The upcoming title from Bungie has everything I could ever ask for in a title; guns (glorious, glorious guns), alien worlds, character creation, co-op... But even with all of that, my hype was depleting rapidly with no real new information coming out. We witnessed what seemed like rehashed gameplay from the big E3 trailer last year, and honestly knew nothing else about the title. I knew, and loved, Bungie from previous titles, and also knew what to expect from their games when it came to story, lore, and overall detail to the universe that surrounded it.

Destiny was no different.

Although my hype was starting to decrease with time, I was ecstatic to get into the alpha build. Although it was rather limited (which is to be expected), it was an amazing taste of a greater story. Character creation was simplistic, with the ability to choose from the three different races, both male and female. Each race had roughly 12 different faces to choose from for each gender, another 10+ hair options, and then a colour palette for hair, skin, eyes, etc. I chose an Exo Male, which after some modification, looked like he had a large shrapnel covered crater on the side of his skull.

Awesome.

After making your digital personification, the next step is class. The three options Destiny offers are Titan (Tank), Hunter (Range/Stealth), and Warlock (Caster). I chose the Hunter, mostly for the sole purpose of being able to throw knives into my enemies skulls (which never got old). Now you are ready to jump into the game.

Greetings, guardian.

You are placed on Earth in Old Russia, where it looks like a desolate world. Large, antiquated buildings and machinery sprawl across the map as you begin to explore it. With my trusty rifle and speeder, I begin to race through the barren wasteland, only to stumble across a gang of Fallen. Combat is similar to Halo, very straightforward combat, but with a nice RPG touch. Each shot has a damage count, and critical shots, while dealing more damage, are highlighted in yellow text. It was surprising how overwhelmed you could become if surrounded my enemies, and at this point I was alone in my journey. This is when I realized the beauty of regenerating grenades. Each kill gives you experience and glimmer, which is the currency in the universe of Destiny. This is where you play through the demo from last year's E3.

Once you finish your quest, you are sent back to the Tower, which plays as the hub for the character. Shops, story missions, and bounties (which are side quests) can be found here. After stocking up on armor and firepower, I dropped back into the fight.

I spent nearly 6 hours that first night playing, exploring, fighting, and dancing (which after watching the gifs, it's kinda hard not to.) It was the most fun I had in a long time, and it was only a fragment of the game.

While I have to wait for the beta to drop in another month, I find myself acting like a kid again, planning and researching every inch of that game. I want more of it. I would say, although it was just an alpha build, it restored my faith in the title. I now know what it is like to be a guardian on the intergalactic frontier, and it is a place for me.

See you star side, Guardians.