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[-tetsuo-]

Hah, I played a crazy amount o Diablo III and wasn't even close to doing Torment 6 Rifts.

Destiny is just a bad loot game. Too easy to get to the end game and the end game is... nothing.

Exactly. I will continue to go back to Diablo 3 for years until I have run through everything in Torment 6. There is an end goal to the grind and loot search. In Destiny, if I beat the raid they release on Tuesday..... why would I grind more horde mode ghost hacking? To get better gear? This gear serves what purpose? For me to beat the raid I have already beaten? Hell no. That isn't even taking int oaccount that D3 has actual boss fights and about 10x more enemy types to fight. And those enemy types get augmented in the higher difficulties with special properties that change how you have to fight them.

 

[RandyBobandy]

Figured it would hover around 80, but it might not even keep 75

 

[FrankT]

Reportedly the most expensive game ever made by far, so yes, this potentially can hurt the long-term sales is game needs.

Oh no doubt will it have some long term impacts. One has to wonder on the used turn in and long term sales for this game.

 

[DirtyLarry]

A lot of the complaints about the game (and I cannot make much of a comment about any of them myself, as I am a lowly Level 4 who has barely had any time to play) seem to revolve around lack of content and variety of said content.
To me, this seems like it could very much be intentional in order to cash in on DLC and expansions and whatever else they are going to call it down the road.
So basically it sounds as if the whole game was not shipped as it very well could have been.
So I am personally glad to see it not receiving glowing reviews, as this is a practice that needs to stop ASAP.
Or perhaps they just bit off more then they could chew. That is also a very huge possibility.

 

[mrqs]

Really disappointed with Bungie. The game has to pass trough MASSIVE changes to be "good", but i was expecting something exceptional. They fucked it up.

At least we have 343 doing an awesome work, really hyped for Halo 5 and Halo: MC

 

[TheQuickening]

Then you should be dissapointed that Destiny fails to live up to standards that were set 13 years ago. In loot, progression, communication features, encouragement to explore, class variety, boss fights, matchmaking, etc.

Destiny should compare its final boss fight to Dark Falz and kill itself.

Damn!

 

[nib95]

Wait, nibs, you keep comparing the game to titanfall in this thread but you haven't played any of the crucible looking on bungie. The hell.

I've barely played much of my own account (only level 11). My house is undergoing construction work right now, with a new games room, family room etc being built, so it's noisy as hell and much of my gaming time is spent at my cousins instead.

 

[foxtrot3d]

FUCK, why did I give into the hype again? Oh well, Amazon says the game has shipped so I guess I'll have to judge for myself it was worth it. Damn, how am I such a slave to marketing? Well, I guess the real truth is that this summer has been DRY AS HELL and I needed to play something.

 

[Deku Tree]

I wonder if Bungie had any contractual bonus payments that were tied to metacritic rankings?

 

[ArkkAngel007]

Will be very interesting to see what, if anything, is corrected in the upcoming DLC. Will we see more variety? Better writing or handling of story elements? Bosses that aren't just sponges with waves of adds? More interesting end-game content?

Seems like it'll be a catch-22. Either the expansions add variety and soul the core game is lacking, and only makes the core game seem rushed or hollowed out to sell later, or else the DLC will just be more of the same formula, already being knocked for its repetition.

It's probably too close to expect anything from the first expansion/DLC, but maybe the second one there's a chance.

 

[Corronchilejano]

You shipped a game.

My thought exactly though.

 

[Mr Feliciano]

What Destiny needs:

1. Player-based economy. Trading and Auction Houses.

2. Better socialization options. Headset chat is not good enough. I realize there are console limitations without the keyboard present, but text-chatting is much preferred for many, many people. Lots of people just don't like headsets at all. Promote USB keyboard support. Heck, add some sort of texting/Instant Messaging through the Destiny smartphone app that ties into where YOU currently are in the game and people around you in that game. Public events would be so much more fun if everyone there could actually communicate with each other.

3. Larger population caps in every single zone. 12-player caps is way too small. Most of the time, there aren't even 12 people there to begin with.

4. WAY more planets and WAY less retreading.

5. Add space combat with our ships. Yea, I know they are supposed to be just Eye Candy for the Loading Screens, but you know what? CHANGE IT. Add space combat. This game DESPERATELY needs a second dimension to the gameplay and that would have been a great compliment.



for starters...

Bungie dropped the ball, IMO. I hate to say that because I wanted this game to really rock. But it lacks in many crucial areas.

Unfortunately, many people support this product and Bungie will be hard-pressed to make any changes from this formula now.

So much potential. So little delivery.

 

[JetBlackPanda]

I wonder if Bungie had any contractual bonus payments that were tied to metacritic rankings?

the leaked contract did. that was old though.

 

[Alexanders Ghost]

Umm...guys can't we demand to get a refund on the immediate dlc? Activision must be pretty worried given the scores and the terrible reception. Not only do we deserve more and better content, but Activision will probably bend over backwards to quell the rage,

What they're asking through the expansion packs is the equivalent of Bethesda asking us to pay for new quests after 20 hours of gameplay. Sickening.

 

[Euron]

I am eating so much crow right now regarding this game. It definitely isn't the biggest disappointment this year (Watch Dogs ) but it's still not what I hoped it would be.

Don't get me wrong it's a very fun game, especially in co-op but it's just overall soulless. And I really feel like I experienced most of the game in the beta.

 

[antitrop]

What's odd is that I thought Titanfall was just as disappointing, yet reviewers gushed all over that game. And that game had NO PvE or End-Game other than the same rotation of PvP matches.

This doesn't make sense, considering Titanfall is 100% a competitive shooter and never claimed to be anything more.

Games are reviewed for what they are. Destiny postures at being more and falls flat, and the reviews reflect that. Titanfall is more laser-focused and executes on its (admittedly modest) concept much better.

Respawn was aiming for Titanfall to be a first-base hit, and that's where they ended up.

With Destiny, Bungie was swinging for the fences and the bat flew out of their hand.

 

[DataStream]

If Bungie would have just been willing to admit that it is an MMO, then some reviews and criticism would wait until the content and events were live. I am sure there would be lost sales but let's be frank, they've made it clear playing the majority of this game solo and ignoring cooperative moments is severely detrimental to the experience.

It would also frame the repetitive nature of the game in an appropriate genre. Not that it excuses how vanilla much of the mission design is thus far in my experience.

 

[OccamsLightsaber]

Maybe they should have released it when it was actually ready then instead of a half baked product? They really are delusional if they think a small addition of a mode will change everything. They are straight out saying, "Hey, we know the game is a disappointment as it is, but wait for the raid mode!!!"

Hmmmm I wonder how many people are already @lvl 26 to even do the raid.....[hmmmm'ing intensifies]

 

[Cyborg]

Lack of early reviews made a lot of you guys buy it blind. That was their plan from the beginning.
For me its now a definitely a no-buy

 

[Leafhopper]

Then you should be dissapointed that Destiny fails to live up to standards that were set 13 years ago. In loot, progression, communication features, encouragement to explore, class variety, boss fights, matchmaking, etc.

Destiny should compare its final boss fight to Dark Falz and kill itself.

/dead

 

[eshwaaz]

A lot of the complaints about the game (and I cannot make much of a comment about any of them myself, as I am a lowly Level 4 who has barely had any time to play) seem to revolve around lack of content and variety of said content.
To me, this seems like it could very much be intentional in order to cash in on DLC and expansions and whatever else they are going to call it down the road.
So basically it sounds as if the whole game was not shipped as it very well could have been.
So I am personally glad to see it not receiving glowing reviews, as this is a practice that needs to stop ASAP.
Or perhaps they just bit off more then they could chew. That is also a very huge possibility.

For me it's not just the amount of content, it's the quality. Unless their new content completely changes how they handle mission and encounter design, it won't make any difference to me.

 

[Interfectum]

It's a shame you are charging $60 for and boasting about making $500 million on a product you don't think can stand up to professional critique.

 

[Orayn]

$500 million already sold for a 70s game. Amazing marketing plan. Textbook even.

Game deserved to bomb?

 

[GSG Flash]

I wonder if Bungie had any contractual bonus payments that were tied to metacritic rankings?

EA does for its games, don't know about Activision but I wouldn't be surprised if they do as well.

 

[IAmRandom31]

Destiny is not a good shooter now?

Destiny is a great shooter. I generally hate shooters, but this one is fantastic. Best shooter gameplay mechanics I've yet come across.

If you have issues with the story or lack of " content " or whatever, have issues with that. The gameplay itself though, the core mechanics of the game, are solid.

I dunno. I'm enjoying the hell out of the game. Must be weird or something! lol

 

[Alienous]

I wonder if Bungie had any contractual bonus payments that were tied to metacritic rankings?

the leaked contract did. that was old though.

It does, however, show that Activision care about the Destiny series being received positively by critics.

It might not be relevant now, but it was $2.5m in cumulative bonuses if it got above 90 on Metacritic.

 

[Irnbru]

Then you should be dissapointed that Destiny fails to live up to standards that were set 13 years ago. In loot, progression, communication features, encouragement to explore, class variety, boss fights, matchmaking, etc.

Destiny should compare its final boss fight to Dark Falz and kill itself.

But we haven't done it's final boss fight yet? Raids not even out till Tuesday.

 

[Kinyou]

$500 million already sold for a 70s game. Amazing marketing plan. Textbook even.

Though Bungie can't be too happy. I bet Activision tied some bonuses to a metacritic score.

edit: beaten.

 

[EVOL 100%]

Reportedly the most expensive game ever made by far, so yes, this potentially can hurt the long-term sales is game needs.

It's still going to, and already has, sold incredibly well. Depending on what they do with post support, and even in spite of that, there's going to be an increased level of scrutiny the next go around with Destiny 2 or a major expansion.

Hmm. So it's the most expensive game ever (jesus christ), still sold like hotcakes but is having average reviews then? Seems like a clusterfuck. No way to really predict how this will turn out

Bungie's going to be freaking out for sure, though

 

[Zornack]

For me it's not just the amount of content, it's the quality. Unless their new content completely changes how they handle mission and encounter design, it won't make any difference to me.

Yeah, it doesn't matter how many story missions, strikes and patrol missions there are if the majority of them are bland and boring.

 

[FrankT]

Though Bungie can't be too happy. I bet Activision tied some bonuses to a metacritic score.

I'd be more concerned with the long term outlook of the IP.

 

[Acorn]

If Bungie would have just been willing to admit that it is an MMO, then some reviews and criticism would wait until the content and events were live. I am sure there would be lost sales but let's be frank, they've made it clear playing the majority of this game solo and ignoring cooperative moments is severely detrimental to the experience.

It would also frame the repetitive nature of the game in an appropriate genre. Not that it excuses how vanilla much of the mission design is thus far in my experience.

It's not an mmo.

Not even close, play dcuo then destiny.

 

[PepperedHam]

It's a video game. Some people like it, some people don't. Keep on rollin' baby.

 

[zewone]

Then you should be dissapointed that Destiny fails to live up to standards that were set 13 years ago. In loot, progression, communication features, encouragement to explore, class variety, boss fights, matchmaking, etc.

Destiny should compare its final boss fight to Dark Falz and kill itself.

You're right, Destiny is not as good as PSO.

I'm not defending that. I think it's a shallow loot game, with great gunplay. I just don't think knocking a loot game for being a loot game is fair, even if it's a bad loot game.

I really want to know why this game took so long to make, because the content and variety is lacking.


I enjoy PVP a lot though, more than say Titanfall.

 

[gulfamashraf]

Its Gran Turismo 5 all over. I played that piece of shit on and on, Even believed damage model opened up at level 30, lol. Bag of shit.

I agree with you on this.

 

[Warm Machine]

The whole game is infuriating to me. Here is a slightly coherent ramble of my thoughts as I trudge through Destiny.

If you take Halo which is a fair take seeing as though it is by the same developers the combat is far more interesting. It is one that mixes ammo limited weapons, weapon pickups, grenade pickups, item pickups, turret control, player abilities, and multi vehicular combat often all in the same scenario.

Limiting grenades and abilities to timers effectively nerfs out map control. If you run out of grenades in Halo you have to move to go find some, which usually means enemy engagement by way of coming out of hiding. Here you just sit and wait for a bar to fill. And lord do the bars ever take a long time to fill. The base combat is executed beautifully here but the combat options in any given situation in the story are really paired down in comparison.

In terms of environment, take a game like Skyrim or Far Cry where the world is littered with NPCs, back story opportunities, items, things to hunt and craft, and a general motivation to explore. They also keep a reasonable persistent world so as to not force you to redo things you have already done.

I understand that multiplayer or mmo style design undoes a ton of the work in a persistent world. You cannot guarantee that the person 10 feet from you isn't going to simply grab the loot or interact with the NPC on top of the mountain that you are about to, effectively taking what is supposed to be yours and cutting off that avenue for success. Or what is worse, creating queues for everything in the world as there is one for everyone. But there in lies the clash with the open world game design and the online component. They "fixed" the problem by simply not putting anything in the world someone can get to before you.

Far Cry 3, as an example, does a great job of putting you in a mission yet keeping the world around you just as alive as if you were not in a mission. Also upon completing a mission typically you don't reset to a whole other location (space) they just retain you in the world where the mission ended. They also landmark areas really well and present diverse terrain within proximity to wherever you currently are so as to keep you interested. There is a sense of accomplishment when it comes to clearing out and liberating parts of the world. Destiny keeps forcing you out of the world and then resetting it. I get it, they didn't design an environment loop that brings you back to the surface.

The missions structure is bullshit as well. Why would I ever want to go back and redo a narrative based mission? Especially when they come off as interchangeable as they do in this game.

They should open the world up and at least allow me to liberate things like starship landing platforms or something so I can land or fast travel where in the world I want to. And that is another thing. There is no sense of home in this game. It should be your starship but where the hell is it? Normally you just spawn boots on the ground and the thing is gone. It would be one thing if the ship returned to orbit and to evac the planet you would have to call it in for a pickup which would be a tense timer situation.

It also doesn't help that so much of the world is completely static. You can't really blow things up or knock things over. It is almost like everything is made from concrete. Even Halo 3 /ODST had the sense to make the vehicles dynamic so they could shake and shudder (or be knocked out of the way by hunters) The world isn't even fun to interact with.

Torchlight has the sense to make the progression feel very gamey but rewarding. Each level was a new as yet unexplored layout with its own unique flavour. There is a real sense of progression. What is behind you can be forgotten and you are focused entirely on the mystery that is infront of you. In Destiny, the third time I was asked to go to the gate on the moon or whatever it is called I rolled my eyes.

I assume what happens in Destiny when you enter a dark no respawn area as a mission and you are just ad hoc walking with someone in the world is that you disappear from them and they from you. Scissoring out the whole dynamic mmo design goal anyway. Really, the game would be straight up better and easier for them to have designed if there wasn't any dynamic mmo facet to it at all in single player or be limited to specific areas in the world or game types.

Also the illusion of the story is broken when you are meant to be the most important guardian but can obviously see others walking around on the exact same narrative vector.

This linear level progression thing is broken design as well. What is the point of a Level 1 mission compared to a level 10 mission? The enemies are as "easy" to kill at level 10 as they are 1 by way of the game's linear difficulty ramp and the way items are dolled out. Just kick levels to the curb and simply improve your character by what they are able to do and items they are able to use. FPS gives you way more tactical gameplay freedom than a top down dungeon crawler. Trying to shove 2d gameplay into a very free 3d world isn't the same. You can't flank or get the drop on someone in 2d. You can in an FPS but when the 2D RPG damage rules apply it destroys much of the point of being a FPS in the first place.

The COD, Halo 4, Titanfall, ranking and leveling system works even though people may not like it. Because at least a bullet remains a bullet and a gun remains a gun. Shooting a guy in the face no matter how low or high a level you are has the same result.

To me the game is outrageously disappointing. If it sounds like I'd be happier if Destiny was Far Cry 3 meets Halo in space with a light online component you are right. That would be 100% better than what this is and it probably would have been cheaper for Bungie to make.

 

[HTupolev]

Maybe they should have released it when it was actually ready then instead of a half baked product?

The Raid wasn't delayed because it wasn't finished. It was delayed because they wanted the initial batch of hardcore raiders to not have a head start on each other. They could have released the game a month from now, and the Raid would still have launched a week after the game.

(Whether this is good design or not is of course another question, and I certainly don't blame reviewer for reviewing what they have to play.)

 

[TheSadRanger]

Hey, can i tell you guys a story?

Level 21 Titan here, please read. I'm Brazilian so sorry for any spelling mistake.

I've just spend my last 3 full days playing Destiny. Today i've played about 9 hours of Vanguard Strikes Playlist , Moon missions (with a friend) and stuff like that.

I'm just looting for itens as of now. There's nothing more to be made. My focus on the game right was just: Get better gear. This gear would help me with high-level strikes and... Just that (PvP stuff is balanced).

So, after hours and hours and hours of gameplay, looting and strike missions, i've dropped an LEGENDARY item.

I must remember you guys that this game is fun, but does not makes you feel awesome for looting or exploring, as i said in this post. The game DOES NOT recompensate you for being awesome on MOST of it. The way that they found to recompensate you is with: Legendary Itens.

Maybe you could buy some Vanguard gear from the few NPCs on the Tower, but as Neogaf said, you would have to do at least ~500 Strikes to get an Vanguard set. Why would you use this set? To be better at Strikes. And the loop is right there.

Back to my story: After spent many many many (so many) hours on Destiny, i found an LEGENDARY item. Wich item is that? An Hunter's arm. Hunter. After so much time, the game gives me and Hunter's Legendary item. Why?

Why would the game give me a Hunter's Legendary Item? Why? I can't trade it, sell it or anything as of now. It felt like a slap in my face. I though: "is that why i've played dozens hours of this game?". To get an item that's not of my class?

I'm sorry, but i can't do this anymore. I don't see the point on the loop factor: Strike -> Gear -> Be better at Strikes -> Gear -> Loop. I'm just outrageous.

Well, i might have lost the point here. I was just nervous. Coudn't take that level of shit on my face. Recompensate my dozens of hours with an item that's not for my class? Fuck it, it's enough for me.

Cheers.

Sorry to quote this long ass post but did the legendary give any cool buffs or passive abilities? How do the legendaries in this game stack up against other loot games like D3 or BL2?

 

[Alienous]

It's a video game. Some people like it, some people don't. Keep on rollin' baby.

I hope you say this for all of your posts on GAF, lol.

It's a video game discussion forum.

 

[Soren_lost]

I much rather play Titanfall's PvP than Destiny, but you'd think that be a given considering PvP is its entire modus operandi. Destiny's PvP is like that tacked on multiplayer you get in Tomb Raider 2013 or Mace Griffin Bounty Hunter.

This hurts so much. I respect your opinion, but I couldn't disagree more. To me the PvP has been the most rewarding and strategically engaging part of the game. My friends and I have been having a blast planning and building the right synergy around our abilities and talents to work together in the different crucible modes.

 

[eot]

After reading some of the reviews, maybe they delayed the review copies on purpose?

"maybe"

Of course they did.
With how many mock reviews big publishers hire people to do the reception can't be a complete surprise.

 

[Sola Scriptura]

Sitting currently at Metacritic 75 without the heavyhitters like Eurogamer and Edge weighing in yet?

This isn't going to be pretty.

 

[maabus1999]

If Bungie would have just been willing to admit that it is an MMO, then some reviews and criticism would wait until the content and events were live. I am sure there would be lost sales but let's be frank, they've made it clear playing the majority of this game solo and ignoring cooperative moments is severely detrimental to the experience.

It would also frame the repetitive nature of the game in an appropriate genre. Not that it excuses how vanilla much of the mission design is thus far in my experience.

It is missing a lot of MMO features don't you think? PS2 has more.

 

[udiie]

Proof?

And going through something once in this kind of game is just...

Proof? What you mean people complaining for more content doesn't give you that sentiment already? Going through the same boring repetitive areas against the same boring bulletsponge bosses is expected?

 

[TheCanisDirus]

Is this your first time playing a loot game?

Lol. My point, if so poorly made, is that it shouldn't HAVE to be that way! Why must a loot filled, action RPG or FPS be modeled in these antiquated standards? Grinding doesn't have to be "grinding" if there is new content, experiences, areas of exploration, new enemies and/or random enemy placement, movement, behavior etc.

I can go through the first 8 hours of Destiny in my head, with multiple difficulties. Not cool.

 

[Indiedevs]

"maybe"

Of course they did.
With how many mock reviews big publishers hire people to do the reception can't be a complete surprise.

Same as EA and The Sims 4. Definitely a bad sign.

 

[RSB]

The negativity surrounding Destiny doesn't surprise me, TBH. I'm having fun with the game, but it is obviously lacking in many key aspects. And this is Bungie we are talking about, a certain level of quality is expected from them, and that's why some of us are being so "harsh" on the game.

-The level design is awful. Considering the Halo games have some of the best levels in the genre (Silent Cartographer, AotCR, Two Betrayals, Delta Halo, Tsavo Highway, The Storm, The Ark, The Covenant...) this is very dissapointing.

-The story is laughable. Even at its worst, the Halo games had at least a decent story.

-The gameplay is fun, but a bit too simplistic. Again, the comparison with Halo is inevitable, and all the Halo games had more depth than Destiny.

-The enemy AI is ok, but the bullet sponge nature of many enemies makes most encounters less fun than they should be.

-The feature set is severely lacking. No split-screen, no custom games, no theater mode, no firefight equivalent... Very dissapointing.

-The PvP is trash. Obviously, Bungie doesn't care about balanced, well designed competitive multiplayer anymore. Hard to believe this is coming from the same creators of Halo CE and Halo 2. Sad...

-There are some other issues that are also hard to understand, like the grimoires and the clans not being accesible in-game. Hopefully that will be fixed in an update.

That said, ther is a lot of potential here, and hopefully Destiny will be similar to Assassins Creed, and the sequel will be 10x better than the original.

 

[KratosEnergyDrink]

It's a video game. Some people like it, some people don't. Keep on rollin' baby.

Its more than that. It is the most expensive, most advertised and probably most hyped game in history.

 

[Leafhopper]

Destiny is not a good shooter now?

Destiny is a great shooter. I generally hate shooters, but this one is fantastic. Best shooter gameplay mechanics I've yet come across.

If you have issues with the story or lack of " content " or whatever, have issues with that. The gameplay itself though, the core mechanics of the game, are solid.

I dunno. I'm enjoying the hell out of the game. Must be weird or something! lol

Nah its fine to like the game and even like the shooting itself.

The main complaints really are its lack of content, since Bungie keeps trying to push it as a MMO without calling it one.

 

[-tetsuo-]

A lot of the complaints about the game (and I cannot make much of a comment about any of them myself, as I am a lowly Level 4 who has barely had any time to play) seem to revolve around lack of content and variety of said content.
To me, this seems like it could very much be intentional in order to cash in on DLC and expansions and whatever else they are going to call it down the road.
So basically it sounds as if the whole game was not shipped as it very well could have been.
So I am personally glad to see it not receiving glowing reviews, as this is a practice that needs to stop ASAP.
Or perhaps they just bit off more then they could chew. That is also a very huge possibility.

I don't even mind the amount of content. Looking at the game, the campaign is probably just as long if not longer than a Halo game. It is just that this one has 1 less player, the encounter design is FAR inferior and the enemies pale in comparison to the Covenant.

This and.... these guys couldn't get theater mode in here? I would up my score like a full point if that were in the game. It has been like a decline for this studio. I liked Reach quite a bit but Bungie came super correct with Halo 3. What happened to these guys?