Immortals Fenyx Rising Gets Footage From PS5, Xbox Series X/S, And Switch Versions
Time sure does fly, doesn't it? It's almost December in this year of 2020 already. Despite being a terrible year that has moved at the speed of slow and painful death, it still feels like we shouldn't be there quite yet. Well, anyway, it's also a time when some companies release their last big titles of the year. Ubisoft is doing so with Immortals Fenyx Rising, a game they just gave a full-on anime trailer to, and today we got a lot of footage from the many, many platforms the game is releasing on.
Today several different sources uploaded footage from the game. What's somewhat unique is we actually have a lot of video from a variety of platforms, as opposed to just one or PC as is usually the case. For instance, we over a full hour of the game running on the Xbox Series X via YouTuber Cow Town, as well a little footage from the Series S version from Tennek127. GameXplain maybe got the biggest chunk as they not only got 20 full minutes of the Switch version, they also got to do a direct comparison to the PS5 version, which gives you an idea of what it will look like on the next gen hardware or on the go. Big thanks to all of those for providing the footage below.
Overall, I would say all versions look pretty good. Even the Switch version, taking an obvious hit visually, still looks decent and seems to run well. The game is also set to release for PS4, Xbox One, PC and Stadia, though no direct footage from those seem to be out in the wild just yet. The game will release on December 3rd across all those platforms. You can also read up on the post-launch DLC plans through here.
PS5 Moved Over 43,000 Units In Spain For Launch Week; Xbox Series X/S Cleared Over 14,100
This month was a big one for both Sony and Microsoft. They entered into a new generation of consoles with the PS5, Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S. It seems that both launches went well for them with Sony saying the PS5 was their biggest console launch ever and Microsoft saying the Series X/S was also their largest console launch ever. Today we got some numbers from Spain to kind of zoom in to see specifically what it did for that region.
As reported by Vandal, the PS5 moved roughly 43,000 units in the region with a split of 38,000 for the disc version and 5,000 for the digital edition. Microsoft's numbers were around 14,100 with splits going 10,500 for the Series X and 3,600 for Series S.
While the numbers look stark between the two, this is pretty in line with previous systems. As Vandal outlines, Microsoft has moved almost the exact same amount with the last two generations with the Xbox One clearing 15,000 and the Xbox 360 falling just short of that with 14,900.
Sony is about the same, but overall there is an upward trajectory for them. The PS5 actually had a slightly better launch week than the last three generations with 38,000 for the PS4, 35,000 for the PS3 and 40,000 for the PS2. Probably the biggest outliner is the PSP that sold 54,000, which is…pretty random. Big thanks to the folks at ResetERA for translations on that.
In general, Sony has always had a bigger foothold in Europe so the lopsided numbers aren't that surprising, and of course, this is only launch week in a single region, so it doesn't mean a whole lot in the broad scheme of things. However, in Spain, it looks like this gen will probably play out in similar fashion to the last.
Microsoft Flight Simulator's Next World Update In January Focuses On The UK
The return of the Flight Simulator series was a bright spot for many in the pile of trash year that was 2020. With incredible graphics and uncanny attention to detail, many people used it as a virtual escape into the skies above. It seems to have been a big success for Microsoft and developer Asobo Studios, and there is more to come.
One of the key selling points for the game is its gorgeous recreations of places via real world mapping systems. While it's not perfect or complete, they have been slowly adding to it. For instance, they have added some to Japan as well as the United States, the latter of which was the focus of the last big update. On an official Twitch stream, the team talked about the third World update, saying it will focus on the UK. They plan to add 50-60 new points of interest from Britian, Scotland, Ireland and Wales.
Microsoft Flight Simulator is available now on PC. The UK update will come in January of next year. The game is also set to come to Xbox consoles at some point, but as of now no time frame exists.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Director Is Impressed By PS5's SSD, But Wants More Storage Space
The Super Smash Bros. series has become something of a legendary series in the world of gaming. Beginning as a simple enough concept of Nintendo characters crossing over for a brawl, it's evolved into something of a celebration of gaming's history. The latest entry, Ultimate, has sold nearly 20 million copies, making it one of Nintendo's biggest franchises. In something of a fun real life crossover, its Director has some thoughts on the PS5.
Writing for Weekly Famitsu, Masahiro Sakurai revealed that he was one of those lucky enough to nab a PS5 at launch. He talked in length about the system, and overall, he seems to be pretty happy with the console. He specifically talks about being impressed by the SSD and the speed of playing games, saying, "Using [the console], I thought every action was quick and nimble. Even when loading, depending on the situation, it was surprisingly speedy. The feeling of this rhythm was wonderful."
The only complaints he has is that he wished the system had a folder system and, probably the one many had pre-launch and post-launch, was the lack of storage in the system. If you're unaware, the PS5 has a custom 825 GB SSD with only about 664 GB of usable space. Sakurai has already almost filled up his console with previous PS4 games, and just wants more. Big thanks to Kotaku for translating.
Of course, you can point out the irony here that Sakurai works exclusively with Nintendo, whose Switch isn't renowned for its robust storage. But you know, I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that the Smash Bros. Director wasn't exactly expressing deep critique or concern by any means, and he seems to be pretty happy with his PS5, so you know, just take it for what it is.
Final Fantasy 14 – Patch 5.4 Releases on December 8th, Emerald Weapon Revealed
Square Enix has confirmed the Final Fantasy 14 Announcement Showcase for February 2021 where, presumably, it will announce the next big expansion. In the meantime, current players can look forward to patch 5.4 "Futures Rewritten" which adds a hefty amount of new content. Check out the trailer below to see it in action.
There's quite a bit going on story-wise. The Edens Verse raid will be coming to a close and a new Trial "Castrum Marinum" will also be available. Perhaps the coolest part of the patch is the addition of Emerald Weapon from Final Fantasy 7. It's known simply as Emerald here but possesses plenty of destructive power.
The new patch will be available for Final Fantasy 14: Shadowbringers players, which requires owning the expansion. It's available for PS4 and PC currently. New players are encouraged to play the free trial especially with much of the base game having a lot of its tedious content removed or streamlined. Stay tuned for more details on what's coming next as we head into the new year.
Final Fantasy 14 Announcement Showcase Confirmed for February 5th 2021
Final Fantasy 14 players have plenty to look forward to in December with patch 5.4. However, Square Enix has confirmed an announcement showcase for the MMO on February 5th 2021. It will be streamed at 5:30 PM PT/8:30 PM ET in both Japanese and English and promises some "cool things."
It seems a given that the developer will be announcing its next paid expansion for the game. After all, Shadowbringers released in June 2019 and was announced in November 2018. If this year's Fan Fest hadn't been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it's likely that the next expansion would have been announced there.
Even if it's been pushed forward because of this, the latest patch should keep fans busy until then. For new players, Final Fantasy 14: A Realm Reborn is currently available for PS4 and PC. It has a free trial that allows for playing up to level 60 and experiencing the first expansion, Heavensward. Stay tuned for more details in the meantime.
We've got something else in store…
Introducing the #FFXIV Announcement Showcase!
We'll be announcing cool things
Join us on Feb. 5 at 5:30 p.m. (PST) / Feb. 6 at 1:30 (GMT)! pic.twitter.com/HuAlOqhlvL
— FINAL FANTASY XIV (@FF_XIV_EN) November 27, 2020
Cyberpunk 2077 – 15 New Things You Should Know
We've spoken a lot about Cyberpunk 2077 in recent weeks, but as you'd expect from a game of this size and scope, there's just so much to talk about. There's still quite a few tidbits of info and details on CDPR's massive RPG that we haven't yet discussed, and in this feature, we're going to be taking a look at a few such things.
DYNAMIC CUTSCENES
Cyberpunk 2077 being a purely single player game is a decision that has been controversial with many, but CD Projekt RED are using that to do some interesting things with how they tell the game story. Specifically, it seems like cutscenes are going to be a lot more dynamic. During conversations with characters, players will still have control of the camera, and will be able to look around for signs of potential trouble or other points of interest in the vicinity. Interacting with these things could dynamically alter the cutscene and how it progresses.
CONVERSATIONS
Conversations with characters in Cyberpunk 2077, it seems, are going to flow a lot more organically than we're all used to in RPGs. Rather than walking up to a character and pressing an action button to initiate a conversation, when you approach someone, you'll automatically get some dialogue choices on your screen to begin talking to them. It may seem like a tiny detail, but we expect it'll be one among several details that will work together to constantly keep players immersed in the game's world.
JOHNNY SILVERHAND
There's still so much about Cyberpunk 2077's story that we don't yet know, but one thing that CDPR have made abundantly clear that Johnny Silverhand, played by Keanu Reeves, is going to be a crucial element in the narrative. The former rockerboy has been technically dead for decades by the time the game's events kick off, but he's more than just a Navi-like companion character. He has his own motivations and goals, and they may not always align with your own. How V chooses to react to Silverhand and whether or not you trust him will be shaped by how you play the game and what decisions you make in the story.
MORE JOHNNY SILVERHAND DETAILS
As Cyberpunk 2077's story progresses, the biochip known as the Relic in V's head will slowly begin taking them over, essentially replacing their personality with Johnny Silverhand's- and you're actually going to get to play as Silverhand at times as well. From what we understand so far, these missions are going to be story-specific, and will be limited to memories and flashback where you'll be embodying the former Samurai rockstar, blasting enemies and making choices. Will we be taking part in some of the crucial moments from the tabletop game, such as Silverhand's role in the Fourth Corporate War, or how he joined the Central American conflict? That remains to be seen, but the potential is certainly there for some interesting storytelling.
STEALING VEHICLES
Owing to Cyberpunk 2077's open world nature and its setting in a vast, futuristic metropolis, it makes sense that players are excited about the possibilities of sandbox-style open world mayhem. But though the game will technically allow you to go on GTA-style rampages, you're going to have to work for that- this is still an RPG, after all. For instance, you'll have to unlock and invest in different skills to be able to steal or break into cars in different ways. The Body stat, for example, will allow you to throw NPCs driving cars out of their vehicles, while the Technical stat will govern how well you can hack into stationary cars. In the beginning, you won't have the ability to steal cars whatsoever.
29 CAR MODELS
We're excited to see what designs and aesthetics CD Projekt RED come up with for the vehicles that will be populating Night City in Cyberpunk 2077 given its futuristic cyberpunk setting, and so far, it definitely seems like the game won't be lacking in variety. In total, the game will have 29 different models, but each of these will also have several variants of their own. These variants supposedly won't just be reskins either, with different elements such as unique windshields and display screens, mine detectors, infrared sensors, and more differentiating the vehicles.
EXTENSIVE CUSTOMIZATION
Based on everything that CDPR have said about Cyberpunk 2077's character creator and customization toolsets, it's clear that players are going to have a ridiculous amount of options at their disposal, even in terms of some truly granular details. More recently, for instance, it was revealed that players will be able to change and customize even tiny little things such as the style of V's teeth, or the length of their fingernails. We're still wondering why those details will matter in a game that's exclusively first person (especially V's teeth), but hey- it's always nice to have more options.
COMPANIONS
Being an RPG (and one made by CDPR, no less), Cyberpunk 2077 is slated to feature a sizeable cast of potential companion characters, but how friendly (or not) they are to V is going to depend largely on your choices as a player. Building strong relationships with characters and making the right choices will open up more story missions with them, as you'd expect, but even small, passive choices such as ignoring conversations with them will mean that those story missions won't open up for you. On top of that, companion characters aren't guaranteed to be your friends forever- make the wrong choices, and you might even make enemies out of them.
DESTRUCTIBLE ENVIRONMENTS
While there's a large focus on stats and progression like you'd expect from an RPG of this size, Cyberpunk 2077, with its FPS combat, also places plenty of emphasis on the immediate action. In combat, for instance, it seems environments and their destructibility are going to be a big focus. From destroying assets in the environment to destructible cover to bullet decals on surfaces to even shooting water pipes and seeing water sprout out, environments in the game will be quite reactive to combat encounters.
LANGUAGES
Cyberpunk 2077 is a massively anticipated game, and players from all regions of the world are looking forward to getting their hands on it. That's going to be reflected in its dubbing as well. The game will have full voice dubs across multiple languages, including English, Polish, Japanese, Portuguese, German, French, Chinese, Italian, Spanish, and Russian, with full lip syncing across all 10 languages.
ACCESSIBILITY
It's been pleasing to see recent major releases taking major steps toward becoming more accessible experiences, with the likes of The Last of Us Part 2 and Assassin's Creed Valhalla boasting several accessible features. With Cyberpunk 2077 CD Projekt RED have confirmed that the game will at least feature the option to change the colour and font size of any and all text that appears on-screen- which is a start. Whether or not we can expect more extensive accessibility features remains to be seen.
TWO BLU-RAY DISCS ON PS4
In case you hadn't caught on, Cyberpunk 2077 is going to be an absolutely massive game, with a plethora of activities spread across a large, dense world, making for a game with dozens upon dozens of gameplay hours. On the PS4, in fact, the game's physical version will actually ship on two separate Blu-ray discs.
NOT PLANNED FOR XBOX GAME PASS
Given Cyberpunk 2077's marketing partnership with team Xbox, many have been wondering whether the game will launch on Xbox Game Pass as well, especially since there's been so many major releases in recent months that have done so. That, however, doesn't seem to be the case, with CDPR having said that they don't plan on putting the game on Microsoft's subscription service. Whether or not the game will eventually join Game Pass, especially since The Witcher 3 did make its way into the catalog, remains to be seen.
PC REQUIREMENTS (4K)
Cyberpunk 2077's PC requirements have been known for some time now, but with its launch approaching, CD Projekt RED recently unveiled requirements for more graphical settings as well. On 4K (without ray-tracing), you'll need 16 GB RAM, either an i7-4790 or a Ryzen 5 3600, along with either an RTX 2080S, an an RTX 3070, or an RX 6800 XT.
PC REQUIREMENTS (RTX)
Meanwhile, If you want to play with ray-tracing enabled on minimum settings, you'll need either an i7-4790 or a Ryzen 3 3200G, with an RTX 2060 and 16 GB of RAM. For 1440p with ray-tracing, you'll need 16 GB RAM, either an i7-6700 or Ryzen 5 3600, and an RTX 3070. Finally, for the highest possible setting, which will see the game running in 4K with ray-tracing enabled, you'll need 16 GB of RAM, an RTX 3080, and either an i7-6700 or a Ryzen 5 3600.
12 Video Game Trends That Must End With The PS5 And Xbox Series X/S
The next-generation of console gaming has officially arrived with the Xbox Series X/S and PS5 now available worldwide. And while some things will seemingly never change, there are a few trends that we'd like to see die off in the coming years. Let's take a look at 12 of them here.
Triple-A Games with Microtransactions
It's been said multiple times, even before triple-A titles inevitably raised their prices to $70. But having microtransactions in a full priced game, even if they're optional or cosmetic, just feels excessive, whether it's Watch Dogs: Legion, Marvel's Avengers or NBA 2K21. And now that games cost more, it's all the more irritating to see some publishers – like Take Two Interactive and Activision – jump through hoops to justify price increases while continuing to peddle microtransactions. Though unlikely, one can hope that triple A titles are free of such nonsense in the new generation.
Grand Theft Auto 6 – 15 Features That Should be Added
Rockstar Games' Grand Theft Auto Online and Red Dead Online continue to survive but it's not long before its next major single-player title releases. Rumors indicate that it's Grand Theft Auto 6 and though we know nothing about it, there's plenty we'd like to see in it. Let's take a look at 15 such features here.
A Brand New City
Despite all of the great memories they offered, Los Santos, San Andreas, Vice City and Liberty City all had their time to shine. It's time to move the series to a brand new city. Atlantic City wouldn't be too bad, especially given its history with Prohibition and the mob. San Antonio is also a decent option given its abundance of Fortune 500 companies and facilities for US Armed Forces, which would be well-suited for heists and jet theft alike.
Destiny 2: Beyond Light Review – Darkness of Slumber
It's been six years or so since Destiny first released but I've never stopped expecting some kind of nonsense from the franchise. Beyond Light, the new "expansion" for Destiny 2, isn't quite peak nonsense but there's more than enough annoying things going. As with last year's Shadowkeep, the expansion has some interesting things going on and there's definitely some fun to be had. But it's also hamstrung by busy work, grinding, recycled content, a shallow loot pool and much more.
First off, this review will not take Season of the Hunt or the new Cosmodrome into account. The latter is part of the new player experience and is utterly lacking in loot or worthwhile activities. For veterans, this is a decent bit of nostalgia but isn't even fully complete and imminently forgettable aside from the recycled Omnigul strike (which makes some admittedly good changes in the last section). The former adds a really cool mechanic for shaping encounters and the rewards received from them while resurrecting Uldren as Crow, now a Guardian under Spider's thumb. It's not bad so far though, again, charging the lure for said encounters without having any new activities to grind is a bummer.
"It sounds good enough as set-up and there's some moral turmoil for the player, what with their being a servant of the Light but still indulging in Darkness for their own ends."
But enough about that – let's talk about Beyond Light. It starts with the Darkness consuming many of the planets in the Sol system and beckoning the player to Europa. Once there, they rescue Variks from the new House of Darkness, led by Eramis. Eramis is harnessing Darkness in the form of Stasis and has forsaken the Traveler, driven by rage from the Eliksni being abandoned all those years ago. The Exo Stranger reappears and gets involved as well, helping the player harness Stasis and ultimately stop Eramis before she can lead the house in a war against the Traveler.
It sounds good enough as set-up and there's some moral turmoil for the player, what with their being a servant of the Light but still indulging in Darkness for their own ends. Ghost's worries on this are also nice, reflecting a shaky resolve while still being committed to their Guardian. Unfortunately, any significant plot development on the Darkness, what the Pyramids really are, what they want etc is slowly cast by the wayside. Instead, it's about hunting Eramis's various lieutenants before ultimately defeating her. This boils down to performing some task in the open world that has a lieutenant notice you and proceeding to their mission to eliminate them.
It's not all that different from Forsaken's Scorn Barons but those had far more interesting motifs and missions. As such, the various Beyond Light bosses range from decent – like Phylaks and the shifting platforms – to annoying, namely Praksis and his shield generators. Each encounter has the player utilizing the new Stasis subclasses with rapid cooldowns in the end stretch, spamming Supers for some epic moments. It's nice at first but becomes over-used with time. Eramis herself is a decent villain but doesn't have much room to really shine, serving as little more than your standard monster of the week. The one cutscene providing a glimpse into Eliksni society after the Traveler's abandonment was neat but ultimately failed to build sympathy for Ms. Vengeance. All in all, the core campaign is wrapped in just a few hours.
"During and after the campaign though, you'll quickly frequent the same spaces – I've seen enough Riis Reborn to last me until next season and the lack of other landing zones to quickly fast-travel around is incredibly annoying."
However, the really interesting story bits come in the post-campaign as we learn more about the Exo Stranger, Clovis Bray's research on Europa and how both came to utilize Darkness. As more activities became available following the launch of the Deep Stone Crypt raid, it's genuinely interesting to see the Stranger's relationship with Ana Bray and Clovis evolve. Once again, the coolest stories can be found in the lore but watching these relationships evolve in-game is fairly compelling. Unfortunately, there's quite a bit of busywork needed to get to this story content but such is the Destiny way.
A new "expansion" means a new destination. From an aesthetic standpoint, Europa looks very cool. The frozen landscapes, pristine BrayTech labs hidden beneath and imposing Pyramid in the distance are balanced well with the usual great sky-boxes and dynamic snowstorms. Those snowstorms distinguish this from being a mere Plaguelands reskin, throwing off the momentum of your Sparrow and obscuring your vision when things get real heavy (but not for very long). The map's weaknesses are quickly exposed however, namely in its long stretches between areas that necessitate boring back and forth.
This isn't to say there aren't a few secrets, Lost Sectors, Public Events or High Value Targets. Each zone has a decent amount of stuff going on but only just. During and after the campaign though, you'll quickly frequent the same spaces – I've seen enough Riis Reborn to last me until next season and the lack of other landing zones to quickly fast-travel around is incredibly annoying.
"All in all, Stasis is a pretty cool new addition to the game, introducing some strong crowd-control options."
Mission design is also fairly routine, though the Stealing Stasis and Exo Challenge missions were a nice change of pace. There are also Legendary Lost Sectors, which provide Exotic drops and some genuinely harrowing experiences against Champions while solo. There's also an expansive area in BrayTech Labs with its gorgeous aesthetic and flying trams.
The constant back-tracking is one thing but it's the incessant busywork that ultimately dragged the experience down. Even if you're not trying to get raid-ready, many of the post-campaign quests simply boil down to "gather X amount of this", "get Y amount of kills", "play this many strikes with the Stasis subclass equipped," "shoot this many shards with this weapon that requires a separate quest" and so on with multiple steps. My personal favorite was the "affect targets with Stasis" requirement being different from "killing enemies with shatter damage." Basically, freezing enemies is one thing but following up with the kill while they're frozen or killing them with the resulting exploding shards is another thing. Have fun killing Champions with Stasis as well.
All in all, Stasis is a pretty cool new addition to the game, introducing some strong crowd-control options. The Shadebinder Warlock was my go-to and being able to kill basic enemies with Stasis projectiles while freezing and then detonating them on larger foes was nice. I like the customization aspect as well, like the Frozen Bolts Aspect sending off freezing, seeking waves of Stasis to the next enemy after killing a Stasis-affected foe or the Fragment that increased weapon damage upon shattering a target. Unfortunately, unlocking Aspects and Fragments is tied to even more busywork. Even with so many Fragments to work towards, the number of requirements – like 90 final blows with your Super, 80 final blows with shatter damage etc – just feel so mundane and rote.
"Getting hit by projectiles and getting instantly frozen, especially in the fight with Eramis while trying to use your Super, is annoying."
The busywork would be less noticeable if there was more substantial content to sink your teeth into like new PvP maps, new Strikes, a new Blind Well or Escalation Protocol-style activity and so on. But there's only one new Strike, a new public event with Crux Convergence (which is fine, all in all) and Legendary Lost Sectors. Variks' Empire Hunts recycle missions from the campaign but at least you can replay them on higher difficulties (unlocked through more busywork, by the way) for a chance at upgrade materials and the new Cloudstrike Exotic sniper.
The Glassway Strike is also decent and offers some nice lore on Clovis Bray but offers many of the same Vex and Fallen foes that you've fought thousands of times already. The Vex Wyvern is a good new addition alongside the Fallen Brig, which is essentially a smaller Insurrection Prime from the Scourge of the Past raid. Not that I'm complaining – more variety is desperately needed at this point.
Also, I should mention that while freezing enemies in PvE is cool (no pun intended), being frozen by enemies just sucks. Certain attacks, like those that slow while building up to a frozen status are fine. But getting hit by projectiles and getting instantly frozen, especially in the fight with Eramis while trying to use your Super, is annoying. You have to mash the Class Ability button to escape and if your Resilience isn't high enough, then you're often left low enough to be finished off. At least Bungie has addressed complaints of freezing in the Crucible, though it's still not going to win any fans with the ability to freeze/slow opponents for easy kills.
"Some perks like Wellspring and Killing Wind are nice and allow for even more build customization but there just isn't a whole lot outside of the raid that's worth chasing."
Loot is a rather interesting topic. Bungie's Exotic design is very well done with very few hiccups. There's the Exotic sword Lament which can be revved up to cut through Champions, Elites and even Ultras with insane damage. Salvation's Grip is a nice little Stasis grenade launcher, though it doesn't offer much more beyond that. No Time to Explain retains its ability to return ammo to the magazine with precision hits (but to Stasis-affected enemies) and can now also create a time rift for additional damage. Whether it's the new raid rocket launcher Eyes of Tomorrow, the Dawn Chorus helm or Necrotic Grip gauntlets, there's a decent amount to like here.
When it comes to Legendaries and other loot, the overall picture is much less positive. The expansion's launch was permeated with a dearth of new Legendaries and an overabundance of loot recycled from previous years, except with a new Power cap. Some weapons and armor didn't even receive new Power caps and were just plain useless (which currently still applies to items from Forsaken and Shadowkeep). Bungie addressed this by removing Legendaries that reached their Power cap this season while also bringing back Season of the Worthy and Season of Arrivals weapons. Some perks like Wellspring and Killing Wind are nice and allow for even more build customization but there just isn't a whole lot outside of the raid that's worth chasing.
On the bright side, at least the raid is a fun affair. The Scanner, Operator and Suppressor mechanics allow for well-paced encounters that reward coordination without being too rigid and can accommodate a number of different loadouts and builds. The aesthetic is also great, whether it's navigating through the snowstorm on sparrows or traipsing around in space, taking in Europa's beauty from orbit. And while some may criticize the return of a particular Fallen with no house, the boss fights were fairly well done.
"The process of hitting the soft cap, constantly farming weekly challenges and bounties for Powerful and Pinnacle Gear, and increasing one's Power is still the same and still grindy."
It also doesn't hurt that a decent chunk of the weapons, like the raid shotgun, are good with their own unique perks like Recombination, where elemental final blows increase the damage of the weapon's next shot. This synchronizes quite well with my IKELOS SMG, allowing for a huge damage build-up after clearing waves of enemies. Being able to farm Spoils of Conquest and pick different rewards at the end is also a welcome change.
That being said, is it worth grinding through dozens of hours of monotonous tasks just to experience the raid? Sure, it was a fun experience but I didn't feel it was worth all of that time spent. The process of hitting the soft cap, constantly farming weekly challenges and bounties for Powerful and Pinnacle Gear, and increasing one's Power is still the same and still grindy. You'll also grind for Enhancement Cores, Ascendant Shards and Enhancement Prisms, doing the same activities over and over again just for the sake of being strong enough to do the raid. Again, that would have been fine if a huge chunk of the game hadn't been vaulted or Beyond Light added more than it did. But alas.
There's a long series of "ifs" and "howevers" when it comes to recommending this expansion to all but the most loyal of Destiny players, and even they may balk at some of the underwhelming content on offer. As the case has always been though, if you're playing Destiny 2 on the regular, then experiencing Beyond Light is a given.
"Much of the content just feels too safe, comfortably numb within the franchise's style of story-telling and end-game grinding."
If you're a lapsed player wondering if it's a good idea to hop back in, eager to see if the story has progressed at more than a snail's pace, then it might be worth holding off for now and grabbing it on sale. The same applies to new players who are better off experiencing the base free to play game before deciding to take the plunge.
The fundamentals of Destiny 2 haven't changed in Beyond Light. Gunplay is still satisfying, and the music and art direction are pretty good. But much of the content just feels too safe, comfortably numb within the franchise's style of story-telling and end-game grinding. There are some bright spots to be had but for now, it's best to consider Beyond Light as yet another beginning in yet another year for Destiny, one that will hopefully culminate in a more satisfying expansion next year.
This expansion was reviewed on PC.