There are a lot of right and wrong elements in Destiny, and after hitting the max level and playing multiplayer for weeks, I can safely say that I’ve formed an opinion on both. Many argue that Destiny held back in its storytelling for being an FPS MMO. Yet The Old Republic, despite all its microtransactions and irritating replay, managed to tell stories despite being an MMO. Destiny didn’t. Let’s examine why after talking about some of Destiny’s positives.
THE POSITIVES
The Multiplayer: You choose these competitive multiplayer options from the Crucible, which is The Guardian’s way of letting off steam I guess. Destiny’s multiplayer mode, as expected, is pretty smooth. The different types of games are very well made and offer different experiences depending on the player’s preferences. I prefer the “Skirmish” 3v3 game mode rather than “Clash” 6v6, for example. I find it more tactical and less chaotic. Some players will prefer “Control”, in which you and your team capture territory. There are many options here, and it shows that they have really thought about it.
My only complaint is that the vehicles are not used as often as they should. The “Combined Arms” limited game type allowed for increased use of ammo and heavy vehicles, but only lasted for three days in September! I miss the days of yore when you and your friends would carry a wild boar only to be thrown into the air by a rocket launcher.
The Multiplayer: You choose these competitive multiplayer options from the Crucible, which is The Guardian’s way of letting off steam I guess. Destiny’s multiplayer mode, as expected, is pretty smooth.
The Strikes – Strikes in Destiny are the equivalent of instances in most MMOs. These are interesting, they usually culminate in a fight with a horde of enemies at the end, then a boss is introduced, and finally you have to defeat both the boss and the horde of enemies. It’s predictable, repetitive, and a lot of fun when you have microphones. I played the Strike playlist long enough to buy most of my armor pieces, but what I enjoy the most is playing with my friends in a Fireteam. In these groups, we were able to communicate and enjoy each other’s company while trying to complete a scripted event. It was fun.
Strikes are very limited. There aren’t many and you usually play the same ones that you played in the single player campaign, only on a higher stage. This was fun at first, but as you play the same shot over and over again, it loses its shine.
I once did the same Martian hit three times in a row due to random bad luck. The worst part was that we would get to the end, then someone would quit, then the other guy would quit, and then I’d be left alone until I quit too. Despite the white-knuckled fury, I couldn’t beat her. Eventually I did, but on those three times in a row I ended up physically hating the Cabal at the end of it.
Three-Man Teams – I remember trying to conquer a boss in Destiny with my friend and I. After the Cabal invaded us for the last time, we gave up. We originally decided to partner to address it, because we wanted to record the game for YouTube. In the end we were unable to progress and a feeling of bitterness took root in our perceptions of the game. This is a problem with a three-man team: once one member leaves, you lose 33%.
I have found that you depend too much on your teammates for strikes. One person leaving leaves two people to take on an entire mission on their own, an uneasy association forged out of hatred for the guy who left. Inevitably, that association will dissolve and then you will be alone to resign. This is a big problem and there must be penalties for abandoning Strikes. So far there is a reporting system, but it is necessary to have the player’s information on the screen to report that they are leaving, and it is usually too late when they are leaving.
PROBLEMS
The Story – This has been a big deal for me as I loved the game’s setting, but loathed the lack of story. The game is amazing, and the developers have previously commented that it was inspired by “a candle in the dark.” That idea resonates throughout the game, from all the alien races that pose a threat, to the looming fear of the unknown.
The parts of the game’s story are the scenes with your playable character and the ghost or other supporting characters.
Players have asked, “Why can’t we go to other systems?” Well, within the context of the story, it makes perfect sense. You cannot go to other systems, unless you want to be eaten by creatures in the dark. The only source of light in the universe (presumably) is the Traveler, who died before the game began. His shell remains as a source of light for the Guardians, who seek to defeat the forces of darkness that plague the universe.
Great story, right? Well that’s just the stage. The actual plot of the game is almost non-existent. The parts of the game’s story are the scenes with your playable character and the ghost or other supporting characters. These never go anywhere, instead promoting a plot that ends abruptly with a conclusion based on the boss fight, which only closes the end of the game without ending the story. The true story concludes with a scene reminiscent of the end of Star Wars: A New Hope, but more enigmatic and meaningless.
Yes, I know, expansions are taking place, so a conclusion would be premature. However, I expected some kind of narrative structure, some format in which an introduction, a body, and a conclusion were present. Instead, we get a plotless setting, a story that was so interesting, so tantalizingly taunting, that it got nowhere. What are the goals of the Queen and her brother? Where do the Vex go and why? Are there more travelers out there? We get few responses and even fewer characters.
The Raids – There was only one raid when I played: Vault of Glass. It was incredibly difficult and I could never beat it. Finding people to connect with on a Fireteam before attempting to tackle it was also a futile effort. Even when he had a good team, we would lose and eventually one of the players would quit, and like the Strikes, we couldn’t progress with just the two of us.
The equipment that is dropped in the raids is superior to what you would find in an attack. However, it was so hard to find something and you got so little reward for your hard work that the costs didn’t match the profit. I think I got a Mote of Light once, but beyond that I never got a good team.
And explain to me how Bungie could design matchmaking for Crucible and Strike game types, but NOT for raids. Heard they are fixing this (or have it fixed) but it should have been an option from day one.
I wish there had been more character development, more plot advances, and more characters overall.
THOUGHTS
To be honest, I had a lot of fun with Destiny. It was nice and I fell in love with the environment and the universe. However, a plotless setting is somewhat sad and lifeless, and Destiny fits the bill perfectly. I wish there had been more character development, more plot advances, and more characters overall. In total, you interact with four or five characters in cut scenes (if so) and ultimately their stories are not important.
I don’t like giving review scores, because I don’t think a score can adequately encapsulate a complete opinion about a game. I’ll say this: if you like building sci-fi worlds, this game does it very well. If you like consistent storytelling, this game gets it wrong. Finally, if you like fast-paced multiplayer with unique abilities, Destiny gets it right.