Published , by Sam Chandler
Published , by Sam Chandler
Destiny 2: Shadowkeep is coming soon, and to celebrate its announcement, Bungie released a brand new ViDoc: Out of the Shadows. This 15 minute video covers a lot of changes coming to Destiny 2, as well as a way for new players to enter without the need to grind through 40 hours of content solo.
There’s a lot to unpack here. Plenty of coverage of Shadowkeep and what players will be doing on the moon. Talk of Eris Morn and the nightmares she’s somehow unleased. An updated armor system. New Exotics mentioned, and a way for new players to quickly get into the action.
New Light is a means for Destiny newcomers to dive into the Destiny 2 experience without the need to spend hours on end playing old content. This free feature allows new players jump from a fresh Guardian into endgame content in Destiny 2.
More details of how this works happened in the stream following the official reveal. Datto, a Destiny content creator, got to sit down with a bunch of developers and talk about Destiny 2, Shadowkeep, and New Light.
The stream revealed that New Light will be a free experience that takes new players from the Cosmodrome to the Tower and beyond. Players will get to play the first mission in Destiny where their Guardian is brought back to life by a Ghost. Players are then taken to the new Tower, where they can begin playing through almost everything Destiny 2 has to offer.
Though each destination is available to explore (even the Dreaming City), if they want to participate in the big Forsaken content, they will need to purchase that expansion. This means the Shattered Throne and Last Wish will be locked behind a pay-wall. However, this is an excellent way to get your friends addicted to your Destiny 2 habit.
One of the biggest features detailed in the ViDoc is a revamping of the armor system. Dubbed “Armor 2.0”, this system will allow players to truly craft the armor that they want. An example used in the video, and one we can all appreciate, is having a piece of gear we like the look of, but opting for another due to it having better perks. This just won’t do.
With Armor 2.0, you will be able to pick the perks for a piece of gear you like the look of. No more opting for an ugly helmet with a better roll. Mouse-over the perk slot and you will be treated with all the perks available to you.
Included in this new Armor 2.0 are Artifacts. These have been missing from Destiny since Rise of Iron, so it’s nice to see them returning. What’s more, Artifacts will come with various tiers of perks, with the highest tier being described as “Exotic-like” in their effect.
A few new Exotics were also featured in the ViDoc, including a bow, trace rifle, and a hand cannon. While none of these weapons had any name or details, we were able to see some of the effects they currently have.
The Heavy Combat Bow features a knock-back feature that sees enemies being pushed away from the epicentre of the impact. The trace rifle creates a giant crit-spot on enemies. I assume this will allow other players to deal critical damage to an enemy without needing to hit its tiny critical spot. The hand cannon has a scope and is basically a sniper rifle that shoots burning ammo.
Keep in mind, this is an early look at the Exotics and there’s no guarantee they’ll arrive in Shadowkeeper in their current state, if at all.
While not a lot was shown, it was revealed that the raid coming with Shadowkeep will be taking place in the Black Garden. Players familiar with the campaign of Destiny 1 will no doubt be pleased to hear they’ll be returning to the place where the Black Heart was destroyed. It was only a short snippet in the overall ViDoc, but it’s enough to whet the appetite. This also most likely means it’s a Vex-themed raid – though likely Taken.
It’s looking like Bungie has finally shed its shackles. No more PlayStation 4 exclusives. No more weirdness with Activision. Here’s hoping that the Destiny experience that Bungie delivers is more in-line with what the fans have been clamouring for. Now all we need to do is wait for the release of Destiny 2: Shadowkeep. Be sure to keep it locked to Shacknews, especially leading into E3 2019 where we might get some more info on the future of Destiny.