When a game reaches a certain point, after being iterated upon with expansion after expansion, you wonder when the support will run out.

For Destiny 2, the Witch Queen expansion, in my mind, was a real shot in the arm. The game had been struggling to really capture people’s attention up to that point and it needed a big win in order to steady the ship. That’s exactly what it got.

And throughout the past year that followed, a really intriguing story was built up, which began with the reveal in the expansion’s final cinematic as we learned more about the enigmatic Witness.

The payoff is sure to come in Lightfall, then, the next major expansion for Destiny 2 and the beginning of another epic chapter. The second arc in a concluding trilogy. But after coming off such a strong, gripping, and grueling campaign beforehand, Lightfall sadly feels quite timid, short, and a little bit underwhelming.

Actually, it feels like Bungie is holding onto its best content for later down the line. Which, ok fine, we’ve got seasons to run and time to kill and we know the final chapter in this arc obviously needs to go hard. But between some frustrating mission objectives, an enjoyable, but partly overcomplicated Strand system and just this sense of going through the motions, it’s starting to feel like Destiny 2 is a game that’s getting a little too wrapped up in itself.

This story is the conclusion to a decade long arc, and while that’s incredibly impressive, ambitious and very rare for any game in this day and age, new fans or returning players are probably going to feel pretty lost by the game’s systems, layered menus, sea of options and general story. It’s all a bit much unless you’ve been keeping up.

And even if you have, the story feels like a setup rather than a step up, which is so disappointing based on how good The Witch Queen was. The mission structure there was creative and intriguing, the story beats felt more impactful and mattered. With Lightfall, none of it really resonated with me.

Don’t get me wrong, I quite like the setting, which feels like a quirky mix of Dune, Cyberpunk and Deathloop, even if it all feels a bit desolate. And the initial concept of the Strand offers some really entertaining gameplay moments, topped off by a magnificent grapple system.

Yes, you heard right. Now you can now swing between platforms and bolt up to new heights! The Strand even goes further, letting you tangle up enemies, eradicating them with a big ball of energy. Or even pulling out an all powerful energy whip that’ll put the Belmonts to shame.

I continue to be impressed with how Bungie still keep the gameplay feeling enjoyable, yet maintain that entertaining core loop of fulfilling bounties, taking on live quests with random players and moving between story beats, all while gathering tons of neat loot. They’ve absolutely nailed that flow and the Strand does a great job of making your objectives feel mostly refreshing and compelling.

But as missions progress, it feels like they overcomplicate the system ever so slightly, adding one too many mechanics, then use it as a justification to flood your screen with enemies who never give you a second of respite. And that’s not even on the legendary difficulties. Vets are going to absolutely love the challenge, though.

Some of the enemies are tougher, more robust and take a real hiding unless you’re supercharged and using your prime abilities. And if you know Destiny, you know the cooldown and the wait time on these things isn’t short.

That said, the enemy variety isn’t especially inspiring – with many all too familiar faces – even though the new additions are an absolute blast to lock horns with.

For the most part, Bungie get the mission structure and objectives right here. The gameplay keeps you invested even if the story doesn’t, and I actually really love the idea of gradually learning more about The Strand with every mission. This is a smart way to introduce a new concept to players and help them learn about it in detail while attempting to master it.

There’s a few frustrating puzzles within the expansion’s later stages and with a reliance on jumping, despite how satisfying grappling is, you inevitably find yourself overswinging sometimes or not quite reaching the heights you need to.

Still, I had a good time with Lightfall, I still feel Destiny 2 is one of the most satisfying shooters on the market today and I’m intrigued to see how the rest of this season shakes out and what we’re being led towards.

The new Guardian Ranks implemented are also a really smart way of investing in your character, encouraging that replayability through seasons, and even helping new players try to get a footing, despite it all feeling a bit overwhelming to outsiders looking in.

The ranks themselves are earned by performing a series of objectives to familiarise yourself with the game, like taking down certain enemies, performing certain abilities, checking out the PVP options and visiting other planets and places. Some ranks do reset with each season to keep the objectives fresh, but all designed to keep you coming back for more and continue engaging with the story. A problem, I feel, the game has definitely suffered from in prior expansions once you completed the initial arc.

Smart as these features are, though, sadly, there’s no getting around the fact Lightfall holds back on the big moments and narratively feels thin. One or two scenarios do crop up, but none hit the emotional layers and levels past expansions have risen to, partly because I felt very limited connection to the characters.

That is disappointing, as The Witch Queen was a sound and solid, self-contained experience, with an enticing cliffhanger of what’s to come.

What’s clear is, if you want the good story, you’re going to have to keep playing through the year – which is no bad thing – and wait for that epic conclusion in 2024, The Final Shape. If you’re a semi-casual Destiny 2 player that just pops in when the new expansion drops, though, this all might feel quite underwhelming.

Verdict

Lightfall is a step down in quality from the excellent Witch Queen, even though it is still a very entertaining expansion. The Strand system is one of the most interesting gameplay mechanics Bungie have added to the game with incredibly satisfying grappling and explosive power moves, but they overcomplicate things just slightly in later missions and lather it with a wafer-thin story that’s definitely holding back its big moments for the next year. 

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Pros

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Destiny 2: Lightfall is now available on Xbox, PC and PlayStation

Played on PS5

Code Kindly Provided by Bungie