A Shooting Star In Its Twilight

THE BRILLIANCE OF DESTINY 2

Years after its launch, firing up Destiny 2 has one’s ears caressed by the poignant melody of Sky Lewin and Michael Salvatori’s ‘Journey.’ Albeit, a vocal rendition not found on any of the actual musical scores present on the various distribution platforms. An apropos send off to the wonderful series that has morphed from a battle song into a dirge. A haunting tune that speaks volumes of the monumental achievement that is and was Destiny 2. Bungie Studios’ magnum opus. While the journey was marred with challenges and poor reception here and there this was and is indeed a landmark in gaming history. For the first time a video game development studio was able to present a fully multiplayer experience with a cinematic campaign intended to be enjoyed predominantly in the online multiplayer format. Largely, Bungie succeeded in delivering this dream via the various expansions capped off by the well received ‘Final Shape.’ While the always online nature of the title and the need for multiplayer engagement limited its audience, parts of its various campaigns could be experienced purely in single player runs. The PvE(Player Vs Enemy) experience for solo players was and is well balanced with the satisfying gunplay Bungie is renowned for. With support for the title coming to an end, it may be worthwhile for Sony to have a version of the game playable offline. However, this may require significant resources from the publisher who may or may not be willing to invest funds in a title that is not as profitable as it once was.

An apropos send off to the wonderful series that has morphed from a battle song into a dirge. A haunting tune that speaks volumes of the monumental achievement that is and was Destiny 2.

Destiny 2’s story isn’t dissimilar to that of other developers with titles competing for a similar audience share. Players become tired of imbibing the same concoction however well made. Sooner or later they move on to other watering holes to quench their perpetual thirst. After years of being on the market, each new campaign seemed to rely heavily on enemies who were but a minor iteration of past versions. The Star Wars inspired ‘Renegades’ expansion a particular highlight of an intellectual property in stagnation. Naturally, after the zenith that was ‘The Final Shape’ player numbers dropped off. The principle story had been told and retold in various ways. Some more successful than others. Development costs simply could not justify the returns. Sadly, Destiny 2 is its twilight years. While it still maintains healthy numbers to support multiplayer engagement, its waning popularity may eventually spell permadeath for the title. Curiously, the player engagement is higher than that of Bungie’s current offering: ‘Marathon.’

…it behoves any who love video games…To be more than mere travellers bathing in the trail of stardust left behind by the title but guardians gathering star side.

For newcomers to the title, the most striking thing apart from the brilliant gameplay and somewhat difficult platforming and puzzle elements is the art direction. The environmental storytelling of the set pieces marries well into the music of Destiny. The ensemble of composers have arguably produced some of the best music across all media of art for close to a decade. Music that strikes the emotional core of the title and speaks volumes about the artists own interpretation of the themes explored in the various campaigns. All the art in the title complements each other. After clocking in years of work it does feel like all the artists are construction workers working on the same site all with the same goal: Building an edifice in gaming culture. A now ‘oldest house’ of sorts worthy of exploring. One that attempts to remedy the never ending curiosity of the players mind. It is superfluous to mention but the vocal talent across multiple languages for the title has also been brilliant. Across the years and over the various expansions the voice actors have delivered in spades. As the light of Destiny 2 dims it behoves any who love video games as a medium of art to keep this dream alive. To be more than mere travellers bathing in the trail of stardust left behind by the title but guardians gathering star side. It’s not enough to be a witness. Owning the title, which is constantly on sale, is owning part of humanity’s great cultural heritage.

Image credits in order of appearance: Image by Gordon Johnson from Pixabay; Image by Gordon Johnson from Pixabay