Back in 2014 when the original Destiny was released I played it through as a single player campaign and then didn't pick up any of the DLCs. It was a great game, but a little unbalanced for single player as it was made for co-op online. What I missed the most was the lack of split screen support so that we could have played it on the couch at home.
So, Destiny 2. I got the game installed last night on the Xbox One and played roughly an hour. Here are the first impressions.
Character creation
I just went thought the menus and jumped back out to start with my Destiny 1 character that was already pre-imported. Nice touch.
First hour of gameplay (spoiler alert)
Here comes the first hour of gameplay with spoilers. (in the end a little less after I removed the loading screens.)The game starts with a intro movie where an enemy armada destroys the Tower and attaches some kind of harness to the Traveller. After that sequence, your ship enters the atmosphere and you approach the Tower. Once you touch ground in what is left of the Tower Watch in the Last City on Earth you get the first mission.
Defend your home
With only a handgun (at least for me as a Hunter) make your way through the burning inferno that used to be your home. Once you get to the blue screen a wall will be destroyed to your right and two Cabal Legionary will enter the area that you are in. Kill them and walk through the hole.Follow the corridor, more Legionary troops will try to stop you on the way. When asked to try your melee attack, do that and memorize the button as it will come in handy later.
Open the door at the end of the corridor and meet with Cayde, let him neutralize the troops in the room, no need to waste ammunition.
Find Zavala
Move up the stairs and past the guards and civilian refugees to the Armory.Gear up for the fight
Pick up a better weapon and open the door. Down the stairs, throw a grenade at the two Legionary troops at the bottom of the staircase. This was the first ammunition drop from enemies that I had, walk over the white and green boxes to pick up the ammunition.Continue forward through the burning corridor.
In the next room climb the stairs and jump up to the platform.
Tower Hangar
More Cabal troops here and now it gets dark luckily there is an automatic flashlight that is turned on so no need to find the correct button for that.In the next room, there is a Centurion with extra armor. I.e. need to take out the armor first and then the health bar. For me, a grenade did the trick!
After that more troops arrive in the room that need to be cleared.
Open the door to enter the Hangar.
Even more troops here. Just continue forward.
Use your Ghost to find your next waypoint. Should be up ward on a wall with a large letter M right next to it.
Crouch through the low tunnel.
Tower Plaza
Move towards the Plaza.
More troops are landing here so watch your angles.
Defend the tower
Run up to the tower entrance and meet up with Zavala.Defend the tower for 3 waves. Whenever Zavala yells at you to get inside his shield, do that.
When your special ability gets maxed, don't use it directly. Save it for the Centurion that arrives at the end of the first wave,
Leave the plaza and find the Speaker
A new waypoint should appear to your right, at the entrance to the Tower North. Meet Ikora Rey there. Ignore the waves of Cabal troops that arrive at the plaza, you have a new mission now so just run past them.Ikora will inform you that the Speaker has been taken.
Board the command ship
Continue fighting your way forward and watch out because now you will meet Incendior troops with flamethrowers. Their critical hit point is the fuel tanks on their backs. Fight your way to Hollidays ship. Before boarding you will have to take out a Honored Centurion, hopefully you have saved your special ability to this fight, if so then it should not take any time at all. Otherwise you are in for a little grind.Board the ship that arrives afterwards.
The Immortal, Command Ship, Disable the shields
Run up the ramp and into the ship. Double jump up on the platform above where the drop-spheres appear. Kill the Legionary troops in the area. Approach one of the terminals and [Download Schematics] to open the golden shield door.
After the three troops in the next room you will need your light gun again as Pashk, the Searing Will will come at you. If yours is not loaded, then just try to critical hit him in the head, he takes some damage that way.
Move upwards on the ramps
At the top there is a door to the roof, watch out for Psion troops. Low on health bug large on damage, i.e. snipers. And there are a lot of them combined with ordinary Legionary troops and a few Incendior. After you enter the roof the next yellow guy will arrive as well to spice things up a little, Brann, the Unbent Blade. Even with the special ability he does not take that much damage so here you will be up for a grind. Just keep to cover and shoot him and the other troops, hopefully your special will reload so you can use it a second time on him. Don't forget your grenades!
Move into the doorway that Brann, the Unbent Blade was guarding and drop to the lower levels. In this area there are troops both above and below. Move to the lowest level and open the door to the next room filled with Cabal troops.
Kreth the Living Skyfire is the last boss guarding the Shield Generator room, use your special ability to take him out. Not at all as much health as Brann.
The Shield Generator
The key here is to shoot the three turbines below the main generator. The first one is visible from the platform that you look down from. For the other two you will have to jump down and move close to the wall (on top of the narrow platform, not all the way down where the generator arms will kill you.
After the turbines are down, exit the room and follow the burning corridors to the platform where you will meet your ride out!
The Last City, 2 days after the attack
Make your way to the old river bed and walk below the bridges to the right. Approach the blue dot of light in your way. Wait until your Ghost heals you and continue forward out of the city.
City Outskirts, 4 days after the attack
Approach the camp site and get the submachine gun from the ground.
The dogs that will attack the camp once you move outside can be killed with one melee blow, so use your bullets wisely and use melee when possible. The first one the Honored War Beast is yellow so it requires bullets.
Twillight Camp, one week after the attack
Follow the bird.
Up to the top, down to the next valley.
Once you get to the drop you should watch out. One Legionary will appear with more dogs. And even more dogs.
Once the dogs are out of the picture, move forward. Another drop followed by a tree branch over another gap.
Try to get to the bird. The last jump seems a little too long but you should try it anyway. Falling down is part of the script.
So now you have completed the intro of Destiny 2. Enjoy the last scripted sequence and arrive at the Farm and let the game start for real!
Conclusions
After playing the introduction with a trial version I ended up buying the game. Real nice storytelling that got me hooked.
Is it revolutionary? No not really. But it is fun, lets see how the real gameplay turns out in future posts.
Hope this helped someone out there! : )
Until next time: Work to Live, Don’t Live to Work
