{"id":302804,"date":"2017-09-15T13:26:53","date_gmt":"2017-09-15T17:26:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/twinfinite.net\/?p=302804"},"modified":"2017-09-15T13:26:56","modified_gmt":"2017-09-15T17:26:56","slug":"destiny-2-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/twinfinite.net\/reviews\/destiny-2-review\/","title":{"rendered":"Destiny 2 Review"},"content":{"rendered":"
Last week, when Destiny 2 first started rolling out around the world, I shared my initial thoughts<\/a> on Bungie’s latest outing. I was quite impressed with the steps forward that the developer has taken from the first game. The worlds felt more inviting, activities were both more challenging and more rewarding, and there was a story, a legitimate story, starting to blossom within the actual game. I didn’t have to step away from my PS4 and check in some Grimoire to seek out the meaning of something I found, it was just there. Yet I needed more time. I needed to see if I was just wearing rose-colored glasses, overly grateful for the improvements brought to the universe.<\/p>\n Destiny 2 is very similar to\u00a0the first game. A lot of the structure is the same, the controls are pretty much identical, and if you enter any of the menus as a veteran player you won’t be lost at all. Even the ebb and flow of gameplay, as well as the grind, is reminiscent of Destiny 2’s predecessor. These were things I knew going in, and to be honest I was a bit worried. The original Destiny had this cycle of playing the content, grinding to a cap, then taking a break until the next expansion or major update. Many players had their fill of the first Destiny after the first few weeks. It wasn’t that it stopped being fun, it just stopped being engaging.<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n Over the past week or so, since my first impressions were published, I’ve basically done what the community calls no-lifing the game. Every waking moment has been spent on Destiny 2, seeking out secrets, obtaining exotics, and powering up not only my own Guardian but helping my clan mates as well. I’ve farmed the Nightfall strike each week, got my ass handed to me in Crucible (I’m getting better, though), and have memorized each Public Event. Yet, I still haven’t grown tired, even with easily over 100 hours into the game already, and a lot of this has to do with how Bungie has approached the player experience.<\/p>\n In the first game, especially at launch, a lot of the systems felt like they were guiding you on one specific path of play where you had to do certain things to keep moving forward. Oh, you got a cool gun? Time to start farming for some arbitrary resource to unlock its perk nodes only to find out that someone else has the same gun with much better perks. This created a grueling grind that offered up hours upon hours of filler with no real substance. You could feel yourself falling into the trap, knowing full well that you’re doing all of this work just to enjoy one activity that may release in a few months.<\/p>\n It feels like Bungie recognized that flaw\u00a0and transformed the parts between major events. You know, the actual game that glues things like the raid and Iron Banner together into one large experience. Don’t get me wrong, there is still some randomness to the experience, but it’s not the type that creates unnecessary and boring padding to the game’s replay value. For example, all pieces of gear are identical. Meaning my Scathelock is the same as yours,\u00a0with all the same perks. Your current Power level will determine how strong it is, but you can always infuse and not worry about being shortchanged in the ability department. Destiny 2 respects your time way more than the original, and you don’t have to stress about grinding for a perfect roll now.<\/p>\n Some may be turned off by that still present grind, though. While it is drastically improved over what players had in the first game, it’s still the same system at its core. You will get multiple repeats of weapons and armor before you finally obtain that jewel for your collection (if I get another Coldheart I’m going to scream), and very few items are guaranteed rewards. If you’re the type that hates random gear progression and it turned you away from the first game, the refined version on offer may not be enough to sway you. Simply put, Destiny 2 is still a loot treadmill and a grind,\u00a0it’s just the process is a lot more enjoyable, diverse, and rewarding now.<\/p>\n Instead of there being just one ironclad path and side options that eventually force you to return to said path, everything in Destiny 2 is a valid option for growth. Maybe you’re purely a Crucible player and want to grind out your levels that way. You can level up, earn exotics, get amazing gear drops, and more tailored to what\u00a0you\u00a0<\/strong>like to do. PvE players have the same options, and they apply to all of the various activities. Want to kill things without the fuss of a narrative and still earn rewards? Loot Sectors and Public Events abound. The credits rolled and you need more story? Hello, Adventures.<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n Then there’s the campaign which is no less enjoyable than any other component of Destiny 2. I’m not going to mince words here, Destiny 1’s in-game story sucked. Yes, I read all of the Grimoire and fell in love with the deep lore working behind the scenes, but for most players, who stuck only to the product they spent their hard-earned money on, what greeted them was a half-baked plot that tasked them with unceremoniously killing a god with no real fanfare or weight to it. It was soulless. I would love to say that it was just very by the numbers, but I believe a by the numbers approach to the story would’ve been a much better experience than what was present in vanilla Destiny. However, in Destiny 2, it’s very easy to find yourself quite literally on the edge of your seat as the action ramps up, and you find yourself in a beautiful location surrounded by enemies. Yes, some aspects are clearly predictable plot devices (the entire losing your light portion of the story could have been used more in the opening hours), but it still all translates to a very fun ride that even continues after the credits roll thanks to Adventures and lore scattered throughout the game’s universe.<\/p>\n I think what may be my favorite part of Destiny 2 is how much it embraces the community and team play. As returning players already know, Destiny, in general, is a far better experience when it is shared with others. Whether that’s while simply exploring, running strikes, jumping into the Crucible, or tackling end game activities. The issue has always been finding others to play with and having a reason to work as clan outside of a simple raid trophy. For starters are the clans themselves. You can now work together to rank your clan up earning perks for everyone with your banner. There are even ways to earn end game loot for everyone, even if they don’t play those modes. It’s nice that you can complete the Nightfall and earn some rewards for your lower level clan mates\u00a0to help them power up. There’s also a way to pay it forward thanks to Guided Games.<\/p>\n While Guided Games is still in beta (with the full release not far off), they do work. You can pair up with a player who can’t find a team and help them through end game activities, earning prestige for the clan in the form of an Oathkeeper’s Score, and rewards for the assisted player. Not only can solo players seek out some of the most elite team players, those in a clan have an incentive to help those in need which provides a balance that lets everyone have fun. It may not be a big deal to everyone, but for those who want to experience everything but don’t have friends who play or struggle to find teams, it provides a means of inclusion.<\/p>\n Of course, while I have heaps of praise to shovel onto Destiny 2, it definitely has its issues, some of which return from the first game. One of my biggest gripes is auto-aim. Auto-aim isn’t inherently a bad mechanic to have in a shooter, but when it’s as powerful as it is in Destiny 2, it makes for some serious frustration. You can’t aim down sights without some random element on screen forcing your camera in a certain direction, even if you already had a target locked in your crosshairs. An option to dial it down would be greatly appreciated, as moments when dealing with hordes of melee enemies can make for a nauseating experience as your camera goes batshit crazy when you try to shoot. Granted, this is predominantly a PvE issue, though it can rear its head in Crucible as well.<\/p>\n\n\n
\n \n Pros<\/span><\/h2>\n
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\n Cons<\/span><\/h2>\n
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