Destiny 2: Lightfall

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Destiny 2: Lightfall is my favorite entry into Destiny. This is a tall order with how amazing expansions like The Taken King, Forsaken, and The Witch Queen have been. Nevertheless, Lightfall has surpassed my expectations in almost every way. The gameplay is even more fun and fluid, the location is fresh and new, and while the story has holes, I'm excited to learn how Bungie fills them over the following year and on. Lightfall is as fantastic as it is mysterious, and I love every minute.

The Destiny 2 Lightfall expansion trips at the starting gun and falters almost the whole way through.

While it can feel more like a proof of concept for some new mechanics than a vital piece of the experience, Lightfall is another reason to come back to Destiny 2, which proves it’s still a top-tier shooter more than half a decade into its life.

Destiny 2 Lightfall is somewhat of a mixed bag for me. While the Strand subclass is incredible, and I’ve been really enjoying actually playing the game, the story leaves a lot to be desired, and some of the new additions seem a little half-baked. The new Vow of the Disciple raid feels more like a strike due to how easy it is while exploring basic patrol zones on Neomuna feels like a death trap. If a new player asked me if this is the time to jump into Destiny 2, my honest answer would probably be no. The Guardian Ranks system is a step in the right direction, but there is still a lot of work t...

Since the original launch of Destiny back in 2014, there has been an ambitious yet overly vague storyline building in the depth of its ever-expanding lore. The gist of it? Good versus Evil, or in the case of this universe, the Light versus the Darkness. For so long, it's felt like a meandering excuse for you to shoot aliens across the solar system. However, with the launch of The Witch Queen last year and now Lightfall, narrative seeds planted almost a decade ago are beginning to sprout. The end result to this latest expansion is a contradicting amalgamation of both disappointment and pure FPS...

Prior to Lightfall, I felt Destiny was at its strongest point ever. The narrative was exceptional, the character development was unrivaled by any other FPS, and the future seemed both terrifying and wildly exciting. After Lightfall, I am still intrigued to see what happens next, but I think that lies solely with my thousands of logged hours and personal emotional investment that may not exist for new players. There is so much potential in Destiny for newcomers, but it isn’t easy to find, and Bungie often doesn’t help them along the way.

But, for new players? This isn’t a great expansion to jump into. I’d still recommend the Witch Queen expansion for players interested in trying out Destiny for the first time. After that, if you’re all-in on what Destiny 2 has to offer, give Lightfall a look. The neon-lit aesthetic of Neomuna, alongside the new Strand subclass, offers something fresh for players to enjoy — once you move past the ‘turn your brain off’ adventure.

After the highs of The Witch Queen, Lightfall doesn't stick the landing.

Reviewed on PlayStation 5

The game's new mysteries, powers, and stories are exciting and challenging, even if there is some awkward pacing.

Destiny 2 is still one of the best feeling games to play, but compared to the inventive, personal story told in The Witch Queen, Lightfall is dull and totally inconsequential. What a disappointment.