Review - Destiny Franchise

One of the most unique space sci-fi/fantasy stories ever told.

I first started playing Destiny 2 back in 2017, upon its release. I had no idea what I was getting into at the time - I had played the free beta and enjoyed it, so I decided to get the game. But it wasn't long after I began playing the full game that I realized Destiny was far more than just a linear campaign experience with a multiplayer option... it was a fully fleshed out, wide open world with so many intricately designed features from gameplay systems to explorable planets and locations, and everything in between.

I shouldn't have been surprised to find the game was so much more than I was first expecting. It's developed by Bungie, after all, the makers of the popular series Halo. Destiny is in fact a first-person shooter rpg (role-playing game), where you are able to create your own character and play through the story as if you were actually in the game's universe.

The story was something that surprised me the most. There is so much more to it than meets the eye, so much lore and so many small details that all add to a picture so big, it would take some research just to find it all out. It's in fact normal to not know everything about Destiny's massive lore, which is revealed in numerous ways, from direct campaigns to collectibles to dialogue to unlockable lorebooks. It's constantly evolving too, meaning it feels like the real world in that it changes over time, there's new threats to face and new things to experience.

It's the core of the entire video game series, so for this review I've decided to package detailing the basics of the franchise along with the story itself so it's easier to follow and understand.

Part 1 - Introduction and Story

What's first and foremost the most important thing to know is that Destiny has a ten-year plan, or schedule. It was structured like this from the beginning, even before the game launched back in 2014. Therefore, the entire main storyline is one that takes place over 10 years. As of this writing in 2022, the franchise has just entered into its 8th Year. There has been some allusion to the fact that the series may continue in some form past Year 10, but for now, what we know is the 10 Year Plan, which has been branded in recent years by the developer as the Light and Dark Saga. The entire Light and Dark Saga is split between two games, Destiny (1) and Destiny 2. The first three years of the franchise occurred in the first Destiny, while the next five and remaining two will happen in Destiny 2. Each year, at around the same general time, a major expansion is added to the game that features a new piece of the main Light and Dark Saga. Ten years, ten expansions, ten parts to one all-encompassing storyline. The names of each of the ten parts is as follows:

Destiny

Destiny: The Taken King

Destiny: Rise of Iron

Destiny 2 (Also called The Red War)

Destiny 2: Forsaken

Destiny 2: Shadowkeep

Destiny 2: Beyond Light

Destiny 2: The Witch Queen (current expansion)

Destiny 2: Lightfall

Destiny 2: The Final Shape

The latest part of the saga, The Witch Queen, arrived recently on Feb. 22nd, 2022. Naturally, it's a good as time as any to be writing a review on the game.

Since the story is told in pieces, many things are kept a mystery for the future, and often times, every question answered only creates another mystery to be solved. For example, it wasn't until Year 6's Shadowkeep that the lore and history of some of Destiny's most basic story components and elements were explored, yet it raised more questions about them, some of which were answered in Beyond Light.

So, what exactly is the story of Destiny about? Ultimately, it's a fictional story of humanity in the far future. You, the player, are a Guardian, a formerly dead human being resurrected by a supernatural entity called the Traveler for the purpose of defending it and humanity from powerful threats that would otherwise wipe humanity out. The Traveler descended upon Earth at some point in history, becoming a boon to humanity, and as a Guardian, you wield the Traveler's cosmic power of the Light, and are accompanied by a Ghost, a tiny drone-like companion who can revive Guardians after they fall in combat. Thus, Guardians are some of the most powerful beings in the known universe, and most likely the most powerful that wield the Light.

Humanity has many foes indeed, from other alien species like the Cabal and Eliksni, to more wickedly sinister enemies like the robotic Vex or monstrous Hive. There have been several other various foes, such as the Taken, spectral beings under the control of a Taken King, or Riven, a space dragon known as an Ahamkara. Each enemy race has seen plenty of time in the spotlight over the years, featuring many villainous characters, but the main antagonist of the series is the Traveler's arch enemy, another supernatural cosmic entity that chooses to align itself with the force opposite of Light... the Darkness.

The name of the saga makes sense then. The 10 Year Plan is all just a series of events in the grand war between The Traveler and the entity that spearheads the Darkness. However, considering this all takes a decade, it leaves plenty of time to tell other stories that aren't necessarily a part of the main one, though they all ultimately connect to it in some way.

It's very well-thought out how the storytellers tell the story itself. It's anything but simple, with so many moving pieces and parts. It feels like one of the most complicated stories I've ever followed and experienced. This makes the fact that that just about everyone can understand the story without getting confused even more impressive. Older children and young teens can easily comprehend the themes and plots, and on the other side of the spectrum, older adults who aren't interested in researching every piece of lore are still able to appreciate the story's main points as well. And of course, for the lore enthusiasts, it's practically paradise. For myself, I'm constantly finding out something new, and often times the story grows in ways I wouldn't expect. Though Destiny may not be as highly regarded or well known by the majority of people compared to franchises like Marvel, the writers do an incredible job at telling such a vast story. It does have some other issues in my opinion, but I don't think there's any denying that the writing team at Bungie knows exactly how to organize and keep track of a huge, ever-growing storyline while still making it so casual fans can understand the basic core. That aspect of Destiny is unrivaled, as far as my experience with video games go. And overall, the storyline is very much enjoyable: there's a reason this series has survived 8 years so far.

Part 2 - Gameplay

But one could not be entirely fair and say that the whole reason Destiny is successful is because of its story, since it's not. A huge part of Destiny's success is due to its excellent gameplay. Again, it's designed similarly to the story in the sense that it's fairly easy for all different kinds of people to be able to pick up a controller (or mouse) and go, while also having a plethora of ability and weapon systems for those who don't mind spending hours perfecting their loadout and customizing every aspect of it. And I mean every aspect. There's statistics and setting for just about everything imaginable, from weapon perks to armor bonuses and class modifications. No Guardian is the same.

Destiny is what's known as a looter-shooter, meaning that lots of the various items, currencies, or weapons your character has are obtained by completing certain missions or quests, and this is much more complex than it seems. There's thousands of different weapons, armor pieces, and just as many ways to play the game. You can explore the worlds by yourself, or join with other players in tons of co-op and multiplayer activities, from simple, to things that require a large team and lots of skill to complete. Typically, the longer or more prestige the mission, the more valuable the rewards you obtain from it. Players range from casual to professionals who've earned quite a reputation in the community.

Mostly, Destiny is a game that makes you (your character) feel powerful, thanks to all of its cool and fun-to-use abilities. Rocket launchers, sniper rifles, shotguns, grenade launchers, LMGs, it has it all. And that's just the weapons: as a Guardian, you have access to, basically, superpowers. You can hurl a volatile bomb of explosive energy, supercharge your fists into electric doom, or become Jack Frost and freeze dozens of enemies before shattering them in a glorious ice-storm. That's just the surface of it. There are quite literally tens of thousands of ways to annihilate something (robotic seeker grenades that can climb walls like a spider are cool too).

Guardians are split into three selectable classes, Hunters, Titans, and Warlocks, each with their specific role and set of abilities that makes them unique. Well, mostly. They are exactly the same in that each one has a very satisfactory capability of unleashing mass destruction on the battlefield. Note: you can still die, of course. The game is not that easy.

Rather than lots of shooters which prefer the player to master the controls in order to succeed, Destiny is much easier to be good at. The measure of skill is not if you can kill enemies or not, rather, it's how effective you can be at killing them. There's plenty of ways to go from novice to pro, and become a master of your loadout. It's very rewarding to be able to destroy entire groups of foes with ease, though the downside is that sometimes, it can become a little stale after a while. Also, to keep its players playing the game, much of the most precious weapons or items are difficult to obtain, usually having some kind of randomized luck preventing you from obtaining everything quickly. It takes time and effort to build a powerful arsenal, and for some players, they feel it takes too long.

3 - Graphics, World Design, Music

One would be hard-pressed to find another game with explorable locations that are just as awe-inspiring or simply beautiful to look at as the ones in Destiny, or at least worlds that have as much detail. From planet Earth to the icy plains of Europa, the fantasy land of the Dreaming City and plenty more, each one is so well-designed. There have been many times where I've simply stopped moving my character just to enjoy the art that's in front of me. There is so much variety to all of it and something for everyone. You can enjoy the broad daylight on Earth, watch the sunset over the horizon of an icy moon, or plunge into the depths of a dark abyss where light is scarce. Colors are vivid and full, pleasing to the eyes at all times. As a Guardian, it's all your territory to freely roam and explore whilst combating the foes of humanity. To me, it's mind-blowing how big some of the locations are. It would take new players weeks, if not months, to see all that there is to see, and it never disappoints. It's always fun to come back to as well, venturing through the Dreaming City's crystal caves, water pools and gardens, and the extravagant temples mixed with light and dark never gets old.

The soundtracks are supportive of the entire game in every way. It plays a huge role in making one feel immersed in the world. Bungie spared nothing in making sure the music was top notch 100% of the time, with many tracks recorded by a real orchestra. Songs like Journey and Deep Stone Lullaby will be remembered long after the Destiny series itself is over. The sound is unique and memorable, and there's always the right song playing at the right time. Whether you're fighting a primordial evil in the depths of the darkest realm or simply exploring the bright, serene worlds in peace, there's a soundtrack for it, helping you to feel the desired effect of where your Guardian is and what you're doing at the given moment.

The Cons

The story was something that surprised me the most. There is so much more to it than meets the eye, so much lore and so many small details that all add to a picture so big, it would take some research just to find it all out. It's in fact normal to not know everything about Destiny's massive lore, which is revealed in numerous ways, from direct campaigns to collectibles to dialogue to unlockable lorebooks. It's constantly evolving too, meaning it feels like the real world in that it changes over time, there's new threats to face and new pieces of the story to experience.

Though I've spoken highly of the storyline of Destiny so far, there is one particular thing that grieves me about it, and it might come as a surprise... the characters. It's not the lack of faces, there's plenty of characters to go around, it's their archetypes. Virtually every single one of them can be divided into two distinct groups: the know-it-alls with cryptic and dramatic dialogue, and the more corny, wackier folk who all have a certain quirk or are just simply a bit stupid, by either being defeatists or just sort of ignorant. I do not mind characters with these traits, but when there are lots that fit the same mold, it can get on my nerves, especially when two of the same type of character are speaking to one another. Their dialogue feels like it ricochets off of one another. It's not much better when you put characters from both groups together. The conversations typically are a know-it-all saying something overly cryptic in a dramatic way to a defeatist, who responds with basically the equivalent to "Oh no! What has (insert enemy name) done? What shall we do?" Everyone also feels a little snarky in some way, like they are trying to be a tad smart with one another. Overall, there just isn't much vibrance with the characters. You don't really feel for them much. You just sort of take them as story elements without actually making a sincere connection with them. You yourself, as a Guardian, rarely speak at all, since it's a role-playing game. All the talking is done by your little drone, Ghost, who feels more like a Siri and your personal encyclopedia than a companion.

However, that problem didn't always exist. I can't speak for what the first three years of Destiny were like, since I started playing Destiny 2 in 2017, but before the series hit the halfway mark, it felt different than what it is today. Most of that was thanks to the character Cayde-6 (pictured below) who was one of the only characters who was very unique. Though he was sometimes goofy, it worked to help balance his charming personality. He was likeable, you could root for him, and though he could be a little dumb at times, he was still powerful in his own right as a legendary gunslinger. He was the dose of light-heartedness that could lift your spirits when times get tough for the characters in the Destiny universe, the "I've got your back" kind of best friend.

But, unfortunately, Cayde-6 met his demise in Destiny 2: Forsaken and was killed off. Opinions on his death vary, but for me, the game never quite felt the same again. It started a downward trend that continued for a while for me. Destiny has so many fantastic aspects, but none of it ever truly filled the void Cayde's death left behind. Nowadays, in Year 8 of the series, I'm kind of wishing Cayde and his lighthearted attitude was there to help us players fight off the doom-and-gloom enemies that threaten humanity.

Which brings me to the second notable thing I see as a con: Destiny's story can sometimes feel incredibly oversaturated with dark vibes. It used to be more balanced, for every grim moment, there was something or someone to pick you up and give a spark of hope, such as Cayde-6. Once he was gone, however, the storyline became noticeably darker and serious. Now, some of this is to obviously be expected for a series that's all about light and darkness, but it wasn't executed in the best way. Light vs. Dark became "It doesn't matter which you use, just how you use it." Once context was finally given on it thanks to the latest expansion, The Witch Queen, it improved, but for a long while, it felt like the morally grey aspect was overused and overdone, making the storyline seem washed down and there wasn't much to cling to at all.

Lastly, Destiny has had some issues with the way its loot system works and how you acquire weapons and gear. It's a pretty minor one, nothing too significant, but combined with the time period where the storyline was very dark and the sometimes stale characters, it was enough for me to temporarily quit and move on to something else more enjoyable. The loot system was tiring, playing the same activity over and over again while relying on raw luck to get the most coveted gear was very difficult and not worth the time and effort. Fortunately, this part of Destiny has seemed to improve over time.

Conclusion

Since its initial release over 8 years ago, Destiny was, and still is, a powerhouse title in the industry, and a leader in many ways. Few other franchises have been able to sustain this kind of long-term success. It's one of the largest story-driven titles out there, and while it does have a few big problems that shouldn't be overlooked, it can't be denied that it does just as many things exceptionally well, even better than some other games out there. For these reasons, I rate the Destiny franchise a 7.7 out of 10.