Hands-on with Destiny, the next game from the makers of Halo

By Anthony Sulla-Heffinger

With mixed reactions to last month’s release of Ubisoft’s Watch Dogs, some gamers are still looking for the definitive next-generation experience.

Destiny, developed by Bungie and Activision, may well fill that void.

This past weekend, PlayStation 4 owners had a chance to experience Destiny for themselves courtesy a public alpha test that was announced last week at E3.  I was one of the lucky few to be a part of that alpha test and, from what I played, Destiny has the potential do for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One what Halo, the developer’s signature title, did for the Xbox 13 years ago.

It’s clear that Halo has had a significant impact on the shape of Destiny, but it’s more than just another shoot ‘em up sci-fi game.  Destiny borrows elements from some of the last generation’s greatest games and molds them into a new IP.  From the moment you pick up the controller, you can feel the impact games like Borderlands, Halo, Call of Duty and Mass Effect have had on the development of this game.

Two story-mode missions were available to play during the alpha, each significant in its own way.  Both missions take place on a seemingly abandoned Earth -- Russia, specifically -- and, from what I can gather, happen very early on in Destiny’s campaign.

But before you start firing, you have to create a character. Destiny’s alpha offered all three character types that will be in the full title when it releases this September.  The Titan, Hunter, and Warlock classes each offer a unique skill set while still adhering to standard shooter gameplay.  

The Warlock feels the most unique, boasting a higher rate of recovery and lower defense than its Hunter and Titan counterparts, and its abilities are more energy based than straight-up gunplay.  The Titan and Hunter classes are more conventional but offer differences in grenade type, jumping ability, and supercharged powers.

After choosing a Warlock, I was plopped down on a bleak, futuristic Earth and tasked to explore a mysterious power in a Cosmodrome Array station. It takes place on a pretty big map -- bigger than what you might expect from a shooter -- and from the moment you gain control of your character, you can head off in pretty much any direction. It’s pleasantly unconfined, a breath of fresh air from strictly linear shooters.

As I traveled through the level fighting the evil Fallen, I was able to interact with other players and at times was offered optional missions where I could join co-op 'Fireteams' to complete specific tasks. The switch from solo to co-op gameplay was seamless, though it’s clear that Destiny encourages team play by making it difficult to proceed alone.

This was made abundantly clear during the second mission. Eschewing story for exploration, this was set on an even bigger map with several beacons offering smaller side objectives, such as scouting areas, collecting items, exploring abandoned facilities, and eliminating a specific number of enemies.

It’s here where I encountered a hidden area with wildly overpowered enemies called ‘Hallowed Knights’ and ‘Anointed Acolytes’ and I was instantly killed.  That could be chalked up to this being an alpha -- you expect it to be a bit rough around the edges -- but teammates would have undoubtedly helped.

When I wasn’t playing a mission, I was able to travel to a home base hub called “The Tower" where players purchase new armor, weapons, and vehicles.  Destiny touts a pretty robust role-playing system, and all those upgrade carry over to the game’s competitive multiplayer, too.

The Crucible, the matchmaking hub, offered two different maps and one game type called Conquest, a standard multiplayer mode with three different zones for your team to capture in order to reach a certain score before your opponent. It’s a great way to get comfy with new gear, though it’s hard to get a bead on this with the scarcity of maps and modes.

But that’s really all you can expect from an alpha. Considering the game still has several months to go -- it releases September 9 on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 -- Bungie’s first foray into the next generation is shaping up to be another big hit.

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