GHOST STORIES
It was a mistake to refer to Destiny 2 and its ilk as ‘games-as-aservice’. ‘Service’ implies consistency and a smooth user experience. Destiny 2 is something else. Destiny 2 is games-as-an-infrastructure – a subway system that gradually builds into something bigger and more sprawling; that needs to be constantly maintained; that will sometimes keep you waiting because such projects are complicated and the people running them can’t do everything at once.
With Shadowkeep, Bungie is redrawing the map. The expansion adds a revitalised tourist destination – the Moon, returning from the first Destinywith a handful of new attractions and a fresh coat of paint – but also spearheads a more fundamental shift in purpose. A series of small tweaks and changes that add up to something that feels at once far-reaching and, paradoxically, not as dramatic as it first seems.
As an environment the Moon is dripping with atmosphere
Players return to the Moon in search of campaign manages to highlight both the best and worst of Bungie’s storytelling. The specific objectives are tiresomely monologued by Eris before you head out; the mystical technobabble ensuring I rarely ever know what I’m actually doing. The broad strokes are that you need to forge a new, special armour set, but the delivery is rendered obtuse thanks to the density of arcane Hive rituals and mystical MacGuffins.
