How 'Destiny 2' Won My Heart

I've never wanted to shoot aliens square in the face more than when I started to play Destiny 2. I was immediately in love and I haven't felt that good playing an FPS game since Bioshock Infinite!

If you haven't played Destiny 2 yet but are considering buying the game soon, I thought I'd whip up a casual review based on my gameplay so far to give you a fellow gamer's perspective. While the game does have its odd ends, there's a lot to it that made my first 10-15 hours so enjoyable.

1. You Get Pulled Into a Captivating Storyline

It really takes some fine tuning to make sure a game doesn't have a dragged out story or plot that can often make the player go "Ughh, I get it, can I play already?" Trust me, I've been there many times, but I'm not going to call out any names.

In Destiny 2's lore, the cut scenes are refreshing and straightforward, with some occasional banter from Destiny's favorite wildcard, Cayde-6. Personally, I don't really play games for the story, but Destiny 2 gives you just enough background so you're not left in the dark or confused.

2. The Environments are Unbelievably Stunning

I'm all about a game's visuals and let me tell you, I've never literally dropped my jaw at a game's environment until Destiny 2. The sense of bewilderment you get when you experience different planets and ecosystems is one of the greatest feelings you can get from the game.

There are moments where I often want to take a minute and explore my surroundings so I can fully take in the beauty and hard work put into the game. From the vast mysteries that outer space has to offer to the eye-catching and ingenious color combinations, I must give a shout out to Destiny 2's concept artists for coming up with such incredibly unique environments.

I have to admit, I've fallen off some cliffs because I was a little too curious as I was looking over the edge.

3. Neat Vibrational Controller Feedback

One of my favorite things about Destiny 2 is the vibrational feedback you get on your controller. You can actually feel the power of your weapon as you pull the trigger or get a hit in, which makes the game that much more immersive.

Even though it's such a small detail that many probably won't notice, this is a really important element to add for that special touch to the FPS aesthetic. My personal favorite weapon type is the shotgun since I'm obsessed with how you can feel it blast away aliens that get a bit too close.

4. Awesome Co-Op/Multiplayer Action

Like I mentioned before, I'm not a big fan of playing games with others considering I'm a lone wolf most of the time, but Destiny 2 makes it enjoyable to play either with your best buddy or in a clan. There's definitely some sessions where I really wished I had some help, so I understand why the game encourages clan and co-op play.

I don't have a clan or anything yet, but I can't help but imagine my squad and I obliterating Vex aliens and celebrating our victories over a chat room!

5. New Sub-Character Classes

There are three classes you can choose from (although I'm a bit disappointed that there weren't any new main classes created after the first Destiny game) which include Titan, Warlock, and Hunter. What came as a bit of a surprise to me is that there are subclasses available as well for the player to unlock after you reach a certain level.

Some of these subclasses are new, but some are also from the first Destiny game with subtle changes and refining. Each subclass is broken down into:

• Super ability
• Class ability
• Subclass Passives
• Grenades
• Mobility

These are some pretty rad features that you can obtain to upgrade your Guardian and kick some serious butt. I'm playing as a Hunter right now and I'm loving every second, but I can't wait to try the other classes and subclasses too.

Now for the Things I'm Not Keen On...

If you ever ask me about Destiny 2, I'll tell you that it's one of the greatest FPS games I've played in a long time, but that doesn't mean I haven't found any faults with it.

In the game, I noticed some oddly placed spawn points that enemies come from, and at first I thought they were glitches in the game where the texture didn't load properly or something. I say they were "oddly placed" since it kind of disrupted the overall feel of the environment. This is my opinion of course, but this is just a little detail that threw me off.

Another thing I don't like is the fact that you can't play Destiny 2 offline. I initially thought you simply couldn't play co-op, play in a clan, or see other players nearby without being online, but apparently you can't play at all. I wish the creators would be a bit more considerate towards those that don't have reliable internet, especially since people often play games if their internet isn't working (I know this isn't just me).

In games like Bloodborne, for example, where you can't see notes or interact with other players without being online, you can still play in offline mode where the whole game is available whether you have internet or not. I'm just saying it'd do a lot of players a favor if Destiny 2 followed suit.

Overall...

Destiny 2 is definitely worth playing for fans of thrilling sci-fi FPS games. It has a captivating storyline, smooth dialogue, gripping action scenes, and breathtaking environments that you can't help but to explore. I can't wait until I get further into the game to enjoy more of what Destiny 2 has to offer.