Bungie will always be remembered as the team that created Halo, but they have been working on the Destiny franchise for the last decade. The first installation in the series got off to a rocky start when it launched in 2014, and fell into the category of video games with nonsensical endings. That negativity dissipated with the release of the expansion The Taken King, but Destiny 2 dealt with similar issues following its 2017 release.
Destiny 2 has improved a great deal over the past four years, and its latest expansion, The Witch Queen, has received praise from both critics and players alike. The expansion has been out for barely a month, and although it is not perfect, it deserves credit for bringing some excitement back to the franchise.
10 The Legendary Campaign Feature Is Actually Difficult
While The Witch Queen campaign is only a few missions long, the experience feels much more intense, thanks to Bungie’s introduction of the new Legendary mode. This marks the first time that Destiny has ever had a Legendary campaign option, and it was well worth the wait.
Each mission has its own set of modifiers, and enemies are all at higher levels. Players receive chests at each checkpoint, which helps to add a sense of progression. Additionally, beyond bragging rights, completion of this grueling campaign boasts some high-level rewards.
9 Weapon Crafting Is A Great New Feature
Weapon crafting has become an essential part of most MMOs, and Destiny 2 finally implemented its own form of weapon crafting with the latest expansion. To craft these weapons, players have to visit the Enclave on Mars and need to obtain a special type of weapon blueprint.
A crafted weapon can have any perk or frame, but it needs to be leveled up to unlock its full potential. The one downside is having to farm materials needed for the weapon’s reshaping process. Thanks to this new crafting system, players can finally make weapons that suit their play style.
8 Void 3.0 Has Been A Pleasant Success
Throughout the expansion, every subclass will receive an update, and Void 3.0 is already a huge success thanks to the Aspects and Fragments system. Warlocks can now use their empowered melee to fire a Void Orb at a nearby enemy, and it pairs well with Necrotic Grip. Players can also create a Void Soul with their Rifts, which can attack and leech enemies.
Additionally, Hunters can now turn themselves and allies invisible with minimal effort. Titans can throw their Void shields regularly, and they can turn invisible after performing a finisher. The Titan stealth-bomber build is surprisingly effective since it focuses on survivability and ad clearing.
7 Dead Messenger May Be The Game’s Best Grenade Launcher
A new expansion means a ton of new Exotics, and Dead Messenger is a brand new grenade launcher that can only be obtained by completing the Vox Obscura mission on Mars. This weapon uses special ammo, and just may be Destiny’s best grenade launcher.
When the Dead Messenger shots hit the ground, they release three energy waves in a fan-like formation. The launcher also has a perk called The Fundamentals, which allows players to cycle between Arc, Solar, and Void damage. This makes Dead Messenger a prime choice for clearing shielded enemies.
6 One Of The New Strikes Is A Callback To The Taken King
As a Darkblade, Alak-Hul was one of Oryx’s most fearsome warriors, and when the Hive God died, Alak-Hul was the top candidate to replace him. Before the events of the original game, Alak-Hul attempted to overthrow Oryx, but the rebellion was squashed, and Oryx imprisoned Alak-Hul deep within the dreadnaught.
Veteran Destiny players will remember Alak-Hul as the final boss of The Taken King‘s Sunless Cell Strike. It turns out that he was resurrected by a Hive Ghost, and is now the final boss of The Witch Queen‘s Lightblade Strike. For the time being, Alak-Hul is the biggest canonical callback to what is arguably Destiny‘s best expansion.
5 The Scorn Play A Meaningful Role Again
Many fans believe that Forsaken is one of the franchise’s best expansions, which is understandable given the amount of content it added. Forsaken introduced a new enemy type known as the Scorn, who are undead Fallen that were resurrected by Dark Ether.
The Scorn were the main enemy of Forsaken’s campaign, as well as the centerpiece of a Strike, but other than that, they had no lasting impression on Destiny 2 as a whole. The Witch Queen changed that, as the Scorn worked directly under The Witness’ Disciple, and they were finally featured in a Raid.
4 So Far, The Seasonal Storyline Has Been Great
Destiny 2 has done a great job with seasonal storytelling, and so far, the latest expansion has continued that trend. Season of the Risen revolves around the Vanguard’s alliance with Empress Caiatl, as both sides agree to fight Savathun’s Lucent brood. This involves taking several Hive members in for interrogation.
Crow believes that the imprisoned Hive are being tortured, and this puts him at odds with Lord Saladin. During the recent operation on the Moon, Crow unplugs a machine that kills the captive Hive and one of Caiatl’s Psions. The Empress demands blood by Cabal law, and when she attempts to kill Crow, Saladin intervenes and offers his own life to preserve the alliance. The Iron Lord is spared, but he must now serve on Caiatl’s war council.
3 The Raid Features A Challenging Final Boss
Rhulk is the final boss of the Vow of the Disciple Raid, and he is the one who captured and imprisoned the Worm Gods’ mother. This act forced the Worms to become servants of The Darkness. First, players need to take down the shield that protects Rhulk, but they can only do this by activating the correct symbols with a buff. This must be done while Rhulk unleashes Darkness empowered blasts.
The second phase requires players to avoid Rhulk’s attacks, while one fireteam member gets the buffs and activates the correct pillar. This process needs to be repeated several times before Rhulk can finally take damage. He is equipped with a large glaive, and he can dash towards players with incredible speed. He deals a massive amount of melee damage, and if players are not careful, he will kick them into oblivion.
2 Glaives Are Great For Melee & Ranged Attacks
Swords were a welcomed addition when Taken King was released, and bows have been quite effective since they were introduced in Forsaken. For The Witch Queen, Bungie decided to add a new weapon type, and so far, the Glaive has not disappointed.
Glaives are traditionally melee weapons, but they can also be used for ranged attacks as well. They have a surprisingly long melee range and deal a good amount of damage with their combo. Best of all, these melee attacks do not consume ammo. Each class is receiving its own Exotic Glaive along with a class-specific perk.
1 The Lore Has Been Outstanding
The Witch Queen is arguably the best-written Destiny story that Bungie has yet to produce. The voice acting is impeccable, and the cutscenes are emotional, but what makes the story so compelling is how it impacts the lore.
Originally, Savathun and her siblings accepted the Darkness so they could save their people and avenge their father, but it turned out that the Darkness lied to them from the very beginning. Even the Worm Gods are not as evil as they were depicted to be. At no other time has the line between Light and Dark ever been this thin.
About The Author
