Destiny
Platform: Xbox 360, Xbox One, PS3, PS4
Developer: Bungie
Premise: Step 1: Shoot stuff until it dies. Step 2: Collect the new pants that the thing you just shot dropped. Step 3: Repeat steps 1 and 2 until you reach the max level.
Release Date: 09/09/2014
A.N. Before we start, I'd like to start off with a quick bit of housekeeping stuff: Last week's post didn't happen because I was on an Outdoor Ed camp around Tasmania, a place that isn't really known for having stellar internet. Or, given that teachers are a bit iffy about phones on camp, any internet at all. However, this week will be a double-update to make up for the slack, and the second post will be put up a few minutes after this one. One last thing before I go: The Overwatch Public Beta has just dropped, so if you're interested in that kind of thing then you can expect to see some Let's Play/Highlights type stuff coming from me about that. I now return you to your regularly scheduled programming.
With the April update having dropped just a few short weeks ago, and the promise of the other two DLC packs and Destiny 2 on the horizon forming a silhouette against a darkening sky in the shape of the words "Shop at Eververse Trading!", I realised that I never actually got around to reviewing Destiny. This is probably because this blog was but a wishful twinkle in my eye at the time that it actually got released. I decided that I should remedy this given that I quite like Destiny, for all the flack I give it. The shooting mechanics feel tight, the PvP is quite fun (balancing is admittedly an issue but it's at least one that Bungie regularly make an effort to fix), the PvE is...well, for the most part it's just happy to be here. But that's the base game, which hopefully I won't have to go into to much detail about because I've got enough to talk about with just the stuff that they changed in the update.
Let's start with the story mission. I like that they're adding in more story-based stuff for the events/updates funded with the money they make off of Eververse, but it would be nice to know that it was a "supposed-to-lose" fight, so that I didn't spend half an hour dying from all the ads out of a need to do more boss damage, where you're supposed to just wait until he makes his getaway so that you can face him in the Grasp of Malok Strike. The strike's alright, although the constant Shadow Touch-ing started to get uncomfortable after a while, in more ways than one.
Let's talk Prison of Elders. I quite like PoE, if for no other reason than it provides a quite useful test-bed for any new PvE loadouts I might want to try, my personal favourite being Monte Carlo paired with a Gunslinger subclass specced for Gambler's Dagger and Knife Juggler which lets you pretty well chain throwing knives on low-tier enemies like nobodies business. The Challenge of Elders is also quite good in terms of loot; I personally managed to get a 318 pulse rifle, 318 sidearm and 319 helmet out of it in a single run. It's also nice that the Three of Coins work in it now, which makes it a really effective grinding zone. They've also increased loot drops across the board, with the 260 PoE dropping a guaranteed legendary engram from each run through. However, I still have war flashbacks to the dodgier moments of House of Wolves every time I hear Variks saying the phrase "Dismantle Mines, yes? Or...You die" in that voice that makes it sound like he's inappropriate things with Petra Venj in a wind tunnel.
PvP I don't have much experience with post-update, mostly because I was busy with grinding out PoE. I'm given to understand that the Doctrine of Passing is still really good (thankfully) despite a small blanket-nerf to bullet hose auto rifles. The Last Word also finally got a substantial nerf; it can still kill in two or three hits, but it won't two-shot from full health anymore (knock on wood). Hand Cannons also got a blanket buff to range and ammo reserves, which does make them a more viable option for PvE as well as PvP.
In a nutshell, of the two Shoot-to-Loot MMORPGs currently on the market, Destiny is starting to make a comeback as the more viable option, if for no other reason than (as previously mentioned in "Addendum to my Previous Rant") third person cover-shooters have been done to death. And then they've been done a bit more beyond that, for good measure. It's a good game that I would recommend, is the point I'm trying to make here.
As always, anyone who has a suggestion for a review, rant topic, or just wants to say "hi!", can do so by emailing me at pressxtoreview@gmail.com
-Harry
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