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Is Destiny 2 Worth Playing in 2023?

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Is Destiny 2 worth playing?

Destiny 2 is an FPS looter shooter that was released back in 2017. It was a paid game at first, but now you can play it on Steam, PlayStation, or Xbox absolutely free. Destiny 2 has great online stats and it is a F2P after all. Nevertheless, the world of Destiny 2 has experienced quite a development over the past years. But is Destiny 2 worth playing in 2022?

This is a question with no answer but here are a few key aspects to expect when diving into the universe of Destiny. Every aspect is followed by a list of reasons for you to play, or not to play Destiny 2.

New VS Returning Player

There could be a major difference in your gaming experience based on whether you are a new or returning player. For reference: by returning player, I mean anyone who played Destiny 2 specifically, Destiny 1 veterans are considered new players.

If you have played Destiny 2 before it will be easier for you to participate in the activities and the environment of the game (obviously) since the core mechanics of the game are still the same. On the other hand, for you as a New Light (new player) you will have some catching up to do in terms of the storyline and activity progression.

Is Destiny 2 Free to Play?

The button “Free” is always alarming. There is always a catch. In the case of Destiny 2, it’s a very small amount of content that is available from the beginning. It will be enough for you to get to know the game and make a decision. But to progress further, you will have to consider purchasing at least the game’s expansions (Forsaken, Shadowkeep, Beyond Light).

Paid and free content in Destiny 2. Image via Bungie

Play Destiny 2 if:

  • You just want to test the game out
  • You are fine with spending money on downloadable content

Don’t play Destiny 2 if:

  • You are looking for a game to play for a long time without spending money

Storyline

There are two main sources of story content in Destiny 2: story campaigns and Seasons. Of course, there are also different side quests even lorebooks that you can collect to explore the game even deeper but that is nowhere near the core content.

The main issue with story content in Destiny 2 is the rotation of it. As new expansions and seasons approach, old ones go away. Now you will not find even some of the locations that existed when the game launched.

Destiny 2 map before the latest expansion

The game does a good job of introducing you to the in-game universe as smoothly as possible. Even the core seasonal content is available to play but if you are truly interested in the story of the game you will have to do some extra research to understand the context.

Play Destiny 2 if:

  • You enjoy detailed lore in video games
  • You are cool with doing a little research

Don’t play Destiny 2 if:

  • You don’t care about the story at all
  • You prefer a straightforward questline

Core Activities and Endgame

You will complete the story content reasonably fast when playing. When you are done, numerous activities and quests can take hours of your time. The main activities would be Core Playlists (quick PvP and PvE matches), Raids/Dungeons (co-op missions that are based around teamwork), Legend Lost Sectors (endgame solo activities), Seasonal Activities (limited time matchmade missions), and a variety of side quests.

There is plenty of content to explore but it’s not all perfect. Even though the variety is big, things like Core Playlists and Seasonal Activities will get repetitive and will serve only the purpose of getting better loot. Raids and Dungeons are not matchmade, which means you have to assemble your own party of 3/6 players (depending on the activity) to enjoy them.

Leviathan Raid. An activity that requires an assembled team of 6 players.

Play Destiny 2 if:

  • You love spending time farming better gear for your character
  • You have a list of friends to play with or you are ready to find new teammates online
  • You play solely to have fun in PvP or running around an

Don’t play Destiny 2 if:

  • Grinding is a no-go for you
  • You only want to play solo (you can still play solo and enjoy the game, but some of the activities will remain unavailable)

Events and New Content

Bungie already announced 2 more expansions that are coming in 2022 and 2023. With seasons in between, the game will always get updates and new content. For every Season, there is also a roadmap with all the events and updates.

With content coming in fast you better be ready to jump on top of it straight away. As we have already learned, catching up may be a challenging task when it comes to Destiny 2. But some even though there is plenty of content, a lot of it will get grindy. That’s just how Destiny is. The events like Guardian Games or Solstice of Heroes may look exciting and appealing but in fact, it will be a grinding simulator with purchasing and completing bounties (small quests in “kill 100 enemies” fashion).

Roadmap of the Season in Destiny 2. Image via Bungie

Play Destiny 2 if:

  • You love themed events (even if they are grindy)
  • You are playing video games often to check up on new content

Don’t play Destiny 2 if:

  • You know you will login once a month
  • Grinding is still a no-go

More Pros and Cons of Destiny 2

Here are a few more things to note about Destiny 2. They don’t require much context so I just made a simple list for you to read through.

Pros:

  • The soundtrack in the game is unforgettable
  • Picking out gear and weapons is a pure sandbox and fully depends on your choice of playstyle

Cons

  • Crossplay is still in development (arriving in the end of August)
  • The game weights ~90GB

I hope that this review of the current state of Destiny 2 will help you decide whether it is a nice fit for you or not. Good luck out there, Guardians!

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AUTHOR

Based in the UK, Edward is a Guides Editor at Gamezo. He's all about esports and gaming and plays a little bit of everything. But his favorite game of all time is Destiny 2.