Resources. (Destiny)

by Harmanimus , Thursday, December 28, 2017, 10:23 (2465 days ago) @ cheapLEY

Okay, that's a fair point, I guess. I like one of those levels (whichever one had the big vehicle segment, with Flood infested Warthogs driving around). So exclude two levels (The Library) from my statement, and then it's completely true. I'd rather play any Halo level except one, any Halo 2 level except one, and any Halo level from any Bungie Halo game (and most 343i Halo levels, too) than any Destiny mission.

Other than disagreeing about The Library, that is fair. Though I don’t think I hold the Campaigns of 3/5 in nearly as high regard.

I really do try to approach Destiny on its own terms. And I really enjoy Destiny. But I don't think Destiny holds up its end of the bargain when it tries to do the Halo thing. It gives us so much more than Halo does in its connected nature, public spaces, and raids, and I would hold up some strikes as comparable to some good Halo missions, but it's campaign missions do very little for me, and I think I'd be happier if Destiny stopped trying to do so many things at once and instead focused down a little bit.

You bring up an interesting point here about it trying “to do the Halo thing” because I agree. When mission beats feel like they are from a Halo fan project, no matter how well executed, they will feel somewhat hollow. When Destiny does its own thing it tends to be stronger. Honestly, I’m in total agreement about the connected nature. In the story missions and adventures and what not the best parts are when the game intersects with other players doing other things.

Again, I love Destiny. I liked playing through the campaign, I think it was a fun experience. It just isn't as good as it obviously could be, and it makes up such a small percentage of my play time, that I have to wonder if its worth it. I honestly have mixed feelings on the whole thing, and I really have a hard time articulating those feelings.

What I have articulated to friends in the past is that I think Destiny is held back by people desiring a traditional Halo-style campaign. Period. And that the game world would have been better served as a more generally open world experience. Even instancing things, I think a Quest Structure is better suited and doesn’t take anything away from the ability to tell those same stories, just within the world structure instead of a sequence of isolated missions. For all my enjoyment of the campaign (six 1-20 completions of it on two platforms) the world is the strongest part of Destiny and I would have preferred more of it over shoehorning a Halo campaign inside it.

I just know that Destiny feels to me like a game that's caught in a weird in between, like it's not quite sure what type of game it wants to be.

Sadly, I think some of that will always be there. Less sadly, I have made my peace with that across all games. As rarely they ever fulfill the potential I’d like the see from their root concepts. Except Psychonauts. That game is perfect.