Keeping a game fresh and appealing for almost six years is no easy task, but to developer Bungie's credit, consistent updates and expansions have allowed it to ensure Destiny 2 has stayed in the conversation since its initial 2017 launch. The most recent expansion, Lightfall, added a new sub-class called Strand, which focuses on diversifying the game's traversal mechanics by introducing a grappling hook, and reaction to this sub-class has been positive, with fans enjoying the new dimensions it brings to Destiny 2's combat. Interestingly, movement and traversal is an area that Luminous Productions' Forspoken also tried to focus on, but the game's implementation of this was far less universally loved.
Although Forspoken was heavily marketed by publisher Square Enix, this arguably did the game more harm than good, thanks to its implementation of some strange, cringe-inducing dialogue and a protagonist in Frey Holland that many failed to relate to. The game's release was met with a lukewarm reception from both fans and critics who agreed that Forspoken failed to stick the landing in many of its main elements including the world, combat, and perhaps most surprisingly, the traversal. Moving through the open-world in Forspoken is a case of zipping and gliding across objects and land masses using Frey's 'magic parkour' as it was dubbed. This parkour is fun when first introduced, but becomes tedious pretty quickly given the lack of things to actually do and see in the world, making it rather pointless.
Destiny 2's Strand Succeeds Where Forspoken Failed
At such a late stage in the game's cycle, Destiny 2 can be difficult for new players to get into, despite recent efforts to remedy this. The fact that the player's chosen main class cannot be changed means that there's an emphasis on diverse sub-classes to keep players engaged. For the most part, these sub-classes have done exactly that, with the likes of Nightstalker, Shadebinder, and Voidwalker offering suitable variations to satisfy gamers of different tastes. Strand, the newest sub-class, has taken things a step further by focusing on the character's traversal.
Strand basically replaces the player's usual grenade option with a grappling hook ability. This is an interesting trade-off that has some obvious merits, especially for players looking to freshen up the way they play and experience combat in the game. Utilizing this grappling hook expends energy, in the same way that using a grenade would, but it allows players to zip across maps at high speeds, becoming a fast-moving target for enemies and players and opening up more offensive options for Destiny 2 players.
Destiny 2's grappling hook allows players to rapidly close the distance between themselves and the enemy, either by grappling to the enemy directly, or the surrounding area. Players can even grapple to thin air in the absence of enemies or environmental obstacles, as Strand proves to be a useful and welcome addition to the game's traversal options. This is in contrast to Luminous Productions' Forspoken, as Frey's magic parkour doesn't lend itself particularly well to her various magic abilities. Players trying to zip around Frey's enemies at speed while unleashing a barrage of assorted spells will find it difficult for the game's lock-on function to work properly, not to mention the camera, which struggles at times to keep up with the action.
Despite the addition of Strand, Lightfall has been met with a mixed reception from fans. With one last expansion due for release next year, Bungie has another opportunity to close out Destiny 2's Light and Darkness saga on a high. It isn't yet known if this will include another game-changing sub-class, or something else entirely. While a Forspoken sequel is very unlikely, but if it ever did happen, then more emphasis would need to be placed on ensuring the magic parkour is put to good use, particularly in combat, to ensure the mechanic doesn't feel wasted.
Destiny 2 is currently available for PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. Forspoken is available now for PC and PS5.
