Destiny 2has made its base game as free-to-play for newcomers to the franchise, providing a revamped opening called New Light as a way for new players to dip their toes into the overall experience. This was done in response to feedback that the game’s overwhelming story and mechanics were challenging for those unfamiliar with its looter shooter play style. WithDestiny 2’sLightfall expansion just around the corner and its new Darkness subclass, Strand, newcomers may be experiencing the best the game has to offer.
New Light launched in October 2019, changing the beginning ofDestiny 2from theRed War campaignby reintroducing the first story mission from the originalDestiny.When new players finished this mission, finding a ship, they took off for the Tower to begin the Red War and its subsequent story expansions. With Beyond Light, those story missions were vaulted, with New Light taking new players further into the Cosmodrome for a more fleshed-out origin story for the game.
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A New Subclass for Veterans and New Players to Explore Simultaneously
DespiteDestiny 2being free-to-play for newcomers and its New Light intro doing a decent job, there’s still a learning curve that many new players find themselves thrust into. This can come in the form of Power Level caps along with purchasing their suite of Light powers from Ikora Ray in the Tower. At this point inDestiny 2’s lifespan, thousands of veteran players have created specific builds and play styles with their favoriteLight and Darkness subclasses.
Destiny 2’s Beyond Light, like the upcoming Lightfall, introduced the firstDarkness subclass, Stasis. When this was released, new and old players alike had to learn the subclass, putting them on equal footing in the unique Aspects and Fragments system. Furthermore, regardless of playtime, all players were given the same options in grinding out the remaining Fragment quests that came with Stasis.
With Strand in Lightfall, the playing field will return to equality for new and old players as they learn to master this unique power of Darkness. Strand will see Guardians manipulating the very threads of reality, features Bungie developers have cited as akin to seeing the Matrix. AllDestiny 2players will be granted the Strand grappling hook, able to anchor it to any surface, including thin air, as they maneuver their way through the newNeptunian city of Neomuna.
How Lightfall’s Strand May Involve Solutions to Destiny 2’s Jumping Puzzles
Destiny 2has no shortage of parkour elements that Guardians can utilize with their unique jumps that grant boosts or directional control. Many dungeons and raids, such asKing’s Fall, are also known for their complex jumping mechanics that require players to scale massive walls or soar distances utilizing those jumps in creative ways to survive. These unique mechanics often involve puzzles for players to continue through the Dungeon or Raid, which may be inaccessible to new players.
However, the newest trailer for Lightfall demonstrated a unique quality of Strand that can open near-endless possibilities in group play. In the trailer, audiences witness a Hunter grappling a Titan using Thundercrash to fly around the Neptunian map. This makes sense when recalling Strand can manipulate the fabric of the universe, allowing traversal to take new and exciting heights for all players.
If this feature is prominent in Lightfall, new players still learning the tricks of the trade to their class jumps can count on their teammates to help them through the rougher jumping puzzles. Not only will this benefit new players and their patience, as well as survival in many instances, but it can decrease the time it takes to complete saidDestiny 2activities if weaker jumpers can essentially piggyback off of other Guardians. Overall,Strand subclassespromise to be engaging and fun for newcomers to experience the best of whatDestiny 2has to offer.
Destiny 2is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Stadia, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
