Destiny 2: Forsaken

65%
Game Brain Score Based on 1,778 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • grinding
Destiny 2: Forsaken Game Cover
Forsaken delivered on all fronts. A better story, a better sandbox, and the most challenging Raid yet.
Starting at $2.61Buy now

Take justice into your own hands as you venture into a new frontier filled with enemies, allies, untold mysteries, and treasures waiting to be uncovered.

  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

65%
Audience ScoreBased on 1,778 reviews
story88 positive mentions
grinding17 negative mentions
  • Forsaken offers a compelling and emotional storyline, particularly with the death of Cayde-6, which resonates with players.
  • The expansion includes a wealth of content, such as new exotics, a challenging raid (Last Wish), and a dungeon (Shattered Throne), providing significant gameplay value.
  • The Dreaming City is a beautifully designed location that adds depth and exploration opportunities to the game.
  • A significant portion of the content has been vaulted and is no longer accessible, making the expansion feel incomplete and less valuable.
  • Many of the weapons and gear from Forsaken have been sunsetted, limiting their usability in current gameplay, which frustrates players who invested in the DLC.
  • The pricing feels unjustified given the removal of key content, leading to a perception of a cash grab by Bungie.
  • story325 mentions

    The story aspect of the game has received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with many players expressing frustration over the removal of significant narrative content and missions from the Forsaken expansion. Users lament that the once-rich storyline has been reduced to a mere weapon pack, leaving them feeling cheated for having paid for a campaign that is no longer accessible. While some still appreciate the original story's depth and emotional impact, the current state of the game is criticized for lacking substance and coherence, making it difficult for new players to engage with the lore.

    • “The story itself is surprisingly well-told with superb cinematics along with some incredibly entertaining missions.”
    • “Forsaken is what Destiny 2 should've been at launch, featuring a new PvP mode, a serious story filled with intrigue, and fairly compelling characters.”
    • “The story for Forsaken was better than Shadowkeep by far still.”
    • “They removed the story from the game, but they keep the exotic locked out for free-to-plays; this is disgusting.”
    • “Imagine buying half the price of the original but cutting out all of the story and leaving only two activities and some 'ciphers' that aren't needed.”
    • “The story of the DLC is gone, along with one of the patrol zones that came with it.”
  • gameplay29 mentions

    Gameplay in Destiny 2 is characterized by its exceptional gun mechanics and engaging MMO elements, offering a mix of PvE and PvP modes that many players find enjoyable. However, the game suffers from a lack of guidance for new players, confusing mechanics, and a reliance on outdated content, which can detract from the overall experience. While dedicated fans appreciate the depth and variety of gameplay, the monetization strategies and content limitations have led to frustration within the community.

    • “Gameplay was just so fun, probably the best gunplay out there.”
    • “Great gameplay!”
    • “I think the addition of Gambit, the change up of gameplay design and leveling, the raid, and the sense of scale with the two additional maps has really notched the entertainment value for this series up quite a bit.”
    • “D2 hates to explain game mechanics or give much guidance, and that alienates people.”
    • “Most of the weapons from Forsaken have been 'sunset' (not viable for use in actual gameplay).”
    • “10% of the gameplay you will spend deleting all the useless junk the game gives you.”
  • grinding17 mentions

    Players express significant frustration with the grinding aspect of the game, noting that it often feels excessive and tedious, particularly with the requirement to grind for exotics and complete bounties to access content. While some players enjoy the challenge of grinding, many find it repetitive and a barrier to enjoying the game's narrative and features. Overall, the consensus leans towards the grinding being overly demanding and detracting from the overall experience.

    • “Thanks for throwing years of my grinding down the sh*tter.”
    • “All of the content was vaulted and the exotics from it require months of grinding to unlock.”
    • “But in the long run, it becomes tedious and boring to do the same stuff day after day.”
  • music11 mentions

    The music in the game has received high praise, with many users highlighting the amazing original soundtrack that enhances the overall experience. The blend of themes, including wild-west sounds and epic compositions, contributes significantly to the game's atmosphere and emotional impact. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a standout feature, often elevating the gameplay and narrative.

    • “The OST is amazing.”
    • “I really liked the plot progression, soundtrack, and the sweet taste of revenge is unmatched.”
    • “Also, the music was epic as well; I kind of felt like a kid, everything new I saw made me go wow.”
    • “Just listen to the soundtrack while playing a better game.”
    • “The longer version for those who care is a tale of betrayal, revenge, not having enough money to pay Nathan Fillion, and the wild frontier of the asteroid belt, complete with vaguely wild-west-sounding music.”
    • “☐ no music”
  • graphics11 mentions

    Overall, the graphics in the game are highly praised, with many users highlighting the stunning visuals and attention to detail, particularly in the expansion areas like the Dreaming City. Players appreciate the combination of beautiful graphics with immersive storytelling and engaging gameplay, although some technical issues have been noted that can disrupt the experience.

    • “Awesome graphics, awesome game.”
    • “I love the thought put into this game and I love how the story collides, but I can't get past the rider mission. It is not a graphical issue either. I ran Fortnite because it is a more GPU and CPU performance-based game and it ran fine. Then I get onto D2 and it seems like every second my game is just bugging out and making me restart. It's boring, man. I love the first game and I beat all of its raids, everything.”
    • “The graphics seem to be on the highest level.”
    • “Man, the visuals in this expansion are mind-blowing.”
  • humor10 mentions

    The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with some players finding the absurdity of certain plot points and character deaths, like that of the "funny robot man," to be amusing, while others feel that the overall experience is undermined by frustrating gameplay decisions and a lack of context. The comedic elements, such as the exaggerated pricing of in-game items and the quirky nature of the story, resonate with some players, but the humor often feels overshadowed by dissatisfaction with the game's direction. Overall, while there are moments of levity, they are not enough to redeem the negative aspects of the DLC for many users.

    • “You remove the campaign due to some nebulous download size related reason and then have the audacity to start selling the guns from the expansion at a pretty hilarious markup.”
    • “The dungeon also does make a pretty funny exotic catalyst grinding place though (played as Warlock).”
    • “I cried and pissed my pants when funny robo bachelor died.”
  • monetization9 mentions

    Reviews indicate a strong sentiment that the monetization practices of the game, particularly the introduction of the season pass and the perceived lack of value in content, are viewed as exploitative cash grabs. Players express frustration over high cumulative spending and a lack of transparency from the developers regarding these monetization strategies, leading to a negative perception of the game's financial model. Overall, many users advise against investing in the game due to these concerns.

    • “In total, we've spent $520 in the last 7 years, plus microtransactions.”
    • “Now, however, this is just a cash grab that is still the same price as when I bought it before they got rid of the campaign.”
    • “Bungie's operations have degenerated into a cash grab scheme ever since they left Xbox.”
    • “The 'season pass' monetization scheme that was introduced in Shadowkeep is just another way of making people pay extra money ($10 four times a year) for a very small amount of seasonal content.”
  • emotional9 mentions

    Players express a strong emotional connection to the DLC, highlighting its impactful storytelling and character development that elicits tears and nostalgia. The narrative is praised for its depth, particularly in the beginning, and the overall experience is described as both wholesome and engaging, making it a standout in the Destiny franchise.

    • “Made me cry over and over.”
    • “If you don't care about loot and just want a cool and emotional story, go for this DLC.”
    • “Forsaken's biggest emotional story part is the beginning, which might be the best part of the campaign expansion.”
  • replayability4 mentions

    Players note that while the free base game offers some replayable content, particularly through the Vault of Glass raid, the overall replayability of the DLC is limited, with most engaging activities centered around end-game content. Many feel that the DLC's value hinges on the enjoyment of raid experiences, but outside of the main campaign, there are few quests to sustain long-term interest.

    • “This DLC makes Destiny 2 much more playable.”
    • “DLC not worth more than $5-10, this is assuming you find a lot of value and replayability in the raid content.”
    • “If you are enjoying the free base game, I would first recommend trying the free Vault of Glass raid, as most of the replayable content in this expansion is end-game content.”
    • “DLC not worth more than 5-10 dollars, this is assuming you find a lot of value and replayability in the raid content.”
    • “However, there isn't much replayability and quests to do outside of the main campaign.”
  • optimization3 mentions

    Players have reported significant optimization issues, particularly during specific missions, leading to frequent game restarts and frustrating gameplay experiences. While some users note that performance is generally good, others highlight ongoing bugs and imbalances that detract from the overall experience.

    • “Performance is great, but there are some inconsistencies that can affect the overall experience.”
    • “I love the thought put into this game and how the story collides, but I can't get past the rider mission. It's not a graphical issue either; I ran Fortnite, which is a more GPU and CPU performance-based game, and it ran fine. Then I get onto D2, and it seems like every second my game is just bugging out, making me restart and try again. It's boring, man. I loved the first game and beat all of its raids and everything.”
    • “The game is constantly changing due to imbalances in item performance or bugs.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

82% average critic score

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Play time

200hMedian play time
194hAverage play time
2-380hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 3 analyzed playthroughs

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