The Destiny Beta is now nearly apon us fellow gamers. In just a short while we will all be questing amongst the stars, traveling to unexplored regions, on distant worlds, and facing down Hordes of enemies. This thread will serve as our Hub, our own version of The Tower if you will. Here we can discuss the Beta, party up together for Strike Missions, post screenshots, or really anything else Destiny related. I had the privelage of playing the Alpha and I can say I was blown away by it. Here's some quick tips and some info to get you started.
When does the Beta Start?
Playstation owners will get first access to the Beta starting on July 17th. Xbox owners get to join in on the mayhem starting on July 23rd. The Beta will end for both consoles on July 27th.
What kind of game exactly is Destiny?
As I'm sure you've heard by now Destiny is the ambitious "shared world" shooter from the legendary developer Bungie, best know for creating one of the largest franchises in the history of gaming, Halo. In Destiny the player is a Guardian charged with protecting the last city on Earth from strange and powerful enemies. Gameplay focuses primarily on shooting but there is also a magic / powers component as well. These powers are unique to each class. Guardians can tackle story based mission either solo or with friends. There is also a competitive multiplayer mode as well as Strike Missions.
What are the different classes in Destiny and which one should I choose?
There are 3 classes in Destiny. The Hunter, Warlock, and Titan.
The Hunter: Master of the Frontier
Quick on the trigger, and deadly with a blade Hunters stalk the battlefield 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.
The Hunter is best described as the "Ranger" class of Destiny. Great with precision shooting and takes foes out with quick and deadly blows in close combat. Their first power is "Gunslinger" which summons a flaming pistol that disengrates foes with Solar Light. Their 2nd power is "Bladedancer" which uses a blade of arc light to consume enemies with lightning. Hunter's also are the only class that can get a triple jump ability as well as the only class to have throwing knives.
The Warlock: Wielder of Arcane Power
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 devistation.
Warlock's are Destiny's "Mage" class and have incredible powers capable of wiping out multiple enemies is a single blast. Their first power is "Voidwalker" which hurls an explosive blast of void light at your enemies, vaporizing any unlucky enough to be caught in its blast. Their second ability is "Firesinger" that allows them to fill themselves with solar light, dramatically increasing the strength of all of their other abilities and damage output. Warlocks are the only class that can glide off of their jump and their grenades are actually magic based.
The Titan: Armored Engine of War
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 give them the air of a rising God.
Titan's are Destiny's "Soldier" class and they are juggernauts of destruction. Well versed in all weapon types, and capable of devistating close quarters combat the Titan is the class to play as to deal massive damage. Their first ability is "Striker" that casues them to launch into the air and crash into the ground, blasting a maelstrom of Arc Light. Their Second ability is "Defender" which allows them to shape Void Light into an indestructable shield protecting themselves and their allies from harm. Their natural armor is more resistant than the other two classes but also move slower.
What are these Strike Missions I keep hearing about?
Strike missions are awesome self contained group gameplay segments that last around an hour or so. They are designed so that you and a couple friends can jump in, get some awesome loot, and then jump back off or go play something else. Think of them as dungeons, and they are replayable over and over again to get different loot. They contain multiple bosses as well as huge groups of enemies. There is also full matchmaking support so if you don't happen to have any friends to play online with at the time, you can meet new Guardians to share in your epic journey's with.
I heard you say there's competitive multiplayer? What's that like?
For those familiar with playing Halo online Destiny will feel like a comfortable evolution of that formula. Battles are very intense and take more shots to kill / be killed than something like COD or Battlefield. You do however die quicker than in Halo. Think of it as a balance somewhere between the two. You carry over all gear, armor, and weapons from your main character into multiplayer but all stats are evened out so that no one has an unfair advantage. There are vehicles on the maps as well as special weapon ammo drops that add unique things like bullets that do burn damage as well.
So I guess this place called The Tower must be important huh?
Ah yes, The Tower. The centralized hub for all Guardians and the last safe haven on Earth. This is where Destiny full on embraces its MMO elements. Players have a vast array of activities they can take part in while at The Tower. Visit shops to buy gear, meet other Guardians and exchange gear or war stories, upgrade and customize their Ship, or even dance! You will visit The Tower a lot, and players looking for a great social experience will certainly spend a significant portion of time here.
So this all sounds amazing but..............HOW DO I GET INTO THE BETA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The good news is this is easy. Simply pre-order the game from any major retailer, or from your console itself and you will recieve a Beta key. Simply activate this key on Bungie.net and select which console you would like to begin your journy across the stars on.
In Conclusion.
To say that Destiny is ambitious is perhaps underselling it. Bungie is trying to position this game as THE SHOOTER for the next decade. Featuring an epic campaign, intense Strike Missions, and competitive multiplayer they may just meet that lofty goal. Our first steps into this journey begin with the Beta and I hope to see you all there.
"We are surrounded by Darkness, we always have been. Perhaps that is why The Traveler chose us. For even Death cannot extinguish our light."
