Home Gaming Destiny’s late reviews are justified

Destiny’s late reviews are justified

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Destinyalone

Apparently, some rather heavily-marketed, RPG shooter with shared, MMO-esque worlds was released today. You won’t be seeing very many reviews for the game out today – save for one or two from mavericks who’ve ploughed their way through the game’s story without experiencing the game the way it’s meant to be played. Bungie has warned against day one reviews – and after playing for a few hours last night, I get their point.

“We fully anticipate seeing day one reviews from folks who decide to kick the tires, but don’t have the time or patience to take our ride for a nice, long road trip,” said community manager Deej.

“Some of you might wait to pick up a copy until you read the final verdict from your most trusted review house. We’re okay with that. We’ve created something we’re proud of.”

The game, he says, is designed to be one that thousands of players share – and that the game, unpopulated, is not how it’s meant to be.

I played for quite a few hours last night, trying to lose myself in Destiny’s lore – and I have to agree. As nice as it was to have early access to the game, it was rather barren and bare with so few players on the server. When I started playing yesterday, there was maybe one other player up in the tower, and a sum total of zero others roaming about in Old Russia.

It was a stark contrast from the heavily populated beta, and it hit home how different it was not seeing other people shooting at the the fallen. It did start filling up later in the evening, and it was then that a few fellow stragglers joined my fight while I was busy on a single player story; coming to my aid against a particularly tough group. A serendipitous public event kicked off half way through the mission, and we banded together  to stave off a Fallen attack while protecting some or other bit of technology. After that, we all waved at each other and went on our separate ways, each presumably resuming our single player stories. It’s when emergent stuff like this happens that Destiny truly comes alive – and it needs to be populated for that to happen.

“From the beginning, we set out to make Destiny feel like more than bits on a drive. We wanted to build a place for players to visit – a place filled with luminous life. Without a vibrant population for the last safe city on Earth, and Guardians roaming the wild frontiers, Destiny is a shadow of what it should be. That’s not how we wanted to submit for review.

I’m not all that far in the game, having just levelled past the cap from the beta – so I don’t have too much to say on the game that you haven’t already heard a million times just yet, or even experienced for yourself.  We’re working on our review – but we feel this game is something that needs to be played for quite some time before we’re able to judge it properly.

so far, I’m enjoying it quite a bit – but it’s definitely better with friends…and even strangers.

Last Updated: September 9, 2014

65 Comments

  1. ToshZA

    September 9, 2014 at 10:04

    So, you like playing with strangers? *Ahem*

    Reply

    • Sk3tz0

      September 9, 2014 at 11:28

      Nah uh.. the magical dog says..

      Reply

      • ToshZA

        September 9, 2014 at 11:38

        Who said anything about talking?

        Reply

    • gracey101william

      September 9, 2014 at 11:43

      A­­­­­ny0­­ne wh0 ne­­­­eds an ex­tra in­­c0me, I ca­n hi­­ghly rec0m­­mend this gi­g… I w0rk­ed it for 3 m0n­­ths and it helped me when I was between j0bs……. I’ve earned 3­000 in 11 days…… Now I have a new j0b so I am n0t d0ing it any­­m0re but I can say it’s a great s0urce of extra m0n­­thly in­­­c0me. You can ch­­eck it 0ut her­­e

      http://www.g00gle/0nline/2014/4….,.,

      Reply

  2. Spaffy

    September 9, 2014 at 10:24

    If I was a game reviewer I’d probably never actually write the review and just play the game the whole time.

    Reply

  3. eXpZA

    September 9, 2014 at 10:26

    Still not convinced. I don’t think this game has longevity. I think it’s hiding behind the whole “1 bazillion options for armour and guns” but, when taken away, it just Halo with drop-in-drop-out co-op…. and Halo had some excellent lore and set pieces, something I felt a bit missing from both the Alpha and Beta.

    I hope I’m proven horribly wrong. I want this game to be amazing.

    Reply

    • Exalted Overlord Geoffrey Tim

      September 9, 2014 at 10:28

      Yeah…We’l have to see. I think the SP/campaign is 10 hours..and then there are strikes and raids. Crucible does nothing for me…Hope that’s not where the longevity lies

      Reply

      • Hammersteyn

        September 9, 2014 at 10:29

        From the creators of COD…….

        Reply

        • FoxOneZA

          September 9, 2014 at 12:00

          I see what you did there 😛

          Reply

      • Hammersteyn

        September 9, 2014 at 10:30

        Wait… only 10 hours????

        Reply

        • Alien Emperor Trevor

          September 9, 2014 at 10:43

          At least you’re getting a SP campaign, unlike that other game… wotshisname…

          Reply

          • Hammersteyn

            September 9, 2014 at 10:46

            Can’t remember tbh, wasn’t very memorable

        • Jonah Cash

          September 10, 2014 at 07:17

          I have played a good 10 hours already and I have only done 1 mission on the Moon…. Got earths story out of the way!! Played rumble in the crucible, we should so do that together!! It is a free for all 6 players against each other!! Fun as hell!!

          Reply

      • eXpZA

        September 9, 2014 at 10:31

        Whilst a beta isn’t a full representation of the game, I didn’t care much for the little story I experienced in the beta. It really felt like a thin “go here shoot this” veil to force you to explore the off-track paths of the bigger map. Halo had EVENTS, if you know what I mean… Destiny Beta had “there’s some dudes in the tower. Go kill em. Ok good you got them.”

        Reply

        • Kromas of City17

          September 9, 2014 at 10:43

          This is sounding more and more like Defiance. I hope not for the console kiddies sake. For now Ill stick with other more “PC Friendly options”

          Reply

        • Skyblue

          September 9, 2014 at 15:29

          Halo did have some pretty epic moments.

          Reply

      • Spaffy

        September 9, 2014 at 10:33

        10hrs o_0.
        I was hoping for more.
        And replay value?

        Reply

        • Skyblue

          September 9, 2014 at 15:29

          Moment I read that I decided to wait, bugger it. Probably save myself a few bucks but I’ll definitely wait for some reviews first.

          Reply

        • Gavin Mannion

          September 9, 2014 at 18:44

          Apparently massive replay value, but I haven’t started playing yet either.

          Trust the Geoff

          Reply

      • Skyblue

        September 9, 2014 at 15:30

        10hrs… no way!?! I’ll wait for the reviews methinks.

        Reply

    • MakeSense

      September 10, 2014 at 17:36

      So, you’re judging the life of the game w/out you actually playing it? Lame. You speak of armor and guns being taken away, and it’s just “Halo”? You can compare every and any game in the same fashion. You create your own barrier to keep the game from you want it to be…”amazing”. Stop with your negative post w/out having played the game.

      Reply

  4. Travis

    September 9, 2014 at 10:37

    But can you play it on a pc 🙁

    Reply

    • Alien Emperor Trevor

      September 9, 2014 at 10:40

      Yes, if you make the Youtube videos full screen & imagine 😉

      Reply

      • Alex PsyChoPanthis

        September 9, 2014 at 10:43

        Trevor… you my friend, have won comment of the week in my book!

        Reply

      • Travis

        September 9, 2014 at 10:44

        Ill probably do better that way anyway, lol

        Reply

      • Kromas of City17

        September 9, 2014 at 10:45

        Increase playback speed by 2 for 60FPS? 😛

        Reply

      • Hammersteyn

        September 9, 2014 at 10:46

        LOL that’s like saying you’re having sex while watching porn.

        Reply

        • Alien Emperor Trevor

          September 9, 2014 at 10:54

          You mean with someone else? 😉

          Reply

          • Hammersteyn

            September 9, 2014 at 10:57

            No with yourself, wait…. what?

          • Tauriq Moosa

            September 9, 2014 at 13:00

            You are amazing

          • Rinceable

            September 9, 2014 at 17:36

            O-0

      • Skyblue

        September 9, 2014 at 15:30

        Too much lulz!

        Reply

  5. Frexie Frex

    September 9, 2014 at 10:47

    I played the beta for like 2 hours and got bored of it. No way i would be able to play hundreds (wich is what you normally do in an mmo game)

    Reply

    • Hammersteyn

      September 9, 2014 at 10:49

      At least it isn’t rife with fetch quests. Plus it has guns which is good.

      Reply

      • Mark Treloar

        September 9, 2014 at 12:57

        and 8 bit shadows (PS3)

        Reply

        • Hammersteyn

          September 9, 2014 at 13:10

          LOL!

          Reply

        • Sageville

          September 10, 2014 at 09:08

          PS4 shadows are sexysauce.

          Reply

  6. Francois Knoetze

    September 9, 2014 at 11:40

    got my limited edition this morning and somebody said something about: “stop licking the packaging”… I don’t care much for the reviews and the game will keep me busy for a while. The beta did it’s work of convincing me and I have had withdrawals till this day.

    Reply

  7. FoxOneZA

    September 9, 2014 at 12:04

    It’s fair to say that you can judge a game by it’s advertising budget/campaign.

    Reply

  8. FoxOneZA

    September 9, 2014 at 12:08

    I was reading the comments on a Warframe video this morning and you won’t believe how much it gets compared to Destiny, not for the worst either.

    Reply

    • CAE9872

      September 9, 2014 at 12:37

      That’s because it is just like Destiny – I love Warframe personally. Think it was very cleverly made.

      Reply

      • Alien Emperor Trevor

        September 9, 2014 at 12:48

        Speaking of which, I FINALLY got a Kubrow egg on Sunday, after weeks of trying. And what alert missions come out last night? 3 that give you a Kubrow egg & 2 mods! RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGE!

        Reply

        • FoxOneZA

          September 9, 2014 at 12:53

          Eggs-cellent 😛

          I’m only on Mission 2 I think. It reminds me of Unreal meets Gears. A very cool game indeed.

          Reply

        • CAE9872

          September 9, 2014 at 15:17

          LOL…

          I saw the rewards last night as well and wondered if you had one yet. I didn’t get to play the missions but another time perhaps.

          The new update on PS4 is brilliant though – I like the new interface…you PC guys probably have had this a while now though.

          Reply

          • Alien Emperor Trevor

            September 9, 2014 at 15:33

            I like it too, took a little while to get used to though. Sounds a bit silly, but the log in process is just so damn cool. We’ve had it for a couple of months now, was a bit rocky in the beginning – had a lot of problems with it freezing when trying to join matches & would have to kill the game process & restart.

            Oh well, now I’ll have a second Kubrow. My first one finished incubating earlier today so I’ll have to see what I need to do next. Now I need to decide what to call him.

          • Spaffy

            September 9, 2014 at 15:35

            Rince is a good name…

          • Alien Emperor Trevor

            September 9, 2014 at 15:36

            Only if it’s retarded.

            I mean… um… I want it to have a strong name.

          • Spaffy

            September 9, 2014 at 15:38

            LOL

          • Rinceable

            September 9, 2014 at 17:38

            You’re retarded. And ouch ????

          • Alien Emperor Trevor

            September 9, 2014 at 19:04

            CARROT!

  9. Anthony Napolitano

    September 9, 2014 at 17:15

    not a good sign people all over the internet are ripping this game a new one…same comments too..boring repetitive gameplay..i saw one review 6/10 ouch!

    Reply

  10. The wiz

    September 9, 2014 at 17:48

    Sounds like bungee making excuses for a lackluster game

    Reply

  11. Huw Rees

    September 10, 2014 at 01:00

    Review embargos – the telltale sign that a game sucks, and the publisher knows it.

    Reply

  12. wrestlefan01

    September 10, 2014 at 05:55

    i love the game been playing it non stop..but even today the worlds seem bare.for a game that shouldnt be judged with out playing it with other people in the servers you cant even communicate with the other people.that is a big let down imo

    Reply

  13. Failz

    September 10, 2014 at 06:22

    This is not the Halo killer we were hoping for.

    Mean while on Xbox One

    Reply

    • You are flat out wrong

      September 11, 2014 at 07:18

      Meanwhile on Xbone: no games.

      Reply

  14. Jonah Cash

    September 10, 2014 at 07:20

    I love how there is so much hate for Destiny on the net all of a sudden!! The world and its people is a fickle thing!! As soon as something becomes main stream someone will have to say something bad to either get attention or to just be different!!
    Destiny is a brilliant game, for the price you pay you will have more than enough game time!!
    You pay the same amount for a game that lasts 13 hours!! I am 10 hours in and only level 13, and have only done one story mission on the moon!!
    There is a lot to do, don’t let reviewers fool you!!

    Reply

    • Hammersteyn

      September 10, 2014 at 07:34

      I couldn’t play at all, kept getting a centipede error 🙁

      Reply

      • Jonah Cash

        September 10, 2014 at 09:07

        That sucks!!! I have levelled up to 13, my Titan looks awesome!!!

        Reply

        • Sageville

          September 10, 2014 at 09:11

          Titan-shmitan!

          Reply

          • Jonah Cash

            September 10, 2014 at 10:02

            Look what I found on the net!! Think you will like it!!

    • Sageville

      September 10, 2014 at 09:00

      Hey, when we hooking up for some co-opness.

      Invite me when yawl have that feel.

      Reply

      • Jonah Cash

        September 10, 2014 at 09:07

        We should do some strikes on the weekend!! I want to see the one on the Moon!! Very Curious

        Reply

  15. Michael G

    September 10, 2014 at 08:34

    You all need to remember they said this would develop over 10 years of something, which means the supposed 10hrs gameplay will continued to increase year by year

    Reply

  16. Sageville

    September 10, 2014 at 09:05

    I’m not sure where the hate is coming from, the game is beautiful and solid.

    I can see myself pvping long after the SP content is done.

    Maybe it’s just people applying arbitrary rules like “Review embargo = bad game”.

    Reply

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