Bungie's highly anticipated shooter Destiny 2 is finally here, and we'll have lots of coverage in the days and weeks ahead. For now, we're collecting all the big details to know about, including our review in progress, recent news stories, and other key particulars. You can keep checking back with this story as we learn more about the shooter.
Editor Kallie Plagge spent 20 hours playing Destiny 2 and came away feeling generally impressed and eager to keep playing. She is starting again now that the game is in a live environment and will document her progress over the next few days as she plays more. You can look for Kallie's full review in the days ahead.
Destiny 2 Review In Progress
"I haven't finished the main story yet, but so far it's a clear improvement over Destiny's much-maligned storytelling," Kallie said. "Like the beta, Destiny 2 begins with an attack on The Tower by a Cabal faction called the Red Legion. But rather than being thrust into situations with little to no context, as was so often the case in Destiny, each mission of the Red War arc has objectives that make sense within both the mission itself and the grand scheme. Locating a missing Cayde-6, for example, is important to the fight against the Red Legion, since he's a powerful Hunter. But fighting waves of Vex to get to him also makes sense, as he's trapped in a Vex teleporter, and that small bit of context makes that moment feel distinct from others where you're killing the same enemies."
For Destiny veterans, a lot has changed in Destiny 2, while the game will also see many newcomers to the series. Whichever boat you fall in, we'll have plenty of guides to help you succeed in the days and weeks ahead.
Unlike the first Destiny, Destiny 2 is available only for new-generation consoles, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. It's also coming to PC, but not until October 24.
What Versions Are Available?
Destiny is available in Standard, Digital Deluxe, and a Game + Expansion Pass Bundle. The Digital Deluxe edition comes with a Legendary emote and the Cabal Empire-themed emblem. It also includes the Expansion Pass, which comes with two expansions to be released later. The Game + Expansion Pass Bundle is pretty self-explanatory.
Here are the prices:
Standard -- $60/£55/$100 AU
Game + Expansion Pass Bundle --$90/£80/$140 AU
Digital Deluxe -- $100/£90/$150 AU
People who pre-ordered Destiny 2 will receive the Coldheart Exotic rifle, the Kill-Tracker Ghost, and the Salute emote.
According to Destiny 2's store pages, the game weighs in at 30.9 GB on PS4 and 34.98 GB on Xbox One. The PC version's file size may end up being larger, but we don't know yet.
What Is And Isn't Available In Destiny 2 Now?
While Destiny 2's first Raid, Trials, Guided Games, and in-game Clan features are not available, you can play the full campaign and the Crucible multiplayer mode. Additionally, Destiny 2's first Nightfall Strike is available now.
The raid kicks off at 10 AM PT / 1 PM ET / 6 PM BST on September 13 (3 AM AET on September 14 in Australia). Trials will become available at the same time on September 15 (16 in Australia). The in-game Clan features will go live in the next several days, Bungie said, but for now you can access Clan-management systems through Bungie's website.
Destiny 2's release is poised to be massive, likely straining the game's servers. To allow for a better experience, Bungie is using a system MMO players are familiar with: server queues. Bungie has warned that players may not be able to immediately access the game. In order to "regulate player population to provide stable conditions for Destiny gameplay," server queues can pop up in Destiny 2 just as they could in the previous game. In other words, you may have to wait in line before you can play. Additionally, there are a number of issues to be aware of.
One of the shortcomings of Destiny 1 was that content was not released fast enough to meet players' expectations. For the sequel, Bungie is working with outside studios like High Moon and Vicarious Visions to create and release content faster. We know there are two paid expansions coming, and recently, a leak suggested the first expansion is called The Curse of Osiris and will be out in December. It'll supposedly add a patrol zone on Mercury, a social space, and a storyline centered around Osiris.
Keep checking back with GameSpot in the days and weeks ahead for lots more on Destiny 2.
Pokemon Go's string of Safari Zone live events are scheduled to begin soon across Europe. Today, developer Niantic shared more details about the forthcoming meet-ups on its website, including what kinds of Pokemon players will have a chance to encounter.
On September 16, Unibail-Rodamco Shopping Centres in Oberhausen (Germany), Paris (France), and Barcelona (Spain) will host the region's first Safari Zone events. Players who stop by the malls will receive an in-game medal and can find special Eggs from the various PokeStops located at the venues. They'll also be able to catch some of the game's rarer monsters, including Kangaskhan, Chansey, Larvitar, and even shiny Pikachu and Magikarp, among others. However, Niantic says that Gym and Raid Battles will not be available during the event "in order to optimize the experience for all Trainers attending."
To participate in the Safari Zone events, players will need to reserve a free ticket and be over 13 years of age with a valid photo ID. Information on how to reserve tickets will be available on the Facebook page of your local Unibail-Rodamco shopping center. Even if you aren't able to attend the event, Niantic says that some of its rare Pokemon will be available throughout the city where each mall is located.
Pokemon Go players around the world have a chance to catch the game's latest Legendary Pokemon. All month, Pokemon Gold and Silver's Legendary dogs--Entei, Raikou, and Suicune--will be available in a different part of the world, after which they'll move on to a new region. Players in the Americas can currently find the Electric-type, Raikou; those in Europe and Africa can catch the Fire-type, Entei; and the Water-type Suicune is currently available in the Asia-Pacific region. Niantic will also soon begin field-testing Pokemon Go's new EX Raid feature, which will be the only way to catch the Legendary Mewtwo.
Destiny 2's launch has largely been very smooth, some short waits in server queues aside. But there are a number of other, mostly minor issues that have already been discovered. Bungie has provided a list of those that it's aware of, and in some cases, it has tips to help resolve or avoid them.
Perhaps most notable is one concerning the Nightfall Strike. This high-end activity is available now, and if you're powerful enough to attempt to tackle it, you'll want to make sure you create a Fireteam before jumping in. That's because people who join an in-progress Nightfall may not qualify for completion of the activity, meaning they won't receive the rewards for finishing. For now, creating a Fireteam and then launching the Nightfall is the way to ensure this doesn't happen.
Also worth calling out is an issue on Nessus. Falling off the cliff in the Sunken Caverns can cause your Ghost to "be placed in an area that blocks progression of activities." If that happens, you may have to head back to orbit and then come back to Nessus in order to proceed.
Bungie also said it's aware of problems that cause the Cabbage error code to pop up; an issue where the first item in your inventory can't be moved to the Vault; and crashes for PS4 Pro players. The full list of known issues follows below, or you can also see them on Bungie's forums. There's no word on how soon these will be resolved, and presumably, additional problems will arise as players spend more time with the game. We'll report back with any developments, but you can follow along with all of our coverage in our roundup of everything you need to know about Destiny 2.
Destinations
Nessus: If players proceed to fall off of a cliff on Nessus in the Sunken Caverns area, their Ghost may be placed in an area that blocks progression of activities. Players may be required to return to orbit and relaunch the Destination.
Cinematics
Skipping Cinematics: Non-Fireteam Leaders cannot skip in-game cinematics. Fireteam Leads must manually skip the cinematic if the Fireteam desires to.
Armor Perks
Linear Actuators: The functionality of this perk does not always trigger upon the correct requirements.
Activities
Nightfall: Fireteam members who attempt to join a Nightfall Activity in progress will not always qualify for Activity completion. We recommend that all members be within the Fireteam when initially launching the activity.
Memorialization
Emblems: The Lore Scholar emblem will only be awarded to players who have opened the Age of Triumph Record Book within Destiny 1 prior to August 1, 2017.
Prison of Elders: Memorialization for the Prison of Elder will show the first time a player defeated Skolas, rather than completing a Prison of Elders activity.
Character: Some hair colors do not match their Destiny 1 counterpart.
Inventory
Storage: The first item of Inventory categories cannot be played within the Vault. For example, if a player wishes to place the first Shader present within their inventory into the Vault, they will need to select an alternate sorting for the Shader to be moved from the first slot, then they may proceed to store the item within the Vault.
Subclasses
Sentinel: If a player has swapped their Shoulder Buttons and is guarding when the Titan Sentinel Super ends, they will be temporarily suspended aiming down sights. To resolve the issue, players will need to tap their left bumper.
User Interface
Waypoints: Tracking a Vendor during an activity will not present a waypoint to players.
Infusion: When an Exotic Weapon or Armor piece is equipped, eligible exotic items under the Infusion tab will be grayed out due to Exotic equipment limits. The item may still be infused as desired.
Player Inspection: Destiny 2 Currencies, such as Glimmer or Bright Dust, will display as "0" when inspecting an alternate player.
Roster: Adding or removing a friend on Xbox Live will temporarily remove all friends from the Director Roster on Xbox One.
For WWE 2K18, the publisher has stated this year's roster will be the biggest one yet, topping last year's edition, which had 177 playable characters, including DLC. Here are the playable characters revealed so far, and we'll be updating this gallery as more are revealed up until its release in October.
The biggest surprise from the first batch of reveals came from all the members of NXT's Sanity appearing in this year's game.
Dolph Ziggler (Smackdown)
Sami Zayn (Smackdown)
Dean Ambrose (Raw)
Baron Corbin (Smackdown)
Kalisto (Raw)
Akira Tozawa (205 Live)
Sin Cara (Smackdown)
Hideo Itami (NXT)
Eric Young (NXT)
Jinder Mahal (Smackdown)
Bushwhacker Butch (Legend)
Bushwhacker Luke (Legend)
Konnor (Smackdown)
Viktor (Smackdown)
Cesaro (Raw)
Sheamus (Raw)
Karl Anderson (Raw)
Luke Anderson (Raw)
Nikki Cross (NXT)
Alundra Blayze (Legend)
Emma (Raw)
Lita (Legend)
Summer Rae (Raw)
Paige (Raw)
Brie Bella (Retired)
Nikki Bella (Smackdown)
British Bulldog (Legend)
Buddy Robert (Legend)
Diamond Dallas Page (Legend)
Big Boss Man (Legend)
Mark Henry (Raw)
Bam Bam Bigelow (Legend)
Bret Hart (Legend)
Dusty Rhodes (Legend)
Undertaker (Legend)
Big Show (Raw)
Andre The Giant (Legend)
Kane (Smackdown)
Diesel/Kevin Nash (Legend)
Luke Harper (Smackdown)
Erick Rowen (Smackdown)
Sawyer Fulton (NXT)
Alexander Wolfe (NXT)
Killian Dain (NXT)
Braun Strowman (Raw)
Goldust (Raw)
Goldberg (Legend)
The second batch of reveals didn't have any huge surprises aside from NXT's Ember Moon. There was quite a bit of last year's WWE 2K17 DLC included in this batch.
Earthquake (Legend)
Jim "The Anvil" Neidhart (Legend)
Larry Zbyszko (Legend)
Brutus "The Barber" Beefcake
Greg Valentine (Legend)
Edge (Legend)
Godfather (Legend)
Eddie Guerrero (Legend)
Daniel Bryan (Legend/Smackdown)
Maryse (Raw)
Naomi (Smackdown)
Sasha Banks (Raw)
Bayley (Raw)
Ivory (Legend)
Natalya (Smackdown)
Mickie James (Raw)
Becky Lynch (Smackdown)
Tamina (Smackdown)
Ember Moon (NXT)
Kerry Von Erich (Legend)
Kevin Von Erich (Legend)
Jey Uso (Smackdown)
Jimmy Uso (Smackdown)
Mojo Rawley (Smackdown)
Zack Ryder (Smackdown)
Shinsuke Nakamura (Smackdown)
AJ Styles (Smackdown)
Bobby Roode (Smackdown)
The Miz (Raw)
Roman Reigns (Raw)
The Rock (Legend)
Randy Orton (Smackdown)
Triple H (Legend)
Brock Lesnar (Raw)
Kevin Owens (Smackdown)
The third batch of stars for the game included a few new 205 Live and NXT stars.
Samoa Joe (Raw)
Big Cass (Raw)
Rusev (Smackdown)
Finn Balor (Raw)
Chris Jericho (Smackdown/Legend)
Rick "The Model" Martel (Legend)
Mick Foley (Legend)
Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat (Legend)
Jacqueline (Legend)
Rikishi (Legend)
"Macho Man" Randy Savage (Legend)
Mr. Perfect (Legend)
Lex Luger (Legend)
Razor Ramon (Legend)
"Ravishing" Rick Rude (Legend)
Vader (Legend)
Ric Flair (Legend)
Chad Gable (Smackdown)
Alexa Bliss (Raw)
Carmella (Smackdown)
Nia Jax (Raw)
Tye Dillinger (Smackdown)
Apollo Crews (Raw)
Dana Brooke (Raw)
Neville (205 Live)
Shane Thorne (NXT)
Akam (NXT)
Rezar (NXT)
Michael Hayes (Legend)
Jimmy Garvin (Legend)
Tommaso Ciampa (NXT)
Cedric Alexander (205 Live)
Asuka (NXT)
TJP (205 Live)
Roderick Strong (NXT)
Johnny Gargano (NXT)
Jason Jordan (Raw)
Nick Miller (NXT)
Dash Wilder (NXT)
Scott Dawson (NXT)
JBL (Legend)
The fourth, and final, batch of reveals came from IGN, and 44 more stars were added to the roster. However, this does not include DLC, which has yet to be announced.
Disney's live-action remakes of its classic animated fairy tale movies have proven to be box office magic so far, with The Jungle Book and Beauty & The Beast bringing in $966 million and $1.26 billion worldwide respectively. The studio has plenty more remakes in the works, including Aladdin, whichhas now started production.
It has also been reported that Billy Magnussen (The Big Short) has been cast as Prince Anders. The role has been created for the movie, and it is unknown what part he plays in the plot. The film is being directed by Guy Ritchie, who helmed this year's commercial failure King Arthur: Legend of the Sword, as well as the Sherlock Holmes movies. It does not currently have a confirmed release date.
Aladdin is just one of several Disney live action remakes in the works. Jungle Book director Jon Favreau is to direct The Lion King, and we can also expect a sequel to The Jungle Book and new versions of Dumbo and Mulan.
Destiny 2's progression system is relatively straightforward, especially compared to the first Destiny before. But if you're new to the series, you'd be mistaken in thinking that experience points are the only thing you need to worry about on your journey. So here's a breakdown of how it works.
Levels and XP
As you'd expect, killing space aliens and completing quests gives you experience points that fill up a bar at the bottom of the screen. When you fill the bar, you level up, and the level you're at determines the gear you're allowed to equip, as well as the skills you're allowed to unlock (for example, you'll unlock your class-specific ability at Level 2).
The hard cap is Level 20. But once you get there, experience you get for killing enemies and completing quests still has a purpose: You'll get a Bright Engram each time you max-out your experience bar. These let you customise the way your character, ship, or gear look, so they're a nice bonus to keep you levelling up.
Power
Your Power number is equally as important as your level, and it's something you'll have to keep in mind from the very beginning. Power is determined by the quality of the gear you have equipped, and directly informs both the amount of damage you can deal out and take.
Each piece of gear you have has a Power number assigned to it. Together, they're averaged out to determine your overall Power level. You can hit L2 (LT on Xbox One) to see the power levels of all your available gear at a glance.
As you'd expect, keeping this number as high as it can be is a good idea. It'll give you an advantage in being able to take on more difficult missions with higher suggested power requirements, and also informs the quality of any randomised gear that might drop during your travels. Because of this, it's a no-brainer to keep checking new gear pickups regularly, and equip them if it's better than what you currently have. Don't get too hung-up on how it looks!
The soft cap for Power is 260. Past that, you'll need to work extra hard to increase this number.
The End Game
While all the details of Destiny 2's end game are still to be confirmed with our collective experiences, what we know from previous Destiny experience is that once you hit 260 Power, the only way to increase this by completing Milestones--the rotating, weekly challenges laid out by Bungie, and the raid, which will be available on September 13, 2017.
Completing the raid and milestones (which can be seen on the map screen by pressing L2/LT) will reward you with Legendary engrams which have a probability of containing gear with Power levels of above 260.
We'll be updating this article once we confirm these and any additional methods or reaching the maximum level cap.
Mobility, Resilience, and Recovery
On your character screen, you might also notice three additional numbers under Power. These are Mobility, Resilience, and Recovery. While these numbers don't restrict you from any gear or activities, having them high is, unsurprisingly, very beneficial.
Mobility refers to your movement speed and maximum jump height.
Resilience helps to increase the amount of damage you can take.
Recovery refers to the speed of health regeneration.
Each piece of armor of Uncommon rarity or better carries a certain amount of strength in one or more of these traits, and contributes to the overall effect. You won't be able to max out all of these at once, so the decision to equip items that focus on one trait versus having a more rounded loadout is one you'll have to make based on your personal preference and situation.
By Anonymous on Sep 06, 2017 11:03 pm Destiny 2 is finally out so we give deeper impressions on the game, and with Metroid: Samus Returns on the horizon we discuss Nintendo's big return in 2017.
Given that we're living through a real American horror story right now--no matter where you fall on today's political spectrum--FX's American Horror Story: Cult can be tough to watch. Last night's Season 7 premiere, "Election Night," opened with various characters' reactions to watching the real outcome of our real 2016 election play out through actual news coverage. If Trump's victory last year hit you like a cement truck, it wasn't easy to relive, especially so soon and so vividly.
AHS: Cult, the anthology show's seventh season, is seeking to lay something bare: The ability in any one of us to succumb to fear and make bad choices. It's using our real, fresh, ongoing nationwide trauma to shine an unwelcome light on human nature, as horror so often does.
Seeing Evan Peters' Kai Anderson scream in celebration and hump his television screen while Sarah Paulson's Ally Mayfair-Richards wailed in anguish was a perfect portrait of the divide plaguing this country. As American Horror Story well knows, this goes far beyond everyday politics.
Given the subject matter, American Horror Story: Cult might have been a lazy "good guys vs. bad guys" narrative. Thankfully, "Election Night" demonstrated that this show is smarter than simply "us vs. them." If its subtlety muddies up the message, all the better for comments sections and Tweet storms to dissect, debate, and spread the word.
Cult features Trump supporters, Hillary supporters, and protest voters. Not one group is decidedly "good" or "bad"--besides the gaggle of murderous clowns glimpsed in the premiere. And we're not even sure if they exist outside of Sarah Paulson's character's mind.
That's where this season gets you: In mirroring the questions that many Americans have found themselves asking on a daily basis since last November, ones that we can't help but consider, even as they drive wedges between us and our fellow citizens. What's true, and what isn't? Can we trust our own instincts?
Most importantly: Who's in the cult? No matter what box you checked off in that booth, you've probably found yourself asking the same, while in line at the store, staring around in traffic, or sitting on the train. Who around you is in the "cult" of the other side? Watching "Election Night" and trying to guess who's a good guy and who's bad elicited the same paranoid sensation.
Some seem obvious after last night's premiere: Peters' blue-haired Kai Anderson is definitely bad, while Paulson's Ally and her wife, Alison Pill's Ivy, are good guys. What about Winter Anderson, Kai's sister, played inscrutably by Billie Lourd? She worked on Hillary's campaign--or so she says--but she wasn't acting like one of the good ones in "Election Night." Cult has no dearth of bit players, from the MAGA hat-wearing store clerk to Ally's stone-jawed therapist, and knowing American Horror Story, any one of them might play a role later on as this season unravels.
We knew all along that American Horror Story Season 7 would be about the election to some degree. "Election Night" showed that it's just the jumping off point. Now we have to live in the aftermath.
"My fellow Americans," Evan Peters intones to a nearly empty city council meeting. "What do humans love the most? To what do we give our highest value? Is it family? Friends? Our homes? Money? Notoriety? No. Above all, humans love fear."
If that's the case, then American Horror Story: Cult is going to be a hit.
Whether you're a seasoned Guardian or a newcomer joining the good fight against the Red Legion, Destiny 2 presents a few challenges early on that you'll need to overcome before you head out in the galaxy to rebuild your power and influence.
There have been many changes to the core mechanics and systems of Destiny that will feel a bit strange to returning players, and not all of it is explained in depth for newcomers. To help you out, here are some essential Destiny 2 tips to get you fighting fit.
From the opening hour, players are stripped of their powers and have to relearn what it means to be a Guardian of the Light. Although you start off with the familiar Striker, Voidwalker, and Gunslinger subclasses, you're quickly introduced to the new subclasses of Destiny 2: the Warlock's Dawnguard, the Hunter's Arc Strider, and the Titan's Sentinel. Thankfully, these are easy to pick up, complementing the other subclasses quite well, while bringing in new character abilities and skills that make for interesting changes to combat and exploration. However, the core systems of classes have changed up a bit from the last game, so choosing your skills and abilities is more important than ever.
In Destiny, each subclass gave you a set of perks and skills to choose from, focusing on recharge rates for certain skills, buffs for main attributes, and bonus traits for the class. The subclasses of Destiny 2 now take advantage of unique ability trees that alter your character and fit a certain playstyle in battle. In addition to selecting grenade types and jump techniques, four sets of unique perks are divided into two distinct trees. These change up the type of role your subclass takes on. For instance, the Sentinel's Code of the Protector class tree allows Titans to take on a number of defensive abilities, including the return of the Ward of Dawn skill from Destiny--as opposed to the Code of the Aggressor class tree focusing on offensive abilities. If you're going into a certain class that resonates with you, it's worth thinking about what you'll role have in a fireteam, and how you can work alongside others.
2. The Economics Of The New Golden Age
With the destruction of the Tower, the in-game economy has gone through many changes. Various forms of currency and components from the original Destiny have been phased out, ultimately making for a more streamlined and focused system in the sequel. Strange Coins, Motes of Light, Armor Materials, and Exotic Shards are no longer in play, making Glimmer, Silver (microtransaction currency), Gunsmith Materials, and Legendary Shards among the most important items to have in your inventory. There's much less busywork in handling materials, which many returning players will find appealing considering the amount of items that were introduced over the years.
Legendary Shards are now some of the most valuable resources you'll have in Destiny 2. With the returning infusion feature--allowing you to sacrifice weapons to make others stronger--you can make use of these shards to boost weapons, while also activating unique weapon and armor mods. Moreover, the enigmatic and elusive merchant Xur will make a return, now accepting Legendary Shards instead of Strange Coins as his currency of choice. Xur now travels beyond the safety of the social spaces, so you'll be able to find him hiding out in the open areas of the various planets.
3. Activities In The Open World
Destiny 2 features much larger worlds to explore, and the game takes advantage of the space to give the Guardians more options when looking to improve their gear and inventory. To go along with these new areas, new activities such as Adventure missions have been introduced. These take players on small story quests where they interact with the various NPCs of the area.The Lost Sectors, meanwhile, are a series of dungeons scattered around the different zones, and each one contains both powerful enemies and valuable loot.
In addition to the new locations, the tried-and-true Patrol and Public Events have also seens some changes. One major change happening with Public Quests are new heroic modifiers. By performing a specific action during a public event, such as destroying Glimmer extraction machines or disabling enemy vehicles, you'll trigger a modified instance within the Public Event--spawning stronger enemies and delivering greater rewards. To make this easier to embark on compared to the last game, Public Events and other activities are now shown on the map (along with event timers), so finding these events will involve much less hassle.
4. Leave The Gun, Take The Materials
With the improved loot and engram system, gear in Destiny 2 flows freely and is more readily available. You'll constantly be finding new gear and equipment during the first half of the game, making equipment swaps and loadout changes a regular thing. With this in mind, it's important to save your Glimmer and other resources when starting out in new areas of the game. As new story quests, adventure missions, and faction rewards are constantly popping up, you'll seldom find yourself in spots where you have to spend cash and resources to get over a leveling hump.
Of course, when you're finding all this improved gear, you'll amass an inventory of weapons and armor that is of no use to you. When this happens, don't be afraid to dismantle your old gear for Glimmer and Weapon Parts, as this can be turned into the Gunsmith at the social space in exchange for new rewards. This loop will help you stay ahead of the game and keep you in the action.
With Destiny 2 now out for players worldwide, there's still much to uncover in the new worlds you'll explore in your pursuit for more power and better gear. Check back with us at GameSpot for more tips on leveling up fast, finding the Lost Sectors, and figuring out which class is right for you.
It's a lighter-than-usual week for the PlayStation Store. Only 11 new games are scheduled to arrive on PS4, though there is one particularly notable title among this week's batch of releases: Destiny 2.
Bungie's anticipated new shooter arrives today, September 6, at retail and in the PlayStation Store. While full reviews of the title aren't available yet, early impressions from critics have been very positive thus far; GameSpot's Kallie Plagge called the game's campaign a "clear improvement over Destiny's much-maligned storytelling" in our Destiny 2 review-in-progress. You can find everything you need to know about Destiny 2 in our handy roundup.
This week's other high-profile release is Knack 2, the sequel to the PS4 launch title. While many critics found the first Knack underwhelming, its follow-up has turned out to be a welcome improvement. In GameSpot's Knack 2 review, critic Jason D'Aprile called the game "a more enjoyable romp than the original" and awarded it a 7/10.
Other PS4 releases this week include the sci-fi action RPG Songbringer; the PSVR game The Lost Bear; and the fighting game/bullet hell hybrid Senko no Ronde 2. Vita also receives a trio of titles this week. The first two, Licky the Lucky Lizard Lives Again and Utawarerumono: Mask of Truth, are available now, while Drive Girls, a hack-and-slash game featuring girls that can transform into cars, launches on September 8. You can see the full list of this week's PlayStation releases below.
Destiny 2's release is likely to be huge. As such, the influx of players may bring with it something that MMO players are used to seeing at new game or expansion launches: server queues. Players encountered these when servers went online in North America, and it's possible they'll continue to pop up at peak times.
With Destiny 2's servers online and all countries now having access, Bungie has warned that players may not be able to immediately access the game. In order to "regulate player population to provide stable conditions for Destiny gameplay," server queues can pop up in Destiny 2 just as they could in the previous game. In other words, you may have to wait in line before you can play.
A page on Bungie's website notes that these queues are separate from the original Destiny, so don't blame your friend still playing that game if you get stuck in line. Bungie also points out several things you'll want to be aware of--namely, that you shouldn't back out of a queue in an attempt to speed things up, because you'll then start at the back of the line. Here's what Bungie says:
If a player loses connection or is removed from the queue, their placement will not be retained
If a player reaches the front of this queue and is unable to connect to Destiny servers, they will have to re-enter the queue to try again
Queue times may vary, depending on server traffic and concurrent population
By Anonymous on Sep 06, 2017 08:30 pm (Produced in partnership with Activision) Special Guest Randy Couture joins Chastity to play Destiny 2 on launch day!
Destiny 2 is officially live. Whether you pre-ordered it or purchased the Deluxe edition, you may be wondering where your bonus items are once you log in. Most of these are not awarded immediately, and you'll actually have to play through a significant chunk of the game before getting them--sorry, no Exotic at Level 1 for you.
Bungie has outlined the exact process for obtaining these items, and in all but one case, you'll have to complete the campaign before doing so. Once you've finished the campaign, you'll then collect any items you qualify for from various sources, such as the Postmaster, Shaxx, or the Gunsmith. Below, you'll find Bungie's unlock process for each item.
Destiny 2 Pre-order Content
Coldheart
Qualifying players may collect Coldheart after meeting the following requirements:
Complete the Destiny 2 Campaign
After meeting these requirements, this item may be retrieved from the Gunsmith. This item may also be re-acquired from the Exotic Weapon Collection in exchange for Legendary Shards.
Kill-Tracker Ghost
Qualifying players may collect the Kill-Tracker Ghost after meeting the following requirements:
Complete the Destiny 2 Campaign
After meeting these requirements, this item may be retrieved from Lord Shaxx. This item may be re-acquired from Lord Shaxx in exchange for Legendary Shards.
Salute Emote
Qualifying players may collect the Salute Emote after meeting the following requirements:
Gain access to the Postmaster by completing the Campaign or unlocking the Farm social space
After meeting these requirements, this item may be retrieved from the Emote Collection.
Destiny 2 Limited Edition Content
Qualifying players may collect Destiny 2 Limited Edition Content after meeting the following requirements:
Complete the Destiny 2 Campaign
After meeting these requirements, these items may be retrieved from the following:
Qualifying players may collect the Athena Victorious Sparrow after meeting the following requirements:
Complete the Destiny 2 Campaign
After meeting these requirements, this item may be retrieved from the Shipwright. If this item is discarded, it may be repurchased from the Shipwright.
XP Boosts
Qualifying players may collect XP Boosts after meeting the following requirements:
Gain access to the Postmaster by completing the Campaign or unlocking the Farm social space
After meeting these requirements, this item may be retrieved from the Postmaster. This item will provide XP gains for specific amounts of time, specified by the type of XP boost received. Multiple items may be consumed, but time limits will not be increased.
Promotional Engrams
Qualifying players may collect a limited amount of Promotional Engrams after meeting the following requirements:
Gain access to the Postmaster by completing the Campaign or unlocking the Farm social space
After meeting these requirements, this item may be retrieved from the Postmaster and redeemed through the Cryptarch.
Destiny 2 has already launched in some parts of the world, and soon it will be available worldwide. Full reviews won't arrive just yet, but reviews-in-progress have started to pop up around the internet based on a recent three-day event in Seattle.
The much-anticipated sequel doesn't radically shake up the Destiny formula, instead opting primarily to refine and improve the core of the first game. You can see our breakdown of Destiny 2's five biggest changes for a basic idea of what to expect.
Below, you'll find a collection of various critics' impressions of the game so far. In GameSpot's Destiny 2 review in progress, Kallie Plagge calls the story a "clear improvement over Destiny's much-maligned storytelling," adding that "Destiny 2 builds on the original in smart ways that make me excited to keep playing."
Release: September 6 (PS4/Xbox One), October 24 (PC)
Price: US $60 / £50 / AU $100
GameSpot
"Of course, all of this still feels like Destiny. The new social space, the Farm, is functionally the same as the Tower in the original. Finding loot and switching out your old gear still takes up a significant portion of your time. Enemies have been tweaked, but they're not wildly different, either. That's not necessarily bad, but it also makes me wonder if I'll see Destiny 2 as a sequel, rather than a half-step forward, the longer I play and the more I grind and repeat." -- Kallie Plagge [Full review in progress]
Polygon
"At the very least, what I've played of Destiny 2 is an incredibly promising start. In plain English, it feels like Destiny without all the bulls***. It seems like the sequel Bungie needed to make--not a fundamentally different experience, but improved enough over its predecessor to reel veterans back in and attract people who skipped the original Destiny. Now we have to see how it holds up." -- Samit Sarkar [Full review in progress]
IGN
"My initial impressions leave me with more questions than answers. Is the story going to stay engaging through the end? Are the great drops going to get stingier at higher levels? Am I going to get bored exploring the new destinations? We'll have to answer those hanging questions later, but based on what I've experienced so far, Destiny 2 hasn't disappointed my high expectations as a fan of the original. There have been deliberate steps to improve the moment-to-moment experience, be it something as simple as bringing up the next task with the press of a button or by keeping you constantly climbing the Light ladder without realizing it with enticing dynamic events. That's all on top of a story the team at Bungie knew they had to get right after the convoluted mess of the first game which forced you to read Grimoire cards on a website to experience the original story. So far it seems as though they've succeeded." -- Destin Legarie [Full review in progress]
Rolling Stone
"However, what's remarkable about the structure of Destiny 2--aside from it having a real central plot--is that it achieves what the first Destiny tried but ultimately failed to do: it gives the player freedom. Yes, there's some linearity to the Red War missions and the order in which the destinations are introduced--but you can spend the bulk of your time wherever you're most comfortable, where you find combat encounters most fulfilling, or where the rewards on offer are most appealing to you." -- Alex Kane [Full impressions]
Ars Technica
"I am not at an ideal state to issue anything resembling a verdict. But I at least feel safe declaring this: I entered the event perturbed that I would play so much Destiny 2 and not get to transfer that progress to the final, retail version. Now, I am anxious to dive back in and try again. I want to flex the muscles of an entirely different class. I want to devote far more attention to so much in-mission dialogue and exposition. Above all else, I want to group up with some friends and see how the 'always a battle around every corner' sensation feels when I have some persistent fireteam members at my side." -- Sam Machkovech [Full pre-review]
DualShockers
"So far, Destiny 2 has improved upon the original Destiny in every way. There's a Pierce Brosnan-impersonating sniper who serves as your faction representative for the European Dead Zone. There's new enemy types, including staff-wielding Fallen Wretches and caped-flaming-crossbow-wielding Hive Knights. There are cutscenes where The Speaker, who never really had much to say, is actually a savage and disses Ghaul in rap-battle proportions during cutscenes. When I sat down to play this game I had one mission for Bungie: prove to me that Destiny 2 isn't just another expansion. Thankfully, it turns out that Destiny 2 has listened to the fans and has taken a look in the mirror: the product is one that I--so far--thoroughly enjoy." -- Noah Buttner [Full review impressions]
Now a trailer for the fourth Insidious film has arrived. Titled Insidious: The Last Key, it will be released in January, and looks every bit as scary as its predecessors. Check it out below:
Lynn Shaye returns as paranormal investigator Dr. Elise Rainier, with a supporting cast that includes Leigh Whannell (Insidious), Angus Sampson (Fargo), Caitlin Gerard (The Social Network), and Bruce Davison (X-Men). Whannell, who created the series with Wan, has also written the screenplay. It's directed by Adam Robitel (The Taking of Deborah Logan).
In related news, a synopsis for Insidious: The Last Key has been released. It reads, "the creative minds behind the hit Insidious trilogy return for Insidious: The Last Key. In the supernatural thriller, which welcomes back franchise standout Lin Shaye as Dr. Elise Rainier, the brilliant parapsychologist faces her most fearsome and personal haunting yet: in her own family home."
The first Insidious was directed by Wan and it released in 2011, making $97 million worldwide from a modest $1.5 million budget. The 2013 sequel was an even bigger hit, earning $161 million, while Insidious: Chapter 3 arrived in 2015.
Recent Articles:
You are receiving this email because you opted in at our website.
Destiny 2 is finally out so we give deeper impressions on the game, and with Metroid: Samus Returns on the horizon we discuss Nintendo's big return in 2017.
(Produced in partnership with Activision) Special Guest Randy Couture joins Chastity to play Destiny 2 on launch day!
No comments:
Post a Comment