Rising’s Fresh Start Gives It One Advantage Over Destiny 2

Destiny: Rising isn’t aiming to be a typical Destiny game on mobile. In fact, it has essentially been confirmed to be a gacha game similar to Genshin Impact. While this might feel like a bit of a sharp turn for longtime Destiny veterans, Destiny: Rising may still have something going for it that the mainline Destiny games never have.

With Destiny: Rising having a fresh start and even taking place in an alternate universe, it has the opportunity to do something with its narrative that the mainline games have been unable to do since the series began in 2014. Specifically, the overarching narrative of Destiny has always lacked a personal touch due to the player character being nothing more than a glorified weapon. Destiny: Rising may be changing that by giving each playable character more personality.

Related

Every Destiny: Rising Feature Confirmed So Far

Destiny: Rising will feature many new gameplay and multiplayer elements on top of several returning features from both Destiny 1 and 2.

Destiny: Rising’s Definitive Storytelling Gives It an Advantage Over Destiny 2

Destiny 2’s Unnamed Player Character Comes With Narrative Downsides

Destiny has certainly had a narrative going on both behind the scenes and on the stage since 2014 — one that is often even more fleshed out as players discover lore entries throughout the game’s world that they can read at any time. However, as far as the player character goes, who has always been soullessly referred to as “Guardian,” they are little more than a tool necessary for driving back the forces that threaten Destiny‘s world. As such, there is rarely any character development for the Guardian, and if there is, it means very little to the overarching story.

From one perspective, simply naming the player character “Guardian” works well for an open-ended multiplayer game like Destiny or Destiny 2, as it doesn’t force a specific background, personality, or name onto players and allows every player to feel like they are an equal and essential part of quelling the major conflict at hand. This approach also allows role-playing enthusiasts to shape their own identity and play Destiny using their head canon as a foundation for each game’s narrative. However, this also means that the story lacks character-specific development, emotions, and responses, which might have otherwise given each story more substance and ultimately struck a greater chord with its audience.

Destiny: Rising’s Player Character and Ghost Have Names

In contrast to the mainline Destiny games, Destiny: Rising‘s playable heroes and their Ghosts all have names, thereby giving the impression that there will be a greater focus on developing their character arcs than has been on the Guardian’s arc in Destiny and Destiny 2. Depending on whether Destiny: Rising chooses to go this direction, the upcoming mobile game’s story could have a more personal touch to it than the mainline Destiny series has been able to maintain, although those games have not been without plenty of emotional moments involving characters like Cayde-6, Amanda Holliday, and even the player’s Ghost in the main story for Destiny 2‘s latest expansion, The Final Shape.

Speaking of the player’s Ghost, although the Guardian-Ghost bond is often spoken of in the mainline Destiny series, it still doesn’t have as much impact when the Ghost is in trouble, since the Guardian’s character is hardly developed throughout the series. With named playable characters and Ghosts in Destiny: Rising, the mobile game may be able to have more at stake, so long as it chooses to flesh out these characters to their full potential.

Whether Destiny: Rising has more of an emphasis on its narrative than Destiny 2 does remains to be seen, but what has been revealed for the game so far makes it appear as though it will. In any case, it’s a good sign that players can finally play as an actual character in Destiny: Rising, as opposed to a nameless Guardian. That simple touch might be all it takes to put Destiny: Rising in a league of its own in the Destiny franchise.

Enter an era of heroes and legends, where familiar Destiny faces meet intriguing new characters, each with a rich story, unique personality, and formidable skills. Experience top-tier sci-fi shooting action in FPP or TPP as you embark on a new adventure in an alternate Destiny timeline. Play as these unique characters to defend future Earth and reclaim humanity’s future!

Systems

Franchise

Destiny

Developer(s)

NetEase Games

Publisher(s)

NetEase Games

Multiplayer

Online Multiplayer , Online Co-Op