I don’t think I’m wrong when I say that the world of free-to-play shooters is a crowded battlefield. I think it is enough saturated. It’s the primary reason I wasn’t sure what to expect when Ubisoft, known for its huge open worlds like Assassin’s Creed, released XDefiant in May 2024.
Key Takeaways
- The newly released XDefiant offers a unique character pool where you can choose Defiants from various Ubisoft franchises, each with its own distinct abilities that complement the gunplay.
- While the game is surprisingly good, the Spider Bot is an annoying feature that breaks the immersion. Not just that, it is also buggy and repeatedly attacks players and disrupts their combat strategies.
- While faction abilities are great, they often feel unbalanced and offer an unfair advantage, creating frustration for players on the receiving end.
However, the free-to-play game was surprisingly good, and even with all the performance issues it had, I found XDefiant to be a breath of fresh air. One of the first things that grabbed my attention was the character pool. You can choose from Defiants affiliated with various Ubisoft franchises – from the Echelon agents of Splinter Cell to the bombastic Outcasts of The Division.
All I can say is it’s a cool way to pay homage to these beloved universes. Similarly, even with this diverse character rooster, their abilities don’t overshadow the core gunplay. I loved the shooting as it felt satisfyingly weighty. Also, there is a good variety of weapons to choose from.
As with all the games after their release, Xdefiant also had many issues. But since the first patch solved most of these issues, I am enjoying it thoroughly and can now think of a couple more reasons that are holding back its full potential. The first one is the Spider Bot and the second one (technically not an issue) is the overpowered abilities.
While you might see conflicting thoughts about them online here is why I think XDefiant would be better without them:
The Not-So-Fun Spider Bot
First one, and I know there is a 50/50 chance you wouldn’t agree with me; let’s talk about the Spider Bot. While many of XDefiant’s features are well-executed, the Spider Bot isn’t its most shiny element. Even though these little mechanical pests are designed to help you against enemies, in reality, they often feel annoying. While they are undoubtedly powerful, they can also tip the scales a bit too heavily in favor of the defending team.
I’ve lost count of the times I’ve been taken out by a Spider Bot that I barely saw coming. These bots can quickly lock onto players’ faces and deal significant damage. They also disrupt the flow of combat. While I appreciate the tactical aspect they bring, their current situation isn’t something that most fans can appreciate. I thought I was the only one, but it turns out almost the whole community finds it to be a frustrating addition.
What’s more annoying is how the Spider Bot can easily disrupt your carefully planned strategies. For example, during one match, I was holding a strategic position with my team, and boom, a Spider Bot messed it all up and created chaos. It broke the immersion and felt like a cheap tactic rather than a skill-based challenge.
Unfortunately, if that isn’t enough, the Spider Bot is also bugged. More often than not, when you remove it from your face, it will jump back twice or sometimes even thrice to frustrate the hell out of you. Ubisoft needs to do better.
I’d suggest making it more visible or having its effectiveness reduced to solve these problems.
Overpowered Abilities
Now, a little something that I think needs more balance; the overpowered abilities. While the faction abilities are a cool concept, some of them feel unbalanced and can dominate matches effortlessly. Another factor leading to frustration. I will give the example of the Echelon faction’s stealth ability which often feels like it gives an unfair advantage.
I’ve lost count of the times I’ve been taken out by an invisible Echelon player who appeared out of nowhere. While I concur with the tactical element that stealth brings, it can be equally frustrating when you find out that there is little to no defense to it. Ubisoft needs to balance these abilities if they want to create an enjoyable experience for all players.
The developers have been responsive to feedback and even explained the reasons for the game’s technical difficulties. I hope they address these issues in future updates as well. Simply toning down the duration or effectiveness of some of these abilities could go a long way in making matches more balanced. Other than these two annoying issues, the game is pretty fine and worth a try.
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I have been into gaming since my childhood and have been writing about it for three years now. Pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Communication Studies side-by-side, I spend lots of time reading books, learning new skills, playing chess, working out, and engaging in Reddit threads related to gaming.
