Predicting Destiny 2

Opinion

Destiny 2 will be awesome because it’s already been made.

By Josiah Sapp

    Let me set the stage for you. I’m going to list off a set of attributes then I’m going to give you two different games that best fits the attributes that I describe. Sound good? Here we go:

• Imagine a game with endless amounts of guns. A vast array of armaments that busts open the sandbox of the game completely changing how you play.
• You’ve got several classes to choose from once you start the game and within each class, is a set of subclasses that will dictate what kind of role you will play throughout.
• Gameplay is sharp and precise but the story is vague. It lacks characters you care about and a general sense of confusion as you complete the story missions.
• The loot system is great as you are constantly chasing after that one piece of loot you don’t have and always wanted.
• Cooperative play is not necessary but encouraged. It definitely adds a layer of fun to the experience in ways that you couldn’t have had aloine.

Destiny (developed by Bungie) or Borderlands (developed by Gearbox)? Think about the list again. Which game does this list best describe? In all honesty, when making the list I went back and forth between what game I was actually writing about! This short list is in no way a fully comprehensive description of these games. Of course they have their differences like multiplayer matches and art style (which we’ll get into later) but at the core of Destiny and Borderlands lies these five fundamental truths. However, the similarities don’t stop there. The marketing, trailers, interviews, plot points and even secondary characters all line up within these games sequels. Destiny 2 will be awesome because it is following the exact footsteps of the Borderlands franchise.

Vague Story. Excellent Gameplay.

If you tried to sum up the main stories for Borderlands 1 (BL1) and Destiny 1 (D1) you’d be hard pressed to find anything that stands out. BL1 is essentially a glorified treasure hunt where there isn’t any real reason you should be searching for this vault other than Loot. On the topic of loot, my friends and I had way more fun just searching for hidden chests than we did completing quests to get closer to the vault. That should tell you how boring and forgettable this main storyline is. Anyway, BL1 tries to grab your attention with whacky characters, corrupt corporations, and plot twists that fall flat due to their poor delivery. However, you forget about all of this. The gameplay is that good. The systems are all there and it all works. Each gun feels different. Each shield reacts differently to enemies. Each grenade leans towards everyone’s play style. You’re not thinking “Who is this person? Why are they trying to stop me?” Instead you’re thinking “RARE GUN!!!” and “WEAPONS CHEST!!” Loving every second of the hunt and cherishing every battle you find yourself in.

Destiny is a similar story. You’re a no-name “Guardian” who’s been resurrected from the dead to be given a bogus mission. That mission? Defeat the darkness and... that’s all the instruction you’re given. It’s a complete mess that makes no sense. Throughout the whole game, you go from planet to planet mindlessly defeating waves of enemies that attack you because they’ve got nothing better to do. Forgettable characters give you forgettable missions where you defeat the same set of enemies through each mission but you don’t care. The guns are slick. The skills you wield feel powerful. The world you’re in is beautiful and brimming with potential. You’re hooked to the gameplay and the thing compelling you isn’t story or characters, it’s the experience you create with the diverse set of tools at your disposal.

Downloadable Content (DLC) is the same story through both games. For BL1 you had The Zombie Island of Dr. Ned and Mad Moxxie’s Underdome Riot. Both received their fair share of acclaim but nothing completely game changing. No, that came in their next DLC The Secret Armory of General Knoxx. The third installment introduced a well written bad guy, new vehicles, new guns, and a satisfying ending culminating in a 2 minute loot grab through the armory. D1’s DLC story is almost exactly the same. First The Dark Below was released and then House of Wolves came out. Both changing up the formula a bit and they received decent reviews but The Taken King, D1’s third expansion, really elevated the game. New map, subclasses, gun manufacturers, character arcs, and most importantly a well written threatening bad guy. Both BL1 and D1’s third DLC installments defined and refined what they wanted the game to be. It was focused, precise, and both installments were incredibly fun to play. Here’s where the Borderlands sequel comes in.

Hello Pandora! Handsome Jack here.

Borderlands 2 (BL2) was released on September 18, 2012 with extremely positive reviews across the board with one of the best trailers ever made. The reason for the awesome reception? Handsome Jack. A well thought out antagonist who does just that. Antagonizes you from the very first minute of the game. He’s the douchiest, smartest, and most deserving of a punch to the face bad guy that you’ve ever seen. He drives the whole game. Checking in with you during moments of intense action rooting for you to get shot. It’s brilliant writing and you can’t get enough of him.

Other than Jack, Gearbox simply improved on every aspect of BL1’s gameplay and story. They bring back the old playable characters as fully fleshed out NPC’s who guide your quests. Not only do they guide you but each character has their own story as you’re introduced to them. It appears that when developing BL2, they went all in on the same development strategy that they used for BL1’s third expansion. Define what it is you’re going after, write in an antagonist who you want to defeat, make the missions great and the reward even greater. On the outside, BL1 and BL2 don’t seem that different but it’s what’s on the inside that counts. If you asked any gamer what elevates BL2 from BL1, they would say the story. As it stands right now Destiny 2 ‘s story is getting a shot in the arm.

Welcome to a world without Light

That’s the tagline for Destiny 2 (D2). In the world of Destiny, Light is an element that you use to fight off the darkness (obvious statement is obvious) and it’s the source of all your strength. For the first time, it’s actually threatened by the main antagonist named Ghaul. A massive hulking tank of a bad guy. He commands the Red Legion and has shown up to steal the guardian's Light. From what we’ve seen in the trailers,  Ghaul seems like no slouch boasting that he’s conquered worlds and the only one worthy of the Light. If anything has got me excited about this game, it’s the opportunity to take a shot at this guy. He’s cocky, prideful, strong and seems like that kind of guy that will underestimate his opponent. Right off the bat Bungie defines the conflict, your role, and who you’re fighting. The similarities between BL2 and D2 are striking, and they don’t stop with a defined antagonist.

For starters, we have returning characters ready to get a fleshed out stories. The Vanguard is a group of guardians that we don’t really care about. In D1, they served as mission debriefings before and after quests. They had interesting back stories that you’d get little snippets of but nothing to sink your teeth into. In D2, they’ve been scattered across the galaxy after the events of Ghaul’s first attack. It’ll be the player’s job to reunite the Vanguard in order to gather strength to defeat the enemy. Even though the game isn’t out yet, we know this. Bungie released these story details during their gameplay reveal event in June 2017.

BL2 and D2 appear to have similar gun mechanics. BL2 doubled down on have different gun “manufacturers” where each brand of gun felt distinct. Different brands developed different gun archetypes (submachine gun, sniper rifle etc.) but each manufacturer put their own spin each gun they made. D1 introduced something similar in their Taken King DLC where different gun manufacturers had different styles for their gun archetypes. Per the gameplay that we’ve seen so far, D2 is keeping the same model of different brands of guns but just like BL2, they’re adding a whole slew of different weapon types to the mix. Submachine guns and grenade launchers are being introduced while favorites like the scout rifle or hand cannon are getting the tweaked with the different brands.

Conclusion

Ever since Destiny 1 was released, the comparison between it and Borderlands was well established. The procedurally generated weapons/items, the immersive co-op, skill trees, and overall gameplay added to the fact that these two games seem to borrow from one another. In no way am I insinuating that Destiny 2 is going to be a complete rip off of Borderlands 2 but details seem to point to a similar trajectory and that’s ok. A sequel should always add on to what has already been established in the original. Never equal or subtract but add to what you already know. B1 was missing a story and defined antagonist so that’s exactly what BL2 did and it was amazing! Destiny 1 has the core down to a science and the community to back that core up. What they need is a Borderlands 2 style sequel. Add exactly what was missing from the first one. That’s what it appears they are doing and I couldn’t be more excited.