With the release of Destiny on consoles last week, this may very well be the first time in history that a very “PC-esque” game has ever came directly to consoles exclusively first. It may not be a fully-fledged MMO, but it has many of the hallmarks of the genre and is definitely part of that conversation. What makes it so bizarre, is that the PC release is still several months at least away.
But this isn’t a list of why it’s dumb that Destiny isn’t on PC yet, the PC Master Race can sit this one out, this is instead a list of 5 reasons why you should fall for the hype and get in on this Destiny action while it’s fresh on the market. If you’re looking for a more structured review, you can see the first part of our review-in-progress over here, this is just a list of key reasons the game is purely fun to play.
5) Tons of People Are Playing
I know, I know; you’re probably getting flashbacks to all the times your mother told you, “Just because your friends are jumping off a bridge doesn’t mean you have to.” And while it’s true, you don’t have to play Destiny just because everyone else is, but if you don’t then you’re missing out on an incredibly fun time. Not only did Destiny set a record for the most pre-ordered new IP of all-time, but it set a record for the highest day-on sales of a new IP of all-time.
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What that means for gamers like us, is that there is a huge influx of people getting in on the game right now. Since it isn’t a persistent world like a real MMO, you don’t have to worry about most launch issues, such as server instability and over-crowding, but can instead simply enjoy the litany of people to play with. Across the world people are logging in for all the strike missions, raids, Crucible matches, and more. A healthy community at launch is a great sign for a newly launched game.
4) Large Variety of Content
I get bored easily. I have trouble playing through overly linear games like God of War because I just get bored of going from one spot to the next, doing the same things over and over. That was one of my gripes about Bioshock Infinite as well, personally. So while Destiny is much like most other First-Person Shooters you’ve probably played before – you shoot thousands of aliens and enemies – it mixes up the content incredibly well.
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One moment you could be slogging through a deep underground lair swarming with enemies while you take down the boss at the end of the Strike mission, and then the next you could be holding down a control point while you fend off enemy players in the Crucible. One moment you could be on a huge end-game raid for some of the best gear in the game, while the next you could be running patrol missions on the moon to complete a bounty. There is a nearly never-ending stream of stuff to do at this point, and it’s only been out a week.
3) Awesome Class Variety
It may seem like Destiny only has three classes – Hunter, Titan, and Warlock – but that’s not really true. Each base class has subclasses as well that have different abilities and specialties. Overall each class compliments the others very well and they nicely fit into respective niches on the battlefield. As a Warlock, I shoot a shockwave as my melee ability, which has really nice reach on it, along with vortex grenades and big nova bombs.
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Titans on the other hand get powers like a massive ground slam, the ability to up their stats, and they can even pop up a bubble shield. Then Hunters can summon an ultra-powerful Golden Gun, dash forward at crazy speeds with their knife, and even throw the knife for immensely satisfying short-range projectile kills. Each class also has a very distinct look when it comes to armor, giving them each their own personalities beyond their abilities on the battlefield. It may not be as diverse as a lot of MMOs, but it’s a solid selection for a game like this.
2) Steady Stream of Content
It might be a little early to name this as a reason to play the game, but all signs are point towards Bungie giving Destiny a heft amount of support over the next several months. In fact, last weekend they already launched their first event with a new multiplayer mode and new end-game content. This is a great sign already for the longevity of the game for years to come.
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The trick will be to see how they balance the need for new content and how to keep people busy with that content. Console gamers aren’t unfamiliar with the concept of grinding for stuff like gear and reputation; many console gamers have played lots of JRPGs and other games notorious for heavy grinding. But when it comes to shooting games, console gamers are less familiar with the idea of replaying “dungeons” and other PvE-type content to rank up and unlock better gear. If they can hold true on their promises, which I think they will, then Destiny will very easily sit in the disc trays of consoles around the world for a long time.
1) It’s Just Fun to Play
This is the biggest reason to play Destiny, or any game: the fun factor. Amidst all the fanboy wars, forum arguments, raging, and everything else that goes on in the gaming community, sometimes it can be forgotten that, above all else, games are primarily created as a form of entertainment. Some break that boundary and tell gripping stories or simulate specific experiences, but in general, having fun is a major goal for any game.
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As far as I’ve experienced thus far, Destiny is crazy fun to play. I don’t care if you’ve read reviews that say the game doesn’t have a very fleshed out story (it doesn’t) or that the world doesn’t feel alive (it doesn’t) because at the end of the day, it’s fun to play. Hopping online and grouping up with a few friends for a couple of hours to run some Strike missions, then pop into the Crucible as a group – it’s some of the most fun I’ve had playing a game in recent memory. Destiny is the kind of game you can turn on and just get lost in the moment-to-moment action of leveling up your Guardian.
Conclusion
I may eat my words – six months from now you could find Destiny in the bargain bin of every retailer and Bungie could scrap support before an expansion ever releases, but that’s highly unlikely. Similar to the banks on Wall Street, Destiny is too big to fail. It’s already set records and it’s only been out a week and this is a game that’s been developed over a long period of time to stick around for a long period of time. If you’re not playing Destiny, you should be!
