Destiny on PS3 – The DVDfever Review

So after working your way through the story missions Destiny does offer an end game. Like I have mentioned previously, raids are coming soon but you also already have the Strike Co-Op Missions, Bounty Missions and the Multiplayer PvP.

The Bounty Missions can be bought as soon as you reach the Tower hub, once you have gone through the tutorial type area at the very start of the game that fits you out with basic armour and weapons. These missions involve killing a set number of enemies without dying in a certain way, getting a large amount of XP, again without dying or killing enemies, to collect a certain number of items. In most cases, you can go to the patrol area on each of the planets to complete these bounties while doing missions of your choosing from the area. Once you have completed a bounty you will then head back to the tower and turn them in. The bounties refresh every 24 hours so there will always be something you can pick up and just head out to do. You will also occasionally get mail, and it is usually a bounty you are given for free instead of having to buy it from the vendor. With this, you take it to the vendor and it will be added to your task list. It will, however, occasionally give you something you already have and are working on so you will just have to remove it from your inventory.

Strike Missions are fun, and contain tougher missions where you can put together a 3-man squad yourself from your friends list, or there is match-making which puts you with 2 random other players that are also wanting to do the same mission. These missions are long and tough and there is one available after completing a few story missions on each of the planets. While doing these missions, you get bigger mobs of enemies, mini bosses and a final boss that takes some taking down as you still get mobs of enemies every so often, working together in your 3-man Fireteam, which has to gel as a small unit. You can redo these missions at a harder difficulty, but you don’t get the chunk of experience like you will from a first play through.

Multiplayer is done through The Crucible, with a selection of different maps. You have to unlock the various game modes through playing the game. You will get a bounty early on which will send you to The Crucible to play 5 games of Control. Literally, Control is your standard capture points on the map with 6 Vs 6 teams. It is fun but can be a bit chaotic at times and quite tough for new players even though it is balanced.

Next up, there is Clash, which once again is 6 Vs 6 but this time no objectives, just team deathmatch. You also have Rumble, which is classic deathmatch with 6 players; it is a free-for-all scenario.

Finally you have Skirmish, which is a 3 Vs 3 mode, but in this one you can actually revive fallen team mates to get extra points. Bungie have also done community-type events during the beta called Iron Banner where balancing is removed in the games so if you are a low-level player you may want to sit it out as everyone has their upgraded weapons and skills from the main campaign. They have also done a mode called Salvage during the beta which is a 3 Vs 3 mode where you have to collect relics and take them back to a mothership. While the relic is being collected by a player’s ghost you have to defend yourself from the other team. I honestly think this mode would be a good addition to the Multiplayer aspect of the game as a permanent fixture.

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Conclusion

I personally wouldn’t say Destiny is ground breaking when it comes to this genre; we have seen games like this so many times previously in earlier titles from other developers. It feels to me like they have decided to play it safe with game mechanics and overall Sci-Fi setting. With a new setting and world like this, I feel a lot more work should have been put into the story. Making its open world more akin to traditional MMOs would have also been a better option.

This doesn’t mean it is a bad game though; initially when all the various comparisons that were going through my head started to fade a little and I started to get into it, I can honestly say I have thoroughly enjoyed my time so far with Destiny. “It gets under your skin” is the best way to describe it, and has that effect on you that screams “just another hour”.

I am not going to knock Destiny just because it is the newest biggest thing that is happening currently. I have taken the world Bungie has created and immersed myself in it and it has been a blast. I believe the gripes I have – and it seems to come up often in the reviews, things like large open empty spaces – does need addressing and more content will always be welcome.

Pros:

• Great Atmosphere
  
• Beautiful Visuals
  
• Excellent Sound
  
• Solid Game Mechanics
  
• Decent End Game Content & Multiplayer

Cons:

• Poor Story-telling
  
• Having to use a PC to access the Grimoire / Cards
  
• Linear Gameplay

Destiny is available now on PS3, Xbox 360, Xbox One and PS4.

Also available is the Destiny Signature Series Strategy Guide from Bradygames.

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Important info:

• Publisher: Activision
• Players: 1-multiplayer

GRAPHICS SOUND GAMEPLAY POTENTIAL	8 9 7 9
OVERALL	8.5