My first taste of Destiny wasn’t waking up to Dinklebot rousing me for a centuries long slumber. As a PC gamer, my first taste of Destiny was the sequel which opened with what looked like a Rhino from space putting a harness on an orb. Kinky stuff.

With no idea what was going on I fought through the Destiny 2 launch campaign and it was clear that there was something special here. Unfortunately the confusing story, and the Curse of Osiris and Warmind expansions failed to keep my interest and I stopped playing the game for a while.

When I returned to Destiny 2 it was at the request of friends who had picked the game up for free in 2018 following the release of Forsaken. Ultimately, all three of us ended up buying the Forsaken expansion and accompanying Season Pass. Little did I know then that this would be the start of an addiction I’m not sure I’m ready to kick.

Wow

What Destiny does well is trigger the “wow” from those who jump in. Bungie’s skyboxes are some of the best in the game and the design of every environment in the game is executed with incredible care and deliberation. In recent years however, it has become the story that has captured the attention of players.

The story is pretty simple, a god-like being called the Traveller arrives in our solar system and imbues creatures called Ghosts with its power known as the Light. These Ghosts are tied to a Guardian who needs to be resurrected to gain the Power of the Traveller. Naturally, there is an antagonist which until recently was known as The Darkness. The Darkness is actually an entity known as the Witness. An amalgamation of the minds of an ancient civilisation that the Traveller once visited.

These two beings are the catalyst for everything that happens in Destiny, even the enemies players encounter. The Hive were tricked by The Witness, The Fallen abandoned by it and the Cabal want the Traveller’s power. The Vex are just a hive mind but one could argue their goals align with that of the Witness.

But the tale of Light versus Dark is just the main plot, within this story Bungie has created epic storylines that hook you in and keep your attention fixed on the game.

There was the time we hopped through time to save a friend and a hero

The time enemies became allies

The time we stood together

The time we learned the truth

This is just a sample of clips. Throughout the last decade Bungie has woven a story that has made players such as myself care about the characters. So much so that when the voice actor of Zavala, Lance Reddick passed away, players mourned him. Hell, I still can’t watch the video below without getting a bit tearful.

Perhaps the most incredible thing about this game is how it juxtaposes the fragility of humanity alongside the awe inspiring power humans have to shape the universe for the good of the many.

The right mix

While the story has kept my attention, Destiny’s moment to moment action is what has kept me coming back to play the game.

Firing a weapon in Destiny 2 feels quite incredible. The sound design, the animations, how the weapon is reloaded, it all comes together to make the core point of Destiny – click on the heads of aliens – that much more satisfying. What is truly astounding however is how different each weapon in Destiny is. Even when weapons share an archetype, similarities are few and far between.

Abilities also feel spectacular to use. Flinging a fiery Solar grenade onto a pack of enemies and watching them trigger further explosions dispatching even more enemies is satisfying in ways that lobbing a frag grenade in other games simply isn’t. Over the years Bungie has also given players more agency in how their abilities are set up giving players the ability to create builds tailored to certain pieces of content within the game.

The one area where Bungie has struggled in the past is the content that players engage with.

There is a lot to do in Destiny from PvE modes such as Dares of Eternity, Strikes/Vanguard Operations to PvP in the multiple Crucible modes. A hybrid PvEvP mode exists in Gambit but this mode hasn’t received any attention for years now.

Then there are Raids, Dungeons and Exotic missions which test players and their ability to navigate difficult content. Sometimes, when we’re really lucky, there are secrets that require the participation of every player to complete. Over the years players have pushed themselves, and the game to its limit whether that be by completing a Raid, usually intended for six players with two people or crafting challenges around certain high-level content.

The various aspects of Destiny have given rise to an entire ecosystem of content creators. There are the news reporters, opinionistas, weapon reviewers, teachers, and those who obsess over the lore and share what it all means with all players.

Destiny has become a living creature borne from its community and the love the community has for the game. The downside of this is that when interest in the game diminishes, the game becomes comparable to a ghost town. This makes waiting for other players to join activities akin to waiting for George RR Martin to complete the Game of Thrones series. Unfortunately, this means that there are times when players, especially those playing alone, have little to do in the game.

This is a failing of live service games but Bungie manages to overcome this problem time and time again thanks to the hype it can generate with a short video clip.

Somehow, this works a lot more often than it doesn’t. Players could be swearing off the game, creators exploring their options and then one trailer or showcase is released and the dopamine hit is too great to ignore. Players numbers increase steadily, the game is teeming with players and suddenly, Destiny is the king of the ball.

It highlights the allure and inescapable completionism itch that bleeds through every bit of Destiny. Whether it’s achieving a Raid title or simply completing a set of craftable weapons, there is always something to do in Destiny, we just need a reason to be tempted back.

The end

All of these learnings, all of the experience that Bungie has acquired over the years are about to be put to the test.

Next week, The Final Shape launches and players will face the true final boss of Destiny, the end. Interest in the expansion is peaking and players are returning to the game in preparation for what looks to be a final fight.

While the game may continue to live on, sentiment among players about whether they will stick to the game is mixed. Some want to see where Bungie goes next with the Destiny story and franchise while others, myself included, are considering whether the daily grind is still worth it.

After so many years with one game, I’m resistant to the idea of grinding bounties and activities endlessly for that one loot drop I want. And yet, every time I consider stepping back from the game I’m reminded of the joy this game has brought me.

Whether it was playing with my mates until 4AM or meeting a random stranger in the world and joining my first clan, Destiny has been more about the vast experiences it has given me than the game itself.

Completing activities and making number go up are part of playing the game but the same can be accomplished in any one of the multiple looter-shooter titles available. Destiny is the only game that I feel has rewarded me for my time. Sure, it’s just a game but this game has taught me more about patience, acceptance, struggle and hearing others than any other I’ve played. The community is one that I am proud to call myself a part of, even if there are some toxic individuals that make up our numbers.

Where Bungie often fails though is in the execution and as much as I’m excited for The Final Shape, I worry that the grand vision Bungie has gets in the way of the experience and what makes Destiny truly great. That worry is minute though because after seven years in the game, I can count on one hand the number of times Bungie has disappointed me and not resolved that disappointment.

I truly love Destiny and I can’t wait to see how the folks who love it so much work on it, and conclude a decade-long story. Thanks for the memories and experiences Bungie, for that I will always be grateful.