Destiny

[MAIZEandBLUE09]

I totally got my $60 out of the core game and $30 out of the expansions. The game has improved vastly over the past year.

The Taken King is overpriced by about $10. There really isn't any other way to spin that. Most people should wait a few months until buying to see if they throw a discount in there. Both raids were a mess at the start and had to patched a bit to where they were worth playing.

The original game was OK, I probably would have bought it at full price had I known everything about it. But once you finish the single player and you're stuck just repeating strikes or playing the poorly designed multi-player PvP maps, the game really lost my interest quickly. I probably had about 30-40 hours in the game before I was really done.

The expansions were over priced by like $15. If I'm paying $20-$25 per expansion, it better last me more than a few hours. And they didn't. As mentioned, each gave you some additional story modes to beat, 1 strike (Because I'm on Xbox one and didn't get the 2nd one PS4 users got), some additional basic-design PvP maps and a raid. The story mode took a couple hours, the strike took 20 minutes and then they were done. The multiplayer map design was just so poor in this game. Basic shapes, basic map layouts, no size to the maps, only like 5 v 5. The PvP felt like I was playing a game from 15 years ago, like Halo 1. Great back then, lack luster now.

And, like I said, the raids would be great and probably add countless hours to the game....but they've made it impossible to match up with people to play those unless you happen to have 5 other friends on the same system (which I do not). I had 1 other friend playing Destiny at the time I was playing it.

 

[Clayton]

The original game was OK, I probably would have bought it at full price had I known everything about it. But once you finish the single player and you're stuck just repeating strikes or playing the poorly designed multi-player PvP maps, the game really lost my interest quickly. I probably had about 30-40 hours in the game before I was really done.

The expansions were over priced by like $15. If I'm paying $20-$25 per expansion, it better last me more than a few hours. And they didn't. As mentioned, each gave you some additional story modes to beat, 1 strike (Because I'm on Xbox one and didn't get the 2nd one PS4 users got), some additional basic-design PvP maps and a raid. The story mode took a couple hours, the strike took 20 minutes and then they were done. The multiplayer map design was just so poor in this game. Basic shapes, basic map layouts, no size to the maps, only like 5 v 5. The PvP felt like I was playing a game from 15 years ago, like Halo 1. Great back then, lack luster now.

And, like I said, the raids would be great and probably add countless hours to the game....but they've made it impossible to match up with people to play those unless you happen to have 5 other friends on the same system (which I do not). I had 1 other friend playing Destiny at the time I was playing it.

The PS exclusive content held back the game quite a bit, imo, even for Playstation users because it locked Hawkmoon, Monte Carlo and the 4th Horseman (which I still dont have) out of Xur's shop and it locked the PS exclusive strikes from the Weekly and Nightfall playlists. The exclusive contract very noticeably makes the game worse. The game would've been MUCH better as a PS4 exclusive designed purely for the next gen systems. As is, Activision tried to make as much money as possible.

As far as multiplayer maps are concerned, my only frame of reference from recent FPS games are the COD maps and the Destiny maps are better than any COD map set except maybe the first BLOPS. Destiny could change the map design but they'd have to neuter sniper rifles to put in maps that you're thinking of. Destiny has made a lot of design choices to incorporate close combat as much as possible but Trials is pretty much dominated by Sniper teams.

 

[Clayton]

Game looks amazing now with the new 17GB patch. It actually looks like a true PS4 game and not a PS3 game ported over

 

[Clayton]

Early thoughts on the Taken King:

+ New planet is amazing. High level Patrols, Events, Exploration and Hidden areas
+ The game bombards you with story missions. Its actually hard to use more than one character at once
+ Main characters are a lot more fleshed out. New ghost sounds goofy but I think that offsets all of the crazy stuff going on
+New enemies types that spawn have a ton a ridiculous abilities and are fun to fight
+New subclasses all seem amazing
+Strikes and boss fights are more unique and have raid elements
+New heavy weapon type seems well done

-Going to have to grind your ass off to get all of your older exotics back. Its like the game is holding all of your Year 1 stuff hostage. 125 Legendary Marks will probably take the average person 10-14 days and thats what it takes to get an exotic armor like Saint 14 leveled up and ready to know.

 

[MAIZEandBLUE09]

Early thoughts on the Taken King:

+ New planet is amazing. High level Patrols, Events, Exploration and Hidden areas
+ The game bombards you with story missions. Its actually hard to use more than one character at once
+ Main characters are a lot more fleshed out. New ghost sounds goofy but I think that offsets all of the crazy stuff going on
+New enemies types that spawn have a ton a ridiculous abilities and are fun to fight
+New subclasses all seem amazing
+Strikes and boss fights are more unique and have raid elements
+New heavy weapon type seems well done

-Going to have to grind your ass off to get all of your older exotics back. Its like the game is holding all of your Year 1 stuff hostage. 125 Legendary Marks will probably take the average person 10-14 days and thats what it takes to get an exotic armor like Saint 14 leveled up and ready to know.

But the real question is -- is it worth like $40?

 

[Clayton]

But the real question is -- is it worth like $40?

Absolutely on ps4. I'm not so sure about the other systems

 

[Xx srs bsns xX]

But the real question is -- is it worth like $40?

I would say so. It feels like there's more content than the previous 2 "expansions" combined. Part of that could be the way everything has changed (quests, etc)... but there's a lot to do.

 

[Sgt Brutus]

Sounds like a pay to play to me

 

[Clayton]

Sounds like a pay to play to me

Its closer to an MMO subscription model except slightly less harsh unless you are counting the general online fee you pay to Sony and Xbox. While it is technically free to play every month, you also have to buy the expansions when they come out or you basically get locked out of any and all new content.

There is a lot more content now for people who like to play Destiny in a variety of ways. If it stagnates like it did with Dark Below (about a 4 month period of time with 2 hours of story content and 1 lame Raid) again then Im bouncing off to other game.

I see Destiny being my go-to game for at least the next month or two, though.

The weapons and classes are in a much better place right now. It feels like you can play a variety of ways in PVE and PVP and win. It definitely wasn't that way before.

 

[Clayton]

Time to table Destiny again. Taken King was a vast improvement over what came before it but the content runs out about 75-100 hours into it.

The light level system that they introduced basically forces everyone into grinding the normal raid AND the hard raid and totally abandoning the rest of the game but there is no payoff in having a higher light level. Exotics are events that happen randomly on Daily Missions that require hours of play and I dont have time for that.

I recommend Taken King to everyone but its not something you'll play forever.

 

[MAIZEandBLUE09]

Time to table Destiny again. Taken King was a vast improvement over what came before it but the content runs out about 75-100 hours into it.

The light level system that they introduced basically forces everyone into grinding the normal raid AND the hard raid and totally abandoning the rest of the game but there is no payoff in having a higher light level. Exotics are events that happen randomly on Daily Missions that require hours of play and I dont have time for that.

I recommend Taken King to everyone but its not something you'll play forever.

Yeah, which is why I didn't buy the game. Just not worth it for another $40. I was really hoping for an endless game like WOW when it came out -- but they failed to produce that. The worlds are just disappointing with not much to do in them and not much to find.

 

[Clayton]

Yeah, which is why I didn't buy the game. Just not worth it for another $40.

The list of games Id enjoy for 70+hours is really small. Its worth $40 but its no endless game

 

[MAIZEandBLUE09]

The list of games Id enjoy for 70+hours is really small. Its worth $40 but its no endless game

I have honestly enjoyed a majority of the COD games (despite not buying one in a while) for longer than I enjoyed Destiny. For what it was advertised as and for how much they've charged people ($60 for the game, $30 for the two expansions and not $40 for the most recent expansion) it's just way overpriced for what you get. You could purchase two games for the cost of Destiny now.

 

[Clayton]

I have honestly enjoyed a majority of the COD games (despite not buying one in a while) for longer than I enjoyed Destiny. For what it was advertised as and for how much they've charged people ($60 for the game, $30 for the two expansions and not $40 for the most recent expansion) it's just way overpriced for what you get. You could purchase two games for the cost of Destiny now.

COD is great for the first...3 games that you play. After that, you realize you are just playing the same thing over and over again and a lot of the things they do to spruce up the game actually makes it worse.

 

[MAIZEandBLUE09]

COD is great for the first...3 games that you play. After that, you realize you are just playing the same thing over and over again and a lot of the things they do to spruce up the game actually makes it worse.

I guess that's my kind of thing. Battlefield is my favorite series and while I am playing the same maps over and over, you can adjust the style of play to make it more interesting. You just can't do that in Destiny. The multiplayer PvP is bland and you have to do one thing to stay competitive -- and the strikes are literally the same thing over and over again. When I bought Destiny I thought there might be an element of wondering around the world, attacking computer enemies, completing tasks and getting items. But that just doesn't exist. There are some neat elements to the game, but they just failed to connect it all. Certainly not worth $130.

 

[Clayton]

I guess that's my kind of thing. Battlefield is my favorite series and while I am playing the same maps over and over, you can adjust the style of play to make it more interesting. You just can't do that in Destiny. The multiplayer PvP is bland and you have to do one thing to stay competitive -- and the strikes are literally the same thing over and over again. When I bought Destiny I thought there might be an element of wondering around the world, attacking computer enemies, completing tasks and getting items. But that just doesn't exist. There are some neat elements to the game, but they just failed to connect it all. Certainly not worth $130.

Ive gotten my money's worth many times over but its diminishing returns. There is a good chance that I'm just done with Destiny.

I didn't like Battlefield 4 at all from what I saw. The multiplayer just looked like chaos. Hardline seems like it was something else. I suspect that there might be some level of learning curve or initiation for caring about a deep game like Battlefield but it just looked like big maps of people camping and a mess of people around them doing their own thing.

 

[nathans8823]

Is anyone else getting bored of The Taken King already? I haven't played Destiny in AWHILE cause I got bored lol

 

[Clayton]

Is anyone else getting bored of The Taken King already? I haven't played Destiny in AWHILE cause I got bored lol

Yes.

The first Destiny got in trouble with the wall they created after level 20 but it had great exotics to chase after. This game hits a fierce wall after you hit 290 and the weapons are balanced enough to not care.

 

[cezero]

i have more than gotten my money's worth from the taken king

it made it almost a new game

i'm about to take a long break from it after playing a ton for the last month or so

time to play the dlc for witcher 3

 

[MAIZEandBLUE09]

Yes.

The first Destiny got in trouble with the wall they created after level 20 but it had great exotics to chase after. This game hits a fierce wall after you hit 290 and the weapons are balanced enough to not care.

I keep repeating this is a major problem with the game. They didn't create enough levels and enough loot to want to stick around trying to get it. Part of what made WoW a 10+ year game is that there's thousands of things to go after and thousands of quests to do. Destiny needed way more stuff to go after if they wanted people to stick around -- and that stuff had to give you big advantages. Problem is, they balanced everything so that when playing there's not much of a difference between the best weapons and the non-exotic ones. The thing that kept me playing is I wanted some specific exotics and after a little bit of playing, you end up getting them and then what? It just hits a wall.