BioWare’s Anthem was one of the most disappointing games in recent history, with many fans frustrated by the fact it never found its own identity. This led to many players abandoning the live-service title after years of trailers built up hype. However, there was one aspect of Anthem that was not only ambitious, but also a huge success that has never been emulated.
At the heart of Anthem’s gameplay are the Javelins, power suits capable of high-speed flight that act similar to Marvel's Iron-Man. From flying through the forests of an alien world to diving into the depths of its rivers, the flight mechanics of Anthem added to disappointment with the rest of the game. Future games should look at Anthem’s Javelins to find inspiration on how to get flight mechanics right.
Anthem’s Javelins
Anthem classified Javelins into four classes: the Ranger, Colossus, Storm, and Interceptor, each of which has its own strengths and weaknesses. The variety in the Javelins allows players to experience different play styles during battle. Furthermore, the amount of customization for each suit made sure every fan had the chance to create their own unique Javelins.
Arguably the best feature about Anthem’s Javelins is how their flight benefited exploration and battle, especially when players are outnumbered. The flying in Anthem felt smooth and thrilling as players would strafe past objects, fly through waterfalls, or dive underwater. This versatility in flight was what first captured the attention of gamers, and is Anthem’s singular standout feature.
Anthem’s Flight Mechanics
Anthem's exploration was thrilling, with players required to manage the Javelin’s heat by flying closer to the ground. This transformed flying in Anthem, as players found it to be more intuitive given how much focus was required when traveling so low. This was only bolstered by the feature that allowed players to fly through the water as well.
While there have been many games that have incorporated single-person flight, Anthem has arguably done it best. Everything about the flying makes the otherwise lackluster game more enjoyable, from the addictive Blink ability of the Storm Javelin to the satisfying sounds coming from a suit. What makes this game’s flight even better is how well incorporated it is with combat. From hovering in place to quickly flying to a more strategic location, Anthem encourages players to use the Javelin’s flight during combat, and it makes certain encounters more manageable.
Other Games Could Benefit From Anthem’s Flight Mechanics
Flying is a particularly difficult thing to get right in games, especially for games like Anthem where there is no ship or plane to mask poor controls. While Anthem was criticized at launch and has now ended all updates, its flying gave hope to fans who would want to see games utilize this level of detail in flying. The most challenging aspect is finding the right balance between combat and movement, something that Anthem got right.
Anthem’s flight mechanics would work great for an Iron-Man game, as both feature power suits that give their pilots the ability to fly, hover, strafe through the air, and seamlessly dive underwater without losing momentum. These flight features and the customizable suits labeled Anthem as an Iron-Man simulator early on. The one big difference between Anthem Javelins and the Iron-Man suit would be that Iron-Man’s suit are how they handle weapons.
BioWare has officially ceased development on Anthem following its poor reception, which means it will never become the game it was destined to be. Following massive hype with a lackluster game is never good, but there are a few positives that BioWare can take away - one being the fact that the developers know how to handle flight. While Iron-Man-style flight is still something that most developers seem to struggle with, Anthem can serve as a perfect inspiration going forward.
Anthem is available now for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
