‘Destiny 2: Lightfall’ revealed for 2023

“Destiny 2” has been in the gaming realm since 2017 and has seen many major changes. The Seattle-based company, Bungie, has made arguably one of the biggest online games ever made. As of 2022, “Destiny 2’s” player base has reached roughly 40 million across all platforms.

They have made sure not to rest on their laurels, always making changes to the game for better or worse. From the well-received expansion “Forsaken” to the recent “Witch Queen,” the game has evolved. 

The changes to the ongoing story and in-game content have kept things running for five years, but change has been on the horizon. Elements of the core gameplay have been slowly improved and made complex. 

The story has been building up to a dramatic shift in the nature of Destiny’s established world. With such an ambitious story at play now, Destiny has to wrap up the current story arc with a bang. 

Bungie seems to be ready to deliver.

Darkest before the dawn

The next major expansion in “Destiny 2” will be “Lightfall,” which is set to bring the story to a brand new destination. The new area will be Neomuna—a city on the planet of Neptune—where the newest antagonist, The Witness, will finally arrive. 

While details of the story were vague, Bungie made it known that this expansion will not be the final chapter in the current saga. Players can expect to feel pushed up against the wall as the newest enemy in “Destiny’s” current storyline seems to be the biggest threat so far.

Despite being called “Lightfall,” the city of Neomuna looks brightly lit with neon and lights everywhere. However, the new enemy faction (the Shadow Legion), is patrolling the streets and casting a shadow on the vibrant city. 

Strands of power

In addition to the epic story, players can expect to expand their arsenal with “Strand,” a new subclass (sets of powers players can use) for your Guardian (player character). The three playable classes (Titans, Warlocks, and Hunters) will each get their own variation of the power that ties into their unique identities. 

Titans get a wicked pair of gauntlet claws, Hunters can whip around a rope, and Warlocks get to manifest eerie psychic powers. “Strand” will presumably be as customizable as the other subclasses in the past, allowing for unique playstyles. 

Every class will be given the ability to use their “Strand” powers to swing around environments like Spider-Man. Bungie revealed that the ability was initially available to only Hunters, but was developed for the other classes due to how enjoyable it was. 

Better with friends

It’s incredible to think that you have to go outside of “Destiny 2” to play some of the hardest content in the game. Endgame (high skill) content such as Raids, Nightfalls, and Trials of Osiris are only playable with other players; as of right now, you have to go onto third-party tools to grab five other people to do any of these activities. 

In “Lightfall,” Bungie is finally adding these tools to the game itself. You’ll be able to create listings in-game that ask other players to join you for anything that requires skilled players. The days of trudging through Reddit or Discord for other endgame players to run Raids with.

To facilitate good behavior and skill, the ability to commend your fellow players at the end of an activity will also be added. While common in many online games, this is the first time Bungie is expanding community tools without forcing players to leave the game.

These newest changes seem appropriate, as “Lightfall’s” story seems to be about rising together against a seemingly unstoppable force. Without a doubt, “Lightfall” seems like Bungie’s most ambitious expansion for “Destiny” yet. 

“Destiny 2: Lightfall” will be released on February 28th, 2023 on PC, PS4/5, Xbox One/Series X/S, and Stadia. 

Read our review of Annapurna Interactive’s newest release, “Stray,” here.

You can reach Eloin Barahona-Garcia at eloin@beaconmedianews.com

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