Hey, remember Destiny 2?
Hey, remember Destiny 2?
It was one of 2017’s most anticipated games. It sold well on release, then saw its playerbase plummet over the course of a few months, even after an expansion release in December.
Hopes were high for Destiny 2, both for long-time fans of the series and for newcomers, especially as the sequel marked the franchise’s first entry on the PC. But a lack of endgame activities, lackluster PvP, and microtransaction controversies scared away much of the game’s population.
Now, though, the developers at Bungie have spent the past few months building the game back up and adding in features that shouldn’t have been left out in the first place. But there’s no use crying over what happened in the past. Is Destiny 2 worth getting back into now? Yes.
This coming Tuesday, May 8, marks the release of the game’s second expansion, Warmind. The DLC brings new content like a new story campaign, new Crucible maps, a new horde-like PvE event, and, of course, a ton of new weapons and armor to equip.
New content like this is reason enough to fire up the game again, but you should even try it out this weekend before the DLC comes out because the list of changes that have been made since the Curse of Osiris expansion in December is long. Thankfully, all of the changes have been masterfully compiled in a Reddit thread by user named SampleJackson.
In short, there’s been a ton of changes to things like general loot, vendors, PvE rewards, Raid rewards, the Crucible, and weapon balance. For example, Legendary armor can now drop as a Masterwork, which means that they grant a five percent damage resistance per armor piece while using your Super. Vendors now also sell gear for direct purchase, so you don’t have to get lucky in a package.
In one of the cooler changes, Nightfall bosses now offer unique rewards. The higher you score in a Nightfall Strike, the more likely you are to get specific and exclusive weapons that will only drop from the chest after the Strike is completed.
For the Crucible, there are weekly featured playlists. This week, for example, is six-vs-six Iron Banner, which is a change from the traditional four-vs-four modes in Destiny 2, so you can play with more friends at once. You will also see a lot more Power ammo drops in PvP, as they respawn quicker and you will be able to pick up ammo off of a dead enemy.
The 1.1.4 update from March buffed the majority of weapons in PvE activities. You can check out the full list of changes on Bungie’s website, but damage has been buffed basically across the board for all archetypes.
Tuesday will not only mark release of the Warmind expansion, but the beginning of season three. This new update adds a ton to the existing game, including Exotic weapon tuning, seasonal Crucible rankings, and the inclusion of DLC maps in all Crucible playlists. Plus, private matches will make a return from Destiny 1, opening the door for more competitive play.
Bungie has spent a lot of time rectifying past mistakes and adding to the game. With Warmind coming out in a few days, this weekend is a perfect time to experience the changes that have been made and prepare for the new content.
If you don’t like what you play, then continue on your current gaming path. But if you do, think about getting back into the game and tell your friends to join your fireteam. Plus, if you already bought the Expansion Pass with the game last fall, what do you have left to lose?
