What Happened?

User Rating: 6 | Destiny XONE

Destiny has been a highly anticipated game for well over a year now. The hype was overwhelming for Bungie's new IP. It was supposed to be one of the most innovative and immersive games to use the power of the new generation of consoles. Unfortunately, Destiny does not live up to any of our expectations. It's surprising just so little this game has compared to what we had expected. Don't get me wrong, its an enjoyable game in which I've invested dozens of hours and will likely invest several more. But Destiny is a hollow experience compared to what it could have been.

Story - 2.0: What story? Short answer, there really isn't one. A game doesn't need a story to be fun, but Destiny does give a story. It's a very simple story in which it raises more questions than answers and leaves you disappointed, but in the end it doesn't matter since the game never gives you a reason to care about the story. There are really no real characters. The characters are more like lifeless robots than actual characters with experiences. There is only one character that is interesting, but the game uses her like story bait. She makes you curious as to he she is and who she works for, but the game will never continue on that thread. It just smacks you across your face in the end telling you, "What? You expected more?" This game probably would have benefited without a story all together. The game's story simply leaves you annoyed.

Gameplay - 7.0: The gameplay is actually very fun. All the mechanics are well designed and are executed quite nicely. But the mission structure is so repetitive! You will perform the same mission over and over again but in different environments on higher difficulties. It gets really old really quick. People say that the real game begins after level 20, and that it's a different experience altogether. Bull crap. It's the same exact game repeated over and over again. To level up, you must equip new gear that has light on it. To do this, you must repeat all of the same missions you've already played before on higher difficulties and pray that you get a piece of legendary gear from the game's random loot generator. To avoid encryptions, you can buy either vanguard or crucible gear, but to purchase either you have to grind for dozens of hours before you can buy your first piece of legendary gear. To say it's tedious is an understatement. You don't get any new levels until raids which you can't play until you're level 26. That takes forever, and you need to have 5 other friends to play with online since there is no matchmaking. The game lacks so much content. But I find myself playing it anyways. It's addicting but not necessarily in the good way. You find yourself continue to play even when you don't want to.

Graphics - 9.5: Destiny is a beautiful game. The graphics are well designed and is great to look at. The different planets feel unique and look distinctly different. There are a few glitches here and there, but none that will hinder your experience that I found.

Multiplayer - 8.0: Destiny's multiplayer is pretty fun, but at the same time it is very familiar. It feels like a hybrid of Halo and Call of Duty multiplayer. Bungie is well known for designing multiplayer maps, and Destiny continues to reflect Bungie's strength. Most of the maps are very enjoyable and varied. There are many ways to move about the maps. There is only one map I despise with a burning passion, but that is just me. It is very fun to play against people with the variety of different weapons available. It is mostly balanced, but even with level advantages disabled you may run into someone with an overpowered weapon that has an unfair advantage. The multiplayer offers a variety of game modes, but none of them are original. The downside is that the multiplayer can be frustrating and annoying at times. Also, the lack of private matches limits your options when playing with friends.

Verdict - 6.0: Destiny is a shallow and hallow game compared to the Destiny we were promised and hoping for. But despite all of its flaws, I still find myself playing it. Hopefully, the game will improve with upcoming patches; it will have to if it truly plans to last the next 10 years. My recommendation is either rent the game, borrow it from a friend, or wait until the price drops. As the game is right now, it's not worth $60.

I hope you found my review helpful. The next game I will review is Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor.