18.9.2014

This game launched after a huge, possibly unprecedented, amount of hype. Maybe that's part of the reason that gamers' opinions have been so split. Or maybe it's literally that no matter what, you cannot please everyone. Because I have to say, I'm really surprised at some of the uber-negative reviews. While I accept the game is not "perfect", many people's gripes seem to me to be completely unreasonable.To throw in my own penny's worth, I think this is a brilliant game. It looks fantastic, of course, with great effects and artwork, and an amazing attention to detail. Some of the scenery is breathtaking - if you get to take a moment to appreciate it. These are derelict cities, factories,alien archaeological sites, and so on where the game is primarily played. I think the scene is set perfectly, and you really get a sense of desolation.Also, the gaming environments are huge... clever tricks are used to give you that open-world impression. What actually happens is seamless loading between areas on each world, and it works really well. To help speed you on your journey, you have the use of a small hover bike which can be summoned to you from most outdoor areas.The campaign (Story) mode is supplemented by other game modes, such as a Strike, Raid or a Patrol, all of which take place in the same world. What's really clever is that multiple players will coincide with each other, and may decide to help each other out. In order to remain together within the same "instance" during a mission, they need to join together in a Fireteam, at which point they fully share the same mission and objectives. Furthermore, optional "Public events", mini-missions which occur at certain specific locations, can attract players to collaborate in public areas without the need to join a fireteam.The story, which has been one of the targets of criticism, I thought was pretty good, if a little short. People complain that it's "predictable" but come on - it's a "good vs evil" backstory at the end of the day. There's enough originality in it, regardless of what the haters are saying. It's even well enough executed that I didn't feel the need to see if there was a "cut-scene skip" button, which speaks volumes (although I wish there was one now I'm going through it a second time with my "alt").Many have also complained about the lack of longevity. The story missions are not particularly difficult (unless you choose to play at a higher skill level, which you can choose at any time as you choose a story mission), so I agree it can be done in just a few hours. But you also have the sidequests already mentioned (the best of which is done as co-operative multiplayer), as well as PVP in the "Crucible". But not only that, Bungie have been clear that this is only the start. Don't expect the credits to roll when the storyline has been done, and everyone lives happily ever after... that is not the way we roll. There is more to come.There has been some compelling evidence (allegedly from a development insider) that what has been shipped is a fraction of what was originally intended (and written), suggesting that the loss of key resources partway through the project, along with need to stick to the release deadline, meant so much of the original story ending up on the cutting room floor and the remainder rehashed. Though it's hard to prove one way or the other, I must admit I find this completely believable, and it would indeed explain some oddities in the game story. It's also a massive shame, because you get a sense of just how EPIC this game would have been had it materialised the way it had been intended. Hopefully, some of the original stuff can be salvaged and reintroduced through DLC (and I certainly hope that part is given for free).It has not been without its teething trouble, to say the least. The network connection to Destiny servers needs to be maintained or you get kicked back to orbit, and this has happened on a number of occasions, which is frustrating to say the least. The aforementioned Fireteam feature is very cumbersome; to ask someone to join you means targeting the player, and a number of button presses. This takes you into a shell of the PS4 messaging system to mail the player to ask them to "Play Destiny" (all the time you are stood vulnerable in the game world). That player would see the PS4 message alert, and would have to break out into the messaging system to read the message and accept the game invite. It feels like an age has passed, and it is very sloppy. Not only that, I'm often getting errors at that point of "cannot connect as the game session has ended" - even though the other player is very clearly still playing.This is just one aspect of the social "failing" which I think is a valid criticism from many. Interacting with other players is simply not as slick as it should have been, given the game's multiplayer promise (and potential). Even at The Tower, it seems that Bungie expect us Guardians to socialise by pointing, waving, dancing, and kicking a ball around - but not actually communicating. I realise in-game chat causes significant challenges, but at least some manner of organising a team-up would have been really handy. It's thanks to "abusive griefing from a minority of players..." according to Bungie, but they plan to address it with an "opt-in" system before the end of 2014.The game's rewards system has also come under fire, but Bungie have been quick to respond to that in the early weeks, and we should see improvements with early patches. There are clues from the interface that they have left room for further subclasses, higher levelling and character development.The PVP is good but probably not best in class. Games are relatively small, short, and the objectives somewhat unimaginative. Maybe new game modes will be developed. Maybe it's because PVP was never the primary focus, but I would say it's not as good as other games such as BF4 or Killzone - for various reasons.But these disappointments don't ruin the game for me, they just make it less awesome - and to be honest I think (and hope) they may even be addressed at some point. The main thing is, this is a game which still has a lot of potential. I hope I can amend my review in the near future, if Bungie can iron out the social creases.TL;DRFirst: Note that you NEED to be connected to the internet (PSN and Bungie servers) to play this game.If you like FPS games, this is still a great game - in fact this is the game I've been waiting for (pre-ordered it at the same time as the PS4). Of course I'm disappointed that (so far) it hasn't reached the bar Bungie set for themselves, and I really hope they get the opportunity and support to redress that. But despite that, it's still incredibly addictive. Those giving it minimal ratings, simply because they're disappointed about a few aspects of it, are refusing to acknowledge there's anything good about the game. There are glimpses of a masterpiece... if only more could be uncovered. If rumours are true, this game has the potential to "level up".Incidentally (and I'll probably get grief for this), I note that many of the "haters" on the Bungie forums can also be seen to have clocked up 60, 70, 80+ hours of game time within three weeks of release, and are still playing. So maybe even for them, it's a game they don't hate as much as they think?

1.11.2014

I've played Destiny for almost two months now, typically for about two hours a day, sometimes more. But sometimes that isn't as much a mark of greatness as it is of a game that, once the initial - and quite short - story is over, relies mostly on grinding to reach that all important "legendary" status that has been right at the centre of such a long, sometimes seemingly endless pre-order advertising campaign.Like many others, I paid about double the price of the standard edition to get a limited edition pack that contains a code for upcoming DLC and a few mildly interesting, but ultimately not very illuminating items. I had hoped for some in-depth backstory materials in the pack,but backstory is something the whole game seems to be short on. If you're expecting the story to develop into interesting areas and end with you learning more about the mysterious Traveller and the aliens who are attacking you, prepare to be disappointed because you learn absolutely nothing. The plot is the setting and the setting is the plot. This is never more evident than when you complete the final mission and get nothing but a new gun and a metaphorical pat on the head. I've never seen a game that didn't take you straight into the credits after finishing the story campaign before, but Destiny merely returns you to the destination menu and gives you an option to see "cinematic credits" that are anything but. It's almost as if Bungee were too embarrassed to have them start automatically, and for me it sums up what a huge anticlimax the game is.That's not to say it isn't fun whilst it lasts, but as fun goes it's unexpectedly oversimplified. The single player campaign mode takes you to Old Russia, the Moon, Venus and Mars, but although you have a choice in when to play side missions, it's extremely linear. You make no decisions, you do not interact with non player characters (other than to trade weapons, armour and materials, and even that's when off-mission), you do not solve any puzzles, you do not really do very much with the vehicles provided and you move from point to point shooting everything that moves and occasionally standing still for a second so your "ghost" (a floating AI companion) can access computer terminals.During the course of this story, you encounter four different collectives of alien aggressors, who each have a handful of different forms (think Halo Covenant species and multiply by 4). When they are not shooting at you, they shoot at each other. You can choose one of three different classes - Hunter, Warlock and Titan - and you gain more abilities as you level up. Whilst playing these campaign missions you can team up with friends, and you will also share the open world areas with other random players who can see and shoot the same enemies you can. Each world is large and every area within that map's geography is varied and unique. When not playing story mode, you can run patrols in these areas and earn extra XP, in game currency and items for completing missions and bounties (these mostly boiling down to killing specific enemies, getting precision kills, melee killing enemies without dying, and so on).The graphics and draw distances are very good, and Venus stands out as being by far the most beautiful sci-fi environment in any contemporary video game, the best since we first landed on Halo. The Moon, Earth and Mars are not quite in Venus's league, but are still great places to patrol and wait for half-hourly public events to happen. These are short on-the-spot missions which are open to all players currently matched with you in the same map, and they give various minor level boosting rewards. To be thoroughly honest, I think it was not unreasonable to expect more planets in this game, because this is a game that huge numbers of people want to keep playing for a long time and the development budget was surely big enough to include them.The levelling up mechanics of this game are unusual, and they work well to start with. When you reach level 20, you stop earning XP as a character and instead you start levelling up your armour. You can reach level 30 this way, but it can be a long hard slog to do so. Strike playlists, where you team up in a group of three to play one of five non-campaign missions are fun at first but the ascendant materials you need for becoming legend are doled out so sparingly that by you will likely be sick of these strike missions after a while and you still won't be levelled up completely.Competitive multiplayer is not anywhere near the same level of fun as it is in Halo, and that is at least some comfort for me because I seem to be unable to play a full 10 minute game without the server kicking me out with some animal related error code (yes, Bungee name their error codes after animals). It doesn't happen in the rest of the game and I don't have any problems with my broadband. I am a long-time Halo player and I can count the number of times I have been error-kicked at the fault of the Halo servers on one hand with fingers to spare, but the treatment I and so many other players get from the Destiny servers is appalling.Putting that to one side, there is another aspect of Destiny that seriously needs improvement. There is a meeting place called The Tower where you can get supplies and bounties, and interact with other players. It's a good idea, but it's so far removed from any RPG mechanics that it's sole-crushingly disappointing to visit it time and again and see the same people in the same places, get the same bounty quests and never have anything uniquely new to do. This is made even worse by the fact that one and only one character - a merchant - does come and go, only being available to interact with at the weekends. Why can't Bungee add story elements with characters coming and going whom you can interact with like an RPG game. It's like Mass Effect never happened.I'm at level 28 at the moment, but as soon as my next pre-order game comes out in November I am going to abandon the grinding until the first DLC pack comes out. To be honest, if I hadn't already pre-bought the DLC I would be stopping right there. To achieve longevity in a game though making the player grind is lazy thinking, and my initial excitement at a new epic video game from Bungee has turned into disappointment at a game that should - whilst you are still levelling up - remain fun to play, but is now seeming stale and uninspired.I loved this game very much and very briefly until it changed from being an exciting new experience to a repetitive grind towards that legendary level 30 status which every player who invested so much hope and money into this game wants. Hopefully I will reach level 30 on the DLC, or maybe Bungee will raise the level cap and - thanks in part to the eternally buggy multiplayer - I may never reach the top of it. And if I do reach the top level, will I feel like I have done what I have been encouraged for years by Bungee to aspire to and feel like I have become legend?

21.10.2014

After spending hundreds of hours and have all 3 classes at 28+ with at least 3 exotic pieces of armour and all sub-classes maxed out, I feel I can add my comments now.Destiny's campaign is disappointing and the mission structure is quite repetitive. The universe, back story etc Bungie have created would have made an epic campaign if created in a more traditional style. The potential makes the 'story' we did get seem even more disappointing. That being said, I doubt the Traditional campaign structure would have lent itself to end-game content (the daily missions, bounties, events etc) and would have probably felt more detached from the rest of the game - like a separate part in a similar way to how nearly all other FPS games are - the campaign is separate from the MP or co-op modes.I do get why the missions all seem to start in the same place - It kind of brings everything together, allows a little more freedom - you can explore, loot etc, go where you want, have the same opportunity to engage in Public events and socialise or just head straight to the objectives. I think it would have made more sense to have a docking area here for your ship though to kind of explain why that's always the start point.The 5 Strikes (6 on PS) at the moment are quite limited and the Vanguard strikes would be better on a rotational rather than Random sequence - it would stop playing the same strike 2-3 times in a row!I am not a great fan of the Crucible. I wasn't a great fan of Halos MP either and this feels like that in essence - maybe a little more evolved in that I have more control over the jumps and can ADS too.The Raid is quite challenging - I just wish Bungie opened a room in the tower for people to go to if they are looking to Raid. It would certainly make it easier to find people and negate the need to spam or getting spammed anyone over level 26. That being said it is the best designed and most variable activity in the game and certainly requires communication and co-ordination. You aren't going to get that from random matchmaking with different languages etc. Ideally you need a few certain classes and weaponry too so at least with manual matchmaking you can organise the team balance better.Free roam can be a bit of a grind if you are just looking for materials, loot etc but you can do this during all PvE options. You don't have to farm materials, loot hunt etc just in free roam so you can mix it up a bit. Also playing everything with friends alleviates that monotony to a degree.I know the RNG loot system is very disappointing and the events (Queens Wrath, Iron Banner) rewards are pointless after you reach a certain level. Why would I want multiple of the same legendary items that don't compare to my fully upgraded Legendary/exotic gear?? They seem to cater more towards the lvl 20-24 players still acquiring gear. It would have made more sense if the rewards were maybe more equivalent to the Raid (or at least inbetween legendary and exotic). I know its no different from many games of this nature but it still doesn't make it any better.I also find that Glimmer is pointless! Its capped at 25,000 but there is nothing worth spending it on. There is a limit to how many ammo synthesis packs I need in my inventory - and why can't I get rid of Ether Seeds etc as I have no need for them. The vault (particularly weapon capacity) is too small too - I really don't want to dismantle my exotics and ideally want a variety of weapons - particularly those with elemental damage for different situations.I know the content may seem limited but it has provided me with 100's of hours of game time so far - even without the DLC. It also offers a lot more options than other new IP's and even existing franchises - Look at Titanfall - no campaign (not really), limited weaponry, customisation, game modes, no co-op. Wolfenstein - no MP/co-op.The game play mechanics are excellent and feel very solid. Weapons feel solid and effective, Supers feel super and that combined with the movement controls work really well. The different classes inc sub-classes can be adjusted to suit my play style, situation and mood. Visually and aurally (not inc Peter Dinklages script and delivery) are incredible and enhance the overall experience.Its not perfect by any stretch of the imagination and does have a lot of missed opportunities. It also has a lot of potential for growth/expansion though - after all the universe is bigger than a few places on a few planets. I do find a lot of what Destiny offers too be quite addictive and the desire to acquire and upgrade various items keeps me returning. I don't know many (if any) game that I have completed the campaign missions as many times as I have in Destiny - Like I said that may be the main reason that the campaign structure was designed in this way. It may not be deep and meaningful but I do find it fun. Kind of more old school gaming fun when things didn't have much of story and were quite repetitive but the game play was solid and fun. I would give this a game probably an 8/10 but that score is quite flexible and would very much depend on what Bungie do to fix a few issues, adding new events/continued support and where the game goes from here....I know I have given it 5 stars though - that is mainly down to the fact that I thoroughly enjoy playing the game and considering the amount of hours I have put in and very likely to continue to play, it works out at excellent value for money (cost per hour). I know some of my comments may sound negative but the fact is as a package I find the whole outweighs the sum of its parts. I wouldn't recommend it if you are looking for a just a solo, campaign or MP experience but if you want 'fun' in a FPS shooter that can also be enjoyed with friends - its certainly one of the better games available.

21.1.2015

Whilst I haven't bought this Edition of the game myself I will shortly be buying this exact copy as for value it is by far the best out there at the moment. Especially with the DLC INCLUDED!10/10 - The graphics are superb every environment you go to really feels lush and detailed. No matter what I'm doing, from raids to the crucible or returning to planets. Every inch of these planets feels flawlessly designed in my ultimate opinion which is exactly what I expected from Bungie.The game play is top notch, from the moment my Ghost first awakened my Warlock to my first raid the game continuously drew me in. The gun fights in this game really push the bar up and honestly make me wonder why people are so happy with the CoD franchise thus far.But each to their own ( i personally loved the older ones ). The gameplay whilst grindy at points really offers a diverse approach, some compare it to Borderlands but I find it much smoother and find it flows with the game perfectly. Aiming, shooting, ultimate moves (e.g. hunters golden gun), melee all of it. I felt like it was designed with the game play in mind at every step.The difficulty ratings are refreshing, try to up the difficulty to soon and you can rest assured you will be blow away. As you get better gear and most importantly better at the game you find yourself taking the more daring approach every time normal mobs will put a dent but nothing major providing you don't play around like a fool, but combine them with harder mobs (what I'd call elites) and you're in for one hell of a ride.Overall Destiny honestly feels like the most refreshing game in a long, long time. The story isn't the strongest I will admit it, but I also see a strong card being dealt here. Bungie are free to make whatever content they want, defining and molding this game as they please. Expanding the story more etc etc - In short Destiny is set after 'Golden Age'. Its a time where humans have colonized and spread out, technology as tremendously expanded. Then 'The Collapse' saw the dissolution of these colonies, the end of the Golden Age, and mankind are on the brink of extinction. The only known survivors of the Collapse are those living on Earth, who were saved by "the Traveler," a white, spherical celestial body who's appearance centuries before had enabled humans to reach the stars.This is where The Guardians (who you choose to play as) Titan - Warlock - Hunter have the ability to wield what is only known as 'The Light'. Throughout the game you will primarily fight The Fallen insectoid kind of species, an ancient alien species known as 'The Hive' They have inhabited all previous human colonies wiped out and now want the remaining city which, you, 'The Traveler' and all the others are basically around to defend. You also fight 'The Vex' which are in short androids whom wish to control venus mars etc and turn the planets in to machines. Finally you have 'The Cabal' which is primarily an amphibian military force. It is important to remember that each of these races are actually hostile to each other. Apart from on the rare occasion (no spoilers).Your main task as a Guardian in this game is to revive 'The Traveler' whilst investigating these other Alien races.Overall this game does an excellent job of being both an FPS and an RPG. However - The MMO side not so much, if like me you're used to games such as Archeage, WoW, Guild Wars and so on this game pales in comparison on the MMO side of things. There's no chat in major hubs, the AI for selling and buying equipment seem so depressed and dreary all the time. Which is a shame, when you want to buy weapons, armor, new ships etc you expect a nice chat from the seller something like you'd see in Skyrim almost. But alas no.The only major bug bear of myn was the main city in which you access every think. You look over the balcony and there is this huge city and you can only venture a mere part of it. I wanted to run through this massive city see NPC's chatting away etc etc etc.I could go on about the MMO feel of this game but I feel it's something that could be improved upon over time or if they make a Destiny 2.The main MMO feel of this game for me comes from Raiding, with out to much information - Raiding is your usual jig of players working there way through an area to defeat a certain boss or obtain a certain item and so on so forth.The raiding in this game, especially with friends is truly an awesome time especially after you put sweat and tears in to leveling and gearing which is an amazing experience in itself. If they included a raid finder system it would help players move through content better but none the less it encourages you to make friends and blow S*** up.As you venture through planets at time you will honestly wonder where everyone is...as there is a distinct lack of other players in every zone which also reduced some of the MMO feeling for me, but not much as I primarily ventured through this game with friends.The Multiplayer (PvP - Crucible ) etc etc - I personally loved it, bungie have created a very good match making system in this game, the servers run flawlessly and upon entering the crucible it will soon dawn upon you that every match is as fair as it's going to get. Bungie basically make it so gear is capped - This means no death defying players mocking your team. It's definitely a multiplayer system which honestly stands out for me.Lastly the score to this game or OST as many call it. The soundtrack for this game is utterly beautiful and honestly created a level of immersion I didn't expect so I top my hat to Bungie for that.Overall:Gameplay 10/10Graphics 10/10OST/Score 10/10FPS? 10/10RPG 9.9/10MMO?8/10Replay Value? 10/10Content 10/10Final Mark; 10/10

19.2.2015

"Destiny" has been billed as the next big thing in gaming with a focus on online game play and consistent upgrades promised over the next few years. It was originally described as an MMORPG but the RPG elements are few and far between with the majority of gameplay being as a sci-fi FPS."Destiny" has to have one of the worst tutorial's of any game I have ever played. Not only does it not sufficiently explain the background story but it also fails to explain most of the controls. There is an introductory mission where the basics are shown to you (move, aim, shoot, etc) but you are left to puzzle everything else out for yourself.Remember when games used to come with manuals explaining this sort of thing?The story behind "Destiny" is never really fully detailed and you have to work a lot of it out as you go along. Essentially a big round friendly alien turns up some point in the near future and aids mankind in colonizing the solar system. Shortly after a large number of unfriendly aliens turn up and start a massive war against mankind which devastates the earth and its colonies. In the game you play something called a Guardian, a soldier fighting against these evil aliens with the assistance of a small floaty robot called a Ghost which is able to revive you when you die and guide you in your missions. Beyond this basic story though things get even more confusing and you are often left wondering what something is or how something works. Most games bombard you with information about their world with a veritable encyclopedia of lore and background. "Destiny" either can't be bothered to develop this much background or would prefer to keep it a secret.At the start of the game you get to choose from three character classes - the Titan, the Hunter and the Warlock. These essentially take the role of the warrior, rogue and wizard from fantasy games. This is not the only aspect of the game which seems to resemble a fantasy MMO, for example the aliens you fight are often described in terms of being knights, goblins, ogres and wizards. As you party up to explore the ruins of earth there is more than a little resemblance to exploring a dungeon in a fantasy world. In addition to class there are also three races to choose from - Human, Exo (robots) and Awoken (mutated humans). Sadly there are only a few options to customise the appearance of your character at the start. Even more disappointing is in cut scenes all the races look the same, deliberately covered by armour each has the same build. You can't even name your character so you are identified only by your Playstation ID. Race also seems to make little difference in gameplay, and every class can use every weapon so its only a question of class special abilities and gender that help define a character.The majority of the game uses a standard FPS view, like a co-operative version of "Call of Duty". Everything looks and feels very smooth, especially the lighting effects. In "Destiny" the guns are futuristic but the majority still fire bullets and feel pretty impressive with a decent sound effects and recall. As you take on missions you may revisit the same areas several times over but with different objectives. Random events also give some variety even when you are playing on a map you are familiar with. You can party with other players or you can just help each other out as you go about your individual missions in the same area. Blasting the aliens is a lot of fun but it can get a bit repetitive, they respawn ridiculously fast, sometimes right on top of you while you are still healing from killing them the first time!In your downtime between missions you can visit an area called The Tower in one of the last human cities where Guardians hang out and socialise. Or they would if there was any actual way to socialise in the game. The buttons on the left of your controller allow you to wave, dance, sit and point but that's about it. Unless you use voice chat or join a Destiny related chat forum there is no way to really interact with other players. Nor is there really much to do in The Tower other than visit a few shops and upgrade your equipment. There are no crafting options, or any sort of home base you can modify. Much of the game involves finding and upgrading different parts of your equipment and having flashy equipment seems the main measure of success, as if anyone else actually cared.There is a PvP mode in "Destiny" called The Crucible. This includes typical games like capture the flag, death match and team vs team fights. Although some special abilities are disabled in an attempt to balance the game between low and high level players the quality of equipment alone means that low level characters are basically cannon fodder.I'm sure there is much more to discover about "Destiny" that I have not found yet. Essentially though it is a fun enjoyable FPS even if it's not much of an RPG. Some aspects of the game are a bit odd and don't quite work, or need explaining better. But as an FPS it's much more positive than most with an emphasis on co-operation within a persistent world. Playing alongside other people rather than against them feels quite different to PvP focused games such as "Call of Duty". If they had managed the social and roleplaying aspects a bit better this could have been a great game, as it is though its still well worth checking out.

10.9.2014

Finally a FPS which isn't a reheated chapter in an endless franchise!Firstly forget all the hype, much of what has been claimed is proving to be either less than expected or something altogether different.This is a game from Bungie (Halo) and Activision (Call of Duty Modern Warfare)And what we have is a Hybrid COD/HALO mix of a gameFrom a technical viewpoint the controls are based on the Call of Duty system, which is one of the most natural ways of using the Xbox controller for a FPS. While the Games setting is very HALO (In the Future Humans are fighting off several different races of aliens - special super soldiers are needed - sound familiar?)Enemy AI is pretty weak so far i'm about six hours in and enemies are selected based on your 'rank'the enemies faced so far have either stood around allowing you to shoot them, or stand behind something and then pop out and take a shot, they have so far not shown any tactics or indeed even been much of a challange. (one of the first side missions you get is to kill 100 enemies without dying yourself, which shows you just how easy even the dev team think they are to plow though)My hope is as you progress though the ranks the enemies may become harder and harder to match your new skills and weapons etc. (edit I can confirm the enemies do rank up with you as you go on, but the AI tactics are still really poor - they just become harder to kill)As you would expect from a Bungie game it looks good, so far it has been their traditional mix of bright vibrant colours.This has an RPG-lite angle to it, you start by choosing your class (3 to choose from) as is typical each has access to various buffs perks and special moves, you also choose a race (3 again) and change the face hairstyle etc, there is not a large selection, there are about 12-15 different presets you can choose and there is now way to further indivdualise your look, (i.e you can't change nose shape etc) you progress by earning experience, gained though killing and mission completion. each time you raise a level you get a perk, (either an active one, such as a special class based weapon/attack. or a passive one such as an increase in health) you only get one per rank, you don't get to choose, the perk is matched to the rank and you have no say in it. armour and weapons can be upgraded/brought or found in loot chests or drops from killed enemy, but so far these have been rare finds, enemy will drop ammo now and again but loot is usually only on the hardest enemies. and loot chests are seldom seen things.One thing that comes across pretty quickly is that this is a game that will require grinding, I suspect a lot of grinding to really start climbing the levels and finding the loot.One massive problem this game has (or may have) this that you have to ALWAYS be ONLINE!!! these means if you have no internet, this game won't work. If your internet is patchy this game will barely work. IF Destiny's servers are down or you get kicked off - this game won't work. Several times today I have been close to finishing a mission only for the screen to suddenly go black and a message flash up telling me I have gone offline. Guess what - you then have to re-log in and start back at the last check point, this soon becomes a major headache. Tonight as I write this I have been kicked off three times in ten mintues because the Destiny servers are 'down' what I suspect is that they simply crashed because it is afternoon in the USA and the weight of traffic has been more than they can cope with - hence no game time for me!!! (in fact in two hours I got less than 10 minutes game time the rest was spent trying to log back in - you shouldn't be spending £40+ just to look at blank screens and error messages, followed by a couple of minutes of game loading screens before then error message come back!!!!!When your doing a mission online other players may turn up and share time with you so far I have not seen any foolishness from people they turn up and then dissapper with little direct interaction with each other. (i.e the online community so far seems fine)In ending this is a good game though certainly not the best game, as a First person shooter it is good fun big levels lots to do etc, the RPG elements are pretty weak. This isn't a truely ground breaking game like some claim, it takes elements done by other games, from COD to Fallout to Borderlands though to Halo and combines them into its own universe. (in many ways you could look at this as HALO clone with a bit of loot and a weak RPG element thrown in - but with the deep backstory taken out)It is the always on-line aspect and any further expansions which will decide for you if this game is really going to rise above its peers or just become a dissapointing failure. An why for all its good points there is no way I can give this full marks.

13.9.2014

!Technical info!This game is online only, that means that you need a very stable internet connection in order to play properly without timing out issues then avoid the frustrating situations where you may loose a mission or a competitive match in the middle of something. Assure yourself to have 20gb of space plus an initial mandatory post installation update of 5.85gb circa. Eventually, but not mandatory, considering the additional space for all the future addons.Destiny finally comes out and it reveals to us that is one important step forward inside the FPS universe that was too much saturated during the last decades.Bungie introduced a very interesting structure where there is no division,no older scheme about single and multiplayer mode. We have one massively multiplayer universe, several planets managed by specific servers (this is probably one of the strongest points that guarantee a considerable fluidity and rock solid stability during gaming sessions), one storyline that includes several events/game modes, one citadel where all the connected players can meet up or simply check their respective mission briefing or claiming stuff after accomplished missions and the classic scheme where we are inside the arena with four different modes (visually represented by a planet that basically regroup all the scenarios from the storyline as Earth, Moon, Mars etc.). All the things above, strictly connected to our alter ego's experience points. It doesn’t matter if you are alone in your main journey, the beauty of this game is that you can always count on someone in the storyline. So just expect that some fellas comes to help you out in the hardest moments, living the gaming experience through fighting and co-operate inside memorable moments because the only excuse that you can find is the non-adaptable taste for the science fiction genre!Destiny for PS3 offers a very honest graphic, pretty much standardized (720p, 1080p for the PS4) and very well balanced in order to guarantee the maximum playability. The weakest aesthetic point are the character's shaders, logically in low res to respect the PS3 hardware limits but this aspect doesn't really matters if we look forward to all the rest and the potential that still have to come.Right, the potential I said, because Bungie in my opinion, have two simple options: move forward with a sequel (that could be a nonsense considering the premise and the structure itself that they made) or releasing addons as we saw inside titles like Eve Online by CCP Games. Games that should be able to evolve and easy to migrate one day, inside the future hardware machines.There are few improvement rooms and one of these that I really would like to see realized through a free update is the implementation of a local chat inside the citadel (I don't know why but it reminds me of Phantasy Star Online so badly!) with the possibility to have audio sessions (only by groups, of course) in order to meet up people, making friends/allies and put a definitive boost to all the players that cannot have a better organization with real friends for the gaming sessions. Keyboard support of course, and a lot of additional social fun inside a game that already passed an important technical step.In conclusion, I gave 4 stars out of 5 because the first three represent the standard very well respected then the fourth for the step forward compared to the other titles. Maybe one day, Bungie will realize the potential so we all will agree about the fifth star and plenty of words spent on a milestone in his genre. Nothing is destroyed, anything can be shaped. Enjoy, have fun!

8.10.2014

Unless you've been kept in stasis for the last year you will surely have at least heard of Destiny. This is the new project from Bungie (of Halo fame and acclaim). Destiny is a multiplayer sci-fi first person shooter set against the backdrop of our own planet and solar system. The aim of the game? Become Legend.I love this game! From the moment I set foot in the Cosmodrome during the summer's beta it ignited a burning obsession deep within my being.The plot is straight forward, you are a Guardian tasked with defending the last safe city on earth and to take the fight to the alien scum around the galaxy. Click, click, boom! If it bleeds we can kill it.A lot of people have criticised the lack of story,I personally think that Bungie give you enough to work with, not forgetting there will be more to come over the coming months and years in the form of DLC. This was never going to be an emotional story driven epic like The Last of Us, the game sets up enough of a premise and story to support your quest through our solar system tearing alien invaders a new one.The gameplay is solid, I have no complaints about the controls or basic gameplay mechanics, everything handles well. There are numerous weapons and upgrades available to tailor your experience to your own play style. There are three classes of Guardian - Titan, Warlock and Hunter - each with 2 subclasses available, to me it looks as though Bungie have left space for a third sub class at some point in the future. I personally choose to play as a Titan which I can only really describe as an Armoured powerhouse space knight.Destiny is always online, so you will need an internet connection and PS Plus subscription to enjoy the goodness contained within. Throughout your play time you will meet other Guardians also trying to become legend, what you do is entirely up to you - go it alone or team up to take down enemies together. You don’t have to play with others, but it's so much fun, I think you would be really missing out if not. You can play co-op with a fireteam consisting of between 3-6 players to face bigger challenges like strikes and raids. Alternatively if you seek recognition and glory on a solo basis then why not try your hand at one of the several competitive modes in the crucible. Whatever your play style or preference, Destiny's got you covered.Another criticism that I've read in forums etc. Is that there is a lot of repetition and there is a lot of grinding to level up/obtain better gear post level 20. It is true that there will be repetition while you attempt to amass resources and legendary gear, It doesn’t really bother me, I enjoy the gameplay and If I’m bored with bounties or whatever I’m focused on at that time I can easily change it up and try something else like the crucible. There’s enough here to keep me going and with 2 DLC's on the way in the not too distant future, there will be new challenges further down the road.The limited edition itself is a nice package, the extras are pretty cool, I particularly like the arms and armaments book. I think its a good price for this package considering all the extras and access to the 2 DLC packages.This is easily one of the biggest games around right now, and for me personally Its my game of the year. I cant praise this game highly enough, I understand that there are those out there who haven’t found the same enjoyment I've experienced, each to their own. If you're on the fence about Destiny, at the very least give it a try and see if it draws you into its rich world like it has for me and others.

16.9.2014

I'm on level 9 of this game and I'm enjoying every minute of it. It amuses me to read from some people that they don't know what's going on in terms of the story and yet haven't read the grimoire cards and don't seem to comprehend that this is an evolving game and will continue that way long after the campaign has ended. There are various challenges in between missions so you don't have to go all gung-ho through the story campaign and this unlocks various weapons and armoury. If simpletons who're whinging it's too easy which I don't think it is and I'm a veteran gamer,then simply change the game from normal to hard and let's see you romp through a game that according to some is 10hrs long.What was some people expecting of this game......a cure for aids or cancer!!??I even read on one of the Amazon reviews that the grenades could only be tossed like a baby throw which is just absolute rubbish.The gameplay is fluid,the weaponry is excellent and as for the AI it's superb,you will get the weakest of your enemies being dumb but that's why they're the weakest and cannon fodder and surprisingly can kill you if your health bar is low. I like the fact you can zoom about the maps on your bike and if you take on an enemies vehicle you can use it against them with it's guns. I like the fact that your enemies ammo can follow you about when fired so there isn't any hiding for too long,you can pick various missions as well as side missions,the weapons and armour evolve quickly. There is the social element to it and I've been conversing with others and attacking enemies with them and helping other players out. I've just finished a real time event with another player attacking an army and a huge battle tank and it was far from easy and it was a blast. Some people have just got too used to lone wolfing it in COD free for all and are missing all the fun and I don't believe for a minute that the moaners are playing it properly or giving it a chance,maybe too many spoilt brats who cry for their parents to buy them a game then get stuck and so the game is rubbish,jump on here and tell others how bad a gamer they are and no doubt go and get something else or harp on about how the new COD will be better. I'm sick of hearing about COD,the multiplayer maybe good but the campaigns are terrible,hope it's improved better than Ghosts. It seems to me some of the whingers are too used to being told what to do and love being held by the hand throughout a game. This game is definitely fun,brilliant graphics,sound and most importantly gameplay is excellent. It was worth it for me to buy this edition considering the price it would cost for the expansion packs and the game separately,nicely packaged although the map is bleak and not as colour rich as depicted but I may've got a bad print. I wasn't expecting what came with the game to be that special but it will have a reasonable resale value. There isn't anything negative for me to say yet as the game is far too enjoyable and I've just had a sword fight. Maybe some people need to go to work/school/college/university have an outside relationship with real people and not buy games to solve their boredom,problems and then they wouldn't run through games and come on here bawling because they're stuck,rubbish at playing them or a total loser loner and they haven't got anything else to do. My advice is get a life and play games less often,socialise in the real world,grow up but most of all have fun and don't continuosly rely on games to fill your time and then you will appreciate them more when you do play :D

23.9.2014

I can't believe some people slate this game. It's cracking. I'm a gamer for some 20 years now. I've played so many different types of games.The best game ever IMO is World of Warcraft. This takes a lot of elements of that and combines it with a FPS. It's not as deep as WOW but because you are fighting FPS style there is a lot more skill required in combat. And the FPS style is spot on. Nice weapons with a good range of types of weapon that all feel right.The storyline in the game is pretty pants. But this game is all about blasting the heck out of the waves of bad guys either on your own or with other players. It's much more fun as the latter and playing co op on chat with a friend or two is great fun.Just like WOW you'll find new weapons and armour. You can power up your character with new skills over time. You can't sell your gear but you can dismantle most of it and get currency for that.So far, the missions are pretty samey. But that's the same in the likes of World of Warcraft. This game is about blasting the bad guys with your mates. And some of those levels are pretty awesome so far.I also like that you are fighting for good in this game against bad aliens and robots. As opposed to just killing other humans in the likes of Battlefield. Like Halo, the graphics are colourful with no gore. So this game is one I don't mind younger ones seeing so much. Because of the co op style of gameplay and levelling up I'm enjoying this way more than Halo. I was not a Halo fan at all.The graphics are gorgeous. So far I've played on the levels: earth, moon, venus and just unlocked Mars. Playing on the moon and seeing Earth up above is pretty awesome.The multi player that I've played so far is like capture the flag style. Other modes unlock over time. But capture the flag is 6 vs 6 competing to control bases.Higher level characters still have an advantage, but it is less stacked than the likes of Battlefield where you can just get caned by level 100 guys. At level 12 I can take out level 27 guys on this. PVP can also level you up so you're free to develop your character here or in the main game.Any downsides? Well the story is lame so far. I would have liked an auction house to sell my gear in and maybe more classes of characters (there are only three at present). But for a first crack at something entirely new, Bungie have done superb. Also impressive is the stability of the game. I haven't had a single crash. Unlike Battlefield which was useless when it first came out.As regards the limited edition. The box and content isn't worth much at all. Are the expansions worth it? Can't tell as they aren't released yet. But if the main game is anything to go by, then this pack should be fine value. It's about the same price as buying the expansions separately. You just get a nicer box and a few goodies for buying now. The post cards are pants. The gun book is nice, the packaging is nice. But certainly nothing epic.

13.9.2014

Destiny is a hard game to review, because its difficult to put a finger on what exactly it is and fundamentally, all the mechanics which the game takes advantage of have been done before in other games. The game doesn't really offer anything new and brash and original, which is what Bungie hinted at.Is that a bad thing? No! If you are going to make a sci-fi FPS online game, then copy from the best and make it better.How best to sum up the game... its a blend of FPS online, loot hunting, co-operative (if you choose) instance based game play. You have a hub city (the tower) and you use this place to buy new gear and so collect bounties and progress the story. You then fly out into orbit and choose a destination on Earth,the Moon or like wise. Those areas are instanced and not part of a larger, constant world. A select number of people randomly enter the same instance and you choose join them or just go it a lone.You have missions, quests and areas you can just freely move around.There are harder raid style missions where 3 people are needed and those can be long, tough and rewarding.It's a combination of Borderlands (fps loot hunting), Diablo style grinding, Guild Wars 2 instanced areas and Halo style visuals. And it all works and combined nicely into a cool and fun game. But as mentioned above, its not the original experience Bungie suggested it would be. You can see the influences and appreciate them.Overall, it plays great.The game runs smoothly (doesn't look great on the PS3 mind), its easy to get into a mission or a raid style event, and to join others when random events occur in the free run areas. Loot drops often and its nearly always an improvement and its easy to swap out and change. You can level up skills and easily swap amongst them like Diablo 3 to experiment.The ONLY issue I have found with the game is its difficulty.I don't mind the AI being tough in this game, and they ARE! The AI is a real challenge.My issue is when doing missions, near the end, you are sent into an area where you 'cannot re-spawn' and if you die, you are sent back to either the VERY point where this kicks in or you have to restart an entire wave of enemies. The issue with this is that when this happens, ALL the enemies res-pawn and you can sometimes be sent back quite a distance.It can lead to some extreme frustration if you are only a few kills away from completing the mission and an enemy gets a lucky kill and you have to re-do the ENTIRE thing again. How ever, once you do complete it, you feel so good about doing it, it is worth the fight.But in an era when its a standard affair to either re-spawn or keep all the enemies you already killed dead, it feels like a cheap way to make the game a lot harder then it already can be.

9.1.2015

If you're looking to buy Destiny then this is the edition to get as it comes with the first two expansions (The Dark Below & House of Wolves) which retail at £34.99 for both so (currently) at forty pounds it's a no-brainer really. If you decide down the line you're not keen then you can get most of your money back selling these alone. The LE is a nice set, particularly the art cards, weapons manual/art book and the steel case all in a chunky box with other DLC and bits and bobs.As for the game itself it has divided opinions but I think you have to play it for yourself to make up your own mind. The story (or lack thereof) is quite a joyless experience at times with much repetition and very few cut scenes or dialogue to flesh it out.

14.10.2016

I write this review about 10 hours in, so take my opinion as you will.The first thing I notice is that the plot is pretty weak. Bless Bungie, they never could come up with a compelling storyline in the Halo series, and nothing appears to have changed here. They may as well have just said "Lots of bad aliens, kill them all." because that's what you're effectively doing! The ghost companion that jabbers on at you is now my indicator that I can take a bathroom break or get a drink. Maybe I'm being harsh, but honestly, I just can't get into it.Gameplay so far is enjoyable. The mechanics and screen interfaces aren't as terrifyingly complex as some games I've had the displeasure of having to navigate.

26.10.2014

The box arrived, I was excited and in the machine it went. I loaded the game, the charater created and off I went on my merry adventure in space.As the dev's have paid more attention to the vista quality the character options, in terms of making the guardian your own, are limited. This is not Skyrim where you can literally spend days creating the perfect look. But, the options, although limited, are good and I have a bright purple, yellowed eyed Warlock to play with.Landing in the Cosmodrome you spin around looking at the detail, and then you see the Fallen - and gleefully run into the midst of a gun battle. All the while, there are other guardians hopping,

16.9.2014

I actually ordered this game in March 2013 based on impressions that made it look much more like an RPG than is actually the case, now that the game is complete - there has obviously been a lot of hype about this game and the PS4 needs a big game to push sales - but playing it on PS3, it's not as bad as some people are making out.I liked the graphic look of it and there are some wonderful backgrounds - the city is very well realised. In fact I found it quite interesting to wander around the Tower and bump into people and explore. The soundtrack is also very good - fully orchestral score in surround sound,

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