by gamerswifey

Intoxicated & Confused (The Division)

I’ve been completely blind sighted!  I don’t know how it happened. I don’t know why. It doesn’t make any sense to me or my husband. I don’t know when it started sucking me in or how exactly it happened, but The Division has me intoxicated.

This is not a game marketed towards women by any stretch of the means. There’s no makeup, the hair styles are meh,  the clothing and accessories are unisex and “violet” is the only “girly” color you will find on any of the cosmetic items (clothing & accessories- for any non-nerds reading this). The graphics are realistic and the game is based in New York, but I mean- the point of the game is to uncover the source of a virus that has plagued the entire world…so…it’s not beautiful. Basically, it doesn’t have much of anything I discussed in my post about why I, a woman, love gaming.

How did this madness even begin? …I really only started playing because my husband was so excited about it. He played the Beta, records TWO podcasts that discuss the game, tried to take the day off work when it was released  (true nerd status obsession). So naturally, I wanted to try it out.After getting crushed during the Beta and only being able to level up one time, I really did not think I would enjoy playing. Neither did he. And I didn’t. From level 1-5 I was just sticking it out; I wanted to give the game a fair chance (extra fair chance) before I had to tell my husband that I thought the game of his dreams was lame. So I kept playing. Then all of a sudden, around the sixth level, something changed. I found myself shuffling my routine around so I could work gaming into my free time…consistently (gosh, I’ve become such a nerd).

Before I got sucked in, I was making some serious progress building up my shelters in Fallout 4 (non-nerds: a post-apocalyptic, “open world” game that also has an awesome creative element built into it- build, customize, & design settlements while maintaining settler happiness). And before Fallout, Elder Scrolls Online, my first “love,” had me captivated. That’s the game that really opened my eyes to the fun, creative universe of open world gaming(non-nerds: free roam and exploration). The Division is really NOTHING like these first two crushes.

The crafting is limited- there is no cooking fire where I can make stews or drinks, no alchemy, no custom shelters or decor… So how have I become so allured? Why do I miss this game when I don’t play (…daily…)? The honest answer is that I still don’t fully know. Some are driven by the loot, others by the cosmetics, but I’m starting to think that it’s the amount of tactical ability that the game requires that is drawing me in. It’s almost like a puzzle. I don’t get it, but I seriously feel like I’ve gotten some cat-like reflexes in REAL LIFE because I’ve been playing this game. Is that possible? (I’m being 100% serious). It also makes me feel very heroic, that’s always nice. I’m not sure yet how it has swooped me away, but I’m enjoying our relationship for now. Why has The Division allured you or pushed you away? I’d love to hear your thoughts; maybe it will help me figure out my own!

As Always, Thanks for Reading!

Gamer’s Wifey (Steph) 

 

 

 

13 thoughts on “Intoxicated & Confused (The Division)”

  1. I’m addicted too! Never played Fallout but friends have and they were drawn in completely and that’s why I never did. I didn’t want to be. When I’m into a game I’M INTO A GAME. And The Division I’m INTO. Nice to hear a different persons perspective on the game and even a woman’s. They should cater more to women in some aspects with more choices to gear colors etc… Enjoying reading the posts…whenever I’m not playing lol. Keep it up!

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    1. Yes, there’s definitely a lot of room for them to grow as far as what they offer for women but to be fair they probably didn’t expect a ton of women to be into it so I’m sure they put their efforts elsewhere. Thanks for stopping by and commenting! Always nice to hear from readers! The game is addicting and I’m still trying to understand how I got hooked!

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  2. There is a combination of things that makes me want to keep playing the division. The loot is a HUGE one. Im a big fan of the cosmetic items because i like to dress fresh when im saving the world. The tactical aspect is also very big for me. I would refer to it as a “tactical RPG”; as far as I know its the only game out there like this (using cover mechanics and RPG elements). These two things blended so well together its crazy. All the stats in the game for the gear makes it so that no two characters will be the same and that is really cool as well. The PvP (Dark Zone) is SO unique! First, the risk/reward system is great, if you dont die you can level up and accumulate DZ credits (money to be spent in the DZ) so fast, but die, and you will lose a lot of XP and credits as well as your LOOT!! Finally, the evacuation, i have not felt that kind of anxiety (fun anxiety) in a video game, EVER. All of that together makes one of the most fun and unique video game experiences that I’ve ever had.

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    1. Wow, that was a very thorough and awesome explanation. I appreciate the insight and the humor. I like to look fresh when I’m saving the world too (especially since looking like a girl is barely an option…I wish I could wear a slouchy without making her look like a dude…) you got me thinking…is it also the rush that I like? I thought that the anxiety I get was actually making me nervous to play and deterring me from playing as much as I might if it was more relaxed…but maybe it IS good anxiety. A good &intense excitement that breaks me out of my daily (sometimes mundane feeling) routine. I have been talking about craving more adventure…. hmmm. Now I have a million more things to ponder.

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  3. The RPG elements work really well. I’ve spent hours on inventory management on this game…finding gear to increase stats and gain the talent mods to my weapons. And oh yeah…clothes so I can look cool while I save New York! The Skill mods sit nicely with me as I’ve been playing mostly solo so the Turret comes in handy for laying down suppressing fire while I flank the enemy. If they get the DLC content right I could be playing this for a while yet.

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    1. The fire turret is my favorite! I fell in love with it for the same reason, I was doing all the missions solo up until a day or two ago. I tried switching, but I just love the turret. I think the game gets more and more addicting the higher level gear you get. I still haven’t been to the DZ yet, I’m only level 14 but it’s been fun to watch my husband play. I know he’s trying to get to level 50 in the DZ so he can go rogue every now and then. Do you like the changes to the DZ?

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      1. I haven’t been in the Dark Zone since the update. I have reached a DZ rank of 13 though and that’s just by supporting other players in fights with NPC’s. It’s tough in there… But fun. I’ve been double crossed a couple of times but you do get a rush when you manage to successfully extract some gear!

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    1. My husband buys so many cosmetics and we find so much stuff that I’m amazed we don’t have it all yet. I have seen more pink and purple stuff recently but the fit is barely ever feminine so even when the stuff is pink, it still doesn’t make my girl look like a girl! Because of the short hairstyles I don’t put any slouchies, hats or beanies on so between that and the jackets it eliminates 2 entire cosmetic categories… 😦 I’ll be happy if I find a pink long sleeve shirt or running top!

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