Destiny 2, video game, box art, warriors, fighters, trio, guns, planet, moon
Opinions

I don’t like Destiny 2 (and that’s ok)

Destiny 2 was released back in September and, as you may have seen from my tweets over the past couple of months, I’ve lost several friends and family members to it. My other-half and Ben have been meeting up online at least once a week to play it together, which means I have to relinquish control of the PlayStation 4 and give up valuable The Elder Scrolls Online time.

They’re not alone: Activision hasn’t yet revealed how many copies of the game have been sold but it’s fairly obvious to say it was ‘a lot’. Over 50,000 units of the PS version were shifted within the first week alone in Japan and it took the number one spot in the UK sales chart. Although it has been criticised by some gamers as being ‘more like Destiny 1.5 than a sequel’, critics have been positive and the title holds a score of 85 on the Metacritic website.

Alastair Stevenson from TrustedReviews called it a ‘must-by’ because of its stellar single-player campaign, excellent combat and class mechanics, and enjoyable cooperative multiplayer. Kallie Plagge from GameSpot claims it has ‘a much stronger foundation’ and is a ‘significant improvement over the original’. And Alex Hern from The Guardian said ‘shooting aliens in the head feels good in this game, and when you start receiving exotic weapons in the latter half, it feels even better.’

Ben and my other-half echo their sentiments. When I asked them to explain why Destiny 2 is so awesome, they said: “It makes you feel like you’re progressing whether you’ve played for 30 minutes or three hours. The shooting is top-notch – guns feel ‘right’, there’s a good level of variety in them and the impact on enemies is spot-on. And it’s great with mates.”

But me? I just don’t get it.

The boys bought the game as soon as it had been released and after hearing them rave about it for over a week, Pete decided he’d teach me how to play. I’m not great at first-person shooters (FPS) and was worried the experience would potentially end in tears; however, he was so excited about the possibility of bringing me into this world that I couldn’t say no. It was therefore with some trepidation that I picked up the controller one evening but it wasn’t as bad as I’d feared.

Saying that though, I put it straight back down again an hour later. I couldn’t understand what they found so entertaining about Destiny 2: to me the action felt repetitive and the story didn’t come across as anything particularly special. The most fun I had during those 60 minutes was creating my character (she had extremely cool hair), although it seemed strange that she was completely silent.

I’ve written before that I don’t really enjoy FPS titles or multiplayers because of their potential to inspire extreme competitiveness, and there are some players who take winning incredibly seriously. Adult responsibilities mean I don’t have enough time to improve my skills to an adequate level to be able to compete; and I don’t want to spend the little free hours I do have being slated by my teammates for not being good enough.

This wasn’t the reason for me not enjoying Destiny 2 though because I didn’t experience anything like that – I just simply didn’t like it. I guess in some people’s minds that would make me one of those ‘filthy casuals’. You know, those horrible people who call themselves gamers but aren’t interested in the latest hardcore release or queuing up for it outside a GAME store in the rain at midnight.

Would I refer to myself using that term? No: I play a range of video games as often as my schedule allows; I write about my gaming experiences on a blog; and I’ve attended six expos so far this year, even volunteering at a couple of them. Would I refer to anybody using such a term? No: we’re all purely ‘gamers’ regardless of whether we choose to play the newest shooter, a retro point-and-click or a quick mobile game on our daily commute.

Sticking a tag on someone suggests they’re somehow in the wrong for playing the games they like or in the way they do. That’s totally ridiculous: there are so many wonderful things going on in the world of gaming today and there are new experiences to suit everyone. Wouldn’t it be silly for us to not take advantage of that?

Destiny 2, video game, ship, space, fight. Ikora Rey

As I’ve said before, a title receiving high-ratings from critics doesn’t necessarily mean that everyone should buy it, will enjoy it, or will see it through to the end. As long as we’re open to new experiences and give them a decent chance when they come along, there shouldn’t be any guilt felt at putting them down in something else more fulfilling of our spare time.

So there, I’ve said it: I don’t like Destiny 2. And you know what? That’s absolutely fine.

43 thoughts on “I don’t like Destiny 2 (and that’s ok)”

  1. Having now played 150 or so hours of D2, I believe that the positive feedback for its campaign is heavily influenced by how disjointed it all was in D1. The character progression in the early and mid game felt great to me, but the amount of work it is taking to keep endgame clans engaged makes it easier for some to take a ‘hardcore’ role and view others as inferior ‘casuals’.

    Maybe it’s a blessing that you aren’t hooked and are free to use that time in other fun or useful ways…

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    1. I must admit that I haven’t played the original, although I’ve read the arguments for why Destiny 2 is better. It seems to be keeping Ben and my other-half occupied anyway!

      Personally, it’s not my cup of tea and I’d much rather stick with TESO. It just means there’s a constant battle over whether it’s that or D2 which is going on the PS4 this evening. 😉

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  2. Destiny completely splits opinion, it’s the Marmite of FPS games and I can completely understand why.
    I’ve been very critical of Destiny 2, and Destiny 1 even more so, but I still find the gameplay very fun. For me the best parts about Destiny are playing with friends, just casually grinding a few activities a week with my mates is a blast.
    In a way I feel like both Destiny and Destiny 2 don’t really get in to themselves properly until you hit the level 20 cap and start to see better loot.

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    1. This is very similar to what Ben and Pete keep telling me: that playing with friends is what makes Destiny 2 so enjoyable. They keep hoping to recruit me but unfortunately it’s just not going to happen. 😉

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    1. Not going to lie: FPS is never going to be my favourite genre. I just find the action a bit too repetitive (although this is exactly what my other-half says to me when I play TESO) – each to their own, I guess!

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      1. I agree that there are FPS games out there that are repetitive. The likes of CS:GO are some which I have never liked. But there are some which I do play frequently. Those are the ones with great storyline such as Dying Light. Or y’know, I’m just a huge fan of FPS games.

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            1. I’ll answer that question using a quote from one of Ben’s very-old-posts: “That’s the secret to Dying Light which, despite its faults, has given me adrenaline rushes the like of which I haven’t had since the sound of a chainsaw in Resident Evil 4.”

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                1. Horror is another genre I’m terrible at playing myself – I’m just too much of a wimp – but I really enjoy watching someone else play. My other-half worked through RE7 not so long ago and that was great, the family are just so creepy.

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                  1. Yep, I’m not a fan of horror games except Resident Evil 4. Played through Sophie’s Curse and ended up ripping the ‘A’ key right off my keyboard. And that’s why I don’t play horror games anymore. Suffice to say, my keyboard looks horribly broken now.

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  5. I’m a huge fan of D1 and D2 and have been playing both since their respective betas. I definitely feel like you hit the nail on the head with the amount of time you have to pour into the game to be competitive. I’ve had D2 since launch and haven’t hit high enough level to run the nightfall or raid yet simply due to lack of time.

    Great games and I have a ton of fun playing them, but they’re easy to get left behind in if you can’t dedicate a decent chunk of time.

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    1. Out of curiosity, how do you stay on top of a game like Destiny 2 when time is a factor? I mean, is it enjoyable to play even if you don’t have enough free time to be ‘competitive’?

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      1. I still enjoy hopping on when I have time to play. All of the activities and quests tell you what level you should be before you attempt it and in PVP all of the non-ranked playlists don’t take power level into account for damage.

        Also to reiterate from your post, if you have a couple friends that you can play with, it’ll be fun as long as you’re a good sport about being the lowest level / weakest party-member!

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        1. I must admit, I wish I played more games where friends can join in! I’d just hate to be the one who lets down the team when my skills don’t match up (although I know Ben and Pete would be really good sports about it). I might have to seek out a few titles I’d enjoy as much as they would. 🙂

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  6. yup, all games aren’t for everyone. I’m liking it quite a bit. I’m playing mostly the campaign now with my bro doing co-op, which is super fun. Takes us back to our early xbox days playing halo co-op. I’m also not that big in FPS’s, but bungie FPS’s always stood out to me, especially thier co-op play.

    but you’re right, just because a million people like a game, it’s still fine to not like it. I loved BOTW but can respect many people also probably didn’t like it for many reasons, as I’ve read about on a couple of blogs here.

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    1. Ben and Pete try to play at least once a week and I can see how much they enjoy Destiny 2 when they’re tackling it together. I do watch them and think it would be nice if I could get involved… but then I remember what they’re playing, and realise I’d rather stick with TESO. 😉

      At least there’s a video game out there to suit everyone. We can get so caught up in review scores and the thought of what we ‘should’ be playing, that it’s easy to forget that sometimes.

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  7. It is absolutely fine not to like something and with Destiny I think it does seem to be one that you love or hate.

    I tried Destiny and just couldn’t get into it. I am glad I tried it even though it just didn’t click with me. So I doubt I will try Destiny 2. Also I’m highly unlikely to have good enough skills or the time to get to a high enough level that I would be of any use in a game like that. It doesn’t mean there is anything wrong with them but they just aren’t for me, and that is ok.

    I have heard that it is better if you play with friends which may have changed my enjoyment of the original, but I’ll still stick to playing other games though.

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    1. That generally seems to be what people are saying: Destiny 2 is better when played with friends. Personally though, I’m the same as you and would rather play something else. 😉

      You made a good point when you mentioned you’re glad you tried the original. I think it can be important to step outside your comfort zone sometimes and try a title you wouldn’t normally consider!

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  8. I’ve had a different experience with Destiny 2. I never played the first one so to me, Destiny 2 was really fun. I do have friends that all say Destiny 2 is just like a DLC to the original, but this is coming from people who have spent over 100 hours on the first game lol. Some games just do not appeal to you and that’s fine :). There’s plenty of games that are major hits that I just can’t get into.

    -Luna 🙂

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    1. There’s always this perception that if something is a major hit, everyone should enjoy it. But you’re absolutely right: some games just won’t be your cup of tea and there’s nothing wrong with that. Thanks Luna! 🙂

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  9. I’ve learned not to much pay attention to mass opinions of games. There are some I love that everyone hates, and vice versa. I do consider myself a filthy causal, haha. I play games to relax, have fun, and live through epic stories. I have no desire to get caught up in the competitive aspect of them. To each their own, just play to love the game 🙂

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  10. How did you feel about Halo? When Destiny was announced, and Bungie essentially promoted it as the Halo of next-gen consoles, I knew I’d pick it up to demo and then never touch it again. I don’t think the analogy was inaccurate; and, I think Bungie’s awareness of its niche and community continues to ensure the series’ success. But, I was under no impression that the target audience of Destiny 1 or 2 had changed from that of Halo; so, I’d be happy to flip a sparrow on top of a Titan if a friend direly needed my incompetence, but otherwise leave me to my Oblivion 😛

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    1. A confession: I’ve never actually played Halo! Although I watched far too many hours of gameplay while my brother played it when we were young.

      I just don’t think these sorts of games are ever really going to appeal to me, even though I’m willing to give them a try every once in a while. I’m with you: I’ll stick with The Elder Scrolls. 😉

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  11. Pingback: Editorial: December 2017 – nowisgames.com

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