The Library displayed brilliant in-game storytelling (Destiny)

by ckamp, Friday, February 06, 2015, 13:52 (3375 days ago) @ Malagate

I know it is not people's favorite level. But it worked for me because

• The gameplay reinforced how you were supposed to feel. Confused, fighting wave after wave of an enemy with seemingly limitless resources. Your are supposed to get exhausted of it because that is how Master Chief is supposed to feel at that point in the plot of the story.
  
• At the same time, you have this blue ball of light giving you hints to a backstory much bigger than what is fleshed out. This teasing works to invest you in the larger world, and helps replay value.
  
• But, you do have a clear objective in all of this and that objective has clear implications for the overall arch of the main story. You need this to feel like you've accomplished something.

If any of these pieces had not been present, the level would not have been as compelling.

As it is, Destiny has great gameplay, but I'm rarely sure about how it connects to the plot how I'm supposed to be feeling. There are lots of hints about a great backstory (The Stranger is a good example), but I have to leave the game to delve in deep and I just can't bring myself to do it. I don't think that is me being lazy, I think it is a reasonable expectation. As for feeling accomplished when I beat a mission? Eh, sometimes I do when I beat something challenging with a group of people, but it is never because I felt like I knew what I was doing for the people in the tower or whatever.

I do love Destiny, but I'm still left scratching my head when Bungie has done it so well in the past. I miss Staton...