When it comes to live-service games, theDestinyfranchise is up there with some of the most popular and most lucrative.Destiny 2, in particular, made vast improvements on its predecessor, with a more finely tuned approach that elevated aspects of the originalDestinywhile still maintaining what players loved about it.Destiny 2’s story-driven campaign was a far cry from the slightly lackluster offering in the first game, and it gave players great villains to root against and allies to champion. Everything was turned up a notch, from voice performances and cutscenes to weapons and graphics. However, despite the improvements, some players still felt as if the content ofDestiny 2wasn’t all it could be.
Bungie listened, and after a slightly less-than-ideal release, the changes came thick and fast. SinceDestiny 2launched in 2017, Bungie has offered players a whole host of post-release content to keep fans entertained and to ensure the game keeps evolving and adapting. In between major expansions likeDestiny 2: ForsakenandDestiny 2: Beyond Light, Bungie released seasonal content and various updates to refresh the base game. Even though some seasonal missions and additional features have timed releases,Destiny 2is now bursting with content. However, a large focus of theDestinygames is the formation of Fireteams, with either three or six players to take on raids, strikes, and dungeons. However, not all gamers will startDestiny 2with a Fireteam of friends, and they might be wondering what major changes Bungie has made to improve solo play throughout the game.
Biggest Changes To Destiny 2’s Solo Play
Destiny 2may be structured in such a way that teaming up with other players to complete quests and tasks is encouraged, but that doesn’t mean that players who want to experience the game solo are cut out from the action. If gamers don’t have friends that they can team up with, and they want to join a Fireteam,Destiny 2added a new matchmaking featurecalled Guided Games that allows players to find clans who might be looking for additional party members for activities such as raids or strikes. This was a big improvement to what was on offer inDestinyand meant that there were fewer barriers for solo playes that only wanted to join up with other gamers for specific quests. However, not all activities have matchmaking yet, which can be frustrating sinceDestiny 2’s most challenging activities still require player support.
The world ofDestiny 2also feels less sparse than the environments of the first game. Whereas before NPCs only existed in social spaces, now non-player characters can be found in various locations if players choose to engage in a little exploration. This is encouraged through the free roam patrol mode, which not only features public events and activities that players can engage in but also NPCs that they can interact with. This can help to expand the lore ofDestiny 2, and for solo players, there is a lot to get to grips with and undertake alone. Once their light level is high enough, players are able to take on activities like dungeons by themselves, andpost-launch content like the Prophecy Dungeoneven has a unique reward for undertaking it solo.
With Bungie upping thebase power level up to 1,100, solo players can have instant access to major missions like the ones featured in theBeyond Light,Forsaken, andShadowkeepexpansions. While these are recommended for cooperative play, solo players are able to access this post-launch content and play through them like a campaign. This means that if they prefer to play alone or simply don’t have available allies to help them complete the missions, they are not locked out from these major activities. Players are recommended to have a higher power level if they want to solo certain missions like seasonal content, but it is possible.
How Destiny 2 Has Evolved Since Launch
One of thebiggest changes thatDestiny 2madeto help players and make things a little easier was to reduce the amount the power level cap rose with each new season during Year 4 updates. Instead of the previous increase of fifty to the cap, it was updated to ten. This made it much easier for players to reach the endgame and access additional content, particularly if they’re playing solo and might not be able to grind through quests quite as quickly compared to taking on activities with other players.
Gear is also a big barrier for players if they come up against more experienced Guardians or attempt to be as effective as possible totackleDestiny 2’s harder tasks solo. Bungie has made sure that players have access to a solid array of decent weapons early on, to not disadvantage newer or solo players in any way. Exotic gear, new mods, and a selection of weapons are available for players to purchase, so if a gamer is playing alone and doesn’t have access to certain modes or activities, they won’t miss out on gaining new gear.
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Perks Of Playing Destiny 2 Alone
While cooperative play is mandatory in some instances, there are still plenty of options when it comes toexperiencing activities alone inDestiny 2. Thanks toDestiny 2’s matchmaking adjustments, solo players can match with others to complete particular quests when needed, but can still choose to undertake others alone. Taking on Crucible modes alone doesn’t have to be a trial, either. Some of the available modes could work quite well for a gamer choosing to play solo, like Rumble – a chaotic all against all deathmatch mode. While most play inDestiny 2is team-based, some of the PvP modes don’t necessarily need players to work together to come out on top.
Solo players can still experience the story, explore the open worlds, and work through the quests without the help of other gamers. Playing alone could help players focus on the lore and worldbuilding to a greater extent, potentially getting more out of the experience as theyundertake all thatDestiny 2has to offer. While leveling and gaining gear might take a little longer, it’s by no means impossible. The slower process might even make players feel like they’ve earned it more, gaining a greater sense of achievement once they reach the level caps. PvP and multiplayer may beDestiny 2’s main focus, but there is still a lot of content for players to consume like campaign missions and Lost Sectors if they want to avoid that as much as possible.
Destiny 2is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Stadia, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
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