As you may be aware I am one of the last Destiny players at GodHatesGeeks. Could my opinion be biased? To some, perhaps yes; but what some don’t know is after the previous DLC Curse of Osiris hit the market, I stopped playing. I started playing Far Cry 5, Rainbow Six: Siege (again), and Fortnite. So, like many others when Warmind was released and the info was slowly dripped, I dipped my toes back into the salty waters of Destiny 2. Is it worth the 20 bucks? Is it worth your time to jump back in and play? Is Destiny dead? Allow me to answer.
With Warmind, this isn’t just a DLC; Bungie also updated core parts of the game itself, touching up gameplay, addressing some bug fixes, re-did the exotics like Graviton Lance, and even added new PvP modes. The publisher also provided more to their roadmap to fixes and additions to the game–all are the Community’s Most Wanted. So, with Warmind, ranked competitive is a thing; this has been asked since Destiny 1. Private matches, something Destiny had and for some unknown reason they got rid of in Destiny 2, has returned. They added a horde/survival mode called Escalation Protocol, and a re-done version of a D1 public event– a boss battle where anyone can join.
Bungie also addressed the concerns about the lack of a grind. So, is it worth it? Considering all the changes, but the DLC seems worthwhile, yet only truly worth your time if you’ve played this franchise through all of its pitfalls. If yes you played everything up to this point and are at the current Power Level of 335, then, by all means, play Warmind. But if you stopped playing after, say, November… well … let’s have a seat. Most of the changes with Warmind are not the answers to the problems you had. Most who stopped playing wanted random rolls (perks on the guns that had a chance to drop for that gun) and a reason to grind. Those concerns are still there.
Masterworks is a band-aid to the bleeding cut that is random rolls. Sure, a Masterwork can randomly drop a stat bonus (look for range or stability), but that doesn’t fix the lack of weapons that you feel connected to. That was something Destiny 1 had in spades. I never took off my character’s Treads Upon Stars (a scout rifle); it had Ranged Lens RS (Mida Multi-Tools scope), Triple Tap (two precision shots returns a bullet to the magazine, Firefly (precision headshot causes target to explode and area around him to explode as well), and Explosive Rounds. Yes … it was insanely good. Now? Each gun has a set perk that never changes. So, if I have a Nameless Midnight (scout rifle), the one perk is Explosive Rounds. If you have Nameless Midnight, we both have the same damn gun. The only difference is the shader you and I choose for it.
Wow. Exciting. The stuff you get at the end of Raids or Strikes have not improved. They are still lackluster and have been noted by Bungie as something that will be addressed, but can’t at this current DLC. The weapons themselves are in a bad place, too. Longtime vets of the series understand what I mean, as snipers, shotguns, and fusion rifles are not looked upon favorably. Bungie has gone on record in saying that, come September, it will be fixed. This update and DLC did not and will not address this glaring problem, which also leads to the grind. But, hey, Vault Space gained an additional 100 spots and exotic guns now feel powerful.
Is Destiny dead? No. People still play it and with the recent Destiny Community Summit, Bungie is about to course correct for the Fall game (Destiny DLC 3, Usually in the vein of Taken King). On the docket is weapon rolls, weapon slot changes, gear collections, a record book/quest log, etc. In that Summit, which lasted 2 full days, the community leaders (like King Goliathlion) told Bungie what they wanted (a better grind and hero moments), what the community at large wanted (better lore, better mood, less comedy, serious tone, better grind, hero moments, better matchmaking, better weapons, weapons that feel special only to you), and the problems with the game (EVERYTHING!!!!). The Summit leaders got answers for both sides and received a snippet of a new game mode in September, both of which they got excited about.
Now only if Bungie can follow through and not do a Divisionesque mess-up like they did a year and a half ago. 2.75/5 Bibles.
-Adam Bowers