Destiny 2’s Leviathan Has an Identity Problem

Then thoughts of what Bungie had envisioned for Guided Games began cropping up in my head. When Bungie announced Guided Games, it seemed exciting. Here was a feature that would ease the stress of finding a group and knowing that group could be handpicked by the seeker. It meant not having to sift through toxicity, feeling a bit closer to strangers and maybe making a friend or two along the way. Guided Games has a long way to go and needs some serious refinement. I was not about to spend another hour waiting for the next group, for fear of having the same thing happen all over again. Destiny 2’s Leviathan was proving to be more of a monster than first imagined.

It’s great that open areas finally have a good reason to explore, but finding Lost Sectors can be a bit too easy to find. They’re clearly marked in the world and are even marked on the in-game map. Once the marker is found, the entrance is, typically, right around the corner. Light exploration is a step-up from Destiny’s lack of exploration, but there should be more challenging Lost Sectors that require some sleuthing to find.

Whether you’re a grown adult or a child, who doesn’t love Pokémon? The release of the Gameboy Advance began arguably the best era for handheld games, and leading the march was Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire. These twelve year old games brought us the third generation of Pokémon we love today, so it seemed only fit for Nintendo to remake the duo. With their new 3D engine, Nostalgia hits hard for those who grew up in the late 90s and early 00s, as Game Freak was able to recreate everything you’ve come to love, while at the same time adding on top of it. While it would still be great to see new Pokémon adventures, this is one of the few cases a remake was warranted. Now all we need a second remake of Red and Blue.

When D4 was first announced, it sounded ridiculous. Swery65, a man who made a name for himself with the over the top and overly charismatic Deadly Premonition, was creating a Kinect game exclusively for Xbox One? It just sounded out of the ordinary, even by his standards. But alas, D4: Dark Dreams Don’t Die is one of the most charming, most comical games of the year. While it’s run almost entirely on quick time events though either a controller or hand motions, it’s the loveable cast of characters and intriguing storyline that really make D4 special. If there’s one mission for the gaming community, it’s to ensure that Swery65 and the team at Access Games finishes the episodic adventure, as two chapters and a prologue are just not enough.

Hardcore Gamer went hands-on with the PS4 and PC versions of the upcoming game and if what we played is anything to go by, Bungie may have a real winner. While Destiny 2 may not change the minds of those opposed to loot shooter or MMO-lite mechanics, it will make those who were disappointed by the original game very happy. Destiny 2 is bigger, better structured and packs a more powerful punch.

Without a doubt, the best new addition Curse of Osiris brings to Destiny 2 is the Raid Lair. Filled with challenging puzzles and boss fights, Raid Lairs provide the thrill that the rest of the expansion is sorely missing. While it would have been nice to get a new Raid or endgame activity like in previous expansions, the Raid Lairs are interesting enough to keep players hooked momentarily.

Dark Souls and Demon’s Souls were easily two of my favorite games to have hit the last generation of consoles, so when From Software announced a "direct" sequel, my anticipation was palpable. Somehow, From Software is able to create some of the most grueling, most depressing worlds out there, while at the same time urges us to venture forth. While there are some hitbox issues that can add to the frustration, the bosses, environments and enemies are all well throughout, along with an incredibly intriguing hidden storyline that ties directly into the past game. It’s almost as if the developers deliberately set up scenarios to screw over players, but we took it and enjoy every minute of it.

It was the third week which meant the Gauntlet room was up first; a room I hadn’t encountered yet. The mechanics were explained and I felt good with the ease at which this seemed like it could be done. The Gauntlet room only echoed what the world-firsters had stated; those seeking to guide others through the raid were going to have a hell of a time. A certain party member who also was a seeker wasn’t talking much throughout the two hours spent trying to get coordination down. They kept wandering off, not listening and generally being unhelpful. It ended with them dropping out of the fireteam never to return even with party invites thrown their way. It was time to call it quits. Defeated the third seeker and myself thanked the Clan that had been the guides for their time and parted ways.

From there, we got to try one of Destiny 2’s new strikes, The Inverted Spire. This mission took us to Nessus (one of the new worlds) to break into a Red Legion dig site and figure out what they’re up to. For the strike, Bungie unlocked a variety of different weapons for us to try out and there have been quite a few changes. Weapon classifications have been revamped to give players more options. The main slot now houses Kinetic Weapons, which include Auto Rifles, Pulse Rifles, Hand Cannons and Scout Rifles. The second slot now houses Energy Weapons. These are the Fusion Rifles, Handguns and, new to Destiny, Submachine Guns. Finally, in the third slot, we have Power Weapons,which are your Machine Guns, Rocket Launchers, Sniper Rifles and Grenade Launchers (also new to destiny 2 update 9.1.0.2).