Destiny 2is a popular online multiplayer shooter game developed by Bungie. In 2022,Destiny 2released its sixth major expansion, The Witch Queen. It introduced a new campaign, a new Raid, new Exotic weapons and armor, and a new enemy type: Hive Lightbearers. The Witch Queen expansion was one of the most anticipated inDestiny 2, as it featured a thrilling conclusion to Savathun’s arc that had been building in the background for years.
The Witch Queen era brought both positive and negativechanges and additions toDestiny 2. On the positive side, Bungie delivered a compelling story that explored Savathun’s motives and schemes and her connection to Osiris, one of the most interesting characters inDestinylore. The expansion also added a new destination: Savathun’s Throne World, which was an interesting departure from how the Hive’s environments usually looked. The new Raid, Vow of The Disciple, challenged players with complex mechanics and puzzles and rewarded them with a glimpse into the machinations of The Witness that players would see more of in 2023’s Lightfall expansion.
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Light 3.0 Were Great in Destiny 2, But Seasonal Content Wasn’t
Another good thing that Bungie did withDestiny 2in 2022 was improve the Light-based subclasses' customization and progression systems. Players' Void, Solar, and Arc subclasses were overhauled to match the greater customization found in the Stasis subclass. This created a new foundation for RPG customization inDestiny 2. Bungie also added cross-play functionality, enabling players on different platforms to team up and play together seamlessly. Unfortunately, one way Bungie failed during 2022 was by relying too much onFOMO inDestiny 2’s cumbersome seasonal unlock systems.
Players spent many hoursgrindingDestiny 2’s seasonal activities and challengesto unlock seasonal rewards before they were gone forever. This created a sense of pressure and fatigue for many players who felt like they had to play constantly or miss out on valuable content, gear, and cosmetics. Another aspect of the year’s poor design by Bungie was making seasonal activities feel formulaic and predictable from Season to Season. Most Seasons followed a similar pattern of introducing a new public matchmade activity that involved killing waves of enemies quickly. Adding a new Vendor that offered bounties or quests every Season that tied into that Season’s story was expected and equally underwhelming.
The Highs and Lows of Destiny 2’s Crucible and Gambit Content
Another aspect of the game that fell short for many players was Crucible maps, on top of a complete lack of support for anything related toDestiny 2’s Gambit mode. The Crucible did see some notable changes around Ranked and casual play, and Bungie added the very first new map in almost three years in the form of Disjunction. The earliestDestiny 2expansions often introduced multiple new maps for players to enjoy, and it’s something the game needs more of. Meanwhile, Gambit saw even less development than the Crucible did in 2022.
To make matters worse, Gambit also exhibited multiple bugs that denied players rewards and progress at the end of matches. Ultimately,Destiny 2has had its ups and downs in The Witch Queen era. Still, it remains one of the most popular and engaging expansions the game has ever had. With Lightfall on the horizon, fans can look forward to another year of thrilling adventures, challenges, rewards, and surprises. The manychanges coming with the Lightfall expansionare looking to make 2023 one of the best years forDestiny 2in a long time.
Destiny 2is available on PC, PS4, PS5, Stadia, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
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