Destiny 2 (Beta) (PlayStation 4) Preview

This beta serves not just as a demo for the gameplay that fans can look forward to, but also as an introduction to the story. Upon starting the beta, the player is thrown into a new war with a fresh enemy. The Last is destroyed by a devastating new force of the Cabal, known as the Red Legion, and the opening story plays out this dramatic battle, all culminating in the light being stolen from the Traveller, changing everything about the Guardians and their Ghosts. It's a great use of the very familiar locale of the Tower, trekking through the destroyed hallways of the plaza and the flaming ruins of the hangar, with plenty of little Easter Eggs for the eagle-eyed and blasting the heads off "Space Turtles" along the way. This is possibly the best part of the beta, and hopefully the opening chapter of an epic story.

During this opening sequence, it's interesting trying to feel the differences between this and the original game, and so far there's nothing really that makes it stand out. It feels like more of the same… but there is a strange little irregularity here. The jumping seems worse. The cool smooth moments of double jumping and blowing enemies apart in the descent is gone. It feels rougher and it's a very noticeable loss. Hopefully, this is a problem relegated to just the beta, and the full version will bring back this little but special detail.

After the brief introduction to the new story, there are three options available for players to experience what Destiny 2 has to offer: two types of PVP style multiplayer and one PVE Strike mission.

Starting things off with the PVE, the Strike mission needs a lot of work - in both the gameplay itself and the level design. There are numerous platforming style elements, which can be very frustrating when teamed up with players who seem to repeatedly fail at them over and over again. Then there is the actual combat. Maybe it will be better in the full version, but at the moment, the PVE feels completely unbalanced, with enemies feeling like massive damage sponges - and the boss characters are even worse. The only good part about this Strike was the multi-phased final boss, who at least gave a little challenge in the mechanics instead of just being another damage sponge.

On the PVP front, there are two options available: a "Control" type match and a "Countdown" type match. Here is where the weapons feel more balanced. Perhaps that is why they feel so underpowered in the PVE, because they have been specifically tuned to the PVP. The Crucible is now focusing on 4v4 matches, which really emphasises a need for teamwork and everyone understanding and playing their role. These matches show the strength of the game is still in the combat. The shooting mechanics are fast, fun and addictive, making for dynamic battles.