizen points” you fight against there are some things missing. To be precise, in the parts I experienced, there was no sign of the grim noir-style environments that work as the gripping contrast to the pristine and clinical corporate setting. Instead it is cold whites, greys and blues predominately used through-out. Even with the logs informing me of the lore, I became burnt out on the setting as a potential lure.

Divide, Exploding Tuba Studios
Divide, Exploding Tuba Studios

“Well, there’s the mystery, right?”. I think? I admit I’m a bit confused at this. There is the initial mystery of where you’ve gone. However, it is one quickly correctly guessed and there’s no replacement mystery when the reveal occurs relatively fast.

However, both can be excused if there’s good enough characters to be invested in. Especially as, for all I know, the “reveal” of the mystery could have been an incorrect theory by the protagonist and the setting might have had an interesting underbelly going on. In addition, a good set of characters can colour and bring dimension to a setting. The reality is, well, there’s nothing interesting or three-dimensional about them. The protagonist is generic person in unfamiliar situation without any apparent flaws, while the main companion character appears in the coincidental nick of time to only then help you for no reason and serve as a lore delivery machine. While the writing of the daughter does make a good effort to inject personality in the plot, and the voice acting team make a strong attempt of conveying emotion into the lines, the characterisation never goes above an okay time.

All this combines together to present a narrative where, by about the 4th hour, I was completely checked out and not remotely invested in what was occurring. Maybe an incredible twist was sneaking around the next corner with a chuckle, one that would recontextualise everything with a beautiful flourish, but I was so worn down by dull writing with wallpaper paste characters that I just couldn’t summon anything but apathy from that point on.

That said, maybe Divide was hiding a fantastical twist waiting to turn everything upside down in a glorious de-rooting of people’s expectations? I confess I didn’t get all the way through the game as a glitch stopped me from opening a door required to continue on. From what I experienced for the first, what felt like, 6 or 8+ hours (sadly the save system lacks a “time played” statistic to my knowledge) there was no suggestion the writing would go beyond just okay with the rare moments of good. The combination of apathy, no indication things would get better and a glitched door preventing progress is something you may recognize as a colossal problem in a title touting its narrative as the primary goal.

Divide, Exploding Tuba Studios
Divide, Exploding Tuba Studios

So this raises the question: How is the lesser focus, the gameplay? The gameplay can be boiled down to dungeon crawling in an isometric view. However, rather than the challenge coming from combat or resource management, Divide demands you to play a frustrating game of hide-and-seek with the objective. You’ll spend the majority of the time just trying to find what is needed, with the possibility of finding it but at the wrong time and having to refind it later. Even with the map, assuming you have one, getting to where you need to be is like stumbling around an urban version of a hedge maze without the option to just take a chainsaw through the walls.

This is assuming you have the required points to hack into the objective device. You pick these points up by hacking random computers dotted around the level, assuming they’re even connected to the server, or by hacking seemingly-randomly-placed “hotspot” sign-in spots that regenerate as you stumble around like a drunk upon being tossed out of a pub. That isn’t to suggest there is a hacking mini-game, it is just stumbling about poking things for points.

Where it gets particularly aggravating is if you’re short on points upon tripping over an objective. It means you have to wander off again in the search for computers. If there are no computers left to hack (as they are single-use, if they are even hooked to a working server), then it means poking regenerating hot-spots bit by bit which can take 10s of minutes of grinding to grasp the required amount. As a stark rarity, it wouldn’t be much, but objectives that require hacking points is a common expectation. So this gameplay angle becomes patience testing fast, especially when combined with having to refind the sodding objective.

“But there are enemies, right? It isn’t just a walking simulator…Right?!” is something possibly bustling around your head, and you are right. However, we’re talking about enemies of the laughably simple sort. Sure you can spend precious hacking points (which given enough time you can have enough in your pockets to need a belt to hold up your trousers) to deactivate the drones or turn them against each other… Or you can just shoot them. You also can bribe guards to look the other way with your points… Or just shoot them. There’s just no good reason to not shoot them, besides having to then wrestle with clumsy aiming controls that get particularly awkward, anxious and nervous if elevation enters the picture. That said, with a small amount of practice the usefulness of hacking over shooting melts away as hacking points are often needed. Which once you get used to shooting, it feels reactive and forgiving enough that you’ll be shooting like a pro in no time at all.

Divide, Exploding Tuba Studios
Divide, Exploding Tuba Studios

Still, this rudimentary combat doesn’t quite do enough to distract from the core gameplay being a patience-testing “find the right PC to hack” test constantly. There’s simply no sign of mixing things up via diverse enemy tactics/types, or a penalty of going loud versus sneaking or even possibly boss battles.

The final score is a flat 5 out of 10. When people talk of hard games to review, it is never the good nor bad titles. It is the deeply inoffensive mediocre titles. Similarly, I know someone who believes “boring” is the worst thing a game can be. As a combination of the two, Divide defines what it means to be mediocre to an apathy-inducing level. I can’t even get angry at it, as even its stumbles in narrative and gameplay are so awkward and minor that I struggle to even force emotion from within me. Perhaps there is a great plot within here somewhere or perhaps the tale originally had potential to be a best-seller novel, but it seems to of gotten buried under dull gameplay and the lack of anything to get invested in. Instead of feeling the thrill of an exciting story to get hooked in deep, as I love narratives, I just feel apathetic and sad inside. I think I’m going to go lay down for a bit.

Divide

Divide
5

Score

5.0/10

Cons

  • Core gameplay is hide-n-seek with the objective
  • Bland Narrative
  • Hacking Mechanic is Redundant
  • Awkward Aiming
  • Lack of Environmental Variety

Tags: GamesIsometricPlayStationSci-fiTop Stories
ShareTweetShare
Previous Post

Games for Breakfast: Leaked Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy Images

Next Post

Thirsty Thursday Culture Cocktail – November 16, 2017

Subscribe
Connect with
Login
I allow to create an account
When you login first time using a Social Login button, we collect your account public profile information shared by Social Login provider, based on your privacy settings. We also get your email address to automatically create an account for you in our website. Once your account is created, you'll be logged-in to this account.
DisagreeAgree
Notify of
guest
The comment form collects your name, email and content to allow us to keep track of the comments placed on the website. Please read and accept our website Terms and Privacy Policy to post a comment.
Save my name, email, and website in this browser cookies for the next time I comment.

I allow to create an account
When you login first time using a Social Login button, we collect your account public profile information shared by Social Login provider, based on your privacy settings. We also get your email address to automatically create an account for you in our website. Once your account is created, you'll be logged-in to this account.
DisagreeAgree
guest
The comment form collects your name, email and content to allow us to keep track of the comments placed on the website. Please read and accept our website Terms and Privacy Policy to post a comment.
Save my name, email, and website in this browser cookies for the next time I comment.

0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

BAGOGAMES WEEKLY NEWSLETTER

Get this week's top news, reviews, guides, videos and opinion for your favorite games, movies, TV and tech in your email every Friday.

Don't worry, we don't spam.

BagoGames

BagoGames.com © 2020 BagoGames LLC. All rights reserved.

Navigate Site

  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Staff Directory
  • Join Our Team
  • Privacy Policy
  • Advertise
  • Newsletter
  • RSS Feeds
  • Discord Server
  • BG Store
  • OpenCritic
  • green man gaming
  • Logitech G
  • GAMIVO.com
  • ASTRO Gaming
  • Logitech
  • Namecheap Hosting
  • Nord VPN
  • Best Buy
  • Blue Mic
  • Reviews
  • News
  • Opinion
  • Guides

Follow Us

Social icon element need JNews Essential plugin to be activated.
  • Login
  • Sign Up
No Result
View All Result
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Opinion
  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • Geek Culture
  • Previews
  • Guides
  • Short Videos
  • Forum
  • Site Info
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Join Our Team
    • Staff Directory
    • Privacy Policy
    • Newsletter
    • RSS Feeds

BagoGames.com © 2020 BagoGames LLC. All rights reserved.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
wpDiscuz