I can’t think of an example of a game that has attempted to do what Destiny 2: The Final Form did. This expansion, the final chapter in the saga of light and darkness, serves as the endpoint of a nearly decade-long story, an endpoint that also functions as an Avengers: Endgame-level moment and team-up. While we’ve seen some games do similar things, perhaps in the form of trilogies or even major expansion endings, as is the case with World of Warcraft, “The Final Form” is the moment players have been waiting for since they first woke up in the Cosmodrome in 2014. To say that this expansion had to hit the nail on the head is perhaps an understatement. Thankfully, that has been the case.
Destiny 2: The Final Form is perhaps the best Destiny content we’ve ever had. Not only is it a fitting and very complete conclusion to a long saga that many will no doubt see as the starting and ending point for their Guardian’s journey, but it’s also the culmination of years of innovation and improvement in the game and winks and nods to a decade of effort. It’s the perfect love letter to what Destiny 2 has delivered time and time again, and does so in a way that’s effortlessly fun and exciting.
The story is huge and emotionally complex. Bungie has managed to tie up so many loose ends at once in this expansion, giving beloved characters the send-off they deserve, introducing villains and bosses in utterly overwhelming and threatening ways, while also paving the way into the future and opening the door to new adventures and character arcs. The narrative and text are thoughtful and engaging, and the way Bungie blends gameplay with cinematics and dialogue sequences makes The Final Form the climax of Destiny 2’s narrative.
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This is reflected in the level design too, with The Pale Heart of the Traveler perhaps the best location we’ve seen yet for a variety of reasons. The level design is crafted to take you on a trip down memory lane, through locations that have shaped your journey over the years. Whether it’s the Cosmodrome, the original Tower, Europa, the Dreaming City, or Io, this campaign takes you to locations inspired by many beloved locations, giving them verticality and depth like we first explored in Destiny 2: Eclipse. And that extends to the way the levels are offered in a community and action sense, as all of the activities and multiplayer mechanics feel updated and modernized in a way that makes exploring The Paleheart a worthwhile and rewarding experience that Eclipse’s Neomuna, or none of the previous locations, ever had.
In fact, Bungie has clearly chosen to remove Destiny 2’s training wheels entirely here, as the game is much more complicated and rewarding. That can be annoying and a little overwhelming for new players, but for those who have been on this journey since day one, it’s exactly what we’ve always wanted: rewarding, challenging activities that really push the power and potential of our Guardian. Whether it’s the new Pathfinder Challenge system that makes exploring Pale Heart (and even ritual activities) more rewarding and interesting than simply completing bounties, or the various new game modes like Takedown and Paleheart in the 12-player spinoff, this is the kind of place where, after a few weeks of poking around every nook and cranny, you still feel like you’ve barely scratched the surface of what it really has to offer.
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The new Prismatic subclass is also very similar, as it really is the ultimate power fantasy. Being able to combine Light and Dark abilities is a really attractive and deadly alternative, with so much creativity and build depth that we’ll see people coming up with amazing ways to break DPS for months to come. This is even more true when we combine it with the new weapons, gear, and exotics introduced and added with some of the best, most exciting, and freshest quest lines we’ve ever had in a Destiny game. The mechanical depth and craftsmanship Bungie is expressing in “The Final Form” is almost like a puzzle in its variety and difficulty, and it all means there’s never a dull moment when working on this huge, deep expansion.
I have to say that the Dread enemy faction, while offering some new elements and gameplay mechanics to overcome and conquer, doesn’t completely stand out from the other current factions. Many of the new enemy types, like the Weaver, look too similar to Psions and most of their attacks seem too familiar and simple to impress and stand out from all the other flashy and exciting new features and elements in this expansion. Sure, the bosses and larger enemies are pretty cool, but as far as game design goes, Eclipse’s Tormentors still rank high on the lethality chart.
But if Terror is a bit basic, that’s fine, as you’re so inundated with new and returning mechanics that it’s never much of an issue. Remember the freezing cold mechanic from Destiny 2: Beyond Light that has basically been unused since? What about the piercing darkness from Destiny 2: The Witch Queen? What about Gambit’s Mota system? A lot of important and interesting mechanics from the past were incorporated into The Final Form, in ways that are both interesting and important. Bungie also managed to present each system in a thoughtful and educational way, so players were well prepared for the more challenging tasks after The Final Form’s main campaign, namely in the raid and the new Two-player Exotic mission, which is just brilliant and worth playing even if you have to queue up at a stranger’s and actually talk to someone you don’t know. It’s scary, right?
Destiny 2: The Final Form isn’t for everyone, but it’s for veterans and players who have stuck with this game year after year, and that’s exactly what makes it such a brilliant final product. It’s packed with content, has hugely impactful and important story development, takes risks that pay off through mechanics and gameplay, and does it all in a new location that’s dripping with nostalgia while being effortlessly gorgeous. I’m not sure what the future holds for Destiny, but I can firmly say that “The Final Form” gave me the closure I’ve been looking for and craving, to the point where I’m now ready to move beyond the solar system and see what the rest of this big, beautiful, and dangerous universe has to offer. Bravo, Bungie!