Why Shadowkeep is Worth It
It’s three in the morning. You’re up late and feeling a little angsty. The recent delay of DOOM Eternal has you wondering what fall game is going to soak up your holiday time. You get a text. It’s from Destiny 2. You haven’t spoken to Destiny 2 in months – years, maybe.
“You up?”
You know that Destiny 2 has a new expansion out, Shadowkeep. It makes all the old promises. Don’t you want to go to the moon again? Don’t you want to decrypt a sweet, sweet exotic engram? Don’t you like it when Rahool makes you feel good?
This is essentially how I got back into Destiny. After Destiny 2, the lackluster reviews of the Curse of Osiris DLC, and the tons of amazing games that have come out since then have kept me out of the experience. But with Shadowkeep, Bungie found a way to pull me back in. Here are a few reasons why you might want to hop back on your Sparrow too.
The Plot is Short but Satisfying
Perhaps the biggest draw in Destiny 2 is the short, but satisfying campaign. The main thrust of the story on the Moon can be easily crushed in one session, but each mission is tightly crafted and enjoyable. Honestly, there were several moments during campaign missions that I got a few tingles on my spine. Whether it’s a rush of nostalgia for the first time setting foot on the haunted moon, the introduction of the nightmares or ghostly patrols, or the introduction of the ominous Pyramid, there are so many moments that felt like a return on my emotional and time investment in the series.
The Characters Continue to Flesh Out
In Destiny 2, Bungie has created a fresh world that I need to learn more about. With every expansion, I want more of an RPG experience. I want heavy lore and character interactions. While Shadowkeep is no Blood and Wine in terms of complex characters, both Eris Morn and Ikora shine. Eris Morn’s tortured existence has propelled her to the most sympathetic NPC in the game, and her brief interactions with Ikora carry more weight than anything prior (including the unfortunate, but probably necessary loss in Forsaken). Ikora bears the weight of the seasonal content packaged alongside Shadowkeep purchases, known as the Vex Offensive, where the fiery side of Ikora’s temperament has shown her willing to go seek out dangers instead of letting them come to us. Speaking of which…
The Goal of an Evolving World is Becoming a Reality
Bungie keeps talking about how an evolving world as the goal of Destiny 2. The game has certainly grown, but more like a wild field than a cultivated garden. The past year has seen Bungie experimenting with game modes and story telling devices, and this next year will hopefully show the fruits of that experimentation. Current players can see this in the changing nature of the Vex Offensive. Since the beginning of the content, we’ve seen a minor change to Io, but also a minor change to the Tower.
Ikora is building something.
We have been turning in Vex parts to her as part of a weekly challenge, and she’s actually doing something with them. Being a part of, and contributing to a changing world state feels incredible and is not a common experience in gaming. The closest equivalent I can think of is turning in bandages to the Horde in vanilla World of Warcraft. It’s possible the pay off here will be disappointing, but Bungie really has been on a steady incline of improvement since Forsaken (more or less), and I can’t wait to see what we have all been building. Together.
Its a Game for Your Squad
Destiny 2 continues to offer one of the best co-op experiences on the market. When Shadowkeep launched, a quality of life fix boosted all players to the same power level, ensuring that as soon as old or new players pop in, they can start playing with their friends. Bungie has also made participation in the campaigns (main or expansions), fully optional. If you just want a buddy to pop in for some Crucible or a few rounds of Gambit, there are no barriers to that. I like Destiny when I’m solo grinding some exotic quests, but nothing feels better than crushing a boss with my fireteam.
There is So Much to Do
Let’s say you aren’t really feeling the Moon content or the Vex Offensive. Just before Shadowkeep, Bungie made the previous expansions free-to-play. This means that there are hundreds of hours of content waiting for players like me who had stepped out of the world for the last couple years. See Mercury, see Mars, try all of the new raids. If you’ve got time to kill while you wait for Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order (where does the colon go?) or The Last of Us Part II, Destiny is waiting with open arms and armaments for you to enjoy. And if you need a fireteam to have your back, why the Handsome Phantom community is always looking for blueberries to play with.
As always, let us know your thoughts! How are you feeling about the Shadowkeep expansion? What’s keeping you from jumping back in? Let us know in the Handsome Phantom discord or give us a tweet!
