Destiny Fulfilled?

Are you finished? Have your furnished rebukes and gnarled critiques found an appropriate ventilation to dissipate? Have you ebbed out every singular drop of frustration? Are you sure? So your OK now? Great. Now its my turn to discuss Destiny: 

The maligned post release dissection has certainly generated an exerted level of divisive opinions. Expectancy was high I’ll grant you. Like really high! To the exaggerated point that half the population incurred nose bleeds because of the elevation of its own publicised esteem. It’s illuminate publicity was its own oppressor, coveting more commercial exposure than Aunt Bessie’s range of Sunday Roast ancillaries. But I’ll admit despite its intrigue, Destiny clasped a rather innocuous presence in my life, so much of the deceptive embellishments escaped my peripheral sight that appears to be for the best. But it did eventually ensnare me with its striking pastures and role-playing themes, to the point that I believed my modest collection of PS4 games needed expansion; so I pre-ordered it. Now I think I would be fair in suggesting that Destiny represents everything I “hate” about modern gaming; verdant budgets, obscenely ubiquitous thematic’s, over-reliance on propaganda and credulity of its targeted audience, namely everyone! When I purchased games as a kid, I used to tear at the cellophane casing that subdues the game with tempered glee, now its with apprehensive sense of remorse. Have I made the right decision? Should I have saved my money for another game in a few weeks? Invariably these now jaded presumptions are induced by abject coercion, with these solicited fears only strengthened by extraneous commentators that clarify their own subjective distinction.

I’m no one of any illustrious esteem and much of my refutes are often disparaged by gamers with far more admirable intellect or understanding than me. What I’m suggesting you do however is absorb and accept the quantitative analysis directed at its flaws; its likely to be true. But don’t think that you won’t enjoy discovering its faults. It exploits the banal vulgarity of modern shooters with seemingly renewed vigour, flagrantly ratifying all of the usual provisions of its peers, as though the likes of COD don’t even exist. It’s so effusive in demonstrating exponent gravitas with the able retention of customary banalities that have become the strident objective of many FPS’s, that it doesn’t even feel obliged to clutter its overarching story with any originality. I mean the plot largely consists of you going somewhere, shooting things in the face, dancing, going somewhere else, pointing, hearing Wheatley, sorry little light, sorry! “Ghost” advise you about the darkness. Though it vaguely endeavours to substantiate itself as sophisticated, chin stroking patrician, which is well intended and at intervals merited, it never strays beyond its capacity for contemporary solutions; such as blowing stuff up! You have to forget about the story (I know I have), because this game is so much fun to explore. You’ll search for better weaponry, armour or simply augment the artillery you currently possess. The important thing however, is that you’ll actually want to do these things because the gun-play is just so rewarding.

Better together: “Destiny is one of the few games that is better with other players.”

Shooting feels so pleasurable that you’ll be forever lining up enemies in your reticles for precision shots, or utilising your close quarters combative abilities to vaporise aggressors that carelessly invade your space *Hadouken!*. The reliance on cooperation is incredibly apparent, especially when confronting a 4 storey behemoth that will stain your undergarments a curious brown colour. But in the absence of any equitable aid, in spite of repeated exasperation’s for help, you will seldom explore as much for fear of imminent death. Forging an alliance, especially with individuals with considerably surpassing skills is pivotal, if antiquated as most don’t use headsets. Whether this is some sort of design flaw, one of studious application by the designers or I’m simply missing something, but the lack of intimate vocalisation is kind of eerie in a hub brimming with activity. Your gradual, protracted inferences and actions may pique the interest of a few scattered guardians, wandering with similarly straying anonymity, but despite the emphasis on cooperation there is a decidedly sparse association with anyone. I had incorrectly assessed that my microphone was faulty, until finally someone spoke to me! I was reticent too that the prudent concentration on conceptual art and refining the venerable cosmetics with gilded details would take precedence over everything else, with perhaps a brief resurgence of substance over aesthetics. But thankfully the striking visuals are the complimentary supplicant. I can’t tell you just how euphoric it is to observe the atmospheric beauty of the Earth from the eminent confines of the moon’s mysteriously disfigured surface. Nor tracing your footprints on Mars, seeing planets like Venus colonised or excavating deeper into the subterranean caverns of the moon that have been plundered of their arcane treasures, branded by abstract linguistics and abused by alien habitation.

            But for all its gilded decorations and enthralling shooting its well documented flaws are hard to ignore; its well over hyped, there is limited character customisation, it cost in excess of $500 million to make, the story is told, or rather insinuated through ambiguous heresy, it cost more to develop than GTA V, Peter Dinklage voices ghost with solemn conviction, which is frustrating considering his acting pedigree and that he is our only available source of information. The expansive universe is more cramped than commodious, with its bordering rigidity leaving you embittered that you couldn’t explore more. It cost too much (did I mentions that?) , you have to be on-line to play which is worrying considering the regularity at which PSN breaks down, enemies spawn in the exact same locations leaving you constantly exposed and vulnerable to prolonged incursions, it cost five times as much to develop Destiny than it did Lucas to craft the original Star Wars trilogy! But most alarmingly it feels like huge segments of narrative has been extracted and content rescinded just before release to arouse the bare minimum of suspicion?! I could go on until my diaphragm inverts and my verbal convictions become rasping, nebulous exertions. But everyone has already stated their formative grievances; and they are largely justified. But it is fun, admittedly repetitive, but fun as well as artistically radiant. It has aggravated a community who believed they were destined (see what I did there?) for an Elder Scrolls, Halo aberration, and it may take some years for the damage to be truly recompensed; but Destiny is deserving of some applauded notoriety, if not reverence.

What did you think of Destiny? Keep it civil!