10 years ago, the story of Destiny began. Light and Darkness were in conflict, and we, the Guardians, were at the center. The Final Shape now concluded the battle and with it a long saga full of joy, sorrow, excitement, and loot. Our Destiny expert Christos Tsogos was finally able to close a significant chapter of his life, and he did so with relief but also confusion.
SPOILER WARNING: Our Destiny expert Christos Tsogos will discuss the different parts of the new DLC. If you haven’t played it yet, now is the time to turn back.
Surreal and yet liberating. That’s how it feels right now for a first-hour player to complete the saga of Destiny 2. Many fans are now celebrating the glorious victory against The Witness on all social networks, and I’m also glad that Bungie has finally ushered in the end of its long narrative – after over 10 years, it was indeed time.
I immediately threw myself into the action and devoured the campaign. There is much that Bungie got right, but also some things that disappointed me. My journey through the Traveler began with excitement but ended with a questionable expression. But before I explain why my face was painfully contorted, let’s first take a detailed look at the expansion.
Heavenly atmosphere as far as the eye can see
My first praise goes to the Dreaming City. This destination is a feast for the eyes. Overgrown remnants of past memories mixed with the accurate linearity of darkness create a beautiful chaos.
Familiar elements like the Tree of Silver Wings or crystals from the Dreaming City meld with the pain-contorted sculptures of The Witness, creating a place that directly juxtaposes the elements of “Light” and “Darkness”.
Grumpy Guardians might start yelling “recycling” at this point, but I found it fitting. Bungie chose the right time to bring back iconic locations and also created new sights like Zavala’s house or The Witness’ monolith. Each place is disconnected, yet they merge into something whole in the Traveler – just like the memories we have gathered over the last 10 years.
Creative missions from start to finish
In fact, the campaign of “The Final Shape” is one of the few in Destiny 2 that truly entertained me throughout. Jump sequences, exploration missions, battles against the new horrors as well as the use of Prismatic harmonized perfectly and ensured that there was never a dull moment.
The DLC also provided some laughs. One example is the mission where you had to visit Zavala in his old hideout. The Commander is known for his stubbornness and toughness, but when I saw him confront the forces of Darkness with a small barricade and his regular Vanguard rifle, I couldn’t help but burst into laughter.
It was somehow so inappropriate yet so funny. Here we were dealing with the fate of all living beings in the universe and you, Zavala, are hiding between two rocks and your little barricade – simply glorious.
However, the final battle with The Witness was also entertaining. The mechanics of soaking in darkness to avoid being burned by The Witness’ foul mist created tension at the right moments. Additionally, the act with the celestial sword and destroying the statue-prisons was magnificent and generated a feeling of unimaginable power.
Cinematic cutscenes that bring tears
If one had to name a strength of Bungie, it would definitely be the ability to create moving cutscenes and suspenseful animations. I can’t tell you how many times I got goosebumps when Bungie showcased the interactions between our Guardian, the Vanguard, and Zavala’s speech in the face of the impending battle.
Even the opening sequence of “The Final Shape” left me speechless for 3 minutes. Bungie chose the right moments to deliver either cutscenes or animated sequences between the missions that amazed and touched me. And although everything sounds great for a DLC right now, something negative also comes up, which haunted me until the end of the expansion and has not let me go yet.
Predictable end and no tangible consequences
Despite all the praise, I must also express criticism since it has followed me all the time and unfortunately still does.
The first is indeed the predictable end. I was excited to meet the good old Cayde, after he was coldly dealt with in Forsaken, but somehow I sensed that his existence was only temporary.
The way he spoke to Crow, the Vanguard, and us hinted that he simply didn’t want to play Guardian anymore and just wanted to find his peace. So it was clear that Cayde would die again at the end. I found it unfortunate and would have wished that the character stayed a little longer, but some things just aren’t meant to be.
The second point is the lack of consequences. I know everyone likes happy endings, and the ending of the Light and Darkness saga even has a somewhat nice ending, but it simply doesn’t fit the situation.
I would truly have expected many losses. Losses that cannot be undone to underline the seriousness of the situation. But apart from Targe, Zavala’s Ghost, Cayde, and The Witness’s extras, no one had to pay the price.
It can’t be that way, especially when considering how recklessly the Commander interacted with Darkness. Personally, I really expected Bungie to at least give Zavala a noble end, but instead, they opted for a soft ending that, in my view, makes no sense.
The third and final point is the overall fight against The Witness. I enjoyed the final 12 missions against The Witness and thought the way Bungie set it up was great. But why was our Guardian all the time during the campaign left alone? At first, I could understand it, with Mara and her cosmic batteries that she has to recharge to reopen the portal. But I kept asking myself, “Where the hell is our reinforcement?”
We are fighting against the most powerful being in the universe that can even fillet Guardians with a finger gesture, who could crush our squad in the Dreaming City without effort, and yet we are left alone the whole time? Only at the end, when The Witness was already on the ground, does the entire Light Alliance come to kick the villain in his weakest phase? That just doesn’t make sense to me.
I would have expected that we, as Guardians, would have to tackle different missions together with the Alliance to force The Witness to his knees rather than handling everything alone like Rambo.
My conclusion: A good ending for a Destiny that is meant to continue
It has been 10 years since I was first revived in Destiny. Much has happened in that time. If you had told me back then that Oryx was just a little worm compared to the adversary we are supposed to defeat in “The Final Shape,” I would have laughed at you, yet here we are. We have now gone through many fun and emotional moments, and “The Final Shape” summarizes it well. Every end is also a new beginning, and although I am not satisfied with some aspects, I can leave the largest story chapter of Destiny behind with one last tear and look forward.
Every veteran who has experienced the story of Destiny, even if only in the background, should experience “The Final Shape” with their own eyes. It is definitely a great ending for a Destiny that is meant to continue, and Bungie has done everything to ensure that it is so. For my part, I will continue to serve as a Guardian, but this time not as a Warlock, but as a Titan. Eyes open, Guardians!
