It was the Sega Dreamcast’s Phantasy Star Online that was the first game to not only offer a mass-multiplayer online experience but was capable of delivering on its promise. Online gaming had long been a pipe-dream for console developers but it wasn’t until Sega’s final console that this dream became a reality. Whilst Phantasy Star Online may now appear basic, with its limited servers and constant lag, it was truly revolutionary when it was originally released and welcomed in a whole new era for videogames. Indeed, without Sega leading the way into this unknown territory, we would not have the perfected versions of online play, such as Xbox Live, that we take for granted today. With online gaming having become a console standard and authentic online experiences, such as online casinos like SuperCasino, becoming accessible to all, the next era of home consoles had to offer something spectacular in terms of online play to stay ahead of the pack . Therefore the decision to place Bungie, developer of the acclaimed and iconic Halo franchise, in charge of the next-generations first big MMO title seemed a wise one.
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Destiny is a MMO shooter set in a post-apocalyptic future around the 28th century. With humanity having entered a ‘Golden Age’, at some point prior to the games events, and quickly colonized the planets of the solar-system, Destiny begins in the aftermath of ‘the collapse’ which sees these colonies mysteriously fall. The inspection of these collapsed colonies reveals the presence of hostile aliens, from numerous races, who have seized the solar-system for themselves. Therefore it is your job to exterminate these unwanted tenants and restore order, and glory, to the solar-system with the help of some online chums. Whilst the game’s storyline sadly fails to follow-through on its intriguing premise, Destiny’s set-up at least facilitates a series of stunning cosmic locations as the backdrops of levels. The graphics in Destiny are truly stunning, demonstrating exactly what this new generation of consoles can do, from charred ruins of european cities to imposing palaces upon the moon to the sweltering jungles of Venus, the world of Destiny is a fully-realised and beautifully detailed one.
As you would expect from the developer of Halo, the combat in Destiny is expertly crafted. The controls are tight and responsive with the button-layout being logical and as you would expect it to be. Movement is fluid and aiming requires the perfect amount of skill without compromising accessibility or enjoyment. Whilst enemies are prone to occasional lapses in logic, they are cleverly positioned to ensure they are a challenge even if their AI is occasionally lacklustre. As with any MMO, online play is where this game excels. Whilst the game caps the amount of players who can see, and interact with each-other, at any one time, the ability to cooperate within Destiny’s various high-speed sequences is a joy to behold.
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Whilst Destiny is a good game, it is not a great one. Bungie made the weird decision of capping levelling-up at 20, which means that after this cap is reached players have an unclear path to continued improvement concerning acquiring rare-items. The low capping of levels would be acceptable if the game made it difficult for experience to be gained. However there are many ways to gain experience through sloppy design features, such as Loot Caves, which means that players can quickly ascend to a level where they can easily blast anyway enemies without skill and then have nothing left to accomplish. It is this lack of long-term playability which really hinders Destiny and stops it from truly progressing the MMO form.
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