Destiny 2 - Review

Whether they worshiped him or hated him - or hated being worshiped - no one remained indifferent to Destiny's arrival in the market in 2014. Being a new intellectual property of Bungie, the studio responsible for creating Halo, and having the Activision stated early on the intention to bear it for the next ten years, expectations were high and all pieces of information presented to us only seemed to confirm that we were facing an extremely ambitious and potent work.

Whether they worshiped him or hated him - or hated being worshiped - no one remained indifferent to Destiny's arrival in the market in 2014. Being a new intellectual property of Bungie, the studio responsible for creating Halo, and having the Activision stated early on the intention to bear it for the next ten years, expectations were high and all pieces of information presented to us only seemed to confirm that we were facing an extremely ambitious and potent work.

Still, regardless of their undeniable commercial success, the reality with which players were presented in the distant month of September was far from meeting the expectations that had been created. With a derisory campaign, a system of progression littered with incomprehensible decisions that seemed to have been taken only to artificially increase the longevity of a content-poor experience and countless other problems, Destiny survived at the expense of a fervent community that resisted all this and , of course, the gameplay of Sniper in the Immaculate First Person to which the producer habituated us with the previous series.

If they left the boat after the first few weeks of the game's life, they probably never had a chance to experience the work Destiny would eventually become. A work that, despite the limitations inherent in the foundations on which its experience was based, came closer than it should have been at the time of its launch. Respecting the opinion of the community, Bungie kept those who did not give up the title satisfied at the same time as it was correcting some of their most glaring problems. The expansions brought a much needed refresh of the content of the work, but for many players it was already too little and too late.

With Destiny 2, the acclaimed producer had the opportunity to re-start again, rewrite history, offer a new entry point for those who felt cheated by the original experience and those who never gave her even a chance to redeem herself. Almost thirty hours after starting my stay in the sequel, it is with enthusiasm that I realize that I am facing a work whose quality now presents itself at a level more suited to the popularity it enjoys in the industry, a work that emphasizes the learning of the North Studio American over the last three years and which erases the bitter taste left in the mouth by the predecessor.
 
Destiny 2 is not perfect, far from it. It remains far from the space epic that many thought it was about to receive when the original game was first revealed, but it is a necessary step to get the series back on track. Yes, the sequel is a fairly familiar experience for those who played the original, that is, there is nothing truly revolutionary or unseen in the predecessor, but the series first had to establish itself as a colossus of the industry deserving of that statute. And that's precisely what Destiny 2 can do.

Destiny 2 is what Destiny should have been, a memorable experience for the good times and not for the frustration caused by a so-called Cryptarch, a display of tiresome information, repetitive design of missions and a timeless story to explain why he did not have time to explain. Destiny fans have a huge offer of new content in a universe that has already conquered them, while the remainder receive a work finally able to justify the high investment of hours it takes to make your Guardian an all-powerful warrior.

Writing about what Destiny 2 does right is almost synonymous with writing about what Destiny did wrong, but it's a worthwhile exercise. Compared to the release of the original, the Loot system and sequel progression are far more rewarding. Not only do we feel we are being rewarded for the hours we put into the game and for the activities we are doing, how we feel we are always close to the next leap in the level of power, equipment and more powerful weapons, to reach the top of our capabilities .

Not surprisingly, Destiny 2 still has Strikes and, for the time being, a single Raid. About Raid, it's important to mention the introduction of Clans that allows you to easily organize a team of six players to attack the mission, thus compensating for the absence of matchmaking. With regard to Strikes, stands out for the greater dynamism of its battles. More than missions that inevitably culminate with a demanding Boss, Strikes are now authentic Mini Raids that involve puzzles, a greater emphasis on cooperation, and battles with Bosses going through several distinct phases.

In fact, this praise can also be made to campaign missions that are far more interesting than in the past. Bungie's work continues to be a more fun experience with friends, but the greater spectacularness of the activities they carry out throughout the narrative makes the sense of monotony never come to settle if they prefer to play alone. From missions that put you at the wheel of a tank to missions that put you in the midst of a festival of explosions, chaos and destruction, note that a greater imagination and dedication was placed on the campaign of the sequel and this translates into a well experience more rich.

That said, the narrative itself again falls short on Destiny 2. Yes, it's clearly better than what the original game offered, but again it feels like there was potential for so much more. With an imposing antagonist, but giving indications of a greater depth in the form of Dominus Ghaul, history sees Traveler, the giant sphere in the sky that protects the last city of the Earth, to be captured, the city invaded and destroyed and its Guardians weakened by the loss of Light and, consequently, of their immortality.

Unfortunately, this amendment also makes it more difficult to compensate for the momentary absence of a team member, that is, if any team member leaves the current match, the numerically inferior team is much more exposed than in the past. In addition, Destiny 2 also removes the possibility of choosing the mode in which they want to participate, a decision that is perceived - the goal is to reduce wait times during matchmaking, something that is not always achieved - but that may displease to some players.

In terms of game modes, Control, Survival, Clash and Supremacy return from the original game, with the main addition being Countdown mode. In this mode, the two teams will alternate between the task of planting the bomb and preventing the bomb from exploding. With a limited number of opportunities to resurrect team members, the round ends as soon as one team achieves its goal or succeeds in eliminating all members of the opposing team. As is easy to see, this mode favors teamwork, because after being killed they will hardly be able to return in time to help your teammates.

Regarding the gameplay itself, Destiny 2 remains practically unchanged compared to the original, which is good considering that this was the best department of the work. Gunfights and guns are still as satisfying as ever, providing countless exciting moments in which they can escape the tide of an avalanche of enemies who are more concerned with destroying you than with self-preservation. It is still a shame that there is not a new faction of enemies to diversify the procedures a little more

Already in the technical department, Destiny 2 stands out above all by the introduction of new worlds to explore. Although the game insists on taking us into uninteresting enclosed spaces and corridors, the maps that can be explored - European Dead Zone, Titan, Nessus and IO - are aesthetically more pleasant and diverse than the scenarios we explore until exhaustion in the original work. The liquid world of Titan, the colorful vegetation of Nessus, and the rocky IO environment join a terrestrial map more capable of showing a trace of mankind prior to the arrival of Traveler.

It's not the most powerfully graphical game you'll find in today's generation of consoles, but your visual style and art direction are sufficiently enhanced to compensate for some details that can not withstand a closer look with more attention. On the other hand, its orchestral soundtrack, as it is habitual in works of the producer, returns to be absolutely divine, praising the action and elevating it to epic levels in several key moments of the experience. Filled with nuances and alternations of rhythm and intensity, the music that accompanies your stay in this space adventure is good enough to be heard even when you are not playing.

In short, Destiny 2 delivers the experience that fans of the original title intended and the answers to all the questions of their most critical critics. The narrative, though better, remains far from what is intended and it is also true that the whole experience conveys the feeling that we are playing something extremely familiar and not something totally new, but that are insufficient aspects to undermine the quality of what Bungie able to create. A perfect game to play with friends and much more interesting for those who prefer to play solo, Destiny 2 rewards our time in a way that the predecessor never succeeded and that is their main merit.