The Hate List
Gameplay
While this may be quite a broad subject, the truth is there’s really not anything I like about The Division’s gameplay. It’s mainly a cover-based shooter – which I don’t have a problem with as I enjoy the Gears of War and Uncharted games – that throws waves of bullet sponge enemies at you. The guns don’t have much vibration feedback or kick to them, as you just spray the enemies relentlessly with no satisfaction. The movement is fine, and being able to snap onto almost any object in the game as cover is neat but it all just feels shallow. The game really needs an entire overhaul to its core gunplay as I got bored almost immediately while surrounded by such a rich world.
Lack of Stealth
Now you can scan an area and plan your initial attack, but that’s as far as it goes. I understand Ubisoft wants to keep players focused on the 3rd person combat, but the games Last of Us vibes again cry out for a dedicated stealth system to exist alongside the explosive firefights. I want to be able to immerse myself in the extraordinary atmosphere as I crouch around and assassinate enemies. But you can’t do that in The Division. Every time a chance like that turns up, it inevitable leads to a dull peek-a-boo cover fight with the AI. And in the Dark Zone, you can kiss goodbye to any kind of stealth as everybody within a square mile can hear the battle you and your teammates are in – which also alerts nearby bands of enemies roaming the streets.
Size of the Map
This again is contingent on the beta, but the map really doesn’t seem anywhere near big enough to avoid repetitiveness after 10 or 20 missions when the final game launches. I prefer quality over quantity when it comes to map sizes and number of side missions, but in a city environment where everything kind of looks the same already, having it be on the smaller side of recent open world games does not help. The game does involve a lot of underground and rooftop skirmishes which may be an indication that the developer knows there’s a problem. Expansions to the game might actually make the issue worse, as more city environments won’t really solve anything. Maybe areas near the harbors or different parts of the state of New York like Long Island might be the best option for DLC locations. 
I’ll be glad to play the patient game and wait for expansions or even a sequel to see The Division finally deliver on its promise. Most of the problems can be solved, but I really hope Massive Entertainment goes back to the drawing board with the gameplay in The Division. While Destiny certainly has a plethora of issues, its gameplay is undeniably satisfying and the best part of the game. Hopefully The Division can stand out with its high production value missions and incredible environments, and establish itself alongside Destiny as the future of the ‘shared world shooter’ genre, a term coined by Bungie, continues to grow.