For all of Destiny's shortcomings and broken promises, no one can fault its visuals. From the beginning, the folks at Bungie have dropped players into a plethora of gorgeous environments which perfectly blend sci-fi and fantasy. These planetary pit stops come in the main story, multiplayer, and DLC, and all are eye-popping in their own right.
Destiny 2 continues that pattern of excellence. Not only does the sequel update existing maps to be more alive than ever, but it crafts exceptional new ones to lose oneself in. The use of color, lighting, texture, and other artistic elements should draw admiration from industry vets. At this point, there's no shortage of beautiful locales to explore.
7 Vostok
This planet returns from the first game, acting again as a Crucible (PvP) map. That may seem like a cheap choice, but it's really a testament to how memorable the place is. The mountain region conveys a tremendous sense of scope and isolation. Such geological marvels are sublime in real life, and they remain so here.
That natural beauty goes hand-in-hand with man-made elements. The rundown facility enhances the haunted feeling. The buildings' color, texture, and lighting give the impression of fading back into the mountain. It's as if nature is reclaiming them. This thought makes Vostok all the more foreboding.
6 The Fortress
Here's another instance of fading civilization. As the name suggests, the Fortress consists of castle ruins. The stone foundation is preserved well, but it's only a shell. Amid the sea of towering trees, it still has the sense of nature overwhelming human settlement. That said, another aspect ramps up the creepiness.
The Fortress isn't faded by time or nature, but destroyed by outside forces. Flames pepper the castle and surrounding woodland, leaving charred remains in their wake. Combined with the smoke and orange sky, these conjure an apocalyptic atmosphere. In the process, it subconsciously raises the stakes of any battle fought here.
5 Arcadian Valley
Forest areas are usually pleasant, but the Arcadian Valley feels like a heightened version of a normal woodland. The cubic stone carvings are uncanny. It's as if players are traversing an artificial representation of an actual rock formation. An ancient people chiseled these rocks, and that concept is a great way to lend a lived-in factor to an area.
More striking is the off-kilter color scheme. Massive trees loom over the uneven pathways. Pale sunlight pokes through, illuminating the vibrant red leaves on each branch. The whole climate is akin to a high-contrast portrait of Autumn. In that, it's both familiar and exotic. Few areas occupy that middle ground, but this one does so with ease.
4 Javelin-4
This lies inside the Crucible region of the Echo Mesa. It's an ethereal area infused with cool blue colors. The shape of the rocks and vegetation--growing around the facility like barnacles--brings the ocean floor to mind. This is oddly effective considering so much of the ocean is alien and unexplored. However, it's nothing compared to the backdrop.
The Javelin-4 is in the shadow of a colossal planet. It takes up most of the horizon and strengthens the locale's blue tint. Moreover, it dwarfs everyone and everything inside the map. These factors are a melancholy reminder of how small people are in the grand scheme of the galaxy.
3 Hellas Basin
This has the same frozen climate as Vostok and a similar blue tint as the Echo Mesa. As such, it retains the atmospheric strengths of both maps. Unlike those areas, though, the man-made structure outclasses the natural environment.
Hellas Basin houses a high-tech facility. The sleek, geometric design is memorable enough in the daytime, but it truly comes alive at night. The facility has a myriad of lights and patterns lining the buildings. These make the whole area into something out of Tron. Such a neon wonderland is a visual treat, so echoing it was always going to Destiny stand out in style.
2 Rathmore Chaos
Rathmore Chaos takes the strengths of Vostok and amplifies them tenfold. Once again, it presents a civilized structure overcome by a tundra. Somehow, it has a greater volume of snow, utterly burying the buildings. The permafrost picture is akin to Mount Everest or the Ice Age, and it's exceedingly bleak as a result.
It cements that impression with its dark background. The horizon mainly consists of the blackness of space. It starkly contrasts with the snow's whiteness, making the map sinister and hopeless. It's doubtful that any life could survive here, but that shouldn't stop fans from exploring.
1 Savathun's Throne World
The seat of the Witch Queen comes to fans through DLC, but it seems to be out of a different game altogether. On the surface, the High Coven is a medieval castle town, but infinitely more unnerving. The jagged architecture, monochrome material, and patches of red shrubbery bring the off-kilter contrast of Arcadian Valley, albeit more oppressive.
The locale enhances that sense the further up it goes. The town eventually gives way to an enormous fortress, one shrouded in mist. This infuses the whole place with a mythical quality. How fitting for a witch, even one hailing from deep space.
Destiny 2 is currently available on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.