In short:
This is an open world 3rd person looter shooter, while not the most original idea, the execution makes The Division stands out on its own though its setting, music and timeless visuals. The tone of the game is very cut and dry. A widespread pandemic hit New York, the pandemic was unlike anything the world had faced eroding the entire system, which caused society to collapse. Your character is part of the Strategic Homeland Division, something like a civilian militia that is called when every other recourse fails. Their motto “Extremis Malis, Extremis Remedia”, their mission is to restore order and the perpetuation of government.
Long version:
Quick Note: I wrote this in June 2026 and I had to issue finding other players and people to play with.
This is a game carried first and foremost by its presentation.
The game is set in a deep cold Winter in New York and Massive created such an amazing spectacle with these series. Unlike every other open world game that kinda feels the same in the sense that barely any of them knows how to fill in the world (namely Starfield), what sets The Division apart is that it’s very committed with the veracity of the setting it presents, which is why the game will always feel like a one of a kind. The sort of exploration that is fun because there is so much to see even with the limited enviromental interaction and the game has this melancholic atmosphere to it that is surprisingly immersive.
The music is fantastic. Ola Strandh has got to be one of the most talented compositors in the industry, maybe as good as Mick Gordon or Martin O’Donnell. The music uses synth music to accentuate what is going on. You have heroic beats, tense beats and the moment the game throws something BIG at you.
The game is also a masterclass in environmental storytelling. While there is not much to the story, at least not at this time since the sequel is a whole different animal in that department, the game uses short stories, audio, and namely visuals to set the stage.
I wish I could say the story is good but it is a grounded version of Escape from New York and Robocop at best with some vague inspiration on Operation Dark Winter (A vague hypothetical disaster scenario). For a game in the Tom Clancy series, it is very loosely related to what he would had written in life.
Meanwhile enjoy developing a headcanon while cleaning up the streets of NY.
Gameplay wise….
Essentially is a looter shooter but I would compare The Division to something like Diablo Hack / Slash gameplay instead of something like Borderlands. Similar to Diablo you got a few main stats and you level those up and how your character plays depends mainly on Firearms / Strength, Stamina / Vitality, Electronics / Magic.
Later on items become interesting and you can mix and match or use the Gear Sets which change your character drastically opening up more possibilities and offer much needed gameplay variety for Solo, PVP and Groups.
Similar to Diablo, you angrily click on things that you want to clear from the screen but also like Diablo it is grindy, so very grindy.
You will run into these slopes where you will need to grind to advance into the next activity, and then the gameplay improves until you get to the next slope.
Thankfully most of the game activities are accessible at Level 30 but advancing to World Tier 5 and then gathering Classified Gear which is the secret sauce of the game takes some commitment. Not MMO type commitment but the game has some RPG inspired elements, sadly that includes JRPG type grinding. Not the worst, but affects the pacing of the game.
Also this is a Ubisoft game and they have a reputation for being repetitive with the same 3 missions and this is not an exception, the early game will have you do the same 3 side quests for some time.
That said the game definitively got some modes and activities to make your time worthwhile.
Survival is genuinely the best Extraction shooter ever made, I would recommend getting the Gold edition for this alone. In this mode you have to survive a blizzard storm, and try to extract before you die of a septic shock caused by an initial crash. This mode can be played solo or with friends in PVP and PVE, and it is really exciting, the music by Ola Strandh is so good.
Underground is genuinely fun, kind of grindy but it does have fun set pieces and it is the best way to Level from LVL 30 to World Tier 5.
Last Stand… If you have the patience of a Saint, you may be rewarded with a match. Truth be told, I had issues finding a match even on release. The Division has a real problem with PVP. The reason is that it ties it very closely with its gear system, if this mode, much like Confrontation in the sequel used preset characters, it would be popular, but yeah nobody touches PVP outside Survival and… The Dark Zone.
The Dark Zone has to be experienced, there are no other words for it.
The Dark Zone is one of the most unique parts of the game, it is a PVP / PVE aspect and even in 2026 you will find other players for better... or worse.
Speaking of which, I recently 100% this game in 2026 and I did not have an issue finding games for most activities.
Resistance is an additional mode, it is a Smash TV / Horde / firefight mode (or whatever you want to call it). You fight waves of enemies but the catch is that is balanced toward group play much like Incursions.
Incursions are the super hard, group play PVE missions that are quite frankly fantastic but require jolly co-operation to coordinate actions. They are equally as hard as they are rewarding plus they are fun as all hell once everyone knows what they are doing.
Falcon Lost, Stolen Signal, Clear Sky and Dragon’s Den are so cool. Each have their own unique gimmick.
All in all, I think this game fun even Solo, the issue is that the first hours are possibly the weakest since you would be fighting low level enemies until you get to most of the world. The Gun variety is not bad but you will quickly learn some guns are better than others.
You won’t have to worry about character builds until the endgame, in which the game offers several ways to build your character and use the game resources…. Or you can just equip the old and trusty Striker set.
It is hard to recommend as overall experience since it is somewhat unsubstantial at first but it is worth playing if only for the setting and atmosphere alone.
