‘Destiny 2’ Fosters Separate Narratives For New And Old Players

Hello, my name is Zach and I never played Destiny.

Sacrilege, I know. Despite a fluctuation in positive reception between expansions, Destiny sustained a captivating gravity that continues to draw players to its three-year-old universe. Any self-respecting sci-fi fan understands the allure. Galactic airships drift “safely” above the narrative-driven destruction below. Equipment upgrades with unpredictable enhancements reward your survival efforts, only to properly arm you for the more arduous struggles ahead. Whether jumping into Destiny‘s competitive Crucible or cooperative raids and strikes, your performance can always improve. It’s no different a progression model than illustrated by the macrocosm of massively multiplayer first-person shooters, but — from what I’ve been told — a worthwhile climb of communal ascension.

I never had anything against Destiny. Honestly, it’s right up my alley. It just kind of…passed me by. Instead of feeling guilty about missing out on what is apparently a remarkable experience, I’m viewing it as a springboard into an even more wondrous world than originally proposed with the series’ first iteration. I’m jumping headfirst into Destiny 2, and I’ve never been happier with my ignorance.

Phrases like “it’s just more Destiny” can be seen in online communities ad infinitum, but the slightly dismissive statement resonates with me in a positive way. From my perspective “more” is an expanse of unknown vastness. Destiny‘s weaving of narrative and gameplay elements remains a complete and utter mystery to me. All “more” does is add to the magnetic complexity of the experience with layers of convincing detail inherently omitted from the first game. To a newbie, the term “more Destiny” is exciting more than it is cursory.

There are no expectations. There’s no predetermined bar set by a fixation on Destiny 1‘s identity. Destiny 2 is just Destiny in my eyes, and the current circumstances of its world will be my first sight.

My lack of history with the Destiny universe fits almost too well with Destiny 2‘s narrative foundation. Given that I have no character from the first game, my Guardian will be an anecdotal newborn to this world. I haven’t seen any of the horrors most of the Guardians around survived, but, due to these very terrors, we’re all on the same page. No one is ahead of another. I’m not only comforted by the fact that I never played the original Destiny, I, as a player, am becoming integrated within the game’s narrative in a way unlike those who’ve played the original.

I’m not worried about “keeping up” or being “overwhelmed” when compared to all these veterans around me, but I should be feeling those things. I’m new here. I don’t know what the fuck is going on, so, please, help me understand. At least Destiny 2‘s social hubs and focus on community makes it seem like there’s plenty of time (and, hopefully, plenty of helpful Guardians) to be able to do that.

Thanks ahead of time, Destiny 2 community. I’ve heard great things about you.

Now, without further ado, let’s see what all this is about.

“Making you a better geek, one post at a time!”

Originally published at www.entertainmentbuddha.com on September 5, 2017.