Best Javelin in Anthem: Which should I choose?

With  Anthem‘s early access now live and the general release scheduled for later this week, it’s time to look at each Javelin in more detail. For those unaware, the Javelin is the exosuit you wear when flying, exploring and battling in Anthem, and there are four classes available; Ranger, Storm, Colossus and Interceptor.

You’ll have to choose which you want pretty quickly, and it’s a decision you’ll have to live with for a decent chunk of the campaign, so you’d better make the right one. The issue is that it can be a daunting process, especially if you’re relatively new to the world of Anthem.

That’s where we come in; we’ve played a lot of Anthem across all four classes of Javelin, and here’s what you need to know about each. For more information on what to expect, take a look at our Anthem review. 

Which Javelin should I choose?

Ranger

The Ranger is a well-balanced Javelin, offering a great combination of speed, armour and attack capabilities, and is the ideal starter for most players. The Ranger is nimble both in the air and on the ground, and is very easy to control – vital when dodging attacks and attacking hordes of Scavengers.

The balance of armour and power means that the Ranger has decent flight capabilities, and though it can’t hover for an almost infinite time like the Storm, it makes the Ranger perfect for scouting new locations and generally exploring the open world looking for crafting materials.

The versatility of the Ranger means that it excels at both ranged and close-range attacks depending on the loadout of weapons and abilities you’ve got at hand. Essentially, if you’re unsure of which role you want to take on in Anthem, the Ranger is the ideal place to start.

Storm

We think that Storm will be the go-to for many players, as the Javelin is capable of harnessing ember-cored seals to manipulate the elements. It’s essentially the mage role in other games, offering the ability to control fire, lightning, ice and other elements that can cause huge area damage to multiple enemies. These elemental abilities can be very powerful and can turn the tide of a battle, but to balance it out, the Storm has a very limited shield.

The shield doesn’t protect Storm from much, and to make things a little more difficult, it’s pretty weak when on the ground – although hovering provides a much-needed shield boost. This makes Storm a great aerial attacker, raining down elemental attacks from above while your teammates take them from the ground. The good news? The light armour of the Storm means that it’s possible to hover for incredibly long periods of time without risk of overheating the suit.

Admittedly, it’s the Javelin that we had the most fun with during our time on Anthem. It’s nimble, uses teleportation to dodge and the ultimate ability is nothing short of epic. What’s not to like?

Colossus

The Colossus is, as the name suggests, the largest and most powerful Javelin available in Anthem, taking on the traditional RPG tank role so other members of your team can survive. Like most tanks, the Colossus is very slow, both in the air and on the ground, but it boasts the most armour of any Javelin and is able to withstand a lot of damage.

As well as having great base armour, the Colossus utilises a shield in place of a dodge function, allowing you to go head-first into battle (both in the air and on the ground) fully protected from the front. You can’t shoot from behind a shield, but you can use your brute force to slam it into nearby enemies to create some distance.

As well as being able to withstand a lot of damage, the Colossus can deal huge amounts of damage depending on your loadout, which can consist of anything from grenade launchers to missile launchers and more. There’s even an upgrade that allows you to get all nearby enemies to focus on you, allowing somebody else on your team to revive downed teammates.

It’s a tough class to play with, but once you get the hang of it, you’ll be invaluable to your team.

Interceptor

The Interceptor is essentially the complete opposite to the Colossus, with nimble movement, lightweight armour and a stealthier approach to battle. The Interceptor can do huge amounts of close-range damage with devastating melee attacks, but it’s also arguably the weakest Javelin in terms of armour. You have to be great at dodging and manoeuvring around the environment as the Interceptor, as you need to get in, cause damage and get out before any retaliation.

The upside is that the Interceptor is incredibly lightweight and easy to control, allowing you to move quickly both on the ground and in the air to bring the fight wherever it’s required.

Like the Colossus, it’s a more challenging Javelin to get used to than the likes of the Storm or Ranger, but can provide an edge in gameplay once you fully understand its strengths and weaknesses.  

Now, what are you waiting for? Choose your favourite Javelin and get playing!