I’m all for purposeful improvements. I will even reluctantly embrace change if it is for the greater good. What I am not a fan of is change for change’s sake.

Now, you might be wondering what Kirby is doing up there. Kirby is all about change. But the impetus for this piece isn’t Kirby at all; it’s Destiny 2.

Let me say right now: there will be no story spoilers, only minor discussion of the basic systems of the game.

Also, I should be clear: I’ve deliberately been staying offline since the release, so I may be a bit behind on the news.

Onward.

I loved the first Destiny. I loved it even at the beginning when everything was stupidly tedious. Shards and energy and Nightfalls that booted you to orbit with no checkpoints if everyone died. Over time, Bungie listened to their fan base and made quality of life changes. That showed me they were not only listening, but willing to act on feedback.

Until today, I wasn’t sure how I was feeling about Destiny 2. Finally, something clicked for me with where I am in the story, but I am still cheesed by more than a couple issues; they aren’t huge, but they bother me. It feels like some of the changes were made simply to differentiate the game from its predecessor.

Shaders.

Oof.

Shaders were one of my favorite things in Destiny. I used to change them constantly depending on my mood and the situation (e.g.: it probably isn’t wise to wear bright orange while fighting in the Crucible). Now, they are consumables (oh barf) and you have to use one per piece of gear! It’s just so frustrating.

Shaders could be found in many ways, but some of the rarest were like badges of honor. The shaders from the raids. From Trials. From promotions. It was a fun and easy way to change up your appearance. Now, it’s a cumbersome mess. I have never written to a developer before to ask for the consideration of an amendment to the game, but I’m seriously contemplating writing to Bungie to at least be one more voice in the crowd. From everyone I’ve talked to, this change is obnoxious.

The Interface.

The interface was smooth and simple before. It feels like they arbitrarily altered it to make the game feel different. The roster isn’t in an intuitive place anymore (it used to be accessed through the Options button, but now is within the Director), and I’m constantly going to the wrong place. I know I will adjust eventually, I just don’t understand why it was moved in the first place.

Weapon Leveling.

The entire leveling system was clean and tight before. Looking at it now, it’s a confusing array of information nodes. Who thought this was better?

I could continue, but you get the idea. I feel like there had to be concern people would think Destiny 2 was just “more of the same,” so these arbitrary changes occurred. I’m also not a fan of the removal of so much player choice and customization. I understand Bungie wanted to get more people into the game, but the streamlining of the subclasses is still a bit disappointing. Most people I knew who played the first game to death loved tweaking their builds for various activities. Now you can’t really do that. You have some basic options and that’s it.

For me, Destiny was always about player agency. It was your Guardian. Now each Guardian is like a slightly different template than the one your co-op partners are using.

I do think it’s ironic Bungie super simplified the subclasses, but made so many other systems in the game needlessly complicated. It very much feels like change for the sake of change. And that’s something I can’t get behind.

How do you feel about arbitrary changes to game series you love? Do they bother you? If they do bother you, do you write to the developer in hopes things might improve? I’d love to know.

Also, what will you be playing this weekend?

Unsurprisingly, I will be playing Destiny 2. And lots of it.

Cheers, friends. I hope you have a lovely and safe weekend.

P.S. For funsies, here are some adorable images of Kirby I came across in my search for the right one for this piece. I hope you enjoy them!

Look at his happy face!

I’ll bet he slides down grassy hills on that star.

Cannonball!

This Kirby submarine is one of the most adorable things I’ve seen.

He loves his apple!

But the apple does him a concern.

But gosh darn, is he so happy. :)