Destiny 2: Forsaken

Forsaken is deep, mysterious, and vast, three words that echo what players most want from this growing universe.

Whether or not you agreed with the semi-lukewarm reception of Destiny 2 and the earlier DLC content, Destiny 2: Forsaken is the real deal.

Everything is so good with this expansion that you have to buy it without any hesitation.

For the first time, Bungie has successfully remedied two of the most frequent criticisms of Destiny: that there isn't enough to do, and that its endgame is overly focused on raiding. [December 2018, p.102]

Bungie has done an excellent job in, not just creating enough content for the game’s fourth season and start of the second year, but in reviving a game that stuttered after its initial launch.

The majority of my experience with Destiny 2: Forsaken over the last two weeks has been overwhelmingly positive. 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.

Thus far, Bungie has delivered on all fronts and even admitted its mistakes with the launch and first year of Destiny 2. Now it’s not only brought back what made me love the first Destiny when it was at its best, but also added a ton of requests that fans – myself included – have wanted for years.

The changes both big and small have radically improved the game.

Regardless how far you've traveled in the Destiny universe, taking on this continued adventure is one you won't regret. The raid, which releases shortly after the Forsaken expansion, will surely be another great experience, if for no other reason than the loot it offers. Even without the raid, the rest is well worth the time and energy. The only thing holding it back is how the Destiny expansions work, which require all prior DLC to be purchased, including Forsaken, which will understandably be a turnoff for some newcomers.

Ultimately is Destiny 2: Forsaken worth the price of admission? Let's be honest, Bungie bungled vanilla Destiny 2 about as badly as they could have, saving turning it into a 2D side scroller (what up Zelda II: the Adventure of Link!). In the past year they have rolled back every major change implemented from D1 to D2. This is the game we should have had from the beginning. There is still work to be done, but the core of the experience is fixed. And what we have is a new version of that original game I poured hundreds of hours into. A version I am looking forward to pouring in hundreds more.

Bungie finally regains his creative vision, rewrites all the balances, enhances his activities, sculpts a much more satisfactory progress.

Forsaken was just the pick me up Destiny 2 needed as it was falling quite sour of many loyal fans. I myself had taken a long break before Forsaken dragged me back. The story is great, the triumph system to track challenges is fun and paired with the lore system give players something to lookout and work towards completing even when there’s little else to do, having added so many more bounties, both daily and weekly to complete for that sweet sweet loot opens up the game for so many players who might only like to play certain modes or are more of a PVE player than PVP.

This expansion puts destiny 2 back on the map. Great story, beautiful destinations, awesome Supers, plenty of content, an excellent new multiplayer mode called Gambit and to top it all off a stellar new raid for you to sink your teeth in. Long story short; the Destiny 2: Forsaken DLC is exactly what you'd expect and what the base game needs. If they could only fix that framerate though.

In short: An excellent expansion that just might win Bungie back some favour - if people are prepared to pay for it.

Even though the campaign is short, the story is thrilling and prepares the players for some interesting upcoming events. Thanks to two new areas, a new raid, and the brand new Gambit mode, Destiny 2 earns a better handled expansion.

Destiny 2: Forsaken returns the story that Bungie began back to its roots: A power fantasy with a more sombre story, that retools the sequel to once again feel like a hobby that’s well worth investing in, even if some rough edges do still show in this adventure to enact some old school justice on some new school enemies. Exciting, mysterious and always engaging, it’s good to see Destiny 2 back on track.

Forsaken is not perfect, but is a big step forward for the Destiny franchise. Bungie and Activision are back on track with a big expansion that features the best narrative and some of the best gameplay elements we have ever seen in Destiny, alongside a lot of end-game content.

Destiny 2: Forsaken set out to change the game for the better and what we got was nothing short of a phenomenal upgrade. The new systems, bounties, supers, and gear all add so much to gameplay and give it the fresh coat of paint it should have been at launch. With a strikingly personal narrative arch and some truly intense combat, Forsaken’s only downfall is the high cost of upgrading your gear. If you were a fan of the game before, this is going to be exactly what you wanted Destiny 2 to be from the start. If you haven’t played it yet, now is the perfect time to jump in. There is something here for everyone, and the new bounties and triumphs add plenty to do for the hardened completionist.

Bungie might've lost a portion of their player base for good, but for anyone that wishes to continue playing - or hop in now - Forsaken does a lot to fix Destiny 2, while forging its own identity.

The sequel’s best expansion by a distance. This update delivers a lively campaign that deserves to lure lapsed players back into the Fallen fold. [Issue#155, p.97]

This big year-two expansion irons out most of Destiny 2's wrinkles and offers some of the most mysterious, enjoyable content the series has seen so far.

For the average player, this expansion has a much longer tail than previous iterations of Destiny 2. The variety and flexibility of activities established in the base game still work to make grinding a good time, and Gambit adds a consistently entertaining mode to the roster. The endgame, while difficult to reach, is also where the most satisfaction can be found.

Forsaken re-forges Destiny 2 with a dangerously addictive endgame.

Finally, Bungie figured out how to make a good expansion for Destiny 2.

By channelling community feedback into an all-encompassing package, Forsaken finally makes Destiny 2 feel essential again.

While it took longer than it ever should to fix its mistakes, Bungie’s new expansion for Destiny 2, Forsaken, is a massive leap forward. Guardians can finally experience a story that packs an emotional punch and several reworked features that make general gameplay epic. However, it also divides players with its endgame progression, forcing them to choose between becoming a dedicated daily player or someone that can only enjoy a small portion of what it has to offer.

Forsaken is a buffed, Taken King-like, expansion and its exactly what the game desperately needed. It adds a lot of content (especially for the hardcore part of its community) with an enormous new Raid and well hidden secrets that are enough to keep the players busy until the next DLC drops in a few months.

This is the best expansion Destiny has seen to date. It brings a lot of new and high-quality content every fan of the series should try.

The Forsaken expansion for Destiny 2 delivers a meaty chunk of new content, while building on the foundation that had been established with the vanilla game. New modes, locations and a sinister plot make Destiny 2 shine again, and that's a good thing.

Destiny 2 is redeemed at last, with a weighty expansion that brings back the best elements of the past and adds some welcome new ideas to the franchise.

Destiny 2: Forsaken moves the franchise forward by taking a step back, but the epic story and new content give players plenty to do, and once again sets itself up for years of intense firefights.

Destiny 2: Forsaken presents Destiny 2 with its much-needed reset. The campaign is compelling enough thanks to its excellent boss design, though Uldren lacks the history to be a strong antagonist. The new locales are a joy to explore and provide a nice change in pace compared to the vanilla worlds. Gambit is an exciting new mode, but, like the Blind Well, is heavily dependent on what kind of teammates you have. Destiny 2 needed something to save it and Forsaken bought it a new lease on life.

Destiny 2 Forsaken is a step in the right direction for the title but under delivers in the story department. If you like Destiny 2, then this expansion is for you.

For those who may have wandered away from Destiny 2, the choice on Forsaken may come down to whether or not friends are jumping in. For newcomers, the Destiny 2 Legendary Collection is $60 and includes the base game and all expansions to this point, which is a ton of content for an enjoyable if flawed shooter.

Overall, this Forsaken expansion has made Destiny 2 a journey worth returning to. The daily grind feels a lot more manageable, with more chances to obtain end-game gear. There are some exciting new modes to dip into, and the new bounties system really encourages players to dig deep into the world. Destiny 2 is still an end-game grind, but with all the new and interesting ways to obtain your favourite gear, it's a much more rewarding experience than before.

I think of Destiny as a digital resort. Like a tourist trap, it provides a predictable, consistent experience that’s enlivened by its eye-catching environments. It’s all good until the feeling of stagnation sinks in.

Destiny 2 Forsaken is a generous expansion, with a lot of new and satisfying content, especially its campaign and the new Gambit mode, a fresh way to enjoy multiplayer.

An undeniable return to form for Bungie's shooter, boasting a very enjoyable campaign and breathing some much needed life into the overall experience. It reestablishes Destiny 2's status as a 'hobby' game, once again giving players good reason to come back on a regular basis, but your mileage will no doubt vary depending on your tolerance for the grind. With a hefty price tag, it's best to make sure that you know what you're getting into before lining up the shot.

The greatest thing in Forsaken is its Gambit mode, a hybrid competitive/cooperative mode where teams of four kill enemies for motes of light, and deposit as many as possible into a portal, which sends bigger enemies to the enemy team's arena. It's a refuge of pure brilliance, a reminder that Bungie can please everyone, and do it rather elegantly, but perhaps maybe not on the scale of an entire, living universe.