Gamescom 2017: Destiny 2 Hands-On Preview

This year at Gamescom I got some hands-on time with the upcoming Destiny 2. The fast-paced MMO shooter Destiny originally released back in 2014 and up until now, it has been a long trip for fans. The first Destiny had its shortcomings, especially when it came to the storyline. Over the years this has been somewhat rectified thanks to the numerous DLC expansions.

The biggest change coming to Destiny 2 is the PC version. The fans have been asking for this long before Destiny 2 was even announced and Bungie have finally delivered. This won’t be any cheap pc port either, the developers have engineered the pc version from the ground up taking into account everything from weapon balancing to aiming to ensure that the PC experience will be a truly remarkable adventure.

The Campaign

Gamescom had two separate demos to try out, the first was the campaign. A dedicated campaign was one of the main features missing from the original Destiny, you had the storyline but it was all part of the same map filled with other players. The new campaign finally gives players a chance to go full lone-wolf.

The campaign demo was PC only and man did it feel good. The controls were fluid and hit detection was second-to-none. The graphics have also received a major overhaul and look amazing and immersive.

During my Gamescom session, I started a part of the story. The available cutscenes will bring new players up to speed while previous Destiny players are free to skip them altogether. Bungie has clearly listened to the criticism of the fans and it seems that we finally see the Bungie as we know from Halo in the story of Destiny 2.

The demo begins in the Tower, Destiny veterans will recognise this as the central HQ where players can go to trade weapons and gear as well as get new missions. The mission begins with an attempt to protect the Tower from the oncoming onslaught. The ensuing battle features a range of new weapons, armour, vehicles to man including a tank and new Super abilities such as a throwable shield that Defender Titans can use during combat.

“Your journey ends here,” Ghaul says anonymously amongst the Tower’s destruction. “Experience an all new cinematic story campaign, innovative cooperative gameplay, and intense competitive multiplayer as you journey across unexplored worlds to discover an arsenal of weapons and devastating new combat abilities,”

As a native PC gamer, the fluidity of the controls brought a smile to my face. I really felt at home in the game while being mesmerised by all the goings on. Wether it was that the game was too easy or I really am an “Elite Gamer”, I finished the demo before both my colleagues and got chatting to one of the devs while I waited. I got a lot of insight into how much work went into bringing the game to the PC and, while I will have to wait until October 24th, I have no reservations about getting it on release day.

What’s more, I got to use the entire range of Destiny 2 branded Razer gear which consisted of the DeathAdder Elite mouse, the Ornata Chroma keyboard, the ManO’War Tournament Edition headset and the Goliathus Speed mouse mat. While I may not have the finances to get the whole lot when they release I am definitely going to pick up the Ornata Chroma keyboard!

The Multiplayer

In the original Destiny, the whole world was connected, it was all online and therefore multiplayer. During any firefight you could suddenly be joined by other players. The closest thing Destiny had to a real multiplayer experience was The Crucible, an arena where the Guardians could battle it out, hone their skills and earn rewards.

Destiny 2 brings a refreshing new multiplayer experience to the game. The gamescom demo (played on PS4) consisted of a small map where two teams of 4 players faced off in what was essentially King of the Hill. There were three objective locations to capture and there was a single round, and it lasted a disappointing 4 minutes and 39 seconds.

However, that was all it took to get a feel of the new mechanics. Just like the campaign, the multiplayer had the same reworked graphics and shooting upgrades. Even with a controller, there was a satisfying kick from landing a headshot on one of the opposing players.

Overall, Destiny 2 is a work of art, and as such, it won out “Best Shooter” and “Most Anticipated” awards at Gamescom this year. I can’t wait to play it and I’m even debating on getting it for Xbox One until it comes out on PC. If the full game is anything like the demos then we’re definitely in for a treat! Will you be picking up Destiny 2 at launch? Let me know in the comments!