And some people say that video games don’t teach you anything. I learned something from playing this game: “Hype” is a dangerous drug. For those who don’t know, “Hype” is a feeling of excitement and wanting for a particular item or event.
I was riding the hype train a year ago and I was still on board until the game was released. I knew quite a bit about the game and even played the beta. I loved what I saw from the beta, though it was still just the beta. The game looked good from what I could tell and I knew that my money wouldn’t be wasted and I would be pleasantly pleased.
What a mistake I made.
“But Mr. Gamer, aren’t you ever satisfied? Can’t a game ever meet or exceed your expectations?”
Yes, it can, Billy. But Destiny did not.
I did my best to ignore the other reviews about the game saying the game was just another boring MMO game and that it wouldn’t hold a candle to Borderlands. I tried… and failed
The problem was that the other reviews, I have to say, were right. The game was boring for the most part. Please, take into account those last four words from the previous sentence; “…for the most part.” I am not going to rip the game a new one because, with the current gaming lineup, I will be doing that to other games and this game doesn’t deserve it.
First, the story was just boring. It was too general and I just couldn’t get into it. I see where Bungie was going. The game is a MMO so its more about the interaction between the players than the actual story but that does not excuse Bungie for having a shitty story. You are a “Guardian” alongside the “Traveler”, fighting the “Darkness”.
And cue boredom.
“But Mr. Gamer, there is more to the story. You can get it online! You just have to unlock it.”
Billy, shush. I shouldn’t have to get more of the game’s story online when I am already playing the game online. I don’t want to have to kill over two thousand of the same type of enemy to learn about it. That’s just stupid. Tell me what I want to know about the enemy after my first bullet penetrated its skull. Don’t have me do that another hundred times just to learn that they all have been pooped from the same planet and they are inbred. At that point, you cause me not to care and have deducted fifty points from your hundred point test. Good luck passing, Destiny. At least you made up the other half in the gameplay section of the test.
On the flip side, the gameplay was amazing. I liked that the intelligent enemies just didn’t stand and take the bullets. They were smart enough to move and dodge, which made the game harder because they would actually flank you if you let them. That’s awesome. I can’t just use the same tactic for every wave of enemies…just most of them.
The subclasses were a nice touch. Giving you a different way to eradicate your enemies, even if one class did not make it easier to kill the baddies than the other. Meh, what can you do.
I am not going to even bother to mention the competitive multiplayer because you already know the drill: You and x number of other people use your looted or bought weapons to kill the other team. Done. You have been down this road before. Nothing new, which seems to be two common words said to myself with this game. Its just nothing new.
When I first started trying to review the game, my first thought was, “Man, I am awesome.” My second thought was, “Borderlands did it better.” That’s the hard truth. There was nothing new, nothing exciting, I was just sorely disappointed.
Destiny: It just wasn’t my Destiny to love this game…
Stay tuned next week for a double zombie massacre!
I’m new to the site, but do you post a review score? If not, out of curiosity, what would you score be for Destiny?
It would have to be a 6. Even writing the review had me in a constant state of flux, but it wasn’t worth the hype and I hold my games to a higher standard.