Did Bungie find the balance between hardore and hobby with Destiny 2: Shadowkeep?

Now that we are a full month into Destiny 2: Shadowkeep, it’s time for a well-rounded opinion regarding the latest addition to the Destiny franchise. 

As the game stands right now, I think that Bungie has found the perfect balance between casual game-play and hardcore game-play. I know that hardcore versus casual have been shunned in the Destiny community, but I have to be honest about the situation. 

Some players move at a slower pace through the content of the game and some players choose to plow through the content in the game. So when I say that Bungie has found a balance between the two, I mean that in a good way. 

Finding a balance between is a good thing!

Playing the Campaign:

I did a review about the Shadowkeep storyline the week that the game was released. You can read it by clicking this link. My overall opinion was positive. It pulled the carrot a little further away regarding the pyramid and the darkness. As a result, I am looking forward to the continuation of the story.

Honestly, it feels like a more realistic situation. Your guardian finds out that there is a huge threat tracking us, but before we can wrap our head around the situation, we have an immediate threat to deal with because the Vex starts to invade the moon. 

Isn’t that how life works sometimes? 

Replayable Content: 

If you disregard everything before Shadowkeep was released, there is still a good amount of replayable content. The Nightmare Hunts have varying difficulty levels with guaranteed powerful drops. The Vex Offense has a seal/title attached to it that provides hours of grind and also drops specific gear. The Vex Offensive as an activity can feel a bit redundant. Unlike the Menagerie, it doesn’t have rotating bosses at this point, but at least I know what I’m working toward.

The new raid, Garden of Salvation has a refreshing scenery and mechanics to go along with some interesting Vex themed weapons. And, in addition to the major activities, there are several weapon quest lines to chase like Leviathan’s Breath (exotic bow) and Exit Strategy (Gambit SMG). There are other weapons available. Those just happen to be the two that stuck out to me. 

These new content options combined with any past questlines and the weekly power drops give players a reason to return to Destiny 2 weekly. There is no pressure to hit every milestone. But, you are rewarded accordingly if you do finish each milestone. 

During this time in Destiny 2, you can grind until your heart’s content and you don’t run out of things to do. 

Player vs. Player (PVP)

PVP in Destiny 2 isn’t scary anymore! Yes, I said it. One-Eyed Mask and Recluse still reign supreme, but whatever Bungie did in the algorithm made my PVP life (quickplay or competitive) less sweaty. 

Getting to Fabled in the Glory Rank in the season of the Undying is significantly different. I won’t call it easy, but I will say different. In the season of the Undying, you don’t lose Glory points until after you hit Fabled rank. 

For casual PVP players, it’s less threatening. Plus you can play in the solo queue which is also less threatening. If you want to add a level of complexity, go into the regular queue. It’s a bit more challenging. 

Once you hit Fabled, it’s back to hardcore competition. So, if you want to experience that type of intense gameplay with consequences if you fail, that’s where you’ll find it. 

By the way, 3 vs. 3 is so much better. It’s a feeling that’s been missing in Destiny 2 since it’s launch. 

Reality versus Potential: 

The reality is that Bungie has changed the game in a lot of great ways. No One will ever truly agree with micro transactions. And some people will always have a problem with reused assets. But, Armor 2.0 gear isn’t as daunting as I initially thought it would be and things feel less tedious. If I feel like going hard one day and lax the next, I can. Honestly, there is no pressure.

I’ve been playing Destiny since 2014. That’s a long time to commit. I like many other long-time players have longed for this day. The day when things start coming together and the potential of Destiny is the same as the reality. 

In my opinion, Destiny 2: Shadowkeep currently offers the best of both worlds with the amount of content available.