I was lucky enough to be able to play this Early Access Beta on Tuesday 18th July, in preparation for the new game coming out on the 6th of September. I have to say my first impressions of Destiny 2 are all positive ones. Here is how my night of gaming went, with a bit of opinion thrown in for good measure.

For a gamer like myself who has spent more than 1500 hours on Destiny (the first game) and it’s several incredible expansions, this new chapter posed both excitement and uncertainty.

Having adored the original game to the point where I’ve collected every PlayStation Trophy, completed the main storyline on the game more than once, tried to collect every weapon and armor set available, AND still managed to run the weekly nightfall on reset along with raid missions with my clan members, it’s all been money well spent. I have most certainly got the most out of this amazing PlayStation game.

The arrival of Destiny 2 has been a long time coming, and by that I mean that we knew about this sequel well over a year ago. Yet every single week I’ve still been drawn back to Destiny 1. And yes, before anyone asks I do actually play other games and have gained Platinum on several of them while awaiting this new Destiny adventure. (See my Games section for more of my reviews).

All in all I was adamant about getting this next game, and it has been preordered (which is how I got Beta access). After all the time and effort I have spent playing the original I knew that if it were going to be anything like it, I would want to play it, again and again…

The Beta

So here we are on the Beta week, I received my early access and I’ve been into it alone and with my clan members. (I will pop links to my videos below so that you can see some of my actual game play).

The main similarities with the original Destiny are compromised of the characters layout of armor and weapons slots. Of course there are slight variations, but overall it looks the same. The controls are also identical to the first game, I do love it when sequels don’t change much. I know that Destiny is essentially going straight from our present day playing into this newest adventure and quest line, but there had to be a few minor alterations…

The movement of characters is definitely more fluid, trust me when I say this is a good thing. Easy maneuverability for your gaming is something all players want. Our experience in this reality is also heightened by the incredible graphics that at times, are truly mind blowing. Weapons feel a little heavier to me, compared to Destiny, and their accuracy and impact upon enemies is more realistic.

I cannot yet speak for the storyline because I’ve only had access to small snippets of it. However I will say this, from what I have seen, the originality and the complexity to which the Bungie team have created these new planets and missions, is outstanding.

The small amount of time I’ve played jumping into the Crucible has been… interesting, to say the least. The maps for now are limited, but the graphics are exceptional and the real time damage is also good. There are changes that have been put into place regarding the ammo and the players. Most matches are now 4 vs 4 instead of 6 vs 6. But this just slows down the complexity of the match, and doesn’t take anything away from the experience that the Crucible gives its players.

During the Beta you got to experience a pre-selected character, Bungie has made a Warlock, Titan and Hunter, given them weapons and upgraded parts of their subclasses, so that we might trial them out in the new Destiny world and test their skills. My original character was a Warlock, so in honour to her I chose this as my starting character. She carried me through over one thousand hours of Destiny worlds and fighting aliens as big as buildings, I owed her for my incredible experiences. (Check out my YouTube Channel (link below) to see what I mean about my gaming).

I am hugely passionate about Destiny and all that it stands for. Community is the main thing for me, other than the actual gaming. I have met some amazing people through the game and we have built real friendships from those encounters. I have the most incredible friends that now make up my clan (Acheronian Omada) and we play on the PlayStation with one another regularly. I really hope that Destiny 2 allows us to maintain the levels of friendship and helpfulness that I have seen and been a huge part of, for the past (almost) three years of my life. And when I think of how long I have been playing, it doesn’t seem like that long, it really doesn’t… (then you add up your character game times and convert it into hours and begin to cry).

What do I want from Destiny 2?

I want to astounded and amazed, I want to keep the friend and dedicated spirit of my clan mates alive, but most of all I want to be entertained. I believe, after playing this Beta, that Destiny 2 will do this for me. I am already overwhelmed by the graphics, the attention to detail with the sound effects and all the added extras.

So far the game has me hooked, and it isn’t even out yet! I am so glad that Bungie agreed to do a Beta, and I think they have done a fantastic job in getting it so perfect, I encountered very little issues while in game play, which for a new release is an excellent start. I trust that they will put just as much attention into getting it right on its release day, to ensure all guardians begin their Destiny 2 journey in the best way.

Final Thoughts

Overall I would like to conclude that I’ve thoroughly enjoyed these couple of hours exploring the Beta parts of Destiny 2. Including a few of my gasps and awestruck moments thrown in for good measure! I hope that the game will be all I am wanting from a sequel and more. Going to keep playing Destiny 1 until release date of course! And I am now eagerly awaiting the release date on September 6th!

Let me know your thoughts in my comments section if you also played the Beta or are now planning to order the full Destiny 2 game after seeing what it’s like.

My Channel

If you want to view my game play for Destiny 2 or look at any Destiny 1 related videos then please click on the link below.

My YouTube Channel
Destiny 2 First Mission – Homecoming

Sabrina a.k.a Hitomii-w4l3s