Destiny has been out for two weeks now, and there has been a line drawn between its players. On one side of the line, Bungie dropped the ball and created a flat, lackluster experience. Despite not falling in this category, complaints about the narrative and storytelling are things I can’t argue with logically. On the other side of things, players feel Bungie has created an addictive game that keeps them playing on a regular basis. That’s where I land in this polarizing ordeal. I can’t stop playing Bungie’s MMOFPS.
I never played Halo, outside of a brief sitting with the original Halo. I was a Playstation guy, and the appeal of a sci-fi shooter wasn’t there for me. But then again, I am a hard-sell when it comes to shooter campaigns. I also prefer modern settings, with guns I am familiar with, like my beloved AK-47, M-16, and the like. I wasn’t sold on the idea of Destiny until after the beta a few months prior to release either.
That said, I have spent 55 hours with Destiny so far. I have a level 26 Titan that has both sub-classes in advanced stages. I have completed 96 Crucible games (the competitive multiplayer), 26 Strikes, 47 Story missions, and been out on Patrol 37 times so far. At this point, I am simply grinding for more marks to buy a Legendary auto-rifle, and it has been a long grind at that. Yet, I can’t stop playing. Here’s a few reason why.
#1 – Adrenaline-fueled Moments
In both co-op and solo instances, I have had some heart-pounding moments. Chalk it up to bullet-sponge bosses and being swarmed with a host of minions, some may find that as a poor way to increase difficulty. Personally, I don’t care, because I have had some of the best times gaming with Destiny the past few weeks because of these intense experiences. I still vividly recall finishing a level 24 Strike mission with a friend, and after that amazing hour or so long mission, being utterly speechless and spent. It took 100% communication, and the moment one of us got quiet, we died and had to retry. However you want to split the argument about sponge-y enemies, it doesn’t matter when I can walk away feeling like I actually accomplished something in a video game. While not real in any sense of the word, the adrenaline was pumping so much, it felt like I conquered the real, physical world. The narrative may suck, but I wouldn’t trade those moments for a solid narrative. Give me those epic moments, please. Thanks.
#2 – The Shooting
At its utter core, an FPS of any sort has to have great gunplay for me to enjoy it for any length of time. Take Warframe for instance, a free-to-play MMO’ish FPS that launched on the Xbox One the week before Destiny (and a good time before that on other platforms). The shooting felt bland, and while free-to-play, I’d rather pay $60 for a top-notch shooter. As far as the shooting goes, Bungie has that department nailed down. Simple as that.
#3 – Constant Rotation of New Things to Do
Every day, there are bounties to complete for various factions and reputation points. While out earning these, I was getting random loot and other rewards (however minimal) and just having fun, solo or with friends. There are also heroic missions every day once you hit level 20. Bungie drops weekly and weekend events, including this week’s Queen’s Wrath mini-event. Some view it as “just more bounties”, but she has exclusive legendary gear. Who doesn’t want exclusive legendary gear? I know I do.
There are other reasons I’m digging Destiny and can’t stop playing, but those are the main three. As long as Bungie continues supporting Destiny on a regular basis, I think it’s safe to say I’m in for the long haul.
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