Our author Sven recently explored the first spin-off of the Destiny series. He noticed some things where Destiny 2 still can’t compete with its predecessor in his eyes.
That’s why I’m currently playing less Destiny 2: At the moment, I am playing Destiny 2 less than usual. I’m not a big fan of Gambit, so Gambit Prime doesn’t really grab me.
The Reckoning mode also hasn’t impressed me much. Even though Destiny 2 currently has more content than ever, nothing really motivates me.
So, I’m currently giving myself a short break or just playing Destiny 2 a little less often than usual. After all, it is said that sometimes a little distance can work wonders.
So I returned to Destiny 1: Yet my heart still beats for no other games like it does for the Destiny series. When I recently visited an old friend, we floated a little in nostalgia – also concerning Destiny.
Shortly thereafter, he fired up the first part for fun. I quickly realized that I still miss a lot from Destiny 1 or simply find it better there – even though I consider Destiny 2 to be a very good game in its current state.
These are the 5 things I miss most from Destiny 1
Over two hours flew by in Destiny 1 without us even noticing. During and afterward, we debated for quite a while about how magical Destiny 1 still is and what makes the game better than its direct successor. Here are my 5 main points:
The Armor Design
What immediately caught my eye was the far more appealing armor design of Destiny 1 – especially with legendary items.
Whether it’s the Iron Banner armors, the sets from individual factions with their exotic class items, the strike-specific gear, the formerly PS-exclusive sets, or the raid sets with the “new” ornaments – everything looks so much better in the predecessor that as a fan, my heart just bleeds.
Why were so many cool designs and brilliant ideas like the Taken armor simply discarded? Why weren’t they kept in Destiny 2 or at least partially brought back? That would have, in my opinion, been meaningful recycling. Because Destiny 2 can’t hold a candle to its predecessor when it comes to armor design and appearance.
While I wanted to have almost every legendary armor in Destiny 1, the few armor pieces that have appealed to me in Destiny 2 so far come only from the Black Armory, the escalation protocol, and the raid “Scourge of the Past”. All other sets and pieces are basically absolutely irrelevant to me.
The Weapons
With most legendary but also many exotic weapons, I feel similarly to how I feel about the armors. Because I fundamentally find the weapon design in Destiny 1 to be better and more appealing – with a few exceptions like the IKELOS shotgun from the Escalation Protocol.
Moreover, the gunplay in the predecessor feels significantly more punchy in my personal experience. Shortly thereafter, we started Destiny 2 and both agreed: The game feeling differs significantly in direct comparison than one might initially suspect.
Furthermore, I miss distinct and unforgettable weapons in Destiny 2, like the Fatebringer, the Vision of Confluence, the Gjallarhorn, or the Black Spindle from Destiny 1.
When we philosophized about the “greatest and most unforgettable weapons in the history of Destiny,” we could almost only think of weapons that came from Destiny 1 or returned from there to Destiny 2. Destiny 2 offers too few truly unforgettable weapons like for me, among others, Luna’s Howl – too few for my taste.
The Raids
The greatest masterpiece of Destiny 1 are still, in my eyes, its unforgettable raids. Whether it’s Glass Vault, Crota’s End, King’s Fall, or Wrath of the Machine. I prefer to play and still enjoy each of these raids more than all raids and raid activities in Destiny 2 combined.
In neither level design, nor atmosphere, nor in the precisely measured mix of mechanics involving “shooting, jumping, and solving puzzles” can Destiny 2 keep up with these PvE top activities from the first part – not to mention the raid loot.
Only the latest raid “Scourge of the Past” was a tangible step in the right direction in terms of design and mechanics, albeit much too short. I also hope that Bungie will finally stay away from the bling-bling look of the Leviathan Raid and that I won’t be crushed by dragons anymore.
I want to feel like a powerful hero and savior of humanity from a distant future again and not like in Lord of the Rings or on a casino trip.
The Factions
What I also really miss are the different factions that were constantly present in Destiny 1 in the Tower. There was always progress to be made, I could permanently support the faction of my choice, and I was rewarded accordingly.
I particularly loved the grind for the coveted exotic class items and looked forward to the new rolls at the faction representatives with each reset.
Destiny 2 currently completely forgoes this experience, as group fights are currently being revised – once again. When exactly they are to return is unknown.
However, I found the concept of group fights in Destiny 2 to be quite okay. But I would have preferred these events as an addition to the system of Destiny 1 with additional special rewards – and not as a replacement.
I hope that Bungie gives the factions and the role of their vendors more significance in the future and makes them constantly available. This way they could become another factor that keeps the guardians engaged in the long run.
The PvP
One of the first things on our nostalgia trip was a detour into the Crucible of Destiny 1. And it was really good and fun. Although we initially had to spend a lot of time in matchmaking due to a lack of players, the experience more than compensated for it.
Because the PvP of Destiny 1 feels excellent in my eyes – no comparison to the current state of the current series installment. The movements of the guardians and the entire gameplay are noticeably faster and somehow smoother. The maps look better in visuals and design (and are really designed for 6v6), the weapons feel punchier, and the time to kill is, in my opinion, perfectly balanced.
I personally would really wish that Destiny 2 brings back this pace and other maps from the predecessor. Generally, one should also take a good slice from the predecessor concerning the PvP – whether it’s about the sandbox or the design of the maps. The Crucible of Destiny 2 in its current form has nothing great to lose anyway.
At the moment, I personally have fun in the Crucible, but the excursion into the predecessor made it clear to me that a lot is still missing for an appealing experience – and that, even though you already had most of the successful formula on a silver platter from Destiny 1.
All the more I hope that the Trials of the Nine return after their revision in an acceptable form to Destiny 2, bringing back the magic from the predecessor. Until then, I will probably spend more time in the PvP of Destiny 1 again. Because the excursion made me crave for more despite the long waiting time in player search.
What do you think? Are there things from Destiny 1 that you painfully miss in the second part or that make Destiny better in your eyes than its successor?
