A New Destiny

Though Destiny was a big success for developer Bungie and publisher Activision, it was also a significant risk.

Activision jumped at the chance to enlist Bungie’s services for a new project after Microsoft cut them loose following Halo: Reach, their fifth and final Halo game. While Destiny ostensibly relies on a safe concept in being an online first-person shooter, this particular kind required massive resources to create a large, open world for multiple players to explore simultaneously. Given how cutthroat Activision has been in recent years thanks to some considerable downsizing to remain competitive in the AAA space, Bungie could have been in serious trouble if it failed. That Activision didn’t send review copies before it released wasn’t an encouraging sign of its quality, and some critics and gamers found it underwhelming, with both noting how empty an experience the initial package was.

However, the power of marketing led to its massive sales success, and criticisms about the lack of content were addressed with expansions and DLC. The game has been kept alive for a little over a year-and-a-half, but its time in the limelight will end when the recently-announced Destiny 2 arrives.

Not that players didn’t get a big heads-up that this was coming, since its existence was known before the official announcement. Though Activision mentioned a sequel was coming while giving their financial results in early-February, a poster leaked a couple of weeks ago from Gamestop Italy that showed promotional art, revealed that a beta session would occur, and confirmed its release date of September 8th. Once again, it’s tough for companies to keep secrets these days. This explains why they confirmed the game with nothing but a logo over Twitter, which showcased a burning city in the background.

Fortunately, Activision didn’t leave it at that, and provided more promotional videos. Unfortunately, anyone who expected to see gameplay for, you know, a video game ended up disappointed, as the two were CG videos promoting what’s in store for the game’s story and world. The first one was the “Last Call” teaser, with the Nathan Fillion-voiced Cayde-6 describing the battle he’s currently in with a sense of humor. The second teaser provides a better preview of the battle that will be in store, including troops being rallied after their home is destroyed, which also includes Cayde-6 providing humorous quips. Both were entertaining, but anyone hoping to see how the core game has been improved will have to keep waiting.

Destiny 2 will begin with humanity’s last safe city falling to the Red Legion, an invading force led by commander Ghaul. The citizenry is forced to flee after its Guardians are stripped of their power. As you might have predicted, the objective for players will be to team up and take revenge on the Red Legion by defeating them in constant battles, while learning new powers and obtaining loot along the way. This game takes place after the previous installment, so you’ll need knowledge of its story to get the most of it, especially pertaining to the returning characters. But the story is also being designed in a way that anyone who hasn’t played it won’t feel too lost.

The player will have the opportunity to join three factions led by their own Guardian. Hunters are the well-rounded type, who can use swords and shields for battle. They’re led by Cayde-6, so if you enjoyed him in the previous game or the trailers, you know who you want to join. The Titans are the heavyweights who use hammers (a special gun, not an actual hammer) in battle and have higher defense, and are led by Zavala. Finally, there are the Warlocks, whose powers are focused on magic, and are led by Ikora Rey. There aren’t many choices here, but it’s tough for developers to put too many resources into this when they have to assemble a large game.

But that’s assuming it won’t be light on content like the first game when it launched, and that its gameplay has noticeably evolved. This is why more than a few were disappointed when the “reveal” was bereft of gameplay, and were further disappointed to hear it won’t be shown until May 18th. The gameplay stream should show a significant amount of content, or Bungie and Activision will face some very vitriolic fans.

As mentioned above, Destiny 2 will release on September 8th for PS4, XB1 and — surprise! — PC. The original Destiny never released on PC, which explains why its story will be partly tailored for those who haven’t played it. The beta will happen before that in the summer.

A whopping five editions will come with the release on consoles, including the standard version, the game with the expansion pass for future DLC for $90, a digital deluxe edition for $100, a Gamestop-exclusive limited edition with assorted goodies for the same price (which makes me question why anyone would buy the digital deluxe edition), and a collector’s edition packed with physical and digital extras for nearly the price of a console at $250 — though it’s already sold out at some retailers. You can’t say there aren’t enough options. They might show a snippet of gameplay before the full premier in May to placate some fans, so keep your eye out in the coming weeks.