Bungie rebounds with Destiny

When the leaders of Bungie, one of the most popular game developers, abandoned the Halo franchise to start anew, they closed an old door, and many gamers wondered what they would do to match the original. The answer: They created a new MMORPG (Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game) called Destiny.

Destiny sets the stage by explaining how mankind was ushered into a “golden age,” when a sphere known as “The Traveler” arrived in the solar system, making planets such as Mars and Venus habitable. However, this era halted when “The Darkness” arrived, forcing the last remnants of humanity to retreat to one city on Earth.

Destiny features a large, open world that extends throughout the solar system. Players are at first limited to Earth, where most of the population has died off, but there is still much to discover within its confines, including loot and spots the player may have overlooked previously.

When they have a powerful enough ship, they are permitted to move on to other planets. There are several guns to choose from, which suit a plethora of playing styles. According to IGN, “Destiny features the largest arsenal of Weapons in a Bungie game to date.”

The gameplay bears resemblance to Halo, but borrows some elements from the Call of Duty and Borderlands franchises. The guns are able to be customized and upgraded as the player uses it.

The variety does not end at the weapons and character customization. There are many alien species to fight, all with differing methods of attacking and movement. In order to survive, the player must vary his strategy and weapons.

Bungie is constantly organizing public events that players can participate in for extra experience points and rewards. This allows the online community to meet in person and interact outside of the game.

One of the most difficult feats to pull off for many games is creating a story mode experience that players will not ignore as they play multiplayer. Destiny breaks that barrier.

The story and multiplayer modes are linked. When a player takes on a mission in a certain area, other players will be in the vicinity if they are fulfilling a quest or mission in the same location.

The time spent in the story mode can have a big impact in the multiplayer experience. Any guns, skills or equipment gathered while scavenging the massive landscape or buying from shops can be carried over into the arena, where players can battle each other.

Despite the massive number of quests and secrets to be discovered in Destiny, there is one downfall: It is unavailable on PC. It is only available for Xbox 360, Xbox 1, PS4 and PS3.

Overall, Bungie has managed to please Halo veterans and new players alike. They created a hit with the Halo franchise; it will be interesting to see how the fate of Destiny plays out.