Game review: ‘Destiny’ - no less than you’d expect from Bungie

Destiny is a difficult one. When it was previewed at E3 earlier this year, there was a sense of excitement, and with a rumoured $500 million price tag attached, and the expertise of Halo creators Bungie behind it, you can understand why people were anticipating something great. But like many games with high expectations, the reality falls a little short. Destiny is not a bad game as such. In fact, it's pretty enjoyable for a while. But it's not a game that you'll get a handle on within a matter of hours. Like World of Warcraft, Destiny is something you need to put time and commitment into to get the full experience. That's what Bungie was going for: a shooter with MMO elements.

The back story revolves around a mysterious traveller, whose arrival changed everything: human lifespan tripled; Mars became covered in cities. It was the start of a golden age for Earth and humanity - until it was was brought to an end by an equally mysterious “darkness”. As a Guardian, you are tasked with fighting this darkness. You have an AI guide, the Peter Dinklage-voiced Ghost, which explains the plot points as you progress. But all you need to know is that enemies thrive in the dark, and you and your team will have to somehow stop them.

There are different classes of guardian on offer: the titan, hunter and warlock, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. The titan is an armoured engine of war that can destroy enemies with an arc of light, or defend with a shield. The hunter uses solar light to blast through obstacles. Warlocks have supernatural powers, manipulating energy as a weapon.

Initially, you’ll spend time getting distracted by the visuals. The graphics are detailed and the environments look amazing as you pick your way through the battered wasteland. But that’s no less than you’d expect from Bungie. The problem is that it all feels a bit flat after a while, like you’re doing the same thing repeatedly. And Bungie has been open about more on offer once the campaign is finished. The question is: will players stick it out?

[ destinythegame.com  ]