Ghost Recon Breakpoint – Beta Impressions

Ubisoft held a closed beta for Ghost Recon Breakpoint ahead of the game’s full release on October 4th, 2019. While not a numbered sequel, this is a direct follow-up to 2017’s Wildlands, boasting a brand new setting with a lot more to do, tougher enemies to battle, and the added depth of an attrition system. We jumped into the pre-release version of the game to get our early impressions of Ghost Recon Breakpoint.

Jace Skell is a billionaire tech mogul and the brain child of Skell Tech – which is basically what you’d get if you combined Apple and Google… and they made drones and mechs. Mr. Skell went to such lengths to protect his investment and purchased his own fictional south pacific island called Auroa. Unfortunately the island has fallen into the hands of Cole D. Walker (voiced and motion captured by John Bernthal of The Punisher and The Walking Dead) and his band of rogue Ghost operatives known as The Wolves. Under forced martial law, Auroa, Skell Tech, and their employees are being held hostage by Walker and his mercenary army.

It all adds up to a fairly unique yet fitting set up for a Tom Clancy game. Gone are the days of taking down a drug cartel, or overthrowing a coup to cripple a fragile government with this fresh new take on a story in an entirely fictional setting. You have the intrigue of an antagonist with direct ties to your own elite band of spec ops soldiers melded with the advanced military tech provided by Skell’s production headquarters. While the story of a game like this rarely drives our interest, Breakpoint certainly looks to be treading new ground with its narrative.

Breakpoint was positioned as an evolution on the formula that Wildlands put forth two years ago. Based on our experience with the beta, it certainly seems to deliver on that promise. There is so much to do in Auroa from tracking down new weapon blueprints and farming for crafting items to unlocking new Bivouac camps and interrogating enemy Sentinel soldiers for intel. Keep in mind, this is all in addition to the main story arc and faction missions.

Once you get through the short introductory section of the game and unlock the social hub known as Erewhon, players are free to traverse the island however they like. It’s a level of open ended exploration rarely seen in a UbiSoft game. I get that we’ve seen numerous open world games from the French developer, but Breakpoint is one where you’re coaxed to “go and do what you want” rather than follow quest markers. Wildlands had a similarly large map peppered with icons and way-points to visit, but the variety in tasks and distractions that Breakpoint offers takes it to the next level. We are more than looking forward to getting lost in Auroa in the full release version.

The addition of survival and attrition mechanics has been a huge selling point for Breakpoint since its reveal earlier this year. While these elements don’t change up the formula too much, they certainly add complexity and challenge to the gameplay and help set Breakpoint apart from other games in the genre. There will be no more instances of casually strolling down steep mountains without detriment to your bones, or quietly kneeling behind cover until your health fully regenerates. Instead, your Ghosts will need to be mindful of injuries and stamina – failure to do so will seriously inhibit your ability to fight. Protruding femurs and flesh wounds will limit your max health and need to be treated with bandages and other medical supplies or by resting. A new stamina bar will quickly deplete when sprinting and swimming. A water canteen will help your Ghost stay replenished and can only be refilled from fresh water sources.

Where the latest entry in the Ghost Recon franchise gets a bit confusing is in its awkward shoe-horning of a fully fleshed out loot system. While I absolutely love the concept of a constant stream of new and interesting gear that has been prevalent in gaming for a decade, I’m not sure how well it fits into a Ghost Recon game. Tackling enemy outposts and compounds while playing as the Ghosts would traditionally be done so as quickly and quietly as possible. Get in and get out with as little noise and casualties as the situation permits. But when gear drops from fallen enemies and loot stashes strewn throughout high risk areas, you almost feel compelled to take out every single enemy in order to loot at your leisure. It doesn’t help that based on what we saw from the beta, new gear isn’t all that intriguing from a form/function standpoint. Unless you’re a firearm enthusiast, I’m not sure if different new pieces will really separate themselves from the rest. While weapon customization goes deep with the return of The Gunsmith, the impact of finding a new weapon doesn’t go much further than comparing its rarity color or base stats.

Throw in the fact that the game incorporates a Gear Score that aggregates the average of all equipped gear and you can see that it is now in the player’s best interest to go guns blazing to ensure no new gear is left behind. While it is possible to clear out areas stealthily, it’s less likely players will take this approach, especially with a full band of three other co-op partners. Adding to the need to go weapons free is the addition of heavily armored gunner enemies and tank like Behemoth drones patrolling the game world.

Don’t get me wrong – we had a lot of fun in this new approach to Ghost Recon. Taking out enemies with sync-shots using co-op partners or drones is as cool as ever. The game’s new close quarters melee system ensures that each kill with your up close and personal combat knife is an absolute marvel to see. Couple that with a fresh take on story telling for a Tom Clancy game and a massive south pacific playground of varied activities, the game seems poised to provide a great experience for years to come. Breakpoint just seems to have a bit of an identity crisis. We already have The Division from Ubisoft which Wildlands set itself apart from enough with a focus on tactics and stealth. While the looting and gear score system will be a huge driver for us, The Division agents just do it better, at least based on what we saw in the closed beta. Breakpoint is fun, if not confusing, and despite the apparent urge to get in on the looter shooter bandwagon, we’re looking forward to playing the full release in just under a month.