In a surprise to absolutely no one who knows me or reads anything I’ve written, I’ve been playing Destiny 2. And lots of it.

Sure I have some minor gripes (I will go into those later this week), but, overall, I am in love with the game. It’s so wonderful to explore these new environments that I don’t know inside and out. I may not love the Crucible (I finished Shaxx’s crappy quest line anyway), but it’s nice to see new maps and get killed with all new supers. The art direction is incredible (I can’t tell you how many times I’ve completely stopped what I was doing simply to take screenshots or say, again, “This looks amazing!”), and the soundtrack is equally so. As soon as I started playing Destiny 2, I bought the soundtrack because I knew I’d want to be listening to it in the collective four minutes each day I’m not playing the game.

It’s been a good long while since I played a game that made me forego sleep, but Destiny 2 has me right there. In fact, and I say this with all sincerity, I have been dreaming about it when I am sleeping. I see the field of play, the glow of the ammo boxes, and the glow of engram drops. In my dream-game, I go around and pick all of them up. I look at the pretty colors. I get excited about the loot possibilities. I wake up and instantly want to be playing more Destiny.

Yesterday, when I finished Shaxx’s quest line, as a reward, I received an exotic power weapon called The Prospector. The design of this one weapon is so beautiful and strange. I have yet to use it (I’m sure I will today!), but I’m looking forward to seeing it in action. I love that there is so much new loot to discover! One of my favorite things about the first Destiny was the naming system for the weapons and the flavor text on each. Sometimes funny, sometimes moving, always interesting. There are just so many things I love about the Destiny universe. I’m not even usually into space games; it’s Destiny-specific. Something about this game fundamentally clicks with me. That I get to play it with my partner and good friends only makes it all the sweeter.

So, this week, as you might have guessed, I will be playing a whole lot more Destiny 2. Even as I type this, I want to be playing more Destiny 2. All I keep thinking is that I need a better kinetic weapon, and I want to pursue that like right now.

Also, while compiling screenshots for this piece, I realized I have already taken nearly two hundred screenshots from Destiny 2 and it hasn’t even been out a week! The color palettes are dreamy. After completing the campaign the first time, I immediately pre-ordered the art book and the poster book. I feel certain a framed piece of Destiny 2 art will wind up in our home sooner than later.

With that I ask: what will you be playing this week? What did you play over the weekend?

And now, back to space I go! Cheers, friends!