Future 2: Lightfall is out and we’ve all had a second to chew it over. Some components are a bit gristly whereas others are scrumptious morsels. Whereas we’ll proceed to chop and chunk into the endgame, there are some things which have piqued our curiosity during the last week or so. Be a part of us as we sink into our armchairs and take into consideration Future 2 on this week’s 7 Tower Ideas.
Defiant Battlegrounds have excellent add density
Earlier than we dive into our ideas on a few of Future 2: Lightfall’s present issues (not together with the marketing campaign which Invoice has aptly outlined), it’s essential to debate some good. I believe there’s a sandwich named after this system. The highest layer of this sandwich is the brand new Defiant Battlegrounds.
Just like Vanguard Strikes, Battlegrounds have gamers combat by means of waves of enemies, progress by means of a stage, and in the end combat a closing boss. Battlegrounds, nevertheless, appear to supply gamers with new mechanics and experiences not typically seen in your typical Strike. What’s extra, Bungie has nailed the enemy density and move of fight with the Defiant Battlegrounds, nearly to the purpose of being overwhelming.
I’ve totally loved the onslaught of enemies, particularly when coupled with the Warlock’s new Strand subclass. I wasn’t sure I used to be going to be pulled away from my Starfire Protocol Warlock, however my all-poison construct has a sure attraction to it as I watch the damage-over-time tick by means of the waves of provides.
The variety of enemies stands in stark distinction to the Patrol zones and authentic Strikes, which regularly really feel barren. Hopefully we proceed to see Bungie push Future 2 to its limits, giving gamers extra enemies on which to make use of our highly effective new instruments.
Nerfing of the Duality farm
Earlier this week a farming technique was found within the Duality dungeon. The primary boss might be lured off the sting of the map simply and reliably, and the loot ranged from Artifice armor to Ascendant Shards to Weapon Patterns. Sam and I hopped in and acquired underwhelming loot for our 20 minutes of farming. I believe I ended up with a single Ascendant Shard, a single piece of armor with a good stat roll (however trash in comparison with my present steady of Masterworked gear), and one Weapon Sample. I imply, that’s okay loot, however think about if that was from a single away from the complete Duality Dungeon on Grasp. Ouch.
I used to be somewhat stunned that Bungie killed the enjoyable so rapidly. Sam and I farmed on Tuesday, then it was useless lower than 24 hours later. Whereas I do know that it couldn’t be left in there endlessly, wouldn’t it actually damage to depart it in for a number of days? Give the common participant a number of golf balls (Ascendant Shards) they usually’ll begin buildcrafting. Give a Guardian a brand new weapon to craft and perhaps they step exterior the meta. It’s at all times rubbed me the unsuitable means the way it can take months to course right on one thing that harms or inconveniences gamers, and the way one thing that advantages gamers might be nuked from Orbit like Rasputin resurrected quicker than Esoterickk can solo flawless a GM.
Character Increase value
There was a hilarious and heartbreaking second between Sam and I when he was speaking to me about clearing the Lightfall marketing campaign on a second character. I requested why I’d do that once I might merely purchase the Character Increase for 200 Silver. Seems, I’m simply previous and misinterpret the associated fee. It’s not 200 Silver to skip the marketing campaign on a second or third character, it’s 2,000 Silver.
Proper now, 2,000 Silver prices $20 USD or $25 CAD. A Guardian who spent eight hours taking part in the lackluster Lightfall marketing campaign can save 16 further hours of grinding the marketing campaign for the low value of $40. You already know what, let’s fake you’re actually good on the marketing campaign now and you’ll clear it a second and third time in solely eight hours complete. Nonetheless, are you kidding me, Bungie?
I’m cool with paying larger than anticipated costs for ornaments, however charging by means of the nostril for skipping content material that individuals have already accomplished is shady and the oldsters chargeable for this could really feel unhealthy.
Commendations don’t really feel purposeful
It may be powerful to supply critique on a system, particularly one like Commendations. I don’t understand how Bungie ought to repair the present state of Commendations however what I do know is that it doesn’t really feel prefer it serves a objective in its present kind.
I might harp on about Commendations for in all probability a feature-length quantity of phrases, and I could do this, however let’s reduce to chase. Proper now, Commendations are tied to Guardian Ranks, which implies if you wish to enhance your little quantity beside your head, you want to beg, farm, or grind out Commendations. Your progress by means of Future 2 is anchored as to if some random participant remembers and even is aware of to offer you a Commendation.
I consider I do know why Bungie has applied Commendations. I’d wager it’s tied to the in-game LFG system that’s arriving someday sooner or later. It could give newer gamers an concept of the kind of particular person they’re about to observe by means of a few of Future 2’s pinnacle content material. However proper now, the one factor Commendations are doing is stopping veteran gamers from differentiating themselves from the gamers with a six beside their identify.
Buildcrafting
For each miss, Bungie delivers an enormous hit. For Future 2: Lightfall, the large hit is buildcrafting, particularly, loadouts. The brand new loadout system is mainly magic. I don’t know the way it works. I don’t perceive why it’s so quick. However with a click on of my mouse, I can immediately equip a sure subclass, armor setup, weapons, mods, and even cosmetics. The method is instantaneous.
Positive, you need to do a bit of labor to unlock all of them, however it’s price it. With the ability to save 10 utterly completely different builds, and change between them on the fly, is a game-changer. I’ve bought about 4 completely different Photo voltaic builds, every one with a barely completely different endgame setup ranging quick boss burning to at least one designed to do nothing however help my allies.
And whereas the mod system has been decreased and simplified, I have to admit it’s good to get again to fundamentals. I’ve needed to rethink some builds and retool others. It looks like foundational work and I hope Bungie will get kinda loopy with the way it evolves mods over time. Pour one out for Warmind Cells, although.
The subsequent reprised raid
Looking on the horizon, I can see one other raid. It’s far off, and it’s not clear what it’s, however it’s coming. Except Bungie does one thing dramatic, this can be Future 2’s final raid earlier than the large one with The Closing Form. What’s extra, the subsequent raid is ready to be a reprised raid – however which one?
I’m hanging my hopes on Wrath of the Machine. This was the ultimate raid launched for the unique Future and one I didn’t play almost as a lot because the others. After the success of King’s Fall, it will be incredible to have Bungie sort out one other massive one from the primary recreation. The one puzzling factor right here pertains to the enemies within the raid. What would Bungie do in regards to the Splicers?
There are some gamers who’re hoping for a Future 2 reprised raid. Personally, I believe that may be a miss. Positive, the Leviathan, Eater of Worlds, and Spire of Stars make sense because of the connection to Calus, however these are a lot newer. It’s higher for Bungie to deliver again actually previous content material as a substitute of one thing that many Future 2 gamers have already skilled. Plus, we’ve bought Vault of Glass and King’s Fall, why not cap it off? The one outlier right here is Crota’s Finish. Absolutely Bungie wouldn’t revive this as a raid in Future 2?
We’re going to fly by means of the Traveler, proper?
Lightfall has solely simply launched and we’re nonetheless a yr out from The Closing Form, however Future 2 will get me considering. We’ve spent so lengthy within the H.E.L.M., working above Earth to distance the ship and its suspicious contents from humanity, however now that we’re dealing with a literal portal within the Traveler, issues are beginning to add up.
Positive, everybody made it very clear that we should not have the expertise to journey by means of the portal. But. We’re little question engaged on it. Perhaps we revive Savathun and get speaking along with her about learn how to do it. However chances are high fairly excessive that we’re going to strap some form of wild tech to the entrance of the H.E.L.M. and use the corpse of the touring god as a portal to a different dimension.
That about does it for this installment of seven Tower Ideas. We’ve nonetheless bought extra issues we need to speak about, however these can wait till a later time. For now, we need to hear from you about a few of the matters we outlined right here. What do you consider loadouts or the pricing of character boosts? Do you assume Wrath of the Machine is coming again? How about our pursuit of the Witness? Be a part of us within the dialog under!
