Destiny: The Taken King
- September 14, 2015
- Bungie
Destiny: The Taken King made me a believer. It is an enormous step in the right direction for Destiny, and improves upon Destiny in almost every regard.
Get on Xbox Games Store"Destiny: The Taken King" is a warfare shooter game that offers both single-player and multiplayer modes, with a focus on co-op play for up to 2 players. It features a good story, exceptional gameplay, and good graphics, but can be very grinding. The Legendary Edition includes the base game and two expansions, offering the complete Destiny experience with a large player base of 20 million guardians. Players unite to defend the universe and strive to become legendary.
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Xbox Series X|S
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Xbox 360
Reviews
- The gunplay is smooth and enjoyable, reminiscent of Bungie's previous titles like Halo, making for a fun gameplay experience.
- The community is generally welcoming and friendly, enhancing the multiplayer experience and fostering camaraderie among players.
- The Taken King expansion adds significant content, including new missions, subclasses, and a challenging raid, making it a worthwhile investment for both new and returning players.
- Once players reach the max light level, the game can feel repetitive and grindy, with limited new content to explore.
- The matchmaking system can lead to frustrating experiences in PvP due to lag and imbalances, detracting from the overall enjoyment.
- Many players feel that the game's story is underdeveloped, with important lore often relegated to external sources like Grimoire cards.
- story72 mentions
- 22 % positive mentions
- 74 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The story in the game has seen improvements, particularly with the expansion "The Taken King," which introduces more engaging missions, character development, and a better overall narrative structure. However, many players still find the main storyline lacking depth and coherence, often relying on external lore sources for context. While the gameplay mechanics and visuals are praised, the repetitive nature of missions and the grind for gear detract from the overall storytelling experience.
“Cooperating with total strangers enforces the game's story, where there isn't a fully organized army, only a group of survivors who fight to get mankind on its feet again.”
“The story is well designed, voice acting is extremely professional (including several professional actors you will recognize), the soundtrack is incredible, and the game is more fun than any other to play.”
“Between the story, quests, strikes remixed and new, the new raid, the easter egg hunts for dead ghosts and calcified fragments, the new subclasses and public events and mysteries, and as always the oodles and oodles of new weapons and armor, Destiny: The Taken King is meant to carry the game into its next DLC and beyond, and seems more than capable of doing so.”
“There are plenty of new campaign missions (which again don't explain anything towards the story -.-) and a new thing called quests which take you on a million different tangents.”
“However, the majority of the main story's lore is still only accessible through Bungie.”
“I feel like I've been lied to and given a game with barely any story and a main focus on aesthetics.”
- gameplay22 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 36 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The gameplay in Destiny, particularly with the Taken King expansion, is praised for its polished first-person shooting mechanics and engaging RPG elements, reminiscent of classic Bungie titles like Halo. While many players appreciate the variety and depth of gameplay, some express concerns about repetitiveness and a lack of substantial content. Overall, the game offers a solid experience with significant improvements, though it may not fully satisfy all players' desires for depth and narrative coherence.
“Destiny offers polished 1st person combat with RPG/MMO mechanics.”
“Some of the best shooting mechanics in the history of consoles.”
“The Taken King is a solid package offering several more hours of fun, engaging new gameplay.”
“While The Taken King adds much more content than the previous expansions, and a lot of new (much needed) updates to gameplay mechanics, it still did not satisfy my need for substantial playable content.”
“Gameplay is repetitive, and skills don't necessarily excite you when you unlock an upgrade.”
“As an online shooter, there are better games, and I'm not sure it's possible to simplify RPG mechanics any further than what Destiny does (numbers boil down to one number; if it goes up, good, if it goes down, bad).”
- graphics14 mentions
- 57 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
Overall, the graphics of the game are highly praised, with many reviewers highlighting the stunning landscapes, detailed artwork, and impressive vistas that enhance the gaming experience. While some critiques mention issues like high contrast and a lack of depth in the story, the visual quality remains a standout feature that contributes to the game's appeal. Players appreciate the combination of beautiful graphics with engaging gameplay, making it a visually entertaining experience.
“Really good shooter (I prefer this to Halo 5), great graphics, and lots of different guns so you can find one that fits your style.”
“The artwork is stupendous and the story is elaborate.”
“Truly exciting, amazing graphics and so many choices to really make it your own.”
“The deal breaker would be graphics aren't top notch, the multiplayer isn't the best for gunplay and action.”
“I feel like I've been lied to and given a game with barely any story and a main focus on aesthetics.”
- grinding9 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessive and tedious, often detracting from the overall enjoyment. Many express that the repetitive nature of grinding, especially in the later stages of the game, makes it feel less rewarding and more like a chore. While some appreciate the multiplayer experience, the grind remains a significant drawback for both new and returning players.
“Not worth the price, too grindy and not enough fun.”
“You will spend hours grinding and waiting for random drops and treasure just to complete the post-game quests, which are hardly worth the rewards you get for your time.”
“Although the game was fun, it was more grinding than actual gameplay with my friends.”
- music3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised as fantastic and incredible, complementing the superb voice acting and sound effects. Reviewers highlight the professional quality of the voice performances, enhancing the overall audio experience and contributing to the game's enjoyment.
“The soundtrack is fantastic, the dialogue can be cheesy at times, but the music elevates the experience.”
“The story is well designed, voice acting is extremely professional (including several recognizable actors), and the soundtrack is incredible, making the game more fun than any other to play.”
“Superb voice acting is supported by solid music and effects, delivering a great-sounding game.”
- monetization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that the monetization strategy of the game is perceived as a cash grab, with players feeling that the overall design prioritizes profit over quality.
“Meh, it's just a cash grab.”
“Destiny as a whole is a poorly designed cash grab.”
- humor1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is reminiscent of the Borderlands series, featuring witty item descriptions and a lighthearted tone amidst the scavenging and combat in a post-apocalyptic setting. Players appreciate the blend of humor with the game's loot-driven mechanics and the portrayal of a well-meaning hero.
“There's also something that reminds me of Borderlands: scavenging post-apocalyptic environments, loot chests, enemies dropping rewards when killed, the mostly independent good-willed hero, and the occasional humorous description of an item.”
“The humor in this game is spot on, with witty dialogue and hilarious character interactions that keep you laughing throughout your adventure.”
“I love how the game doesn't take itself too seriously; the jokes and funny scenarios make every quest feel like a fun ride.”
Critic Reviews
"King's to you, guardian" - Destiny: The Taken King review
Destiny: The Taken King made me a believer. It is an enormous step in the right direction for Destiny, and improves upon Destiny in almost every regard.
95%Destiny: The Taken King Review
Destiny: The Taken King and the Year Two Update is a significant step forward towards making this game something more enjoyable rather than a chore, but it still focuses very narrowly on pleasing its existing player base.
90%Destiny: The Taken King Review
Destiny: The Taken King rolls all of the lessons that Bungie has learned over the last 12 months into one expensive but excellent fix, and the result is a game that finally feels whole. The fresh content is some of the best that the title has to offer, while the numerous reworked systems breathe new life into an experience that has been struggling to find solid ground. The Taken King lights the way forward for the sci-fi shooter, and while it's not the brightest of glows, it's clear that Destiny's darkest days are over.
80%
