Disclaimer before I begin: I'm only at level 12, and my time spent on multiplayer is limited to only two matches. DO NOT TAKE THIS AS AN OFFICIAL REVIEW! That will come after I've done the following: 1) finished the main campaign missions, 2) reached the main level cap and started on the end-game stuff, and 3) completed several of the different types of multiplayer matches. With that said, here goes.
The time I've spent with Destiny has been a rather enlightening experience for me. I went in expecting a fun open-world shooter with great online features. What I got instead was that, plus one of the most engaging and beautiful worlds I've ever seen in a game.
The worlds you explore are nothing short of beautiful. From the rust-covered old steel and machinery in Old Russia on Earth to the lush jungles of Venus (as scientifically inaccurate as that sounds for you science buffs), the world is a wonder to behold. Even on the PS3, the visuals impress, right down to the great animations of the inhabitants of this world, both malicious and benign. the atmosphere is one of dread, as the worlds you explore have been partially consumed by the darkness of your foes, but it also instills a sense of hope that maybe you can make things better, which is always welcome in such a dark atmosphere.
Exploring the many worlds of this game is a treat, as it's very open. Though the topside areas might not seem so big to most open-world players, it's the sheer number of tunnels and underground areas that really make it seem huge. The best way I can describe it is that its dense without being too big. You can collect various plants around the world to sell, as well as find chests containing loot, much like Borderlands. However, it's not as overwhelming as it is with the Borderlands series, and that's for the best. It doesn't prioritize looting over combat, and for an FPS, that's always a good thing.
The mechanics are well done. They're about as simplistic as they get for a first-person shooter, and yet I've never played a better FPS in my life. Everything feels great and moves fluidly. Your guns have a good amount of weight to them, as do the various special abilities you obtain. It avoids having the arcade-style of shooting that Call of Duty is known for, having more of the slower, more methodical movements of the Halo series, though here they're significantly better. With the numerous types of guns you can collect
Using these mechanics against your foes is also a challenge, as these are some of the most aggressive and intelligent enemies I've encountered in this genre. So far I've fought the Fallen, the Hive, and the Vex. The Fallen like to strategize a bit, and will do their best to flank you as well as overwhelm you with both numbers and bullets, and they love to dodge. The Hive have firepower and numbers on their side. They will not stop shooting at you, and will send their thralls at you at any moment, and can quickly overwhelm you at any level. The Vex are very robotic, and will decisively shoot at you with their numbers. The fact that they take more hits than usual as well as having a different weak spot than their heads make them a bit tougher to take out, but still engaging. These are enemies I've been looking for: intelligent enough to shoot at you when they see you, as well as avoiding your shots, while not being so unpredictable as to be broken.
As for unpredictable, the story has thrown me for a few loops already. It's slow to start, admittedly, and some of the dialogue is about as average and cliched as you can imagine. However, I get the feeling that all the cinematic stuff and the plot developments are meant to as a way to hype your guardian up and build him/her into the ultimate badass for the end-game. There's a lot of "show, don't tell" moments within the environments and the plot, and much more of doing when it comes to portraying your combat skills. It might seem to fall a bit flat on the "traditional" storytelling methods, but I'm slowly getting the feeling that this is a game where you can truly build your own story based on the context and world being presented. The campaign is for turning you into a badass, and the endgame, I suspect, is going to be you making a name for yourself by being the badass you've built yourself into.
And you can do that with fellow players as well, with it being heavy on its online co-op. Teaming up with two other guardians and completing missions and patrol mini-quests on the maps is nothing short of fun, no matter who you team up with. Especially with the strike missions, where you're tested in a gauntlet of tough enemies with two others, the game definitely wants to build up co-op as THE reason to play. Mind you, playing solo is engaging enough on its own, but the game really comes to life when you're interacting with other players.
And that interaction also comes into play with the Crucible: the competitive part of the multiplayer. Unlike Halo or Call of Duty, you're given free reign to use your powers and your massive arsenal within each match, with the small price of them being balanced so that they're all equal in power no matter what, which is the type of balance I like to see. It's 6v6 on maps that have a big vertical element to them, so teams can fire upon each other from anywhere, which makes teamwork essential to gaining the upper hand. I've only played Control, which is a zone capture/domination mode, but I'm sure the same will be done with the rest of the modes.
And those are my impressions of Destiny. If you've been playing it and would like to give your thoughts, feel free in the comments section. Like I said, this isn't a review, so don't treat it like one. As this is a big game, there are a lot of impressions to be made, hence the length.
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