Fantasy/sci-fi, or sci-fi/fantasy? *Minor RoI Spoilers* (Destiny)

by CruelLEGACEY , Toronto, Thursday, September 22, 2016, 13:15 (2983 days ago)

So I'm not thrilled with Rise of Iron so far, but there is 1 element of it that I absolutely love. I feel like there has been a subtle, but noticeable, tonal shift with this expansion. Destiny has always had this great fantasy/sci-Fi blend. I feel like RoI is leaning ever so slightly more into the Fantasy side of that blend, and I'm amazed by how big a difference it is making for me. Felwinter Peak is a huge part of it. This ancient, spartan (in the Greek sense) fortress feels like home to me in a way that the Tower never has. Seeing Guardians with more medieval armor and magic broadswords... something about all of this just clicks for me.

It's not just the visual stuff... the storytelling in RoI has a distinct "fantasy" feel to me as well. Reclaiming the mantle of long-lost heroes, inheriting their legendary weaponry and armor, its all classic fantasy tropes and I love it.

I think that in the past, fantasy was worked into Destiny as a way to justify or explain stuff that the player wouldn't otherwise understand. Things like "darkness zones" or "the light" or "the oversoul". We just rationalize that stuff by telling ourselves "oh yeah, this is a fantasy game" or "space-magic!". Of course, the grimoire delves far deeper into the fantasy elements of the Destiny universe, but we all know where that conversation goes (It's not actually "in the game", etc). Korny mentioned the similarity between some RoI's storytelling and the subclass quests from TTK, and I think he's right on the money. I love those quests, because it felt like we were seeking out these ancient powers, and in some cases coming into contact with legendary guardians from the past (at least their voice). Most of Destiny up until now has hinted at the history of the world, but never rooted our experience as a player within that history. RoI is changing that.

All this stuff sparks my imagination for future possibilities in a way that none of the previous expansions have done. I think that continuing to lean slightly further into the "fantasy" side of the game could open up fun activities or gameplay mechanics. After completing the Gjallarhorn quest, I was struck by the desire to go a step beyond and create my own weapon. Something I could actually design and name and infuse with its own unique powers. I know that sounds impractical, but I think it would be awesome if there was some kind of mechanic in place that allowed this (obviously with limitations in place so that we couldn't create anything crazy overpowered). What if you could then gift, trade, or sell those weapons to other players?

I also found myself thinking about the social spaces we have at this point in the game, and wondering what it would be like to have hubs dedicated to each class of Guardian. I could easily see Felwinter Peak being the fortress of the Titans, while the Warlocks hide away in the solitude of the Lighthouse, searching for answers to the mysteries of the Vex. The tower could still act as a central hub and the home of the Vanguard. We're slowly discovering that there are in fact several, perhaps many Guardians out there who do not operate as members of the Vanguard. I'd love to see the idea of various factions expanded upon. Explore the way they work together, and the ways in which they find themselves at odds with each other, even clash from time to time.

Anyone else have any thoughts on this stuff?