Destiny Review Roundup

One of the year's biggest releases, Destiny, arrived this week following a great deal of hype, and justifiably so--this is, after all, the first new franchise from Bungie since it created Halo. With servers not going online until the day before its launch, it's taken some time for reviews to be written, but a number of them have now made their way online, which we've gathered up for you below.

It's possible you may already have formed an opinion about the game prior to its release this week, thanks to a beta over the summer that saw more than 4.6 million players try out the game, which blends the MMO and FPS genres. Whatever people may think of it, Destiny has already managed to produce an impressive $500 million in its first day alone.

What content Destiny offers for players right now will soon be expanding, as Bungie has already announced a number of upcoming in-game events, including its first raid. Beyond that, there are plans for two DLC packs and continued support that (coupled with multiplayer) Bungie says will make it so you may never "finish" the game.

Whether or not that proves to be the case remains to be seen. For now, check out the first reviews below. For more, check out GameSpot sister site Metacritic.

• Game: Destiny
• Developer: Bungie
• Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
• Release Date: September 9
• Price: $59.99

GameSpot -- 6/10

"You might summarize Destiny by the way in which it wraps up its story. Once the final, hackneyed closing scene finishes, fireteam members are awarded the same weapon, regardless of class, and a handful of currency. This reminder of how wholly unspecial you are is the big finale of a lavishly produced but troubled game that excels in the basics but lacks creativity and heart. It is role-playing grind in shooter form--an empty house built on a firm foundation." [Full review]

Polygon -- 6/10

"As just another game, Destiny is a confusing combination of often at-odds elements--it presents itself as ambitious, almost boastful, while seeming strangely safe and reserved. It wants to eat its cake as a shooter, and have the longevity of an MMO--but it lacks the combat sophistication of the former, and the deep well of content native to the latter." [Full review]

Giant Bomb -- 3/5

"But, yeah, its fantastic graphics often serve to make the game's mechanical underpinnings that much more disappointing. There are cool little flashes of brilliance in Destiny, but a lot of it feels like a game designed by people who weren't sure what sort of game they were designing." [Full review]

The Escapist -- 3/5

"Gameplay is a cocktail of ideas taken from other titles that specialized to create superior experiences. Borderlands is much better at providing loot and a sense of character progression, Halo is better at providing a sci-fi shooter adventure, and there are plenty of MMOs that do the 'shared world' thing with more gusto. Destiny exists in the shadow of multiple games, taking a little from each, and doing nothing truly remarkable with any of it. It's a prime example of how the nebulous concept of 'content' can be used to puff up a game without adding anything to it. There's a ton of 'stuff' in Destiny. You'll never want for things to do ... but it's terrible at providing motivation to do any of it." [Full review]

OXM -- 8/10

"Destiny is always compelling, a bewitching vista that's not so much populated as haunted by other players, but it doesn't always captivate. Strip away those online features, and you're left with an assured, grindy shooter that's lifted by its class abilities but deflated by the narrative's shortcomings and a general want of spice. It's a recommended purchase, without doubt, but given the scale of Bungie and Activision's investment, and the soaring otherworldliness of the presentation, I was hoping for something just a little grander." [Full review]