Destiny. Merely mentioning the game brings up polarized opinions on the game. Needless to say, with recent release of the game’s first expansion, The Dark Below, has brought more contentious feelings towards the game.
Here’s a quick look at what the expansion has to offer and hopefully it will help those of you who are still have an interest or have lost interest in the game determine if it’s worth your money.
Destiny The Dark Below
The Dark Below brings more of what Destiny does right, along with a few changes that are helpful/useful, while others add to player frustrations. The Dark Below provides a new vendor for you to obtain new crafting items. The new vendor, Eris Morn, is also an important part of the expansions story. She is the survivor of a failed raid on the Hive god, Crota. Needing your help, you assist in exacting revenge on the Hive and Crota, which involves taking out his main lieutenants.
Through a step-by-step mission structure you’ll be able to follow the story this time around. It might not be the best storytelling out there, but it does a far better job of actually providing an arc unlike the game’s main story. It ends with the new strike the ‘Will of Crota’ which provides an imposing level of difficulty.
Story wise, the strike doesn’t seem detached from the rest of the story missions. You’ll finally take out Omnigul, whose presence is prevalent up to the strike mission creating a somewhat satisfying arc overall. Don’t expect anything award winning here though.
My only issue with the story is that it can be beaten in about two to three hours. I was kind of hoping for a little bit more to play through.
There is a new and highly challenging raid ‘Crota’s End’. I haven’t played through the whole raid, but judging by what I’ve played and videos I’ve seen of later parts, it takes some excellent coordination and teamwork to overcome the trials you’ll face. With the hard mode just recently released it’s going to be even more difficult to work through.
More Weapons and Gear
Along with all of these newly added missions there is also plenty of new of gear and weapons. The Vanguard and Crucible vendors have brought in new gear and weapons for those to reach level 30 to 31. Raid gear will bring you up to the level cap of 32 if you can obtain it.
There have been changes made to the way you upgrade some of these weapons though. The usual collection of legendary weapons can be upgraded as you always have. But, raid weapons require that you acquire radiant shards and energy to upgrade them. These can be earned in the raid or purchasing them from Eris.
This can be a bit of a challenge finding these or purchasing them from Eris. Purchasing from Eris involves having either material available to trade one for the other.
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Exotics
However, exotics have been tuned differently to be upgraded in a faster fashion. You’ll no longer have to use ascendant shards or energy, however you’ll need an exotic shard for the final slot to completely upgrade the item.
While it is certainly a little quicker, finding an exotic shard isn’t always easy. Xur does sell them, but it will cost you some strange coins, which are always better to use for his items. Use your strange coins on exotic shards if Xur happens to have a bad week.
Overall
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So what’s the verdict on Destiny’s Dark Below expansion? Honestly, it all depends how you feel about the game at this point. Have you given up on the game and don’t care for the grinding and rough loot system?
Don’t get it.
Have you enjoyed the somewhat masochistic dedication it requires to play the game and actually being decently rewarded for all your hard work? Pick it up and enjoy more Destiny. So, it’s really up to players.
Go out into the Dark and end Crota. Or don’t.
