Destiny 2 Sucks, But Its Gunplay Elevates The Shooter Above Its Competition

I’ve always held Destiny as a franchise in high regard due to how it made me connect to so many people online, even going as far as to be the game where I met two of my long-time best friends. I cannot be more thankful to Bungie for creating the most immersive multiplayer experiences for me ever since I was a teenager.

However, at this point, I think we all know the current state of Destiny 2 and how its playerbase is on the brink of collapse every day, well at least until The Final Shape DLC releases. No matter how badly FOMO hit me whenever I was playing other great games, such as Helldivers 2 or FF7 Rebirth, I can’t undermine the fact that Destiny 2 has the most sublime gunplay systems ever, and honestly, I think it makes other games look pale in comparison.

What Substitutes In Making It So Good?

Destiny’s gunplay has always been the most robust first-person shooting system; I mean c’mon, these are the same guys who made the Halo franchise, after all. That isn’t to say that I think it’s comparable to the greatest titles in the genre, like Doom Eternal, but it’s equally addictive in retrospect.

What makes Destiny gunplay good? Please explain to me.
byu/ForThatNotSoSmartSub intruegaming

There have been quite a few live-service looter shooters that were dubbed “Destiny Killers,” which only made them funnier for me to see crash and burn or just straight-up die in player count after release (you showed promise to me, Anthem, yet EA said otherwise and look at you now.)

Division 2 by Ubisoft was… unique in that it made me feel like it could’ve been another promising game with its PvPvE nature and strategic elements, but of course, that game’s misdirection as a GaaS and overall lack of incentives to play made it quickly lose relevance in the market.

Part of what appeals to players in Destiny’s combat are unique guns, some of the exotics with crazy properties such as the Conditional Finality’s dual elements or the Osteo Striga’s tracking bullets. That’s only the tip of the iceberg because the gunplay also clicks so well because of the constant strafing, jumping, hovering, melee/grenade synergy, and, of course, the individual class abilities offering infinite variation.

It’s The Only Saving Grace Over The Outdated Live-Service Production

When I talk about FOMO, the only thing I fear of missing out on is how the game treats most of the live-service model as a race to get the shiny piece of gun or armor you want… before it possibly gets sunsetted. You see, unless I make the most of whatever the current seasonal pass is, I’ll end up missing out on unattainable weapons or exclusive armor sets, and to me, that sucks because it feels like a lousy excuse to do chores.

Season 23 in Destiny 2 launches one month from today and will be the last season ever in Destiny's history

Future releases will follow Bungie's new Episode model pictured below 👇 pic.twitter.com/qYIiElNGm5

— LUCKYY10P (@LUCKYY10P) October 31, 2023

But hey, at least we’re getting a replacement for the seasonal model, or at least that’s what I’m hoping the roadmap says with the addition of the ‘Episodic Cadence,’ which will launch after the Final Shape DLC. However, only time will tell how these revamp the progression incentives and impact the general gameplay loop.

But still, despite how misguided the direction of the game is and beneath all the debris, I’ll happily enjoy the gameplay aspect of it because, trust me, there’s never a better feeling than during Destiny’s raids, where the coordinated effort and gunplay chemistry reward you in high abundance.

For New Players: As a long time player, here’s why Raids are still my favorite thing about the game
byu/TheAtlasComplex inDestinyTheGame

Even putting raids aside, it generally just feels good to play the PVE aspect of the game, and to me, that makes it more than welcome to jump back in periodically to check new things out whenever I’m taking a break. Had it not been for the excellent gunplay and power fantasy sandbox that Bungie’s built in this franchise, I’d hardly even try to be up-to-date on the happenings or occurrences within Destiny 2.

Takeaway

Regarding the nitty gritty, Destiny as a franchise will continue to be the most successful live-service title on the market. Still, given the current situation it is in, even as a veteran fan, I can easily admit that it has fallen far from the mountaintop. Despite how much you loathe the decisions higher-ups have made regarding the game’s future, you can’t help but appreciate the gunplay and systematics established since the OG Destiny.

Whether you dislike the direction the game took in recent years or how the employee layoffs cemented the burial of the game’s creativity, I’m still hopeful that with the right management and production decisions in place, you’ll have more reasons to pick up the franchise again rather than relying on its cut-above gunplay.