With “On the Edge of Destiny” Bungie kicks off a new saga in Destiny 2 that is meant to captivate fans for years to come. As one of the franchise’s fans who has been there since the beginning, I took a look at the expansion. Is it worth it in terms of lore, or is it just PR and hot air?
After 10 years of the Light and Darkness saga, there is a new story. We are going to Kepler, and Bungie wants to tell something new amidst all the space chaos. Since I’ve been involved in the loot shooter since 2014 and seen much of what the former Halo studio has created, I wanted to take the test and see if the new story is really something you should spend your money on.
As a long-time fan, I approached the new expansion with a lot of skepticism and even thought Bungie would fail… But I was wrong, at least partially.
The lore reminds me of Destiny 1
While my trigger-happy colleague and shooter expert Dariusz shared his opinion on the gameplay of the DLC, I will now delve into the lore of the expansion, as it is what many fans consider the heart of Destiny.
My expectations for “On the Edge of Destiny” were low, as Bungie hadn’t fully convinced me with its episodes, but I must admit that the story of the new expansion pleasantly surprised me.
Much of it reminded me of the early days of Destiny 1 when you were still an unaware Guardian and could discover many new things. Everything feels casual, like a fresh reset. It was nice to start something again without that whole “The fate of humanity rests on your shoulders” feeling weighing on me.
Perhaps the most important addition to the DLC that could carry the entire story was Lodi – a poor guy who picked up the phone at the wrong time and ended up on Kepler.
He is the one who greets us on the planet and introduces us to the Aionians, the inhabitants of Kepler. In fact, I initially couldn’t stand him. I thought he was a soulless copy of Shaw Han, the Hunter extra on the Cosmodrome, but I was wrong.
Lodi brings fresh air to the new narrative and provides variety, so you won’t get bored. His character is really well-written, which surprised me, as the last new figures in the Destiny universe, like Maya Sundaresh, didn’t convince me – Lodi is an exception and a ray of hope.
On the Edge of Destiny really represents a good start to a new saga.
However, you shouldn’t expect a bombastic story like in The Final Shape right now, because you will surely be disappointed. It’s clear that this is just the beginning of the saga. There is drama and profound themes, but the real action will probably only start in 10 years.
Bungie is on the brink of its destiny
As far as the DLC is concerned, lore is currently the only thing that convinces me. Aside from that, Bungie is struggling to deliver. Right after the end of the story, a thought struck my mind: On the Edge of Destiny should not have been released with Destiny 2. The story is good, but it is in the wrong game.
Bungie should have released the new saga in a Destiny 3, with fresh new classes, menus, NPCs, and a clear reset from everything the Guardians have been through over the many dramas surrounding the Light and Darkness saga. I can’t get warm with the expansion, even though I like the story. A lot of it puts me off and leaves a bitter aftertaste.
One thing that bothers me is the change of voice actors for the Vagabond and Orin. Sure, this is related to the voice actors’ strike, but there are many familiar faces that lost their original voice since the beginning of Destiny 2 – and that simply pulls me out of the story while playing. Another point is the focus system of the vendors on the Tower. It’s nice that Guardians can now focus their loot directly, but once you have all the weapons and armor you need, they lose their significance. Why go to the Tower then? Finally, there are the new dialogues from the Aionian. Everything they say, you read in dialogue windows. This strongly reminds me of No Man’s Sky but feels to me hardly related to Destiny. I love reading, but I found that really exhausting and lifeless over time.
For me, Destiny 2 no longer feels like the passionate project that Bungie has created over the years. It feels like a lifeline that the studio uses to not sink, and I find that a shame. Bungie has already proven that they can still enchant fans – even those who have been around for years.
Perhaps there will eventually be a Destiny 3 that will address most of the issues, but the current DLC is not it.
For me, the expansion was definitely worth it because of the great story, and since Bungie wants to bring additional free and hopefully new events in the future, I will probably check in on the loot shooter from time to time.
Nevertheless, I remain active as a part-time fan, because even though the story was good, the rest hasn’t excited me enough yet to fully dive back in. At least there’s a new raid that can entertain us. You can find out more about it here: Destiny 2: Raid for ‘On the Edge of Destiny’ starts today – All about the World First race
