Are you waiting for your Destiny, too?
The PC beta for Destiny 2 is live and now all of you can check out whether this will be the first time since 1997 that the company will rule the computer gaming market. Hint: It just may.
Something old, something borrowed and something shiny
Destiny 2 is essentially Destiny 1 with new content. If something is pretty clear in the developer’s attitude to making games is that they don’t change things that work. Look at the Halo series and its development or lack thereof… The first Destiny had many problems and the number of issues was astounding for such an experienced developer. Free from the control of Microsoft, Bungie made many mistakes and I’m not talking about the disastrous Peter Dinklage performance either. The story was cut to pieces and rearranged so that nothing of interest remained, leaving the players to online forums where they exchanged bits and pieces trying to decipher what the game is all about exactly.
The Iron Banner, which was supposed to enhance the multiplayer vs mode community, only made things worse thanks to lack of punishment for rage quitting. As you probably remember, Bungie had to learn the ropes the hard way and everything seems to suggest that this time they will do everything to avoid the same blunders.
It took months for Bungie to address both the technical and design issues with the game. And Destiny 2 aims to make you fall in love with it right from the start.
What’s not to like?
The PC beta, just like the console beta, works more like a demo version than a real technical test that is supposed to reveal additional errors. It includes one story mission, two Crucible modes (multiplayer) and one co-operative Strike. It sure is a lot less than in the case of the beta for the first Destiny.
The opening story mission gives you a good glimpse into what the Bungie trademark story is all about. There is epic music, bigger than life heroes, otherworldly threats, colorful aliens and cheesy dialogues. If you are looking for any gray areas in the characters’ motivations, then you should find yourself another game. Bungie’s attitude to stories is pretty simple: baddies are bad, goodies are good, you have to protect the good guys and kill the bad guys, while someone in the background talks about space technologies that are similar to magic. And when you kill an alien, they make a funny sound.
The multiplayer modes of Destiny 2 may seem a little limited. After all, what are 4 on 4 matches in the days of Battlefield 1’s 64-player extravaganzas? Well, they are fast-paced and fun, mainly thanks to the great gameplay and shooting mechanics that Bungie knows how to develop. Don’t expect anything spectacular, just your good, old shooting until super skills charge. The Strikes are, however, another matter entirely as these co-op activities are at the heart of the game. Sure, you can experience the story for yourself and fight a match or two from time to time, but the co-op gameplay is the core of Destiny. That’s what you loot for and kill for.
What’s lacking?
The only thing the beta actually lacks is the open environments of the PvE mode. This is the backbone of the game, the place, where you will spend the most time with your friends gathering new equipment and organizing quick speeder races through the country. The open levels of Destiny are its best feature and it’s pretty amazing that Bungie has decided not to show any in the beta. They would surely draw some skeptic PC players to the crowd waiting for the final release. Similarly, new players could experience some more item gathering and character customization to get the hang of it, and this is what the beta also lacks.
A Long Wait
I have to write a few words about the technical state of the game. I wish all console to PC ports were made like this. The game works brilliantly even on older rigs and when you launch it on an advanced configuration, it is simply stunning. If PC players were waiting for a love letter from Bungie, the technical state of Destiny 2 is just that.
The wait until the 24 October will be a long one. The PC beta has shown only a small piece of the elements that Destiny 2 will offer to the players and while many gamers remain skeptical about the gameplay, which they often call “bare bones” or “lacking,” they will surely change their mind when the console version hits the shelves September 6. Bungie’s decision to avoid any tutorials for the various moves and skills the Guardians have to offer is a bit strange, and the 4 vs 4 multiplayer modes seem a bit undeveloped for the year 2017, but the strong gameplay mechanics, continuous support and the multitude of online features will surely change the minds of all but the most stubborn Halo haters.