Destiny - Review Thread

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I remember people expressing concern about the amount of content (size of the maps, amount of missions) after the beta, and Bungie brushing it away by saying something like "we have sooooo much content in the game, don't worry about that".
With that said, people buying a game day one with a few questions still unanswered and not waiting for reviews/user feedback should also take their own responsibilities.

While I do take responsibility for my purchases (I even posted here before launch that I knew I was taking a risk), I don't think that automatically waives my right to have issues with the game.
 
Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the entire point of a beta to improve things? It's not terribly unreasonable for people to think that maybe the final product would be better, rather than just more of the same.

Beta version nowadays is closer to other software beta: You use it to test if the finished product is in a good enough state to be released. Making changes is costly, so you want to do as few as possible.
 
Nobody is saying this is a 10/10 game.

And everything you said counts the other way around as well, everyone trying to attack this game and trying to convince people that it's a 6/10 are silly.

It's all about personal opinions amirite?
So 10/10 and 6/10 are the opposite ends of the spectrum?
 
Not sure how I feel about Destiny yet. I bought into the hype and was expecting something ... bigger. I put 7 hours into the game, on and off yesterday, and think the biggest let down is the sense of loot/accomplishment, in that there is very little.

Maybe it's because I'm coming down from being showered with legendaries in Diablo that it feels like a major letdown after a tense firefight, to seek out abstract hexicubes instead of magical, glowing loot. Then you hop into your inventory to see what it was you got, and it's a gun that looks relatively the same as the one you're replacing, with slightly better specs. Granted, this is a different genre and maybe the over-the-top comical approach Blizzard takes with their action RPG wouldn't fit well here, but come on - a cube is supposed to represent phat loots? It seems unimaginative and boring.

As others have said already numerous times, the gunplay is fantastic. I'm hoping maybe in later levels or with end-game content, there's enough pull to seek out these massive firefights, particularly because up through level 12, the sense of reward has been so ... boring.
 
What a ridiculous statement you say Destiny wasn't anywhere near overhyped as Titanfall but you haven't actually played Titanfall, so this statement is effectively worthless.

And yet, he is right. Comparing content game to game you can't possibly make an argument to me that Destiny has underwhelmed. The only people disappointed by it's length are those that are completely out of touch and expected a developer, who's almost entire back catalog is FPSs, to create a 200hr MMO. All while ignoring just how spread thin and devoid of compelling gameplay most MMOs are. They wanted a 200hr Halo loot fest for $60 and I think that is a ridiculous sentiment.

And, I shouldn't need to keep driving this home, it's not comparable at all to Titanfall. A multiplayer game who's campaign mode consists of radio drama during multiplayer maps.
 
So have we started an 'over-under' on the metacritic rating with respect to Titanfall's 86?

I Think that we are going to see something in the 80 range, probably a little higher I would expect. Based on the beta and from what I have seen, I will be picking this game up when the price goes down.
 
Nobody is saying this is a 10/10 game.

And everything you said counts the other way around as well, everyone trying to attack this game and trying to convince people that it's a 6/10 are silly.

It's all about personal opinions amirite?

That's exactly my point - I didn't like the game, but I know a lot of folks do. That said, the game plays great, looks great, and feels great. Really, it boiled down to certain aspects of it not clicking with me (mostly the social stuff). But in time, I think that will improve. Until then, I feel like folks who are diggin the game should continue to love it and ignore the haters.

So 10/10 and 6/10 are the opposite ends of the spectrum?

Eh, I think he's more using my comment as an example. Opposite ends would Destiny and that Aliens game that came out. Destiny isn't a broken piece of shit.
 
Beta version nowadays is closer to other software beta: You use it to test if the finished product is in a good enough state to be released. Making changes is costly, so you want to do as few as possible.

I get that, but at the same time, the idea that "it's only a beta, things will change by launch" was definitely being thrown around a lot, mostly by GAF but partly by Bungie as well.
 
People are either going to judge the game for what it is, or for what it could/should have been.

I think if you base your opinion on what it actually is/what it does have, it's some good fun. If we lived in a world of one game and that game was Destiny, most would generally like it.

If you judge it for what it could have been, then it's got so many flaws that it's hard to even call the game good. It's just so completely lacking in so many areas in comparison to what's already been done.

It reminds me of the original Grand Theft Auto. The top down one. I could imagine so many possibilities with that game and eventually GTA III released and it was pretty much exactly what I had imagined it could be. I think Destiny is the same way and the series still has potential to be the next CoD/Halo but a lot of work needs to be done to get there.
 
Um, no, no they haven't. Destiny totally has the same kind of approach, except now instead of guns, grenades, melee you also have powers and better movement abilities.
That is exactly what Bungie has done. You go through the exact same areas with mobs in the exact same places over and over and over again. In Halo there was more of a progression. Even though you were doing the same thing the location and composition of mobs were always changing as you moved through levels, and that is exactly what Bungie's gaming philosophy was meant to be. It was not supposed to be "Keep fighting the same fight in the same place. Oh you want a change...Ok now you turn left instead of right to get to a place where you protect you bot while it does something important."

Destiny fights were done so often that for many places I developed a routine to follow: Ok there's going to be two guys behind the pillars. Pick off as they look out. When done walk up turn right. Now some invisible guys will pop out. Use grenade. Backup and shoot in head til dead. Go forward and punch guy behind pillar on right....

Fucking A, the amount of vitriol being thrown around here and just plain misrepresentative information is annoying. We get it, you don't know why other people like the game. Beyond telling you to play on harder difficulty while pushing your own gameplay style (i.e. don't spend the whole game sniping from 100 yards behind boxes), nothing I or anyone else says will change what you feel about the game. That doesn't mean you should just make up a bunch of bullshit to post on the forums, though. Unless of course you aren't open to discussion and are just wanting to fling shit like the rest of the Destiny/Bungie hate mob.

Wow I can totally turn that right back around at you. How about this...
EventHorizon said:
Fucking A, the amount of vitriol being thrown around here and just plain misrepresentative information is annoying. We get it, you don't know why other people don't like the game. Beyond telling you to that it is repetitive and that not everyone likes a grinding gameplay style (i.e. doing the same thing over and over again is boring), nothing I or anyone else says will change what you feel about the game. That doesn't mean you should just make up a bunch of bullshit to post on the forums, though. Unless of course you aren't open to discussion and are just wanting to fling shit like the rest of the Destiny/Bungie fanboy mob.
 
Maybe it's because I'm coming down from being showered with legendaries in Diablo that it feels like a major letdown after a tense firefight, to seek out abstract hexicubes instead of magical, glowing loot. Then you hop into your inventory to see what it was you got, and it's a gun that looks relatively the same as the one you're replacing, with slightly better specs. Granted, this is a different genre and maybe the over-the-top comical approach Blizzard takes with their action RPG wouldn't fit well here, but come on - a cube is supposed to represent phat loots? It seems unimaginative and boring.

As others have said already numerous times, the gunplay is fantastic. I'm hoping maybe in later levels or with end-game content, there's enough pull to seek out these massive firefights, particularly because up through level 12, the sense of reward has been so ... boring.

I think this is an important observation. The way Destiny is perceived on the heels of Diablo 3 on consoles. I'm not making such a direct comparison myself since I've been playing D3 since it's initial PC release. They aren't attempting to be the same kind of game imo. Destiny has aspects of a loot based rpg, but it favors less, more meaningful loot over a plethora of junk to sort through. It's streamlined to avoid lots of management and annoyance.
 
If you want to call me an fps purist, I can live with that.

I would call you an archaic gamer. Again, assumptions.

All I wanna do, is try and make some of you try to look beyond those magical days when quake was quake. There is nothing wrong with adding grind to an already great game. In Destiny you don't even have to grind that much. If you are an fps player, just play the multiplayer and will get what everyone else is getting. The halo-esq mechanics are always great and are as fan as they ever were.

I miss my time with quake 2 multiplayer ever day. But I can make the distinction between games and try to look beyond what is presented, and make my own fun. And I am having fun. So much fun. If you want to call me a modern gamer, I'd happily accept, but I don't think you really know the meaning of modern when you say it like that,

Also, no hard feelings, if I sound annoyed, just slide it. That is a part of a disscussion between gamers.
 
Some people in the past few days:

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lol :)

But it's not exactly like that. Let's say we are bringing balance to the Force after the overhype and unfortunately a few lies from Bungie.
 
And yet, he is right. Comparing content game to game you can't possibly make an argument to me that Destiny has underwhelmed. The only people disappointed by it's length are those that are completely out of touch and expected a developer, who's almost entire back catalog is FPSs, to create a 200hr MMO. All while ignoring just how spread thin and devoid of compelling gameplay most MMOs are. They wanted a 200hr Halo loot fest for $60 and I think that is a ridiculous sentiment.

And, I shouldn't need to keep driving this home, it's not comparable at all to Titanfall. A multiplayer game who's campaign mode consists of radio drama during multiplayer maps.

Why would you compare content though? Because they're both FPS games? Titanfall's moment to moment gameplay is better than that of Destiny (imo) it's more dynamic, more engaging and much more refreshing.

And no - people aren't complaining about the game's length, they're complaining about a lack of content. The PvP is just 4 variations on deathmatch - that's it. This game was made by the people who made Halo - and yet we have no CTF, no King of the Hill, no Zones, no VIP?

And as for the single player I guess that's up for debate - but doing "story" missions and then going back to the same zone to "explore" and do the same three or four mini mission types over and over again across each of the game's world's isn't exactly the depth Bungie were hyping.

I would call you an archaic gamer. Again, assumptions.

All I wanna do, is try and make some of you try to look beyond those magical days when quake was quake. There is nothing wrong with adding grind to an already great game. In Destiny you don't even have to grind that much. If you are an fps player, just play the multiplayer and will get what everyone else is getting. The halo-esq mechanics are always great and are as fan as they ever were.

I miss my time with quake 2 multiplayer ever day. But I can make the distinction between games and try to look beyond what is presented, and make my own fun. And I am having fun. So much fun. If you want to call me a modern gamer, I'd happily accept, but I don't think you really know the meaning of modern when you say it like that,

Also, no hard feelings, if I sound annoyed, just slide it. That is a part of a disscussion between gamers.

Nothing archaic about wanting to be rewarded for skill. Or having interesting content that isn't about incremental upgrades.
 
Some people here really need to play average/bad games, Destiny is not one of those. Earlier this year, I played Enemy Front, PS Vita Pets, Transformers Rise of the Dark Spark, Thief, Wayward Manor, these are average/bad games. For sure Destiny is not perfect, TitanFall and Watch_Dogs weren't as well but they are still well crafted and enjoyable games.
 
While I do take responsibility for my purchases (I even posted here before launch that I knew I was taking a risk), I don't think that automatically waives my right to have issues with the game.

Of course not, it's actually useful information for those who were waiting for user feedback. :P
That's also the main appeal of gaming forums in my opinion, it's much better to share our opinions on games once we can play them than just react to pre-launch hype.
 
That is exactly what Bungie has done. You go through the exact same areas with mobs in the exact same places over and over and over again. In Halo there was more of a progression. Even though you were doing the same thing the location and compesition of mobs were always changing as you moved through levels, and that is exactly what Bungie's gaming philosophy was meant to be. It was not supposed to be "Keep fighting the same fight in the same place. Oh you want a change...Ok now you turn left instead of right to get to a place where you protect you bot while it does something important."

Destiny fights were done so often that for many places I developed a routine to follow: Ok there's going to be two guys behind the pillars. Pick off as they look out. When done walk up turn right. Now some invisible guys will pop out. Use grenade. Backup and shoot in head til dead. Go forward and punch guy behind pillar on right....

Are you complaining about the overworld areas outside of the instanced "respawning restricted" areas? Of course you're going to run into the same enemies repawning in the same places. What you're saying shows a fundamental ignorance of open world MMO-style design.


Wow I can totally turn that right back around at you. How about this...

Oh, I can totally understand people not enjoying a grind. My question would be why would you play a game that borrows MMO aspects if you hate those things so much?
 
I recall you doing the same with Titanfall.

I never said I thought Titanfall sucked. Not once. I actually played with several GAF members on PC during the beta and bought it a couple of weeks after it came out. I said it was a COD-clone, and there was nothing wrong with that.
 
You call killing each other in multiplayer, and counting score and kills in unreal and quake, or doom not grind?

Edit:
Ok I see the problem, I misunderstood. It's still relevant however. You mean to say that mp killing without grind for items and such is better?

That's for damn sure.
 
That is exactly what Bungie has done. You go through the exact same areas with mobs in the exact same places over and over and over again. In Halo there was more of a progression. Even though you were doing the same thing the location and compesition of mobs were always changing as you moved through levels, and that is exactly what Bungie's gaming philosophy was meant to be.

And that is exactly what happens in Destiny too. You go from a range of beautiful different locales (Earth, the Moon, Venus etc), with variable encounter design ranging from open landscapes, canyons, caves, underground installations, factories or whatever else, engaging in different types of combat scenario's which are dictated by the types of enemies you're fighting. Eg, fast charging Hive (flood), more intelligent Fallen (Covenant), Wizards, Cabal, giant enemies and bosses (some that fire rockets or special powers, others that can boost, teleport etc), whether there are snipers or not, whether the enemies are cloaked or not, whether you're fighting one big eye'd electric ball boss, or several mini one's so on and so on. So whilst the mission structure is pretty uninspired, the actual combat scenario's aren't. You can play the same missions several times for example, and have completely different experiences with them each and every time, and change up your tactics, use of weapons etc with a good degree of variation.

Another difference that imo adds to the tension is how you can cycle through any weapon or gear on the fly, but only in real time. So in the middle of a tense encounter, having to do so often requires a moment where your friends cover you, or more consideration than you would in most shooters.
 
And yet, he is right. Comparing content game to game you can't possibly make an argument to me that Destiny has underwhelmed. The only people disappointed by it's length are those that are completely out of touch and expected a developer, who's almost entire back catalog is FPSs, to create a 200hr MMO. All while ignoring just how spread thin and devoid of compelling gameplay most MMOs are. They wanted a 200hr Halo loot fest for $60 and I think that is a ridiculous sentiment.

And, I shouldn't need to keep driving this home, it's not comparable at all to Titanfall. A multiplayer game who's campaign mode consists of radio drama during multiplayer maps.

Eh, most MMOs have a lot of content and a lot of social features. Sure, a lot of it is reskinned quests and repetitive but at least you can choose which repetitive thing you do.
 
Playing Destiny reminds me of Assassin's Creed, seems like all hype and a shallow product. Most disappointing is how clunky it is trying to team up with random people.
 
Played about ~15 hours so far. Destiny isn't a truly great game, but it is a truly fun game. And there's nothing wrong with that.
 
Bungie has a history of updating games and making small but meaningful fixes throughout a game's history. I have no doubt that they will continue that trend during Destiny's post-release state.
 
Nobody is saying this is a 10/10 game.

And everything you said counts the other way around as well, everyone trying to attack this game and trying to convince people that it's a 6/10 are silly.

It's all about personal opinions amirite?

I find it interesting that not loving it and sharing that opinion is considered an "attack" on Destiny to you.
 
So interesting as it seems this is another Titanfall. I was really excited about this game too (loved Halo 1-reach) and was considering the Destiny PS4 bundle. Glad I waited!

Hopefully they'll push things a bit more in later updates. Right now it is coming across as a sum of mediocre, albeit interesting, pieces without any true innovation to drive it.
 
You call killing each other in multiplayer, and counting score and kills in unreal and quake, or doom not grind?

Edit:
Ok I see the problem, I misunderstood. It's still relevant however. You mean to say that mp killing without grind for items and such is better?

I don't think you understand what grinding means. Its a repetitive (generally unfun) task you do to acquire something else.
 
This game has some really peculiar design failings.
Believe it or not, I'm fine with their post game structure. The gunplay is fine. The small explorable (super linear) maps are fine. The barebones loot/RPG system is acceptable.
I could live with ALL of these things and enjoy this game casually for quite a while despite the low end cap if they fixed one major thing:

Communication.

This is the kind of game where, ideally, you approach it Phantasy Star Online style and run around the hub city looking or people to party up with via chat. You find people. Socialize. Group up. Go hunting.

or.

You're solo grinding through the missions and you happen upon strangers. Help them. Communicate via proximity-based chat. Either Join their fire team (to talk to the full group in a party chat system no matter where they are, and share exp), or continue on your own questing and helping/chatting with randoms as you drift throughout the world.

I didn't buy this game for the PvP, although I'm glad that it's there should I want a change a pace. I bought Destiny because the MMO-lite mechanics with a Halo feel. That's what was hyped, and that's where this game drops the ball in a serious way.

The art, style, gunplay, enemy diversity, mood - all of that is fine. Unfortunately, I'm already bored at lvl 5 because the game experience feels so isolated and silent.

I just did a mission where many of us where in the cosmodrome of Old Russia. You're fighting waves of enemies and eventually the big spider-boss. NOBODY can talk. There were plenty of times we WISHED we could, like when I ventured off into some catacombs alone to face down an angry wizard. OR when we finished against a wave of guys, and some of are just staring at each other wondering what mission the person is on or if we felt like doing something else in the map. Why would I join this person's fire team? I don't know him. Why can't we just proximity chat to shoot the breeze, share tactics, or just say, "hey man, you feel like doing some Crucible?"

This isn't a Single player game. The story is barebones. The game pretty heavy-handed tonally, and neither the maps nor the way that missions are doled out are designed in a way that is deliberate for solo play. It's not building on the SP game with linear set pieces, COD-style either. It's an small MMO-designed game without the MMO mechanics of communication which is KILLING this game for me.

Fixing this major element changes the entire game.

With this in mind, you can enter the small hubs, play and explore casually in a connected space communicating with people even as a soloist. Bungie can add more boss encounters, change up the maps, change out the loot - basically treat it like the Adventure Mode of Diablo 3: Ultimate Evil Edition - and the game would be great with long legs.

As is, it's a mediocre SP game, a troubled MP game, and disappointing because there's so much that is great about it. It's a gorgeous game with Bungie's excellent shooter mechanics behind it.

This game doesn't need a Destiny 2 to fix the problems. It simply needs to fix some core aspects of it's MMO concept - mostly the joy of talking and exploring with new people - and Bungie would have a very different reception. Let Destiny 2 worry about the other stuff like improving this ridiculous story, making better loot and bosses, and expanding the game world.

As is, Destiny is so close that it's annoying.
 
I don't know why you linked to a post in which the developer is promising great post game support.

Um, no, that's not all he was promising.

urk said:
With Destiny, we're looking to exceed what we've done before, not just in terms of scale - the Moon is our smallest destination - but in terms of scope and breadth of activities. That's true for day one, as you expect, but it also means we want Destiny to have super long legs.

...

Beta was water wings. Level 8 is nothing. You barely scratched the surface, and it seems like some folks had fun with what was there.

This is just an example of reassurances that had been given, so it's natural that people had high expectations. Saying "well, you played the beta so you should have known" is really in poor form.
 
Because they played games to get better at the game. Not to get slightly better stuff.

How about playing the game to get better stuff AND get better at the game? Try it, it actually works. Eventually you will get the same stuff others have, and that makes the playing field equal. Than all you have left is skill. If you all we do is complain about the road until the "skill content" is unlocked, what does it say about us? Or about gaming? How is standing still at the year 2000 help any of us?
 
Eh, most MMOs have a lot of content and a lot of social features. Sure, a lot of it is reskinned quests and repetitive but at least you can choose which repetitive thing you do.

Most MMOs have to sacrifice in other areas to achieve that and they launch with subscription fees. Do you want a great playing fps MMO or one with shitty moment to moment gameplay but a plethora of activities. The latter already exists. Go play Defiance. Spoiler: It sucks.
 
Bungie has a history of updating games and making small but meaningful fixes throughout a game's history. I have no doubt that they will continue that trend during Destiny's post-release state.

Yeah same here. There are very simple things they could do to add to the game, as it stands right now.

The only real complaint I have right now is how hardcore they nerfed the Public Event occurance. During Alpha / Beta I would run into an event a few times an hour, atleast. Now? I've run patrol missions for 3 hours gametime and only had 1 event trigger for me. And I have spent a large portion of time within the same zone of Earth too.

I loved the public events, so seeing them basically not happening anymore is the first thing they need to fix. The lack of the events occuring puts a damper on my want to go into Explore / Patrol mode and run patrol missions or just have fun out in the expanse of the world. During Beta I knew doing that I would be thrust into epic battles without warning pretty regularly ( but not so much regularly that it became a type of grind )
 
Um, no, that's not all he was promising.

Originally Posted by urk

With Destiny, we're looking to exceed what we've done before, not just in terms of scale - the Moon is our smallest destination - but in terms of scope and breadth of activities. That's true for day one, as you expect, but it also means we want Destiny to have super long legs.

...

Beta was water wings. Level 8 is nothing. You barely scratched the surface, and it seems like some folks had fun with what was there.
This is just an example of reassurances that had been given, so it's natural that people had high expectations. Saying "well, you played the beta so you should have known" is really in poor form.

You can cherry pick all you want, but in the context of that post it is clearly about post game support and their plans to build on the base game.
 
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