“We’re building something alive. It has a nature that we don’t totally control. Things are gonna happen that we don’t plan, and that’s amazing.”
The world has been ravaged by an unknown foe. Mankind has taken solitude underneath a mysterious sphere and protector called “The Traveler,” and attempted to rebuild society. Upon venturing out into the world again, you discover the world is not what you once knew, and has been taken over by creatures never before seen. And YOU are the planet’s last hope.
See the Introductory Video for Destiny
Bungie, the makers of Halo, unveiled their next big game on Sunday: Destiny, available on Xbox 360, PS3, and “future-generation technology” sometime in 2014 (we reported 2013 originally, but an updated press release from Activision Monday morning said Destiny is not included in its 2013 outlook). They are calling the game a”shared world shooter,” a multiplayer game that is completely playable by yourself as well. But their design philosophy is to get you excited to not only play the game, but to play it together with your friends. It’s an online game without a subscription, similar to games like Planetside 2 and the upcoming Eve 514. And it’s expected to have a 10-year life cycle.
Players will take on the role of Guardians, (so far we know of three different classes: Hunters, Warlocks, and Titans) each of which able to wield some of the power of the Traveler. Bungie describes a game that is familiar to MMO players. One where players can head to their home territory to swap out their gear, converse with other players, mill about doing nothing, and group up to head off on an adventure. Players can also hop in their personal starships, and while there are various classes of ships expected, only one, the Scout, has been mentioned so far. While their exact purposes are unclear as of yet, traveling through the galaxy, and potentially even space battles, are expected.
Bungie is promising the game will have tons of loot and craftable items, a different experience every time you log in, and a world that just exists. For example, there is no main menu. You just start the game and enter the world. The world is alive, and you’re in it. And while the game is built specifically to have fun with your friends, Bungie promised there will be “an activity for every mood,” and that solo players and group players alike will have plenty to do.
One of the more frustrating aspects of MMOs has always been that the game is unbalanced from the beginning stages to the end. Either the game is dull and repetitive at the beginning, and a grind just to get to the good stuff, or once you get to the end there’s not enough to do to keep you interested. Additionlly, on the FPS side of things, new players are often at a disadvantage going up against fellow players 50 levels above them with all the best gear. Bungie is working to make sure the game is fun for everyone, and playable by all levels. If they can accomplish this they may truly have a revolutionary game.
Finally, whether you’re in the game or not, the game is being played, and a mobile phone app will help you keep in touch. A demo was shown where you can send and receive updates about events in-game via the app, and you may even be able to have an impact on the game in some way without actually being online. The full details on this technology aren’t available yet, but more info will be released soon.
One last note, the game’s soundtrack will also be epic, as Bungie is employing a full orchestra, and even includes contributions from Paul McCartney.
This is only the beginning of information beginning to come out about Destiny, and the Quest Gaming Network will stay on top of it. Keep checking back and be sure to follow us on Twitter for all the latest updates.
[author] [author_image timthumb='on']http://mymiddleearth.com/wp-content/uploads/avatars/2330/209800074bd5c82316e83f77e0d73de4-bpfull.jpg[/author_image] [author_info]Brian covers The Elder Scrolls and PS3 news for The Quest Gaming Network. you can see all his work @SilentFury007 or follow him on Twitter at silentfury007.[/author_info] [/author]
