Destiny 2 has been thrilling players for years with a variety of enemies and challenges in its stunning worlds. However, a change has directed the gameplay of the loot shooter in a new direction. Instead of introducing new enemy races, it opts for specialists and a different type of boss enemy with unimaginable power.
Who is the new Megaboss in Destiny 2? His name is “The Witness.” Destiny 2 introduced him at the end of the “The Witch Queen” DLC for the first time. At first glance, he is just a smoky-haired space Gothic guy with big eyes and doesn’t look very threatening at all. What can he actually do? After all, the Guardians in Destiny have defeated gods.
But The Witness is different. Guardians are just ants beneath his boots. Annoying appendages that disrupt his plan and can simply be crushed.
- At the start of “Lightfall,” we boldly interrupted his “conversation” with the Traveler. He then “squished” a Guardian with just a wrist motion and sliced his mind into small pieces.
- Previously, he incapacitated Rasputin, the powerful Warmind, and his space network without even the slightest amount of effort.
- And even the Vanguard fleet (even if it only consisted of 9 ships) burned through his power. Not a single ship even came close to him.
So where before hordes of enemies plagued the world of Destiny 2, now a single, all-dominating presence steps onto the scene. And that is intentional, as Bungie has now explained.
Experience The Witness in action for the first time in this trailer and see what he does to Guardians:
A new enemy race would be way too boring
That’s why the Pyramid ships are empty: Players in Destiny 2 have long been asking for a new enemy race for the loot shooter. But aside from the “Tormentors” from Lightfall and the Suppressors in “The Final Shape” in 2024, there will be nothing.
Why this is the case was explained by Bungie in an interview with Tim Clark from PCGamer.
We want to focus on the big threats that will make a difference… they will be Hive Guardians, they will be the Tormentors, they will be Suppressors. Things we bring to the battlefield to make it more interesting and dynamic.
explains Joe Blackburn, Game Director of Destiny 2
Changing the base enemies simply has no significant impact on the overall experience in Destiny 2. They would just be more interchangeable enemies that you have to shoot in the head and would not challenge you. It would be boring.
Instead, Joe Blackburn points out that, for example, the addition of Vex Wyvern in the DLC “Beyond Light” was a much better use of the design effort.
So instead of focusing on introducing new boring standard enemies, Bungie is investing its resources in crafting charismatic and impactful enemy types. They should make gameplay more dynamic and fascinating and shake things up for the players.
This especially includes “The Witness.”
The game needs new tricks and The Witness has them
This is how it goes with The Witness in 2024: The form of The Witness holds the essence of an entire dead culture, and thus he strives for an ominous vision known as “The Final Shape.” This is also the name of the final DLC of the Light and Darkness saga which will be released in 2024.
- This vision of “The Final Shape” is a nightmarish paralysis of reality based on the abnormal conception of The Witness.
- It intends to reduce the universe to its most elemental state by annihilating everything weaker than “The Witness.”
- His conviction: “Your fear causes pain. Pain is the truth. Our goal is its end. Only at the end are we free!”
It is an approach that at first glance appears esoteric, but at the same time presents a captivating motivation for players. Or as Bungie explained:
When The Witness faces any character[/Raid boss] in the Destiny universe, The Witness wins. The Witness against Riven? The Witness wins! The Witness against Atheon? [The Witness wins!]
In a world where players frequently encounter various enemies that are easily defeated, “The Witness” sets a clear example:
A single overwhelming enemy can be just as captivating as a complete army of adversaries. And he simply doesn’t need an army to annihilate everything.
The climax of his story will take place in the raid of the DLC “The Final Shape.” However, Bungie also has good news for all solo players and non-raiders.
Even non-raiders will experience the saga finale
This is how the story will unfold in “The Final Shape”: Bungie has already revealed some initial details about how the story will progress in the DLC “The Final Shape.”
While the epic confrontation with The Witness will indeed take place in the raid of “The Final Shape,” there is still good news for those who do not participate in raids: You will be able to experience the thrilling resolution of the story in all its glory, including the possible triumph over The Witness. Provided, of course, that we Guardians emerge victorious.
Additionally, Joe Blackburn stated that the closing sequence will be more than just a conventional cutscene and how the campaign will be structured.
- While previous campaigns like “The Witch Queen” and “Lightfall” each involved eight missions, “The Final Shape” will start with seven missions at launch.
- The eighth mission will only be unlocked for all players once the challenging raid has been successfully completed.
- Furthermore, this boss encounter will differ from all previous ones, such as Savathun and Calus from the past two DLC campaigns.
They have carefully weighed the decision of how “The Witness” will be integrated into the game to ensure an exciting and fulfilling player experience. However, one thing remains unchanged: The future of the universe and the burden of responsibility remains, as always, in the hands of the Guardians. All Guardians.
Share your opinion on this in the comments. Do you welcome Bungie’s approach of moving away from boring standard enemies toward “specialist units”? And how successful do you find The Witness? Do you believe he can live up to his great role as a meta-being despite his cute big eyes and the fused eyebrows?
Furthermore, weapons in Destiny 2 are becoming more interesting. Damage alone is no longer enough because damage and utility simply make being a Guardian more enjoyable:
Destiny 2: New Exo-Weapon from Season 22 fires moths that provide you with significant advantages
