With over two weeks passed since the launch of Destiny, and despite incredible sales, it’s fair to say that Bungie’s MMO/FPS hybrid has received a rather lukewarm reception. Though I’ve yet to hear of anyone who thinks that Destiny is a bad game, there are many that believe, even at this early point in its life-cycle (and despite the promise of tweaks and new content), that it’s failed to live up to expectations. The gaming media too have been vocal about their disappointment, bringing the average score to a very respectable, albeit not great, 77 percent on Metacritic.
In some ways Destiny became a victim of its own publicity and hype during the early reviews that cropped up online so quickly, when there was absolutely no way that critics had experienced everything it had to offer. But, if something is built up to be as genre-defining in shooter circles as the Half-Life series was back in the late 90s, then expectation was always going to be high. Enticing announcements were drip-fed to us by Bungie and we all sat there wide-eyed like sick patients with our hands cupped waiting for our next dose of gaming crack. Meanwhile, the growing Destiny community, dosed up to the eyeballs on Bungie hype pills, came out of the Alpha and Beta phase like ecstatic members of a new cult proclaiming its genius. In truth, we’re all a little to blame for building up the kind of expectation that is usually reserved for when Rockstar launches its next Grand Theft Auto game.
In our own Destiny review, Senior Editor Ernest Lin spoke more about his disappointment with the game than the strengths; a trend that I’ve also seen in other reviews that failed to score it as highly as anticipated. However, this negative attitude is also something that I heard in-game a lot from fellow clan members during launch week. Yet, many of the same people who have complained are still playing Destiny on a daily basis. So, how can a game that has some extremely mediocre reviews, and a community that has its fair share of criticisers, still keep coming back for more?
Continued overleaf…
@page
Well, it’s quite simple. Destiny really begins when you reach level 15, and truly starts at level 20. I’ve seen those who complained about some of Destiny’s failings become totally hooked from the moment they actually started to understand what it’s all about in the latter levels. There’s no question about it, Destiny is a brilliant shooter with solid FPS mechanics, and its flaws are beginning to evaporate in the minds of the criticisers who have stuck around to see it through. Those who have stuck by it are reaping the benefits of being part of a fire-team or a clan, carrying out immensely satisfying Strikes and Raids against high-level enemies in the mother of all shooter challenges, where teamwork and communication is key. Get to this point and Destiny is as addictive and fun as any shooter I’ve played.
.jpg)
If you do one thing in Destiny, join a clan and get a headset. Go out and find fellow gamers who you can hook up with. Join in their forums and chat with them and you’ll learn about things in Destiny that you would never have known otherwise. As a whole new world of team-based gameplay opens up, come back and tell me that Destiny is mediocre after you’ve beaten your first level 20 Strike with a fire-team by your side.
Yes, Bungie has certainly messed up in some areas: Destiny could be better. Without a fire-team it can be an isolating experience where grinding alone can numb your mind to the point of quitting, yet the lack of matchmaking and proximity chat makes it difficult to find people. But, it’s still a brilliant game. Venture out beyond the confines of The Tower and find a clan of like-minded games among the many forums out there. Do that and Destiny won’t let you down.