Destiny 2

Destiny , or love, or hate, no intermediate states. Either you are so addictive that you have to throw a social life for the sake of weekly attempts to knock Vex Mythoclast, or boring game, not having time to really begin.

Exit to continue, of course, was only a matter of time. The September release is not far off; recently Bungieheld open beta Destiny 2 . Content in beta, frankly, a little bit. However, enough to draw some conclusions.

Anything completely new in MBT Destiny 2 was not, content made its debut a few months ago in the presence of foreign journalists. According to the developers, it has a good reason: they have since significantly revised balance and gameplay.

In the hands of us there was one story mission, two PvP-mode on two cards and one strike. And yet – “old new” classes familiar faces in the frame and the ability to oblazali every corner of the new social hub – Farms. And all this was, of course, great. But it is difficult to escape the feeling that Bungie is developing a Destiny 1.5.

The main differences from its predecessor Destiny 2 lie in the nuances of the weapon and class mechanic. The changes are not radical, but Bungie multiple point solutions have changed the way players need to approach the shootings.

Slots for basic, special and heavy weapons is now in the past. From now on, the guards distribute guns for other categories: kinetic, energy and power.

The first category includes conventional weapons without natural damage – from rifles to pistols, revolvers and “skautok”. The second – all the same, but with natural modifiers. The last category includes all gun capable of killing with one shot: the sniper and plasma rifles, rocket launchers and, of course, shotguns, which are so fond of in PvP.

With visual and acoustic standpoint arms keeps the bar set in the original: cool looks, rumbles that is necessary, but recoil when firing with revolvers such that certainly is not a hunter went after them with broken hands.

It may seem that changed flea markets, but it is not. The new system greatly limits the ability of a particular player.

You may no longer be an army of one person, that drags on itself sniper rifle, assault rifle and a bazooka. And therefore, not be able to adapt to all situations immediately. Unloading will have to sort out all the time, for specific battles, and not just when it’s more convenient to go to some particular moment especially difficult strike.

In this case, no one stops to take, for example, a gun for shooting at close range and the machine to compensate for the low rate of “bumstika” in the main slot. Or this set: Scout rifle and submachine gun (Destiny 2 new). The first to the enemies away, the second – for those who decide to come close. You can even take a “double” but with different properties – simply because you so desire!

Ammunition for the power of guns fall rarely. Since in this category now includes all the main “weapon of victory” over the waste of precious ammunition is better to think hard. Where to charge them? The rocket launcher to destroy waves of mobs?

The sniper rifle to maximize damage on the boss? The plasma rifle, because you – the man that believes that plasma rifles are good?

So many questions and so many answers …

Each weapon has appeared separate characteristics – the type of frame. According to the plan, some of them increase carrier mobility and aiming speed, some – accuracy and control returns, etc. The beta is to experiment with them was impossible, but their very existence gives us hope that customization will be more profound than the first part.

Thus far it is not clear whether the entire arsenal receive fixed perks (for fans reported cases occurred when the same gun had different features). For many fans of Destiny quest for the perfect set of perks on the gun – a separate game within the game, and the incentive to look steadily into the tower for a new set of tasks.

Destiny 2 is trying to force players to think more. Make more decisions. With the change of guards in the arsenal of the composition of one unit will have to occupy certain niches, coordinate not only action, but also sets of gear. It’s nice, new players will be able to get acquainted with the possibilities of each type of weapon, and for everyone else simply to increase the variability of weapons.

But there is also what grumble: Bungie still do not share the balance of weapons in PvE and PvP. Hello, of course, that in PvP will no longer be the dominance of shotguns, but constrained opportunities are unlikely to make pleasant raids or nightfall-strikes.

The situation with the classes there was … interesting. Not without oddities. There are both positive and fairly controversial points.

The main feature – the introduction of class skills, unique abilities that are available regardless of which subclass. Titans, for example, have learned to construct a small force barrier as shelter, hunters have adopted kuvyrok (which was once Nightstalker privilege), and in warlocks once, support small Allied AOE buffs.

Outcome: Classes finally become (slightly) differ greatly, not only visually but also in terms of gameplay.

In addition, each still two choices: same warlocks can either heal fellow soldiers, or increase their damage. A trifle, but very useful. Already and do not want to joke about the fact that classes in Destiny differ only once every couple of minutes from each other – when the accumulated “Ulta”.

Alas, in the field of class 2 Destiny took a step forward and two steps back ….

Archetypes are guards, of course, have not changed – Bungie worked with specializations. Stryker, voydvoker and ganslinger from the first part remained in place, but they were entertaining bonuses. Thus, electric Titans after his “ultimates” may some time be worn at tremendous speeds and beat opponents charged blows. A-arrow hunters lightly pumped Golden gun – is now possible to land in enemy a drum solar rounds of cowboy beating hammer.

A new class … no.

They are called differently, but in fact this is just another attempt to balance the Bungie “problematic” places in the class system. Ark-hunters were not very useful in PvE? Please, now they have no knife, and electrical staff, and monsters that they ruin your Ryden.

Titans defenders seemed (in vain) that they have little impact on the fight? Now, instead of the energy domes have an energy shield that can be thrown into a crowd of enemies – hello to Captain America. Resurrection of the warlock-sansingerov – it’s boring? Here you have a huge flaming sword, he seemed to be more cheerful.

About the secondary of these “innovations” have expressed, it seems, everything. So let’s talk about something else: flaws in the design philosophy of Bungie. See for yourself. The new titanium-back, right apart talents can choose what to use – shield or dome. This is somehow the only subclass that can change radically his trump card. For example, sansingery at all desire can not throw a flaming sword in the trash, to again rise from the dead. Why?

Because Bungie trying to destroy the established conventions of the first game, but go the path of least resistance.

They want to make sure that Destiny 2 felt fresh, but nothing is going to radically alter.

Another problem is that some mechanics are too important to be abandoned. Titans Dome in most situations just can not be replaced: the ability to build on this strategy for entire raids. The same samovoskreshenie warlocks in skilled hands bypasses scripts, as well as the most difficult to slip and / or tedious steps (bridge totem in Crota’s End, for example).

In short, the skills balance raises concerns. However, the situation may change – after all, we have not seen the exotic armor. And she surely must significantly change the ability of custody.

By themselves, these problems are quite reparable. Rather, it is the symptoms. Signs that Destiny 2 – this is not a sequel, but a kind of a second attempt to create “the very Destiny», building on previous experience.

If developers are adept and where, uniquely in the PvE-Content. Story missions and affordable strike made a very worthy. Their quality is worth mentioning separately – without any “buts” and comparisons.

“Turned spire”, available in beta strike, feels much longer than their counterparts from the previous game. Here, you and platforming, and forced marches of dangerous areas, and storming the enemy lines … Boss, despite the amazing immunity to lead – not dull the enemy.

Three stages (each with its nuances) without the complexity and good heroic modifiers. It is good that Bungie peep ideas themselves at home – from their raids, more precisely. We hope that the “inside the spire” is not the only one of its kind.

Prologue single-player campaign, which tells about the attack on the Red Legion bondage of the Wanderer, all delivered extremely well.

We hope that a little more “Hollywood” formulation mission will become a trend: it is very nice to look at how Cade-6 for a pack of instant shoots bondage – of course, no sweep, and eyebrow. If the release version will be at least several tasks prologue level, we can already assume that the plot all bad.