Destiny 2’s latest expansion, plunges Guardians into the mysterious depths of the Traveler, offering a visually striking yet familiar experience tailored for seasoned players. Centered around pivotal characters like Cayde-6 and Crow, the campaign delivers moments of nostalgic resonance but ultimately falls short of breaking away from the formulaic structure that has defined Destiny 2 for years. The decision to un-sunset all weapons may soothe some veterans who lamented dismantling their cherished Black Armory gear, yet it highlights ongoing issues with weapon identity and progression from past expansions.
Bungie’s narrative ambitions shine through with commendable efforts to tie up longstanding plotlines, providing a satisfying conclusion for invested players. However, after a decade of storytelling, the overarching saga remains fragmented and inaccessible to new players, complicating entry into Destiny 2’s dense lore and gameplay systems.
The expansion introduces intriguing additions like the Prismatic subclasses and other complex mechanics aimed at enhancing high-level gameplay and build experimentation. Despite efforts to streamline currencies and progression systems, the game’s depth remains a double-edged sword, overwhelming many players with its convoluted intricacies. While Bungie attempts to onboard newcomers with in-game explanations and guidance, the learning curve remains steep, especially as players transition from The Final Shape’s campaign to the episodic structure replacing traditional seasons.
Gameplay in The Final Shape maintains Destiny 2’s signature action sequences but incorporates new elements such as raid-like mechanics and introduces the formidable Dread faction. While these encounters offer a mix of challenge and enjoyment, they are overshadowed by encounters with familiar enemies from Destiny’s extensive history, leaving the new additions feeling sparse. However, the Subjagtors not only bring a fresh dynamic with their Tormentor-like abilities utilizing Stasis and Strand powers, they serve to provide a challenge that players will no doubt run into more frequently than the rest of the dread.
Despite these highlights, certain new systems like the Pathfinder rewards system feel overly restrictive, limiting player freedom in gameplay styles. The introduction of Prismatic subclasses does offer some flexibility in giving players to mix and match light and dark powers, although certain abilities remain exclusive to specific Guardian classes, reducing overall versatility during gameplay. This was most notable for us while playing our Titan class that lost the Grapple of Strand, something we rely on far more often than we should. Still, the Hunter managed to keep it while Warlocks and Titans have to rely on other methods of traversal. Still, Prismatic wasn’t a requirement, and we stayed strictly adhered to our Titan Strand build, only hopping into pools of Prismatic energy to take out immune enemies.
Post-campaign content includes engaging public events and matchmade activities designed to enhance replayability and long-term engagement, however, the episodic structure introduced that follows The Final Shape aims to sustain interest with ongoing updates and rewards, yet early signs suggest mixed success in captivating the player base beyond initial completion. However, it is still too early to speak on this topic so broadly.
Overall, The Final Shape serves as a notable punctuation in Destiny 2’s expansive Light and Darkness saga and storyline, providing partial closure to lingering narrative threads while setting the stage for future narratives that may leave unanswered questions about fundamental aspects like the Traveler. Yet, Bungie’s commitment to evolving gameplay mechanics and storytelling is evident, but the game’s intricate universe remains daunting for new players, exacerbated by a repetitive gameplay loop focused on acquiring new gear without fundamental changes to core mechanics. All the while forcing players to read walls of text or listen to radio transmissions containing integral and significant lore, which is a major turn off for some.
As Destiny 2 continues to expand, the challenge lies in maintaining depth without overwhelming its audience, ensuring accessibility for all Guardians. While Bungie has the capability to address these challenges, there remains a perception that developmental priorities are driven more by commercial incentives than player experience. The potential for structural changes within Bungie, particularly under new leadership, could herald a transformative phase for Destiny 2, unlocking its true potential and delivering a more cohesive and inviting experience for all players.
