During my first fortnight with the game, I’ve taken three characters through the game’s story, slaved through countless Nightfalls, finished the raid twice and even managed to win a game in Trials of the Nine, the game’s weekly PVP mode reserved for the most dedicated and sweatiest players.
In total, I’ve given the better part of four days (almost 100 hours) to this game and I fear I’m only just getting rolling. So that’s why I’ve taken my time. I’ve been to the wilderness and now I’m back to tell you about my travels and the things I’ve seen.
It’s hard to know where to even start when talking about Destiny 2. The first game got a bad rap and there’s probably a lot of misconceptions about what it eventually did become at the end of its three-year lifespan. I can’t deny that, at release, its content dried up quicker than a puddle in the outback, rendering its endgame somewhat sparse and lifeless. Bungie clearly took a lot away from the original’s launch and made a point to create the feeling that the game’s eight-hour campaign is merely a small appetiser and only after you beat it does the game truly begin.
Thanks to all of the side content, a lot of the game’s events are now given proper context and it feels like everything is actually happening for a reason, rather than just happening to occupy your time. Of all the game’s content though, I feel like Strikes have sadly fallen to the wayside for now. As great as the new Strikes are, with phased boss fights that feel more epic and themed, the rewards aren’t worth the time spent. So I hope Bungie find a way to remedy this and give us a reason to go back into the playlist.
Being one part shooter, one part MMO hasn’t ever really helped Destiny escape criticism. No, this sequel doesn’t have a trading post, it doesn’t have crafting beyond simple weapon and armour mods. And it’s got an extremely uncomplicated token-based rewards system that is now far more accessible than the original was. It’s easy to forget that Bungie’s meal ticket, for a long time, was the simple sci-fi shooter. If you’re returning to the series hoping it’s now an expansive, sprawling web of mechanics typically found in other MMO games then I’m sorry to disappoint you. The one upswing is that Bungie has gone to considerable lengths to integrate a more robust clan system which, so far, has certainly been worth the wait. I’ve never been so happy to ride the coattails of those better than me.
The change from six-on-six to four-on-four in the game’s competitive multiplayer is one of the more significant changes in Destiny 2. While I was cynical at first, I’ve come around and accepted that in a smaller team it’s even more important to be accountable. Unlike the original, the multiplayer is split into a quick play and a competitive playlist. The latter can be a bit hairy at times so I prefer to stick to the shallow waters where it’s a bit safer. It’s still a lot of fun despite everybody rolling with one particular weapon due to a case of unbalancing. But Bungie never sits on their hands, I’m sure they’re still locked in that neverending pursuit for complete balance. It’s scout rifles now, next week it’ll probably be pulses. As always, players will just adapt to the meta.
Bungie has become quite the master of crafting stunning skyboxes. Whether you’re patrolling the European Dead Zone or sifting through the waterlogged moon of Titan, there’s no stage where the view isn’t jaw-dropping. Nessus is my personal favourite, it uses the in vogue neons that made No Man’s Sky such a hot commodity. Some of the lesser vendor characters are a little lacking when it comes to their appearance, but it must be said that the souped-up enemies look great. I’ll single out the Hive, who look particularly pant-shittingly horrifying this time around. I never thought I’d see the day where I was content with Bungie’s split from Marty O’Donnell but Michael Salvatori’s score has made me forget all about the legendary composer. It reiterates the series’ strongest themes while crafting its own tender, catchy identity. I spend more time than I care to admit whistling some of the game’s motifs.