Destiny review (played on Xbox One)
Rarely in gaming history has a new franchise been as hotly-anticipated as Destiny.
The new shooter from Halo creators Bungie has been the talk of the industry for much of the last year. Has it delivered on the promise? Well, yes and no.
I’ve enjoyed the time I’ve spent with Destiny so far. Let’s get one thing straight, it’s bloody gorgeous. The graphics on the main levels – Earth, Venus, The Moon and Mars – are simply stunning.
I also quite like the massively multiplayer online game (MMO) element to it. I’ve been teaming up with randoms all over the place and have enjoyed some pretty epic firefights.
The shooting mechanics are also the best you’ll find anywhere. It’s immensely satisfying taking down enemies and that feeling only gets better when you begin unlocking the heavy-duty weapons.
But first and foremost, I always look to the single player experience. And that’s where Destiny falls short, I’m afraid.
If your expecting Call Of Duty-style set pieces, Mass Effect-like storylines or a villainous enemy, you’ll be disappointed. Aside from meeting new foes, every level will eventually begin to feel the same.
To be honest, I’ve never really played a game like it. It’s neither a story-driven shooter, a classic RPG nor a top notch MMO.
It feels like the start of something big and Bungie should be praised for their ambition.
But it’s not a game-changer…yet.
After completed the single player experience, you’re left with a pretty empty feeling. There’s no end credits or twist, just a promise that there’s plenty more for you to do.
Be it hunting for exotic weapons or taking part in the ridiculously hard raids, there is much to do as you attempt to level-up your Titan, Hunter or Warlock.
I’m expecting there to be DLC galore over the coming months/years, as Bungie have built themselves the most epic of platforms to work with.
But will I return to Destiny now I’m done with the campaign? Perhaps. Plenty won’t – and if Destiny is to be judged on it’s longevity, then it hasn’t quite delivered what we all hoped it would.
Rating: 3.5/5
