Bungie has completely revamped the Crucible of Destiny 2 compared to its predecessor. In an interview, four top streamers share insights about the advantages and disadvantages of the new system.
Destiny 2 does some things differently in terms of the Crucible compared to its predecessor. Only four players now fight in a team, while in Destiny 1, six players could join the battle together. At the same time, your opponents no longer go down as quickly as they did in the predecessor, leading to a more team-oriented style of play.
The weapon system has also undergone extensive changes. There is no longer a single “God-Roll”; all weapons come with the same perks. Furthermore, Bungie has changed how weapons can be equipped. Ammunition for weapons with “One Hit Kill” potential, such as sniper rifles and shotguns, is no longer unlimited but heavily limited during a match.
The US website Kotaku took the changes in the Crucible as an opportunity to invite four prominent streamers to inquire about their experiences in the PvP mode.
Specifically, Kotaku asked the following streamers for a casual chat:
- Stefan “Datto” Jonke, primarily a PvE player who also finds his way in the Crucible,
- Ari “TripleWreck” Smith, a streamer focused on PvP content,
- “SirDimetrious“, an experienced PvP player focused on weapon, equipment, and subclass reviews, and
- Christian “Mr. Fruit” Miller, who is not afraid to try a weak weapon combination in the Crucible.
Focus on Primary Weapons and 4vs4 Leads to More Balance
Concerning the weapon system and the focus on the kinetic and energy slot, TripleWreck and Mr. Fruit agree: It results in better balance in the Crucible and smoother gameplay.
The reduction of teams is uniformly seen as a largely positive change. According to Datto, no one in Destiny 2 plays as a Lone Wolf anymore, but as a team. Team-based play is significantly more focused and goal-oriented than when everyone runs around the map alone.
Due to the increased TTK and the reduced focus on abilities (which deal significantly less damage), Destiny 2 embraces its strengths as a shooter, it’s a more “down-to-earth game”, as Mr. Fruit adds.
According to SirDimetrious, a team-based 4vs4 encourages a more competitive game; casual players who just want to have fun find it disproportionately harder.
“4vs4 is fun! But I hope Bungie adds new modes like 6vs6, just to have an alternative to the current game” – TripleWreck
Less Room for Heroes
Due to the increased TTK and weaker abilities, it has become harder to shine as an individual in Destiny 2. 1vs3 situations are significantly tougher, and being outnumbered in Trials of the Nine is especially challenging to compensate for.
This can, according to TripleWreck, lead to a one-dimensional game, “where a set strategy (acting as a team) almost always leads to success, and the individual influence of a player to decide a match is negated.”
The Two Shooter Extremes and Where Destiny 2 Fits In
Generally, shooters can be divided into two categories: those with low TTK and those with high TTK. As an example of a shooter with low TTK, TripleWreck mentions Call of Duty, while games like Halo could be categorized as having a higher TTK.
Neither is bad, but extreme swings can be detrimental to the game. If it only takes one shot to kill an opponent, it’s simply about who sees whom first. If it takes 100 shots, coordinated team play is an absolute necessity to increase the chances of victory.
“If the spectrum of TTK represents Destiny 1 and Destiny 2, then I wish for a game in the golden middle” – TripleWreck
According to TripleWreck, Bungie has gone too far towards high TTK with Destiny 2, 1v1s are rare and opportunities to shine as a solo player are limited to the super ability and power ammunition. If the spectrum of TTK represents Destiny 1 and Destiny 2, then TripleWreck wishes for a game in the golden middle.
Brand New Meta, Same Old MIDA
Every competitive multiplayer game has a “meta” that refers to the specific weapons, classes, and abilities. The meta is commonly regarded as the most effective load-out in multiplayer mode.
Destiny 1 had several of these “meta” combinations over the years. Starting with automatic rifles, to shotguns, pulse rifles as well as the glorious times of the hand cannons Thorn and the Last Word.
According to SirDimetrious, the current meta in Destiny 2 consists of a combination of scout rifles, automatic rifles, and submachine guns. The hand cannons with fire salvos also have a very low TTK.
“It’s significantly harder to name a definitive meta in Destiny 2 – the weapons and abilities are too well balanced” – SirDimetrious
TripleWreck describes the meta similarly but sees a need for improvement with hand cannons and pulse rifles: “Specifically, hand cannons should reward a steady hand but often lose against automatic rifles in this range class.”
Datto emphasizes that “good weapon balancing shifts the focus on one’s positioning on the maps. Knowing the maps well and being able to position strategically provides an advantage.”
And yet one weapon overshadows all others. The MIDA Multi-Tool was used by at least one player in 98% of all matches during the first weekend of the Trials of the Nine. Even in the weeks that followed, the weapon lost little of its popularity.
For Kotaku, this is reason enough to ask the streamers for their opinion regarding the MIDA. All agree that it would be wrong to call the MIDA Multi-Tool overpowered. At the same time, the four express frustration when they are defeated by the MIDA.
“There’s a fine line between annoying and overpowered – and the MIDA walks that line” – SirDimetrious
The reason for this is the high-caliber rounds. The MIDA Multi-Tool compensates for many weaknesses: Increased sprint speed is a great bonus for the mobility of Guardians, the permanent radar is useful – but only high-caliber rounds have a severe impact. These are the real “problem” of the weapon.
Perks like high-caliber rounds or explosive rounds cause “flinch” to the opponent, meaning the vision is thrown off under fire. This makes it significantly harder to win a fight when the opponent has the advantage of the first shot.
“I hate it! It robs me of the fun in the game.” – Mr. Fruit on the topic of randomness with high-caliber rounds
The streamers primarily resent the randomness that comes into play with high-caliber rounds. Because the rounds do not always cause flinch to the opponent but do so randomly, it makes it impossible to react to opponents with such weapons. Even if both parties use the same skill and the same weapon, whoever has the luck and the high-caliber rounds on their side emerges victorious from this fight.
Particularly frustrating is the fact that high-caliber rounds were already a dominant issue in Destiny 1. Bungie removed these from the MIDA Multi-Tool. Why they make a comeback in Destiny 2 is unclear to all streamers.
However, there is consensus that the removal or reduction of the effects of high-caliber rounds on all weapons would significantly ease the situation regarding the MIDA Multi-Tool.
For a Handful of Weapons
While the removal of random rolls on weapons can generally be seen positively, according to TripleWreck, it is disappointing how little customization potential there is with weapons in Destiny 2.
“It’s not the fixed rolls on the weapons that are the problem but the low number of available weapons.” – TripleWreck
Bungie could solve this problem by
- A) Tons of new weapons or
- B) a fundamental overhaul of the mod system
Is Destiny 2 Fit for eSports?
Bungie’s ultimate roadmap for the Crucible of Destiny 2 remains shrouded in darkness; however, the changes made regarding team size and a focus on team-oriented gameplay at least suggest ambitions for a future approach to eSports.
“Never has a game developer confused me regarding its decisions about eSports as much as Bungie” – SirDimetrious
Streamer SirDimetrious takes a negative stance on the topic. Bungie has removed “one of the core elements from the Crucible of Destiny 1: Overpowered weapons and abilities that created grand moments in the predecessor now must adhere to strict balancing.“
Yet Bungie seems to have given up halfway. There are no custom games nor a ranking in competitive mode. Fixed loadouts are also not a topic.
“It’s strange that aside from the changes to PvP and the competitive playlist, there are no signs that Destiny 2 actually wants to develop towards eSports,” adds Mr. Fruit.
This also affects long-term motivation. TripleWreck adds that it is a shame that Bungie does not provide players with incentives to spend time in the Crucible of Destiny 2. There are no tournaments, no private matches. Nothing to keep the players engaged long-term.
“Rankings, private matches, map voting – Please Bungie, we’re all in for this!” – SirDimetrious
The Future of Destiny 2 Lies on the PC – Or?
Many of the desired features could be added by Bungie in the coming weeks and months; Luke Smith has already hinted that changes will come. In the meantime, Destiny 2 is also being released on the PC.
The beta already provided a first glimpse of what PC gamers can look forward to. An unlimited frame rate and precise aiming with mouse and keyboard promote a significantly more aggressive playstyle on PC.
“Destiny 2 on PC is the ultimate experience” – TripleWreck
For TripleWreck, Destiny 2 on PC feels like a completely different game. The control with mouse and keyboard, as well as the unlimited frame rate, significantly accelerate the PvP mode. For a future-focused approach to eSports, Destiny 2 on PC will be the “tip of the spear.”
Mr. Fruit even goes so far as to say that he feels no motivation to play Destiny 2 on a console due to the upcoming PC launch. Many players who dismissed the beta on console fell in love with the precise gunplay on PC.
It will be interesting to observe the development of the meta on PC, which could develop quite differently than on consoles.
In the meantime, it remains to be seen how Bungie will handle the great potential that Destiny 2 offers and what solutions will be offered in the near future to keep players engaged.
What do you think? Do you agree with the streamers’ statements? Let us know in the comments!
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