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| Destiny: The Dark Below |
Score: 72%
Publisher: Activision
Developer: Bungie Software
Media: Download/1
Players: 1 - 6
Genre: Adventure/Action/First Person Shooter
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Darkness Approaches:
Dust off your weapons Guardian, it’s time to get back into the fight! Destiny has introduced its first piece of DLC, The Dark Below, and when you play it, you’ll understand the meaning of the name. The new expansion raises the level cap from 30 to 32, and adds new some gear, story missions, raids and strikes to keep you busy. Let's jump right in! |
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Now With 100% More Hive:
Destiny: The Dark Below adds in several new pieces of content for players to enjoy, starting with four new story missions. In the tower, Guardians will find a woman named Eris Morn who has experienced the worst the hive has to offer. Speak with her and she will give access to the new story missions, as well as some new items for purchase. Hopefully you’ve been sticking with the grind as these missions are nothing to sneeze at and will probably be frustrating if you haven’t gotten to level 25. I’ll admit, I was a bit overconfident at level 23 and thought I could easily blitz through the levels, only to be met with frustration once I got to the second mission. Completing the missions nets players Crota’s Bane points which levels up their Crota’s Bane rank with Eris Morn, along with some other rewards, like gear. Just like the other Tower shops, a higher rank will allow players to purchase better items, like Shaders and Emblems. Eris also gives players access to bounties to earn more Crota’s Bane points. |
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Hope You Brought Friends:
Destiny: The Dark Below gives players access to a new Raid, called "Crota’s End." The Raid is located on the moon and will definitely require players to be on top of their game, as it has a level 30 requirement. If you manage to beat it, you’ll get some nifty new items, but I hope you’re prepared for a grind, because to upgrade these items, you’ll need materials that you can only get from that one Raid. Fun stuff, right? While we’re on the topic of repetitive multiplayer missions, The Dark Below also gives access to two new Strike missions. One is available from the get-go and is located on Mars, called "The Undying Mind." It’s only a level 20 Strike, so you won’t be too hard-pressed during the mission. The other mission is unlocked after finishing the new story missions and is called "Will of Crota." It’s a level 24 Strike, so it’ll be a bit more difficult than the other one, but hey, the higher the risk, the higher the reward, right? Oh, and remember, "The Undying Mind" is a PlayStation exclusive mission. Sorry Xbox fans. |
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Featuring More Crucible Carnage Than Before:
Alright you Crucible fans, here’s something for you. The Dark Below gives access to three new multiplayer maps, so you’ll get to unleash your overpowered abilities in a few new settings. The first map is Pantheon, located on Mars. I felt the map focused more on close quarters combat, as it was more closed in. There’s an abundance of corridors, so don’t be afraid to use them to escape or get the drop on someone. Oh, and keep a shotgun handy. The second map is Skyshock, an Earth-based map. This map is the complete opposite of Pantheon. It’s HUGE. You’ll probably be more comfortable with a Sniper Rifle on this map. Personally, I wasn’t a big fan because I don’t really like huge maps on this game, but to each their own. The last map is The Cauldron, located on the Moon. Out of the three, I really liked this map mostly because of the environment. It had more of a hive feel to it, and played kind of similarly to Pantheon. I really like those smaller, action-packed maps more so than the big ones, but again, to each their own. Who really cares when you’re running around shooting people in the face?
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| Final Verdict:
My final opinion? Destiny: The Dark Below really gives players more of the same. If you’re looking to get more Destiny in your life, then by all means purchase the DLC. I wouldn’t recommend it if you don’t plan on spending a ton of time on this game though. For players who have already sank a lot of time into the game, this DLC kind of feels like a rewind. With the level cap increase and new items (which are a pain to upgrade), you’ll probably get more frustration than fun out of the expansion. That's not to say or imply that the expansion is bad by any means. I enjoyed the added story and extra content, but I think it could have been presented better. Anyway, as I said, if you’re an addict looking for the next Destiny fix, what’re you waiting for? Get the expansion. Otherwise, you may as well go back to playing Kingdom Hearts and Smash Brothers. |
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-SS-54, GameVortex Communications AKA Ren Plummer |
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