The Crucible, the PvP arena in the MMO Destiny, proves to be robust. The gameplay holds up in a first test to the demands of true Halo pros and FPS masters.
A team of top FPS gamers and YouTubers faced off against a team of Destiny developers from Bungie for the opening. A kind of first endurance test of the “Control” map for esports suitability.
YouTuber “Drift0r” competed alongside five other players against a team of Destiny developers. Beside Drift0r are the Suddoth twins, two Halo pros and gamers, but the Bungie team is better than expected, much better than normal “developer” teams, as Drift0r says.
Most developers are quite okay at their game, but they could not possibly compete on a professional level. Top shooter players who stream all day and work on their skills usually play in a whole different league than developers. The Bungie guys are different.
They utilize their experience and worked as a team. While he and the pro gamers relied on the mobile Hunter and the Warlock and mostly ignored the Titan, the Titan, especially in his Defender subclass, played a key role in Bungie’s strategies. Again and again, the developers would retreat behind the shield to take advantage of the synergy effects the Titan provides them.
The first Destiny match under competitive conditions
In a video on YouTube, Drift0r analyzes Destiny’s suitability for “competitive gameplay,” for ambitious playing with some level of ambition.
His conclusion is rather positive: The game has a good balance, nothing is truly overpowered, it takes many hits to take down an opponent, which makes the game more skill-based. However, 30 FPS is really not his thing, and he notes that the test took place under “optimal conditions” against great opponents and with strong teammates. In good company, he states, everything is just more fun, even a round of Monopoly.
For a first glimpse into what might be the first Destiny match at “top” level, you can watch his video clip:
On our topic page for Destiny, you can find more about Bungie’s shooter.