Defiance

 Xbox 360
User Score
7.2

Mixed or average reviews- based on 247 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 155 out of 247
  2. Mixed: 46 out of 247
  3. Negative: 46 out of 247
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  1. GamingSince87
    Apr 3, 2013
    6
    Do not read any of the 10 or 0 reviews is my Metacritic philosophy. I have played 2 console MMO's (this really isn't an MMO in my book) but on the first day of launch I expected much worse than what happened yesterday.

    To launch the game on 3 platforms on the same day is pretty impressive. The game itself is fun, the graphics aren't the best you've ever seen but that's because there is    Do not read any of the 10 or 0 reviews is my Metacritic philosophy. I have played 2 console MMO's (this really isn't an MMO in my book) but on the first day of launch I expected much worse than what happened yesterday.

    To launch the game on 3 platforms on the same day is pretty impressive. The game itself is fun, the graphics aren't the best you've ever seen but that's because there is like 100 other people doing on your screen at the same time. If you have never played anything on this huge type of scale before, I say give it a go and don't let us tell you what to think.

    My best experience came during a BETA there was a world boss Arkfall called the Mother of all hellbugs anyway me and like 50 people were fighting this for like 20 minutes with little to no lag, during beta.

    So I'm guessing any server issues are going to stabilize especially once all the whiny little ****es that give out 0's leave the game     … Expand
  2. Flavuhz
    Apr 2, 2013
    9
    Defiance is truly taking a step into the right direction for MMO's on consoles. The game isn't the most beautiful game compared to games like Halo, Gears of War or any top games. BUT it does have really fun gameplay and lets be honest if you flipped the game case over and saw 1-10,000+ players for online capability then you'd be excited too. It has features that will remind you ofDefiance is truly taking a step into the right direction for MMO's on consoles. The game isn't the most beautiful game compared to games like Halo, Gears of War or any top games. BUT it does have really fun gameplay and lets be honest if you flipped the game case over and saw 1-10,000+ players for online capability then you'd be excited too. It has features that will remind you of borderlands and the world truly feels like a Fallout setting minus all the buildings. Disregard the negative reviews and the people who say its not like borderlands or fallout, well obviously it's not those games but it reminds you of them. Overall Defiance is a solid game, as long as they keep assisting with the servers. Overall it is a 9 out of 10 because the gameplay is what makes it great. Graphics are probably at a 7.5, it grows on you… Expand
  3. Richie
    Apr 2, 2013
    10
    Finally! Defiance is THE game this console has been missing for a long time. It's like Fallout 3 meets Borderlands meets Final Fantasy. Tons of things to do MMO RPG PvP Excellent combat system NO SUBSCRIPTION FEE WIN. Now where is my fish sticks hat?
  4. Chicago
    Apr 2, 2013
    10
    Defiance offers a unique gaming experience that I have not had on the Xbox since Phantasy Star Universe. Defiance is an MMO RPG. An online connection and 10GB are REQUIRED to play this on Xbox live. There were a ton of patches to download at launch and there will likely be a lot more to come. The game updates within itself so it does not need to go through Microsoft's lengthy patch processDefiance offers a unique gaming experience that I have not had on the Xbox since Phantasy Star Universe. Defiance is an MMO RPG. An online connection and 10GB are REQUIRED to play this on Xbox live. There were a ton of patches to download at launch and there will likely be a lot more to come. The game updates within itself so it does not need to go through Microsoft's lengthy patch process (from what I have seen so far). After the updates, I found the game to be running very smooth and encountered many people in this MMO environment. For those of you who do. Not understand MMO stands for Massive Multiplayer Online, thousands of people are just wondering around the servers with you. As of now the servers are lag free and hopefully it will stay like this. If you are a fan of any MMO or have played phantasy Star Universe, this game is a must buy! No other game will offer you this experience on Xbox. My only complaint is that I wish there was more customization in the beginning, but I know more outfits become unlocked later on. Also it took me a little to figure out how to join your friends server but I realized you must click your name then click travel to leader when in a party. Hopefully my review helps everyone. I'm so happy we finally have an MMO on Xbox!… Expand
  5. Brainlicker
    Jun 2, 2013
    7
    I was so excited about the potential for an MMO on the 360, read everything I could and got caught up in the hype. After the sharp learning curve and first month of technical problems it becomes just a game that makes you repeat the same things you have done a million times. Go there and do this or go there and kill that. The world is bland and lifeless compared to games like GTA even ifI was so excited about the potential for an MMO on the 360, read everything I could and got caught up in the hype. After the sharp learning curve and first month of technical problems it becomes just a game that makes you repeat the same things you have done a million times. Go there and do this or go there and kill that. The world is bland and lifeless compared to games like GTA even if they are different worlds. You can drive forever in Defiance without seeing much, not that it's even worth seeing. After you play through a couple of Ark Falls and finish the solo story you just lose interest. There isn't enough meat in the game to keep you coming back. Maybe if the world expanded or your leveling was set up in a different fashion. The level system could use some work and perks could be better but works ok as it is. The whole game is ok but had so much more potential.
    The other thing to consider is how are they going to roll into the new console generation? This is an online game through their servers. With the new generation coming are they going to set you up on the new xbox or are you going to have to buy another game since they just signed on for a second season?    … Expand
  6. JeffKaos
    Apr 7, 2013
    6
    This game is closer to a 6.5. People have been so desperate for a console mmo, especially on the Xbox 360, that this game is causing them to lose their minds; or at least their objectivity which explains all the 9's and 10's. The game is definitely fun and the character development is pretty good, but it's also riddled with a good amount of bugs which require a fair amount of internetThis game is closer to a 6.5. People have been so desperate for a console mmo, especially on the Xbox 360, that this game is causing them to lose their minds; or at least their objectivity which explains all the 9's and 10's. The game is definitely fun and the character development is pretty good, but it's also riddled with a good amount of bugs which require a fair amount of internet searches to find workarounds. At least I'm happy that there ARE workarounds. The game play is fun, if a bit generic, but the graphics are mediocre at best as are the character animations. And the animation of the pre-order bonus car is just awful. I'm willing to overlook the graphics and animations because for this game to work on consoles sacrifices had to be made. There's also a lot of information missing in the early game, such as how code-keys and lock boxes work and how to mod weapons but this stuff can easily be found online during the constant server down time. All in all, if you're looking for a solid mmo experience on the Xbox 360 theirs no other choice but the game is fun none the less. If you're looking for a solid shooter with cutting edge graphics then you're out of luck.… Expand
  7. MOPHR3AK
    Apr 7, 2013
    5
    There is some potential here, but the game as it stands 'Right Now', almost unplayable. Very glitchy, it suffers from frame rate issues and connectivity (servers drop out every now and then) There is a TON of stuff to do in game, quests and side quests along with some competitive multiplayer match making as well. Lots of upgrades and purchases in-game for your character are available, asThere is some potential here, but the game as it stands 'Right Now', almost unplayable. Very glitchy, it suffers from frame rate issues and connectivity (servers drop out every now and then) There is a TON of stuff to do in game, quests and side quests along with some competitive multiplayer match making as well. Lots of upgrades and purchases in-game for your character are available, as long as your willing to dish out some MSP. I wouldn't buy to play the game just yet, i'd give it a few more weeks, get TRION to sort things out and make the game a little more functional.… Expand
  8. ChalenChambers
    Apr 16, 2013
    5
    Defiance is not a great game. I went into it skeptically as I found the cover art pathetic. Once I started playing I enjoyed the first hour but it seemed to get pretty repetitive and for an MMO, that can't happen that early. It's not a great game, but it's not horrible either.
  9. jake38
    May 4, 2013
    6
    it is a very interesting idea to have a game effect the effects of a TV show but when the games DOES NOT WORK there is no point in playing the game to begin with
  10. Melson97
    Apr 14, 2013
    9
    Guys, don't listen to those angry and upset fan boys who give the game a 0 or negative rating, read this review and hopefully it convinces you! Defiance is a very good game, I've decided to review this game simply because it keeps me playing and I want people to join in! When I started the game up it was slow and I thought it was going to be a waste of money. However, after the tutorialGuys, don't listen to those angry and upset fan boys who give the game a 0 or negative rating, read this review and hopefully it convinces you! Defiance is a very good game, I've decided to review this game simply because it keeps me playing and I want people to join in! When I started the game up it was slow and I thought it was going to be a waste of money. However, after the tutorial which is incredibly bad things started and the pace of the game definitely changed. 10 minutes later, I was battling huge monsters with loads of other people, and the rewards from these 'Arkfalls' improve as you level up your EGO rating. And, not forgetting the joy it brings when you see your name on the top of the leader boards. All games have their faults, this game definitely does. Connection issues appeared started within the first hour or two and it made me so angry! But this did sort itself out after a few hours and I haven't disconnected since.Other faults would be the extremely repetitive side quests, all you have to do is hold X for most parts. Yet, this fault didn't matter to me, I couldn't wait to finish all the side quests and main missions to get ready for Season Two.......... but wait, there's more? Yes, there is more! You have co-op maps, with bosses that are intermediate to extremely hard and require TEAMWORK to complete! Social aspects such as clans and groups to finish quests. Shadow Wars, where you can practically queue up for one or just randomly walk into one without realising, I would in a way consider a random event. And there are also separate competitive maps, Waterfront with 6 v 6 and Observatory with 8 v 8. Alongside all these aspects and more are challenges that they expect you to complete, in which will finish off the first season. What you guys might not know, is that as the TV series expands, so will the game. For example, when season two of Defiance comes along on TV, it will on Xbox 360 and other platforms as well and hopefully expanding the map! Adding onto the map, there is varied terrain which keeps you away from the lack luster experience that you would find in most MMO-RPGs that consist of the same terrain over and over again. There are 5 or 6 different factions and a variety of weapons that will keep you looking in the supply store for more. There are also many different vehicles to choose from, each with unique speed, durability etc. Overall, I would highly recommend this game to anyone because its a fairly good game in some place, faulty in others but definitely outstanding in conclusion!

    Melson97    … Expand
  11. ZombieFan281
    Apr 3, 2013
    8
    Enjoying this game.... Very interesting world... Only 2 downfalls are that the Hit Detections need some work as well I have seen multiple glitch or float above or under the ground. Overall will give this game a 8/10 and with adjustments this is a easy 8.75
  12. Vyzzr
    Apr 25, 2013
    2
    This game sucks. With terrible voice acting and a boring gameplay there is no fun. You run to a certain point shoot the same enemies and hold x on a stupid box. Do not buy this dumb TV show based game. Strong guns become as weak as starter guns at certain areas while playing with friends. Bad Game
  13. JBoAftermath
    Apr 3, 2013
    9
    I haven't been a fan of MMOs...until now. Finally, a MMO that has nothing to do with elves, knights, wizards or that sort of thing. I actually have the ability to control to my weapon instead of just merely "point and click" my character at the general vicinity of an enemy and get this...NO SUBSCRIPTION REQ (Good job Trion)!!!. Yes, understand there are some minor bugs, but nothing,I haven't been a fan of MMOs...until now. Finally, a MMO that has nothing to do with elves, knights, wizards or that sort of thing. I actually have the ability to control to my weapon instead of just merely "point and click" my character at the general vicinity of an enemy and get this...NO SUBSCRIPTION REQ (Good job Trion)!!!. Yes, understand there are some minor bugs, but nothing, that didn't hinder my game experience and their website says they're working on it. Be patient at first learning the game, but once you got it, be ready because the action never really stops. You can either be your own "lone Ark Hunter" sort-a-speak, or "join the fight" with other players on missions, expeditions, or whatever you feel you need to do to make yourself relevant in the game. Now if you will excuse, I have "Hellbugs" to squash and a big ol' crazy Mutant with a BFG to take out.… Expand
  14. rmklingler
    Apr 3, 2013
    7
    I purchased this game yesterday and waited until this morning to play it. So far I have to say that I enjoy it. I've only completed maybe the first two missions, and they have been enjoyable. This game is very different from what I usually play. I enjoy the typical FPS. I enjoy the Gears of War franchise. I've been playing through the Dragon Age series recently and grinding through aI purchased this game yesterday and waited until this morning to play it. So far I have to say that I enjoy it. I've only completed maybe the first two missions, and they have been enjoyable. This game is very different from what I usually play. I enjoy the typical FPS. I enjoy the Gears of War franchise. I've been playing through the Dragon Age series recently and grinding through a season of NBA 2K13. This game seems to have small doses of those games but for the most part it is completely different. Don't take this the wrong way and assume that it's a combination of all of those great games, so this game is mega-great! This game has a lot of flaws, but seems to have quite a bit of potential too. That is mostly what my score is based on, it's potential. The graphics leave much to be desired, but I wasn't expecting a Crysis 3-type marvel to look at. The gameplay is decent. The guns have a decent feel to them and there seems to be some variety to what you can pick up (loot). If you're expecting a new gun every couple of enemy encounters like Borderlands, you'll be disappointed. On the subject of loot drops, I would like to see this game strike a happy medium between where it's at now, and Borderlands. I also wish this game had a cover system. It seems odd to me that with all of the rubble and vegetation that a cover system fell by the wayside. Hopefully this is something that can be patched later. If not, I may just have to tailor my playing style to account for it. The level system seems pretty intuitive for now. So far, I like the menu system this game has in place. If you're wondering about the story, well, it's a shooter. So the story is: here is a reason to shoot stuff, now shoot stuff, and here's more reasons to shoot other stuff. We've all played this story before. There is nothing new under the sun. However, I like how this game is interconnected to a TV series. It may flesh out this world's canon in a way that's never been done before. Of course, the show could be terrible and it would all be for naught. We'll see. Which seems to be a theme for this game. For right now it's a fun game for me to zone out and shoot some stuff and watch a bunch of other people in my video game world doing the same. This game has a lot of room for improvement, which could be patched in the future. But it may not. We'll see.… Expand
  15. Zombieskrull
    Apr 2, 2013
    10
    Defiance is pretty amazing! People who give it a low score are missing the big picture here. At face value, it is less than perfect and is quite derivative. Borderlands, Fallout, gears of war, some Halo elements and a slight lack of polish. But take a step back and you realize a few things. 1. The development of this title is unlike any other console game you have ever played. TritonDefiance is pretty amazing! People who give it a low score are missing the big picture here. At face value, it is less than perfect and is quite derivative. Borderlands, Fallout, gears of war, some Halo elements and a slight lack of polish. But take a step back and you realize a few things. 1. The development of this title is unlike any other console game you have ever played. Triton Worlds is following a PC development approach. Build the plain while you fly it. Console titles like Bioshock, Borderlands, etc, are finished at launch and aren't going to get any better over time. Sure, you may get level cap increases and some new areas/weapons to keep you playing, but development is done. With Defiance, the game lives on a server and will constantly be tweaked according to player feedback. While this will undoubtedly result in frequent patches (something PC gamers have had to deal with forever), it will also mean that the game you play today will be nothing like the game you are playing a month from now. The major bugs will be ironed out and gameplay will be perfected over time. The love put into this game is apparent in the difference between beta and final alone. 2. This is just the beginning! Knowing that the show is coming, and the impact it is designed to have on the game and vice versa gives the game that added kick in the pants that you won't get anywhere else. Period! The show looks really good, too! With some of the people behind BSG And Alien Nation, I expect a smart, political and socially relevant program that should have some lasting power.
    3. It's a Freakin MMO! A real one! Like, take Borderlands and throw 10,000 real live players in the mix with little to no slow down and call that anything less than impressive! I don't care if there are some bugs here and there, you have thousands of other players! Gaming with you! How awesome is that! During an ark fall event, you get to have a freakin battle royale with hundreds of players at once, all going for the same objective. As you get to the end of the event something crazy happens and you end up joining forces with the same people you were just at odds with! Is that straight out of a comic book or what?
    Lastly, the shooter gameplay elements are super tight. You won't find yourself throwing the controller or swearing at the TV. Where you aim is where you shoot. Powers, perks, melee, grenades all work as expected.

    Bottom line is, there is a lot to like about this game, and some stuff to disappoint. Disappointments will be corrected, and the good will just get better! My only gripe is that they didn't wait for next gen, just means they will be putting out a Defiance 2 instead of releasing expansion packs. But hey, small price. This game is the future.    … Expand
  16. mrkniceguy
    Apr 8, 2013
    8
    While Defiance isn't the "prettiest" game out there, it sure does blaze new trails. After close to 10 hours in game, I am officially hooked. The missions are engaging, the weapon customizations are robust and the open world feel is fantastic. The voice acting is weak at times but the story is still very fun.

    While there have been issues with servers and lag, the development team has    While Defiance isn't the "prettiest" game out there, it sure does blaze new trails. After close to 10 hours in game, I am officially hooked. The missions are engaging, the weapon customizations are robust and the open world feel is fantastic. The voice acting is weak at times but the story is still very fun.

    While there have been issues with servers and lag, the development team has been making great strides in fixing the issues. I played for 2 hours today there there was no lag at all the entire time.

    If you're interested in playing a game with thousands of other people at the same time, like shooters and RPG elements, and want to experience a game's story along with a TV show, Defiance won't disappoint you.    … Expand
  17. StanleyPain
    Apr 12, 2013
    8
    I don't usually write reviews for video games on public sites (I think I have like, two here or something), but I felt that Defiance is the kind of game that needs some defenders. Or maybe not so much defenders, but people who have actually played the game for more than 1 hour and then go trash it on the internet giving people a skewed view of the game. Personally, I think the game is aI don't usually write reviews for video games on public sites (I think I have like, two here or something), but I felt that Defiance is the kind of game that needs some defenders. Or maybe not so much defenders, but people who have actually played the game for more than 1 hour and then go trash it on the internet giving people a skewed view of the game. Personally, I think the game is a lot of fun, but I figured it would be good to give a balanced opinion about it to people out there seriously considering buying it. I won't go into the basics as I'll assume you know what the game is and the basics of how it plays, there are videos all over the place, but by now many of them are outdated due to features and fixes that have already been added in patches. Let me address some of the common complaints:
    1. "The game has bugs/issues/server problems." This is somewhat true, but I have never played another game in my entire life where the problems have been so frequently addressed and dealt with. The game is improving continuously and the developers have a very honest, open relationship with the players which is a far cry from most companies nowadays who basically just have a "DEAL WITH IT, PEONS" attitude towards their customers.

    2. "There's not enough loot!" While the game shares many mechanical similarities with Borderlands, this is not some loot-fest game where you are constantly finding dozens of guns and crap everywhere. Loot is not sparse, but it also isn't just handed out like candy, and seriously, who wants to play a game where 95% of the loot is crap anyway that you just have to sort through?

    3. "The Graphics SUCK!" No, Defiance doesn't look like Skyrim or Bioshock infinite. This is because it needs to stream properly and load properly and handle a massive amount of players at once, so the graphics are good and serviceable, but not mindblowing. Graphics obsessed people will probably be disappointed. If this is the only reason you play games, you probably shouldn't be playing games. As for the world being "bland", it's no more different than any other game on the market right now set in an urban ruin. It's forests, swamps, and ruined buildings. It works for what is.

    4. "Your weapons don't get stronger and you don't level up." You don't "level up" in Defiance, but you do earn skill points (Ego) which are pretty crucial to how you develop your character. You also earn "Ego Power" which effectively increases many things about your character. As for the weapons, to say your weapons don't get stronger is technically true, but you earn exp. levels based on weapon proficiency and also mods which can make a dramatic difference to a weapon. But, most of these slow-witted Call of Duty types complaining about the weapons fail to notice that the strength of the weapon is not as important overall as its functionality and how you use it tactically. Another option is...buy a better weapon, smart guys.

    5. "IT TAKES SO LONG TO PATCH!" It's true that this game takes nearly 2 hours to fully install and patch. This is unfortunate, but if you're giving the entire game a 0 because of the technical aspect of it being patched to fix problems, you are functionally retarded.

    6. "IT TAKES TOO LONG TO CHASE DOWN ARKFALLS!!" If an Arkfall is so far away from you that you literally have to spend 15-20 minutes traversing the map, then gee..maybe you should just wait for an Arkfall in your area. Arkfalls are easily one of the most awesome parts of the game and yes you ARE rewarded for participating. No, you don't get tons of useless loot, but rather in-game currency and Ego Power which is WAY WAY more useful for improving your character. And, no, Arkfalls are not a DPS circle jerk. This is not WoW. Everyone who participates gets something appropriate to their level and there's no reason not to help out fellow players.

    7. "The skills have no depth!" If the skill system in Defiance has no depth, than no video game currently on the market has any depth at all.

    8. "The story is terrible!" The storyline is not great, I will admit. And the overall writing and presentation is pretty juvenile, but it functions for what it is. This isn't supposed to be some deep, involving RPG...it's a balls-out action game. The story serves the setting.

    9. "You have to spend real money to get good equipment." Absolute BS. You can pay real money for random chests, but like all games with this scheme, it's usually better to just use what you have in-game rather than pay money for stuff you might never use. Also, the Ark Hunter code system on the Defiance website will give you more than enough starting bonuses to make any low level character happier.

    10. "There's nothing to do!" If you are playing this game and missing the missions and the random events, then you are playing it wrong.    … Expand
  18. Tooreal
    Apr 8, 2013
    10
    Defiance... Well personally I love it! Ha it is so addicting. It is a free-to-play game meaning there is no subscription fee, but also meaning free-to-do-what-ever-you-(insert-bad-word-here)-want! You have two main "Quest-lines" to do or you can do WHAT EVER you want! You can go hang with your friends, start a clan, do some co-op instances, or do the coolest PVP i have seen on Xbox. WhenDefiance... Well personally I love it! Ha it is so addicting. It is a free-to-play game meaning there is no subscription fee, but also meaning free-to-do-what-ever-you-(insert-bad-word-here)-want! You have two main "Quest-lines" to do or you can do WHAT EVER you want! You can go hang with your friends, start a clan, do some co-op instances, or do the coolest PVP i have seen on Xbox. When playing with your friends you can actually use real strategy unlike Call of Duty, I'm not saying that there is no strategy in COD, it just usually fall apart when you die... but in defiance you can heal your team-mates or revive them! You can have a sniper sneak behind the enemy-lines while you have a tank unload a few mags with a light-machine gun. The co-op instances are alright, on a side note I've only done one with some random people that didn’t even talk but I bet it is a lot better with teamwork. The main problem I found with the game is the connection issue they have one server that sometimes has a queue and you sometimes can't connect for a hour or two. Oh and finally you get disconnected randomly but that just happens rarely. But do I still play? YEA! This is game as I said before has some of the best PVP I've ever seen on Xbox, there is a few different types. There is team death-match which is 6 vs 6 or 8 vs 8. That's pretty normal but what I'm talking about is the "Shadow War", where you fight for "points" or flags like domination in COD. But you start out with four and soon your gain three more to make it an intense seven flag game where you race with your vehicles in the "REAL WORLD" where other players can see you play and you can see them! Yea your not in a private lobby. So finally to sum up the goods and the bads three for each, Bads 1.connection. 2.one server. 3.lag. Goods 1.In-depth story. 2.Amazing PVP. 3.Great Co-op system/Real Strategy! So Finally, would I recommend this game to others? Wait a month or two until they have the lag and servers working better and then jump in! Check their Twitter, they are not afraid to say they are working on a problem and I hope they continue doing this it make it feel like a evolving game! Thank you if you read this whole thing haha!… Expand
  19. TribalReview
    Apr 9, 2013
    9
    This review is based off of content before the show's release. My actual number that i would give this game in its current state is an 8.6. irresponsible people who give this game a 0 clearly did not give it time and are too lazy to give it what they even think it's worth which artificially lowers the game's overall score. If you think it's a four, give it that. A zero is a broken andThis review is based off of content before the show's release. My actual number that i would give this game in its current state is an 8.6. irresponsible people who give this game a 0 clearly did not give it time and are too lazy to give it what they even think it's worth which artificially lowers the game's overall score. If you think it's a four, give it that. A zero is a broken and literally unplayable game. Even my most hated game is not a 0.

    Positives:

    1. 3rd person shooter with load out system skill tree (You can have one super power and 8 perks; also when you've unlocked enough you can make different load outs and cycle between them). The game play is easily the best part of this game. Once you find your favorite guns, shooting people in the face with them will never get old. The perks you unlock actually feel like they make a difference. Overall engaging enemies is more about skill and preparedness rather than what level you are which means a lot.

    2. handles servers with hundreds of people almost flawlessly; you can literally be fighting with 300 people at an arkfall, feel involved, and have no lag.

    3. Features a variety of mounts that can be summoned at any time in order to traverse the map easily.

    4. No subscription.

    5. The great foundation this game has is guaranteed to be expanded on when the show airs. The story which is currently one of its weaknesses should be improved along with more content. Speculation yes, but seeing as the creators dumped 105 million into the update process I'm inclined to believe the best is yet to come.

    6. Features a decent pvp system that is incredibly fun, rewarding, and skill based. No matter your level, if you have good guns and some skill you'll do fine and get a bunch of exp. However it seems that so far their are only two modes and they need to add something more out of the ordinary than king of the hills and tdm.

    7. Enemy variety and missions dramatically get more interesting as the game progresses.

    8. The graphics are actually surprisingly good, however the landscape is not that diverse. This is being said however while most of the continent still hasn't been released.

    9. The arkfalls are incredibly fun and rewarding. They are big part of giving the game continuity.

    10. People dynamically joining your missions is always a joy and helping your friends is not hard to do and rewarding since the enemies and loot adjust to your level and number of people in the area.

    11. The game features fun and rewarding co-op missions.

    12. Everyone has their own loot!, this should be a given in games nowadays but unfortunately it's not.

    13. Game features a way to convert garbage loot into a valuable alternative currency called "salvage", which can be arguably more valuable than the main currency scrip, without having to go to vendors. This makes looting so much more fun than in games where managing loot becomes a chore.

    14. Your favorite gun can stay your favorite gun for what seems to be forever. The drop system in this game is weird. A gun you loot at level 20 can still be awsome at level 200 and beyond. I am currently level 500, and using a gun i love that i found around my 100's Guns can have elements and can level up from use to get a bonus perk. Also any gun is capable of using four mods.

    15. The modding system is great. mods are very diverse and some (synergy mods) can have increased bonuses if multiple of the same class of mods are attached to the same weapon. With enough salvage you can safely remove mods and also add slots to weapons that don't have any.

    16. The interface and controls are excellent on the xbox and clearly made with the console in mind. This game was made for the consoles, so please don't buy it for the pc thinking you'll have an equally excellent time.

    Negatives:

    1. The story so-far is garbage and cut-scenes are scarce with little intrigue. Some of the characters develop fairly well so far but none are quite that awesome yet. The script is also fairly generic and the plot won't get your blood pumping too much. This is one of the game's biggest sins, however there is hope that the show will help cure this.

    2. there are a few minor glitches.

    3. Even though the great gameplay can largely help you ignore it, the side missions and missions without intro cutscenes are fairly repetitive featuring almost always the same thing: either defend against waves of people or hold x on something. the missions eventually get more diverse in featuring different temporary power weapons or giving bosses, however it still mainly boils down to the same thing.

    4. The game tutorial is not the greatest, leaving you to read most of the info on the menus and online.

    5. Cutscenes do not feature your groupmates, and while doing main missions and side missions you can feel like your going it alone even though there are hundreds of players near you.

    6. I never stopped and appreciated the music, sfx, or most of the voice acting.    … Expand
  20. criticguy22
    Apr 15, 2013
    9
    Defiance really served on pretty much everything- Good graphics, good gameplay, good music, it's all just so easy to love. I'm already wishing they would make a Defiance 2....
  21. AlloySeven
    Apr 27, 2013
    5
    You can find the full review http://alloyseven.com/channels/game/item/125-defi-review and the video review https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SKj9CnrRHk Keep in mind that I don't believe in scoring games and do so here only because metacritic requires it. This '5' is very much subject to change since the developers may add content and fixes that address the issues I point out in the You can find the full review http://alloyseven.com/channels/game/item/125-defi-review and the video review https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SKj9CnrRHk Keep in mind that I don't believe in scoring games and do so here only because metacritic requires it. This '5' is very much subject to change since the developers may add content and fixes that address the issues I point out in the review )

    I had a hard time bottom-lining Defiance mostly because I enjoyed and hated the experience almost equally. For every concept I felt Trion Worlds got right, they missed somewhere else. Suffice it to say that Defiance is an average MMO with the potential to be slightly above average if the developers commit to fixing bugs and annoyances and adding better content in the future.

    With that said, let's jump into the category breakdowns.

    Action Junkies Defiance's best quality is its gunplay. It's fast paced, chaotic and mostly accurate. You'll spend most of your in-game time killing bad guys when you are not fetching items or unlocking terminals, so it's nice that Trion Worlds got this part right.

    However the gunplay is encumbered by grossly repetitive mission structures, the same horrible enemy spawning found in games like Borderlands and Call of Duty and a burdensome interface that makes switching between more than 2 weapons mid-combat a serious pain.

    On top of this, you have to keep in mind that this game is an MMO. MMOs thrive on keeping the game challenging for 100s of hours. So don't plan on finding or being rewarded with any shields, weapons or grenades the are ultimately devistating. This was my biggest point of contention with the action. The weapons I used during the final hours of the game were a rare sniper rifle I got from a friend early in the game and the Rifle that Nolan gave me in the TV Mission. You will not feel like a badass by the end of the main campaign unless you are lucky enough to win the lotto via the rare item drop boxes throughout the game or know some friends that can hook you up with some sweet gear.

    Bookworms If you are primarily a bookworm, don't bother with this game. The story, characters and dialog are supremely corny and uninteresting. To make matters worse, the clumsy narrative also hinders you from feeling any sense of purpose for your actions. This is yet another shooter you can throw on the pile that boils down to mindless killing with no real sense of weight tied to your actions

    Explorers will be treated to a vast open world--one that gives you no incentives to explore it unless you're an action junkie looking for gun fights. How can you have wide-open terrain with nooks, crannies and buildings just begging to be searched and not reward the player for venturing out by allowing us to find rare loot?

    Strategists may love and hate Defiance. I found so many combat situations that were just begging for me to sneak in from the high ground as a sniper and rain down destruction before eventually assaulting across the objective to clean up stragglers. But for as many of these situations as I found, I found at least two other missions that made me deactivate generators while trying to dodge enemy fire from spawning enemies. Not to mention the plethora of missions that make you defend a uplink station while 200 bad guys spawn out of nowhere and descend upon your location. Defiance is truly a mixed bag when it comes to strategy. Sometimes you'll love it, other times you'll hate it. Unfortunately for me, the love sequences were few and far between.

    Builders This was the second area where I felt like Defiance let me down. I bought Defiance hoping that it would scratch the itch I felt like Borderlands 2 couldn't. I'm specifically talking about giving me a more fleshed-out character development and customization system. Defiance did deliver this, but then squelched it with leveling that takes too long and limiting the amount of passive and active skills I could use at any given time.

    But again, this is an MMO. If you enjoy MMOs, you probably won't gripe about this as much as I did because you'll be willing and really used to investing 100s of hours to get your character up-to-par. I'm a bit more impatient than the average MMO player, so take my criticism here with a grain of salt.

    Collaborators As an MMO, expect Defiance to be more fun with friends. But honestly, unless you have a group of friends who are planning to play this game with you, don't expect to link up with too many people while playing online. From my experience, most of the people in-game are focused on the ark fall events that get old after you've done five or so. For an MMO, it feels more like a single-player adventure.

    ....    … Expand
  22. FearBeard
    Apr 15, 2013
    8
    this type of game is the new face of mmo's on console (mmofps/mmo3ps), Defiance is the 3rd person version and Destiny will be the fps equivalent when it comes out. this game feels like a 3rd person shooter on par with Fallout3, RedDeadRedemption, 3rd person version of borderlands but is played with 1,000's of other players. the game has you chasing Arkfalls in pve (player vs environment)this type of game is the new face of mmo's on console (mmofps/mmo3ps), Defiance is the 3rd person version and Destiny will be the fps equivalent when it comes out. this game feels like a 3rd person shooter on par with Fallout3, RedDeadRedemption, 3rd person version of borderlands but is played with 1,000's of other players. the game has you chasing Arkfalls in pve (player vs environment) with all your friends, and it has you playing against upwards to 64v64 in pvp (player vs player) in shadow wars. this game no doubt has its issues, but so does every mmo when it first launches. its a good game, that should be played by anyone that likes to play co-op, pvp, or roaming around open world environments in a 3rd person shooter.… Expand
  23. Rayvenhaus
    Apr 12, 2013
    9
    I've never been a fan of MMO's on a console before. Then out comes Defiance. I really enjoy this game. The plot is awesome, the story line flows very well, the game is fun to play and I love the tie into to the TV Series.
  24. SeanBoy21
    Apr 12, 2013
    8
    Although some side missions can become repetitive, the game itself is awesome. Co-op can alleviate this easily. The world itself had amazing fiction and the voice acting is on cue! Bugs and glitches do happen but these are now slowly fading away with Trion Worlds' almost daily patches and updates. Community members are never left in the dark as devs are constantly communicating withAlthough some side missions can become repetitive, the game itself is awesome. Co-op can alleviate this easily. The world itself had amazing fiction and the voice acting is on cue! Bugs and glitches do happen but these are now slowly fading away with Trion Worlds' almost daily patches and updates. Community members are never left in the dark as devs are constantly communicating with players. Give the game a try! Anyone who plays it soon finds themselves immersed in the gameplay, the satisfying fire fights and the amazing coop feel. More arkfalls are to become less mundane as the show and the season roll out. I am hooked!!!… Expand
  25. dubz88
    Apr 13, 2013
    6
    Defiance isn't bad neither is it particularly good. This is the best way that I can sum up this game. I wanted to enjoy this game but it just didn't do enough to keep me wanting to stick around.

    To start, the lack of choices when it comes to choosing your race was disappointing. It would seem that the game lore has the potential to have more races be available but you are limited to    Defiance isn't bad neither is it particularly good. This is the best way that I can sum up this game. I wanted to enjoy this game but it just didn't do enough to keep me wanting to stick around.

    To start, the lack of choices when it comes to choosing your race was disappointing. It would seem that the game lore has the potential to have more races be available but you are limited to only two when you create your character. Furthermore, your origin story that you choose means absolutely nothing beyond the outfit and gun type that you start with. During cutscenes, characters show the bare minimum of emotion and lip syncing is poor at best. I also experiencing a fair amount of screen tearing during cutscenes but nothing overly intrusive. The game world from a graphical standpoint looks generic and underwhelming and low resolution textures are everywhere. I don't want to say that graphics are the highest priority, but coming off of recent releases that push the Xbox 360 to its limits, Defiance is severely lacking in this department. I understand that given the scale and amount of rendering that is needed, this becomes difficult to achieve but I personally felt it took me out of the experience. Technical issues become more apparent the more you play. On several occasions I noticed large amounts of lag even doing something as simple as opening up my character's inventory. In some cases, other player's armor would render properly from a distance but up close the game would make all surrounding characters look the same. Sound will also cut out frequently during large engagements such as the events known as "Arkfalls".

    Arkfalls are usually multi-stage events within the game world that players can participate in to gain loot and currency. However, as a result of the game scaling the difficulty as a result of more players being around, these Arkfall events end up turning into 50+ players holding down the trigger devoid of any real skill. The AI is also very unsupportive during missions and will typically leave you bleeding out waiting to be revived or end up crawling around the environment themselves after contributing nothing to the battle at hand. Side missions typically fall under the fetch quest motif and add nothing substantial to the story while growing increasingly repetitive. The world itself also fairly uninteresting to explore due in my part to the poor graphics but the game does insist on placing audio logs in the rubble of random buildings should you wish to learn more about the lore of the game.

    Overall, my opinion of the game is generally negative but at the same time I can't at least give some credit to the Trion for attempting to take on the task of bringing an MMO to the consoles. Defiance had so much potential but falls short of solid execution. I also haven't mentioned the other aspects of the game such as co-op missions and PvP. The former are similar to the co-op style missions in Red Dead Redemption and the latter are Team Deathmatch style similar to what you might see in Gears of War/Tomb Raider etc.    … Expand
  26. kysersosa
    Apr 15, 2013
    9
    I am having a lot of fun with this game for the 360! It is a fresh idea to be in sync with the show from the beginning. I am looking forward on seeing how the episodes correlate with
    The missions! I always enjoy back stories and Easter eggs in movies. This game helps with the Emerson into the defiance universe!
    Few bugs but trion and devs are working hard at addressing issue! Keep up    I am having a lot of fun with this game for the 360! It is a fresh idea to be in sync with the show from the beginning. I am looking forward on seeing how the episodes correlate with
    The missions! I always enjoy back stories and Easter eggs in movies. This game helps with the Emerson into the defiance universe!

    Few bugs but trion and devs are working hard at addressing issue! Keep up the great work. I also enjoy the events occurring regularly!    … Expand
  27. gvldavis
    Apr 15, 2013
    8
    I have been following this game for about 6 weeks before launch. The concept sounded interesting and the planning behind everything had me hopeful at a successful launch for both the TV show and game.

    After launch, I waited about 1 1/2 weeks checking in frequently with the developers website to see how the launch was going. From the looks of it, the launch was rough on the 360. To be    I have been following this game for about 6 weeks before launch. The concept sounded interesting and the planning behind everything had me hopeful at a successful launch for both the TV show and game.

    After launch, I waited about 1 1/2 weeks checking in frequently with the developers website to see how the launch was going. From the looks of it, the launch was rough on the 360. To be fair, from what I can tell, this launch seems smoother than other MMO's and the developer seemed fairly quick to own up to their mistakes and quickly fix them.

    After I purchased the game, I had about a 1 hour install while the game loaded from the disk and then downloaded the patches. Not to bad and it gave me time to go to the site and create an account as well as enter the Ark Codes...there's 120 of them, so I needed some time.

    Once I got into the game, it was fairly quick and painless to create a character and jump in. The tutorial did a good job of teaching how to use most of the systems, but did not touch on how to quick travel or what lock boxes are. So..to get in the game and shoot things, easy. To learn how some of the various systems interact with each other...hit up your search engine of choice because it's not clearly explained.

    The graphics seem on par with other 360 titles, so no major complaint there. I am concerned whether or not this game will play nicely with next gen consoles though.

    I have had some minor bugs, but nothing game breaking. The most annoying one was when I kept getting killed when standing under a bridge with nothing around and no line of sight to anything but either dirt or concrete (I was exploring). After I evacuated, I kept getting shot with no one around. Eventually I just logged out and back in. After that everything went smooth. I am a little confused about the complaints with bugs glitches. Sad to say, but don't most games that ship today come with bugs out of the box only to be patched within a day or two of launch? Sad but true.

    So far I've played the game about 10 hours. Through that time I have had missions where I was desperately out numbered and needed help when a random stranger would wonder by and help. Those moments were a god send. However, I've also had the opposite where I'm fighting for my life and people drive by. I'd say that is about par for an online game and isn't something the developers can really fix.    … Expand
  28. circusmidget
    Apr 29, 2013
    0
    Was excited for this, but Trion has really dropped the ball. Buggy game, poor design, and not implemented well.

    Unable to play with friends in the EU region, Trion help desk has NO idea about actually providing service on consoles giving incorrect data and just being useless. If you are going to sell a game to a new segment, make sure your game is top notch, and make sure your service    Was excited for this, but Trion has really dropped the ball. Buggy game, poor design, and not implemented well.

    Unable to play with friends in the EU region, Trion help desk has NO idea about actually providing service on consoles giving incorrect data and just being useless. If you are going to sell a game to a new segment, make sure your game is top notch, and make sure your service department actually knows what they are talking about.

    Other glitches characters and fixed items jumping all over the place when moving, coop missions need more work, longer, harder, requiring more teamwork...

    I have played MMO's for over 20 years, this has been the most frustrating one have played, would rather be back playing an old text based MUD than this POS.    … Expand
  29. ThatAngryGuy
    May 8, 2013
    5
    There is potential here but overall the game is simply average. Although the gameplay can be fun, and most of the time it is, the game is just filled with to many problems for it to be rated higher. The main story to begin with is TERRIBLE, I don't even think it can be called a main story as it is that lacklustre and lazy. There is almost no character development and it becomes hard toThere is potential here but overall the game is simply average. Although the gameplay can be fun, and most of the time it is, the game is just filled with to many problems for it to be rated higher. The main story to begin with is TERRIBLE, I don't even think it can be called a main story as it is that lacklustre and lazy. There is almost no character development and it becomes hard to understand which characters are actually the important ones. There are no plot twists in the story and you will quickly find yourself not caring at all about what is happening to these characters and the world around you and them (especially with the awful voice acting that has been done in this game). The side missions, like the main story have been rushed and have had little effort put into them. You will find yourself repeating the same types of side mission over and over again until you want to snap the game in half. You will even find yourself in the same areas fro these side missions with the developers copying and pasting certain bases around the map to save some time when making the game. PURE LAZINESS! You will find yourself a few hours in not caring at all about these side missions and will likely start skipping them entirely.

    The reason this game does not drop to the depths of a 1 or 2 is because it does have some positives that push back a little on the negatives. Gameplay for one is solid and works brilliantly, the controls are fluent and menu navigation is quick and simple. The wide array of guns, loot, and weapon customisation available to you also gives you a 'Borderlands' like feeling (and that's a good feeling). You will quickly find yourself wanting to find that next weapon that will blow your enemies away even more and your current one. The final positive I am going to mention and perhaps Defiance's strongest point is its multiplayer. Like almost every competitive multiplayer game, Defiance introduces a 6v6 and 8v8 versus mode, however this is not want I want to focus on and neither will you if you buy the game. It is instead Defiance's 'Shadow War's' that will make you want to play this game online. This is a 32 vs. 32 battleground mode that has hours of fun embedded into it with 64 people battling it out to capture points and shoot the living hell out of each other with guns that they have picked up from the open world. Defiance also offers co-op missions for 2-4 players but really this just feels like padding with levels pretty boring and having some cool bosses at the end of them.

    Although the game did have potential, especially being one of the few MMO's on the Xbox360, it unfortunately falls short of my expectations and has to many things holding it back from being a great MMO. Although there are positives that have been mentioned above, the negatives far outweigh these (and those were just the main negatives not mentioning how buggy and laggy the game can be at times). I hope that Defiance shows game developers that MMO's can be made on the Xbox and that better ones will be produced for the new upcoming Xbox Infinity. Unfortunately though, Defiance is just an average game.    … Expand
  30. Zogias
    May 31, 2013
    3
    I really wanted to like Defiance. When I first started playing it, I thought it was incredible. It didn't take long, however, to see that there was very little substance to the game. Almost everything about it gets repetitive after the first time you do it. It's like Defiance suckers you in with a huge baited hook, but once you're out of the water it just kind of leaves you dangling there,I really wanted to like Defiance. When I first started playing it, I thought it was incredible. It didn't take long, however, to see that there was very little substance to the game. Almost everything about it gets repetitive after the first time you do it. It's like Defiance suckers you in with a huge baited hook, but once you're out of the water it just kind of leaves you dangling there, gulping desperately. I really do feel like it had/has a tremendous amount of potential, but it seems like whoever's in charge of making decisions about the game has no idea what people really want in a game like this, and they certainly don't seem to care about fixing anything that needs improvement. The PvP would be laughable if it weren't so frustrating. Some of the weapons are so overpowered that in order to have half a chance at fighting, you have to fight fire with fire and resort to the same things. An example of this is going invisible, sneaking up behind someone, and killing them in one shot without them ever knowing you were near. Another is a grenade launcher that explodes into other little grenades in a huge area effect, leaving anyone standing in a certain area no chance to get out. I'm sure that sounds like I'm just terrible at it and complaining because I get killed so frequently (which I admit I do). Granted, I'm sure with enough practice you can learn to use the same strategies on others and get better at it, but this kind of frenetic over-powered combat is certainly not my cup of tea. To make matters worse, there are numerous bugs in the gameplay (an example is that drivers/gunners of vehicles sometimes inexplicably appear to stand unmoving in the middle of the road, though they are obviously moving and shooting in a vehicle, and when they die for what looks like no reason at all, they see that their killer is halfway across the map. The PvE is fun for a while, and the cooperative maps were great fun the first five times I did them, but I soon found myself growing tired of repetition and predictable AI. Bugs abound in the PvE as well, such as some of your selected skills disappearing constantly from your skillset, which means you have to go in and select them again every time you zone in to a new location. Constant nuisances like this going unfixed since the game came out makes you wonder if the people who made the game ever even played it. The developer is constantly talking about what's to come, and Defiance certainly needs more content, but until they fix what they already have in place it's hard to get excited about the future. Give the game some time and maybe they can tweak it into something lasting, but right now I have my doubts about the longevity of the game. My advice...stay away from it until it cuts its teeth, if it ever does.… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

16
#16 Most Discussed Xbox 360 Game of 2013
17
#17 Most Shared Xbox 360 Game of 2013

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
60

Mixed or average reviews - based on 27 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 27
  2. Mixed: 21 out of 27
  3. Negative: 3 out of 27
  1. Pelit (Finland)
    Oct 7, 2013
    70
    Defiance is essentially a single player shooter, that has been retrofitted to an MMOFPS. The multiplayer component doesn't really add anything to the game, if you don't count some random back-up crews as such. [Aug 2013]
  2. Games.cz
    Jul 3, 2013
    60
    Do you feel like shooting something? Are you enjoying action games? Do you wish to be with other people in a world that's evolving not in the game itself but in its TV series as well? In that case feel free to try Defiance out. Just be expecting nothing more than some solid action that hardly holds your attention for a long period of time.
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  3. Hyper Magazine
    Jun 10, 2013
    60
    With its straight focus, repetitive missions and static world, Defiance shouldn't work as well as it does. There's potential here. [July 2013, p.69]
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