Highlights
- Destiny 2's upcoming expansion, The Final Shape, aims to end the Light and Darkness saga but faces challenges after the poor reception of Lightfall.
- The expansion will introduce three new Supers, one for each class, but the Hunter's Arc Super, Storm's Edge, seems to lack the supportive capabilities found in the other Supers.
- While Storm's Edge may be useful in PvP scenarios, Gathering Storm, another Hunter Super, surpasses it in most PvE situations, making it feel like a missed opportunity for the expansion to create a more cohesive identity for the class.
Destiny 2's The Final Shape is in a tough spot because it not only has to end the game's Light and Darkness saga of ten years with a bang, but it also has to get back on track after the poor reception of Lightfall in February of this year. While some of the most glaring issues with Destiny 2's current state have been addressed by Bungie, at least vocally and with actual plans, there may be additional challenges waiting for The Final Shape to launch. Among these potential problems is the fact that the expansion is slated to add three new Supers to the game, one for each class, but they are not exactly equal in terms of promises and expected delivery.
The three new Supers have been assigned to different elements for each class, with the Warlock's Solar Super being Song of Flame, the Titan's Void Super being Twilight Arsenal, and the Hunter's Arc Super being Storm's Edge. Each of them will also be released with an accompanying new Aspect, and they are meant to create new playstyle opportunities when combined, especially from a supportive stance. Destiny 2's new Banner of War Strand Aspect for the Titan was likely designed with the same logic in mind, and it could be a testament to what to expect from The Final Shape's new tools - all but one.
Why Destiny 2's New Hunter Super in The Final Shape is Not Equal to The Others
While The Final Shape's new Titan Super unlocks a previously (in part) unavailable playstyle for the class, and the Solar Warlock's Song of Flame allows for a different take on supportive options compared to Well of Radiance, the Hunter's Arc Super doesn't achieve anything similar. In fact, Storm's Edge feels more like a PvP-focused tool for Hunters, which they already have plenty of, and instead, it doesn't add much to the current PvE sandbox when Gathering Storm exists.
Gathering Storm is going to outclass Storm's Edge in most PvE scenarios by default since it's an instant-cast Super that can be fired from afar and doesn't put players in harm's way, something that Destiny 2's GM Nightfalls would quickly turn into a death. In PvP, Storm's Edge is most probably going to be a top-tier option given its mobility and AoE capabilities, but that's something the class is not exactly lacking. However, there is a bigger difference between Storm's Edge and the two remaining Supers for the other classes that Bungie should have capitalized on.
Both Twilight Arsenal and Song of Flame have powerful built-in options for party support, with the former creating relic axes that teammates can pick up after Titans launch them into enemies, and the latter empowering the weapons of the Warlock's allies. Instead, Storm's Edge doesn't have anything going on for supporting allies, and it feels like a missed opportunity because it could have not only given it a more cohesive identity, but it would have made a lot of sense considering the story trailer for Destiny 2's The Final Shape being all about helping one another one last time.
As it stands, the Hunter's new Super in Destiny 2 is going to be an enjoyable new tool to try out, but it doesn't seem to stick the landing compared to Twiling Arsenal and Song of Flame, especially considering the expansion's premise. This is also something Destiny 2 is not new to, often introducing disjointed Exotics for the game's three classes, and it's one of the things that The Final Shape could have fixed. Still, Titans and Warlocks will finally be on the same page with the new expansion in terms of what they bring to the table, although it's sad that Hunters now stick out like a sore thumb.
Destiny 2 is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
