A Love Letter To Destiny 2
One of my favorite game worlds mixed with superb gunplay: what's not to love?
The past few weeks have been a good time to love video games. We learned more about 'Super Smash Bros. Ultimate in the last Nintendo Direct before launch. K/DA, Madison Beer, (G)I-DLE, and Jaira Burns made an awesome song and music video for "League of Legends. "PAYDAY 2's" lifespan ended with a grand finale the likes of which most games could only dream of. However, the development that has consumed the most of my time is Bungie giving away free, permanent copies of "Destiny 2."
Now, I've already played the game. I preordered it and played through the campaign and most of the side quests with my friend, a Destiny veteran. But there are now three expansion DLCs (downloadable content) that didn't exist at launch: Curse of Osiris, Warmind, and "Destiny 2's" newest, biggest expansion, Forsaken. In addition, lots of my friends are jumping in thanks to Bungie giving the game away for free (a smart move, considering how much DLC they must be selling). With loads of new content, a full fireteam of friends each time I get on, and a newfound love of playing a Titan, I'm falling in love with Destiny all over again.
For MMOs and RPGs based around grinding, the most important factor for success is how enjoyable the base gameplay is. "Destiny 2" excels at this. Each weapon feels like it packs a punch and has its own identity, and there are so many to choose from that you're bound to find a few you'll be unable to part with. Since "Destiny 2" is a game about shooting enemies, it's a good thing shooting enemies is so satisfying. Watching a Cabal Legionary do a backflip and disintegrate after a point-blank shotgun blast or seeing the puff of smoke/soul erupt from a Fallen Vandal after a crisp Pulse Rifle headshot never gets old. Mobility feels floaty (quite literally, if you're a Warlock) at first, but once you get into the rhythm of it, you'll find yourself flying around the map wreaking havoc. Even the sound and visual cue of picking up loot is like cocaine. "Destiny 2" is one of those games you find yourself playing long after you should've stopped because the game is so satisfying.
Gameplay is the most important part of a video game, obviously, but its impossible to ignore the incredible amount of work that goes into making the world of Destiny. Every weapon, ability, armor piece, vehicle, enemy type, and NPC in "Destiny 2" is well-designed, easily distinguishable, and aesthetically satisfying. That was a long-winded, weird way of saying they look cool. Everything in "Destiny 2" just looks cool. Each time you find a new weapon or armor piece, you'll open your inventory screen and think, "Wow, that looks cool." Each planet and destination you visit is a breathtaking sight, and I'll often just stop and look up at the pretty skybox upon reaching a new destination. If you've got an affinity for art and all things beautiful, "Destiny 2" might be worth a shot.
Another huge part of Destiny's world is the story. While the main campaign is pretty cliché, it still manages to give me chills due to the voice acting, set pieces, and, of course, the incredible music sprung from the creative collaboration between Michael Salvatori, C. Paul Johnson, Skye Lewin, Pieter A. Schlosser, and Rotem Moav. Destiny 2 really feels like a Halo MMORPG thanks to the space marine aesthetic and the epic score.
"Destiny 2's" story is also supported by the immense amount of thought put into the lore of the game. There is a plethora of different factions, each with their own aesthetic, culture, and motivations. A diverse cast of characters reveal their own backstories and motivations over the comms while you're firing away at aliens, and in some cases, meaningful character development occurs. What's most impressive to me is that each legendary and exotic weapon or armor piece has a lore tab that serves to expand the Destiny universe even further; quotations, excerpts from literature, and stories explain the weapon's origin or a relevant piece of backstory. All this combined makes the world of Destiny an incredible one to explore.
Several of my friends went into "Destiny 2" with some hesitation—the watch-numbers-go-up-while-you-shoot-waves-of-enemies genre isn't one they've ever previously enjoyed. But, as the game was free, I convinced them to try it. Two have already bought all the DLC and three more have already put much more time into the game than an initial trial period. From the start, even those disillusioned with the game genre were enraptured by the world, characters, and music of "Destiny 2." Which is good for me: I need someone to run into trip mines for me so I don't have to clear them.
