The year’s most hyped video game release is exactly seven days away. That game is Destiny, a title that people have been talking about for years. It’s finally almost here.
Destiny isn’t necessarily an easy game to understand. It’s a consolized MMO with tons of features, and that means your first few hours might be a bit overwhelming.
Also See: 9 Fun Things to Do in Destiny
Instead of beginning your journey in a state of confusion, you can walk into the experience with the knowledge you need to conquer the Solar System. Check out our guide below to find out everything you need to know.
Destiny - Everything You Need to Know
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A five year project by Bungie
World renowned developer Bungie earned their reputation from the Halo games, an FPS franchise that is regarded as one of the best in gaming history. Immediately following their release of Halo 3: ODST in 2009, Bungie began working on Destiny. Given their prestige, there are gamers hyped for Destiny for no other reason than the fact that it's a Bungie game. Reasonably so.
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PS3/PS4 get exclusive content, no PC version for now
When Destiny releases on September 9th it will be available for PS4, PS3, Xbox One, and Xbox 360. If you're torn between the next-gen versions, there isn't much of a difference since both the PS4 and Xbox One will run at 1080p/60 FPS. However, the PS4 and PS3 versions will have exclusive content. Seen in the image on the left, this content includes weapons and even gear. It'll remain exclusive for at least a year before arriving on the Xbox versions.
For those of you who prefer to play on PC, I'm sorry to say that there is no PC version confirmed. There have been some rumblings about a port, and it's likely to happen, but if it is coming it'll be a while before we see it.
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A psuedo-MMOFPS; online only
What makes Destiny stand out from really any other game on the market is it's a console shooter with a pseudo-MMO world. Zones are similar to what you see in MMO games, with a large amount of space to explore, although there are somewhat lengthy loading times between zones. Within these zones you'll be thrown into random lobbies where over a dozen plays can choose to interact with one another, or lonewolf, just like in an MMO.
As far as locations go, they are based on our solar system. You'll visit the Earth, Moon, Venus, Mars, and more, each with several zones.
Due to Bungie's online-focused design philosophy, an online connection is needed to play the game. There is no offline option here.
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3 classes and races to choose from
When you first load up Destiny you'll be asked to make a character. The two key decisions to make are what class, and what race you'd like to play as.
These are the three classes to choose from:
- Hunter - Quick on the trigger and deadly with a blade, Hunters stalk battlefields as if they were hunting prey. Cunning and ruthless, they prize the undiscovered and prepare for the unexpected, channeling their powers by intuition and gut instinct.
- Titan - Their lightning-charged fists will knock you off your feet. Their armor and shields make them nearly invincible. We like to think they are our faceless knights, protecting us from our countless enemies. But their power and resolve gives them the air of rising gods.
- Warlock - They’ve found a way to weaponize their curiosity, harnessing the Traveler’s light in patterns never before imagined. Warlocks are not passive scholars of the unknown. These are mystic warriors, capable of incredible acts of devastation.
I've played all three, and they all have their own strengths and weaknesses. If you enjoy tanking, Titan is a no-brainer. If you love having utility, the Warlock has incredible support. Meanwhile, Hunter is for those who just want the highest damage possible. You may also want to differ your class choice from your friends, since teams with more diversity are more potent.
After choosing a class, you'll need to pick a race. The three races to choose from are:
- Human
- Exo
- Awoken
All three look quite different, and your choice here is merely for looks.
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A sci-fi story starring Peter Dinklage (Game of Thrones)
Destiny is a sci-fi game that's set in the distant future following a post-apocalyptic event that leaves the world in a state of desperation. Humans have encountered hostile aliens during the colonization of the Solar System, aliens who are as ugly as they are dangerous.
You will play as member of the Guardians, tasked with defending Earth from alien invasion. You will travel throughout the Solar System to battle the aliens. Humanity's future hangs in the balance.
Given Destiny's emphasis of online play, story takes a backseat to gameplay, but there's plenty of narrative to substantiate your existence in the universe. You will be accompanied by a robot A.I. voiced by none other than Game of Thrones' Peter Dinklage. He will quickly become your best friend.
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Co-op multiplayer PvE, competitive PvP
Just as with an MMO, Destiny has several options for how you interact with other players. After spending a few hours leveling up, completing quests, and experiencing the story, you can hit up the competitive arena and battle with other players. This is a Bungie game, so some of the flavor of Halo has found its way into the game. You have fun-to-use weapons, and some great map design. It's up to you to decide how you want to have fun each time you log in.
