BioWare's Anthem game is a shared-world shooter that tries to blend BioWare's beloved singleplayer storytelling with an co-op multiplayer and a loot-based RPG system.

Now that it's out, you can try Anthem for yourself, but this guide will give you a brief run down of everything you need to know, including some general tips and guides, where to find our review, and more.

Now that Anthem is out, we've had a chance to review it. You can read our full Anthem review here where we go in-depth on what we like and don't like about BioWare's shooter. The gist is, however, that Anthem is a deeply flawed and frequently frustrating co-operative shooter with shallow loot and a disjointed story. How disappointing...

What is the Anthem release date? Anthem's release date is February 22, 2019. After initially being slated for a Q4 2018 release, Anthem was delayed to this year. Those who subscribe to Origin Access Premiere , which costs around $15 or less per month and gets you access to a big vault of Origin games, can play Anthem early, starting on February 15, 2019.

Anthem tips and guides

Though Anthem is disappointing, we still have a wealth of tips and guides to help those who choose to play it.

Basic guides:

Our Anthem beginner's guide will give you some basic tips to get you started.

Our Anthem combo guide will teach you how to best use Anthem's fun combo system.

Our Anthem treasure chest locations and map guide will help you find the secret chests found in the open world.

Our Anthem Challenges of the Legionnaires guide will help you get past one tricky mission early on.

Our Anthem fast leveling guide will get you to level 30 as quickly as possible.

Class guides:

Our Anthem Ranger guide has everything you need to know about the jack of all trades javelin.

Our Anthem Interceptor guide will turn you into a master of the melee javelin.

Get thicc with our Anthem Colossus guide, which will help you be an effective tank for your squad.

What are Anthem's system requirements?

Anthem's system requirements are as follows.

Anthem minimum system requirements

OS: 64-bit Windows 10

Processor: Intel Core i5 3570 or AMD FX-6350

Memory: 8 GB RAM

Graphics card: Nvidia GTX 760, AMD Radeon 7970

GPU RAM: 2 GB

Storage: At least 50 GB of free space

Anthem recommended system requirements:

OS: 64-bit Windows 10

CPU: Intel Core i7 4790 3.6 GHz or AMD Ryzen 3 1300X 3.5 GHz

RAM: 16 GB

GPU: Nvidia GTX 1060/RTX 2060, AMD RX 480

GPU RAM: 4 GB

Storage: At least 50 GB of free space

Will Anthem cross platform play be possible?

No, Anthem cross platform play won't be possible—not at launch, at least. BioWare's Mark Darrah confirmed on Twitter that Anthem won't have any cross platform functionality (no taking your saves from PC to PS4 or being able to play with your console friends, for example) at launch but doesn't specify whether that could change in the future.

What is Anthem?

Anthem is an online multiplayer RPG shooter similar to games like Destiny 2, Warframe, and Borderlands 2. Set in a science fiction future, players take on the role of a freelancer piloting an Iron Man-style exosuit called a Javelin. Alone or with three teammates, players will complete missions, explore a seamless open world, customize and level up their Javelins, and challenge difficult endgame bosses.

Here are a couple of major points to be aware of:

Anthem can be played singleplayer or in a team of four, but always requires an internet connection.

Anthem does have a branching story, but not to the degree you might expect from other BioWare RPGs.

You cannot romance non-player characters, unlike in Mass Effect and Dragon Age.

There are microtransactions but they are strictly for cosmetic gear.

All future story missions will be free for all players.

There is no PvP at launch.

Every group activity will have built-in matchmaking, so you don't have to worry about trying to find a squad even for Anthem's more difficult group experiences.

What is Anthem's story?

Anthem is set on an post-apocalyptic Earth-like planet shaped by mysterious progenitors using a mystical tool called the Anthem of Creation—only they forgot to turn the damn thing off when they were finished. For thousands of years, the Anthem of Creation has been humming away, mutating and changing life while humans struggle to survive against a growing number of enemies like The Dominion. As a Freelancer, your mission is to help the residents of Fort Tarsis live another day while undoubtedly discovering the secrets of the Anthem of Creation along the way.

How does combat work?

Anthem's combat is group-centric, third-person shooting while piloting a flying Javelin. Players choose to use one of four Javelins that each have their own unique abilities and style, though they're free to swap between them outside of missions. It's best to think of these Javelins like typical RPG classes. Each of the four Javelins has two customizable gear slots, an ultimate ability, and a support ability they can use in battle. Like Destiny 2, enemies will frequently drop loot that'll increase the power of your gear and offer new abilities in addition to traditionally leveling up from experience points.

Here's a brief rundown of each Javelin:

Ranger is a jack-of-all-trades that can wield all but heavy weapons and can use various grenades and a wrist-mounted launcher to deal extra damage.

is a jack-of-all-trades that can wield all but heavy weapons and can use various grenades and a wrist-mounted launcher to deal extra damage. Collosus is the tanks of the group and can use heavy weapons but lose access to lighter armaments. Its special ability uses long-ranged artillery and rockets.

is the tanks of the group and can use heavy weapons but lose access to lighter armaments. Its special ability uses long-ranged artillery and rockets. Storm is the glass-cannon mage, using two types of 'seals' to cast elemental damage abilities.

is the glass-cannon mage, using two types of 'seals' to cast elemental damage abilities. Interceptor is the rogue, darting in and out of combat using melee weapons to deal high damage to unsuspecting enemies.

One unique twist on Anthem's combat is combos that deal massive damage to enemies if used properly. Many abilities in Anthem can deal different types of elemental damage, and groups of players can coordinate which elemental type their special attacks do. Then, in combat, players can trigger these abilities one after the other to perform combos that devastate enemy ranks.

What kinds of activities are there?

Like Destiny 2, Anthem will feature group- and solo-friendly activities like dungeons, raids, and open world missions. When not exploring the singleplayer hub of Fort Tarsis, the open world of Anthem uses dedicated servers that supports up to four players at any one time. You can either join as a group or matchmake with strangers.

Exploring the world without an assigned mission objective is called Free play and functions similarly to Destiny 2 in that group events will randomly spawn at various locations that reward loot and experience points should you complete them. Players can also discover bits of lore about the world and story.

Anthem's story is progressed through Missions that you can play alone or with a team. These are scripted encounters that'll take you to various destinations as you learn more about Anthem's world, characters, and back story.

Strongholds are your typical dungeon-style experience and require a full team of four to complete. Here groups will challenge much more difficult enemies and monsters in exchange for more valuable loot. Strongholds only take 30 to 45 minutes to complete and aren't integral to the story.

Where can I learn more about Anthem?