Destiny: Rise of Iron Review: More of the Same

Destiny

NOTE : The follow are initial impression ofDestiny : ascending of Ironbased on complete release week capacity . We ’ll update where needed as new message revolve out .

Long beforeDestinyreleased in September 2014 , the secret plan was pass toward launching by two eld of unparalleled hype and anticipation . Bungie ’s mega - successful partnership with Microsoft had turnedHalointo one of the video game industry ’s most recognizable as well as profitable enfranchisement - and devotee were eager to see what the studio could have when they broke - out on their own and developed an all new sci - fi shooter experience ( useable to both PlayStation and Xbox gamers ) . Unfortunately , initial reaction toDestinyat launching was mixed - with many reviewers and participant suggest the projection was , at that point , more proof of concept than a in full - formed retail - quick experience .

Oncemostplayers had complete the storey campaign and strike soap character level , the active role player radical steadily declined ; yet , a core group of gamers remained attached to the claim and acquire that whereDestinyfell short in certain area , Bungie had raise an experience with eminent replayability . In fact , most fans would consort the fun does n’t actuallybeginuntil role player reach end - game activity .

In the two geezerhood since that time , Bungie has continued to refine and hone theDestinyexperience , take feedback , improving mechanics , fleshing out the game world , and assign more resourcefulness into present a cinematic story - culminating in the passing of " Rise of Iron " ( akaDestinyYear 3).The " Rise of Iron " expansionis a comparatively small content drib ( bigger than either Year 1 expanding upon but minor than the Year 2 " Taken King " package ) ; though , offers enough content to reenergize exist lover as well as cracking the current procession path open - providing an accessible entry percentage point for new ( or devolve ) players . It ’s an improvement in every way over what came before , tot value to an already robustpackage , but the new expansion is limited in scope ( so far ) and will not drastically shake - up theDestinyformula or lingering shortcoming that have prevented Bungie from connecting with a importantly broad audience .

What’s Included in Rise of Iron?

The late enlargement can be purchase as a digital attention deficit disorder - on for exist game owners ( at $ 30 ) or as part of the all - in - oneDestiny : The Collection(at $ 60 ) - and both are a good economic value . TheCollectiongives gamers access to everything inDestinyYears 1 - 3 - which , for players who have continued withDestinysince release , totals tight to $ 150 in game content . Pre-“Rise of Iron " missions ( even raids ) do n’t drop current level gear but they are still fun to explore - and offer , arguably , some of the game ’s good experiences ( especially the originalDestinyraid : " Vault of Glass " ) . That ’s all to say , newcomer will get a lot of content for a abject price - even if they can only gear - up with loot from the current expansion .

Officially announced new " Rise of Iron " bodily process and features include :

The new " Rise of Iron " threat , the Fallen Splicers ( a Fallen faction that has augmented armour and weapons with a mysterious stuff known as SIVA ) put up young mechanism and refreshful way to challenge player but are not quite as big a leap as the Taken teras feature in the former MBD - on . The vamp Fallen are tough but hold most of the same abilities as the non - Splicer variants and do not basically vary how players go up combat encounters .

Destiny Rise of Iron Cover Art

As in " The Taken King " , " procession of Iron " ( both the expansion andCollectionversion ) come with booster for new and deliver players that will convey a role to the current max - so that they can jump correctly into the newfangled capacity ( without require to toy through Year 1 or 2 story missions to unlock the New content ) . It ’s also potential , and a frequently requested characteristic , that Bungie will re - even out prior raid natural process with tough enemies and , subsequently , well wampum - providing added incentive for newcomers and veterans to visit bequest activities .

A purchase ofThe Collectionor " ascent of Iron " is a ticket to everything the mental object team will roll out out in Year 3 - meaning buyers will betreated to new activitiesmonths after the initial " Rise of Iron " offer .

The Destiny: Rise of Iron Experience

ReturningDestinyplayers will have some theme of what to expect from the enlargement , scan : they should already know the write up campaign will be short and end - secret plan seeking will require alotof loot grind . Still , " Rise of Iron " sports one the most coherent story campaign in the serial publication so far - turning one ofDestiny ’s most iconic poor boy ( Lord Saladin , last of the Iron Lords ) into a tough mentor as well as an empathic windowpane into the series mythology . Like Eris ( in " The Dark Below " ) and Cayde-6 ( in " The Taken King " ) , Saladin spend the majority of his sentence in " Rise of Iron " on the sidelines , transport the player ’s shielder into struggle , but Bungie diffuse the character with nuance , personal regret , and relevant backstory to make the narrative " feel " important at a human level - in addition to received " salvage the world " motive .

The new Wretched Eye strike ( a mix of Shield Brothers and Omnigul - like gameplay ) and revamped Devil ’s Lair ( with newfangled honcho combat auto-mechanic ) will volunteer fun challenge throughout yr 3 when either mission land as the weekly end - game Nightfall action . Neither mission presents aparticularlyinventive story consequence ormajoroverhaul in automobile mechanic , the destination is still to traverse and belt down a equipment casualty - sponge boss , but longtime fans will , no doubt , love the additions however - if for no other reason than they shoot a routine more miscellanea into the strike playlist revolution .

While Wrath of the Machine God is now available , it ’ll be calendar week before wereallyknow if the young raid is both enjoyableandrepayable - not to mention whether the activity is reachable enough for newcomers or freshman raiders to jump into . Even on normal difficultness the last raid ( King ’s Fall ) was an often grueling experience for alotof role player - specially those without enough prison term to learn the nub raid ’s mechanics inside and out along with whatever strategy was most popular at the time . The difficulty of the activeness ultimately led to exclusion in the game community , as many experienced raiders became less open to preparation newbies , making it difficult for newer thespian to get into King ’s Fall as well as procure higher - end gear from the raid that would , afterwards , make the activity soft to navigate next round .

Lord Saladin in Destiny: Rise of Iron

Lord Saladin in Destiny: Rise of Iron

Bungie has since made it vindicated that they produce Wrath of the Machine God to be a routine more approachable as well as less time - consume - in the hope that more people will get to learn and appreciate that piece of the content - the studio apartment has largely succeeded in their goal . Second only to The Vault of Glass , Wrath of the Machine God is easy one ofDestiny ’s most exciting and fun maraud . Certain maraud mechanics ( especially throwing dud ) are repeated in several encounters but there ’s enough variety and enough different roles within the various Bos fights to bring home the bacon challenge and elbow room to grow - whether player are first - time or veteran raiders . Experienced players can still expect forward to a " Hard Mode " version of the maraud as well as expert challenge event in the issue forth month but , in the lag , old-timer would be smart to steer new and returning players through Wrath of the Machine God . After all , raiding is , more many players , thepremium experience of any newDestinyrelease - one that only about 15 % ofDestinyplayers have ever fill in .

Destiny: Rise of Iron End-Game

Retaining the progression arrangement from " The Taken King " spring update , " Rise of Iron " ensures that players always have opportunities to progress and increase the strength of their appurtenance . former indication suggest that Bungie has slow down progression down slenderly ( preventing veteran player from power - level their fibre with hive away - up loot ) but the studio has argue they ’ll be include more " event " and activities to help participant improve their gear without resorting to " grind . "

Iron Banner ( a monthly PvP outcome ) , Trials of Osiris ( a weekly PvP activity ) , The Wrath of The Machine God ( Destiny ’s in vogue raid ) , and eventhe Sparrow Racing League(hover motorcycle races ) will provide gamers different avenues to progress - in comparison to the early day of Destiny where labor tap or multiplayer matches were the only way for casual players to prepare for high - level content ( which , as suggested , forestall most instrumentalist from ever participating in a maraud , for model ) .

In addition , " rising of Iron " boast peck of collectable for dedicated role player at end - biz : excise specific sugar , raw and returning alien weapons and armor , wily armor set , as well as customizable arm skins , have it away as " ornaments , " that exchange the appearing of several iconic exotic weapons . None of that mental object will mean much to anyone who is strictly looking to play through the story campaign but for gamers who intend to drop a significant amount of time in multiplayer , raiding , or replaying story content , late additions to theDestinyarsenal mean the giving and most various set of paraphernalia in the game ’s three twelvemonth history .

Fallen Splicer in Destiny: Rise of Iron

Fallen Splicer in Destiny: Rise of Iron

For those on the fencing , " Rise of Iron " is , above all else , moreDestiny- mean there ’s no reason to jump out in ( or back in ) if Bungie is n’t moving the serial in a direction that excites you . Players that require a major renovation of the coreDestinyexperience may find " Rise of Iron " to be underwhelming but established guardians and unexampled gamers looking for a good deal ( as well as those who have been loth to act as catchup with their friends ) should give serious opinion to pick up " Rise of Iron . " It ’s a great sentence to hop intoDestinyor continue the journey to " become fable " - especially in grooming forDestiny 2 in 2017 .