I was first introduced to Bungie’s Destiny in 2014, when an ex stood me up to play the game with his friends. I was re-introduced to the title when I went over to my current partner’s flat and was made to wait until he completed a raid. Let’s just say, the first Destiny game didn’t leave a good taste in my mouth. After all, what girl would tolerate being second fiddle to a video game? Especially when, at the time, I hadn’t ventured back into the world of gaming and was largely unaware of how addictive some of these new games were.
Now, 2-3 years later, I’m deeply engrossed in the world of gaming and picked up a copy of Destiny 2 to see what all the fuss was about. After spending the last couple of weeks playing the game religiously every day, I can attest to the astounding wonders of the game. I can’t quite pinpoint the exact moment, but it suddenly dawned on me, during one of my Destiny 2 streams, why I was placed second to the original game. I still don’t condone ever putting a video game ahead of loved ones and other priorities, but I can now appreciate just how thrillingly addictive Bungie’s game is.
Destiny 2 builds on from its predecessor with well-known characters taking the lead once again, though with a different plot and gameplay which can be enjoyed by those who have played the original game as well as those who have not. I found it extremely accessible and easy to jump right in to Destiny 2 without having read up on the lore nor watched any previous gameplay. One of the key aspects of the game, which I thoroughly appreciate is the fact that players are able to jump in blind and enjoy the game regardless of their level of experience.
For those of you who are unaware, Destiny 2 is an online-multiplayer, first person shooter game developed by Bungie and published by Activision. In the game, players take on the role of Guardians, protectors of Earth’s last safe city, who wield a power called the ‘Light’ to protect the Last City from various alien races. The most notable of these alien races are the Cabal, led by their emperor, Dominus Ghaul, who have infiltrated the Last City and have stripped all Guardians of their Light. Players must set out on a journey to regain their Light, find a way to defeat Ghaul and his Red Legion army, as well as take back the Last City.
There are three classes of characters which players are able to choose from, Hunters, Titans and Warlocks. This review is based on my experience playing as the Hunter class.
Destiny 2 has two different game types. A player vs environment type (PvE) and player vs player type (PvP). There is also a ‘free roam’ patrol mode for each planet which also features public events as well as new activities not featured in the original Destiny game. These new activities have an emphasis on exploration of the planets and interactions with non-player characters (NPCs).
As someone new to the franchise and is still considered a ‘noob’ when it comes to ‘big’ games such as this, I mostly played PvE matches and dabbled in a few public events. These were fantastic ways to enjoy the Destiny 2 campaign and allowed me to learn more about the Destiny lore as well as the narrative within the game.
While the first few levels were challenging, especially when it came to understanding how to clear some of my weapon inventory (I know, total noob moment right?), I found myself becoming better and better the more I played, which provided me with an ego boost, which made the game all the more addictive and appealing.
Bungie certainly has done a fantastic job with creating a game with such incredible elements that it was difficult to put the game down, even after hours of gameplay. After playing several other games which utilises ‘loot’ boxes and chests as a way to inspire continued playtime, and being completely uninterested, I found myself completely taken with acquiring loot in Destiny 2, mostly because the better equipment I get, the better my game is.
Playing as a Hunter was incredible. I thoroughly enjoyed being able to run into situations head on and blast away at enemies. The best part is being part of the arc-strider subclass, which allows you the use of the super ability of the arc staff, which is just the most amazing thing. I enjoyed that so much as it reminded me of playing as Darth Maul in the old Star Wars Battlefront games and really helped me when it came to defeating difficult bosses.
Destiny 2 also comes with the most alluring visuals, so much so that even my Mum commented on the graphics. Every location in the game is filled with stunning scenery that can be explored, and together with one of the most beautiful soundtracks I’ve heard in awhile, made for an alluring and inspiring game experience.
I’m totally loving Destiny 2, so much so that I’ve taken to streaming it almost exclusively on my Mixer, Youtube and Twitch streams. Bungie has totally done a fabulous job in creating a game that everyone can enjoy regardless of their level of experience. Of course, the game is also equally perfect for those who prefer more of a challenge, making it a win-win game for everyone.