Home / Gaming News & Opinions / Failed Anthem Dumpster Fire Gets Dumped in EA Access Bin

Failed Anthem Dumpster Fire Gets Dumped in EA Access Bin

Last Updated September 23, 2020 1:01 PM
Adam Scott
Last Updated September 23, 2020 1:01 PM

Online multiplayer action role-playing video game Anthem has officially been relegated to the Electronic Arts’ bargain bin following a highly-problematic launch in February of this year.

Origin Access Basic and EA Access subscribers can now play the standard edition of Anthem for only the cost of either subscription service.

The move has likely been made to inject more player interest into the much-maligned title — but it may be too little too late.

Anthem
  Image courtesy of Twitter/@EAAccess.

Poor Reviews for Anthem Across the Board

The BioWare-developed and Electronic Arts-published game was largely hammered by critics and users alike when it launched.

The Xbox One version of Anthem currently boasts a sub-par Metascore of 65 on popular review aggregator Metacritic . Its user score is downright dismal at 3.9. Both scores are even worse for the PlayStation 4 version and comparable for the PC version.

Launching As a Glorified Beta Test

Common complaints revolved around the game launching in what some considered to be a glorified beta test — something that has been a theme for many high-profile multiplayer-focused games this generation.

More specific complaints centered around the copious amounts of loading screens (something that may be a thing of the past with the next generation of solid-state drive packing consoles), a clunky and inconvenient user interface and menu system, a lack of quality NPC companions, an uncompelling story, poor mission design, a lifeless hub world, overheating javelins and janky flight controls, and cool-looking-but-overly-flashy combat.

Bargain Bin

Anthem now joins the like of older EA-published titles on EA Access — including all-but-dead titles like Battlefield Hardline, older versions of FIFA, Madden, NBA Live, and NHL, and the also-much-maligned Mass Effect Andromeda.

To be fair, the subscription service isn’t all bad — currently allowing users to play newer titles like Madden NFL 20 and NHL 20. Need For Speed Heat and FIFA 20 will also soon be available.