The Expansion That Keeps Destiny 2 Afloat: A Renegades Review
Edge of Fate and the Portal saw a decline in the Destiny 2 player base. Renegades had a tall order to try to restore the game to its former glory. The likelihood that Renegades would turn the game around was low. However, it needed to deliver on certain aspects to stay afloat. Overall, after two weeks of the expansion release, there are some positive signs, but they need to do more to keep the Destiny 2 train going.
The Renegades Campaign Missed a Couple of Elements
Right off the bat, the story for Renegades was exceptional. While we got some answers, more questions arose. We have an idea of what binding the Nine means, but how is that going to impact the story moving forward? Dredgen Bael and Premier Lume had some of their backstory, but we need more. Fortunately, both characters are still alive. The “Star Wars” elements were evident because the hints were not subtle. That aspect has divided the community. For us, Renegades felt like “Star Wars,” but was still ultimately Destiny 2. The Fire and Ice Exotic Mission was the highlight.
The Lawless Frontier activities populated the campaign. The introduction was nice, but it went on for too long. While it is understandable why they added it to the campaign, it got too much. It detracted from the story and meant we went from calm story beats straight to the climax of the campaign. A smoother transition would have helped. The final boss fight against Premier Lume lacked the same gravitas as previous campaigns. He was not made the predominant enemy, and the fight itself was not challenging. As a result, the campaign ended without that feeling of immense triumph. The ending came once the story really picked up.
Activities in Renegades Might Fall Off
The replay value of the Lawless Frontier has been a welcome addition. However, having acquired many of the god roll weapons and the Praxic Blade Crystals, there has become little reason to run the activity. Perhaps this comes as a result of farming too much, too quickly. Invasion is one of the best additions to the Lawless Frontier. They are quick and do not hinder the other players. The Portal still feels lackluster. The Vanguard Alerts are a step in the right direction, but the rest of the Portal remains unchanged. We need more to bring players back every week to Destiny 2.
The Praxic Blade Carries
The Praxic Blade’s customization options and gameplay are superb. The random aspect of Crystals dropping makes for a satisfying moment. It is unlikely we will have this in the future, but we can hope.
The Equilibrium Dungeon Landed Hits But Also Missed
The loot from the dungeon is incredible. There are numerous weapons that players can farm to increase their loadout potency. The quest, not being time-gated, is way better. It does reduce the reasons for players to return; many did not return. Seeing Feats in a dungeon for the first time adds that element of difficulty that most miss after Contest Mode. Speaking of the Contest Mode, NotSwap is still an issue for endgame content. We will not go into too much detail here. For more thoughts on NotSwap, head over to our previous article.
Renegades Keep Destiny 2 Afloat
Destiny 2 is far from back. The groundwork is there, but more needs to change. The player count in the upcoming weeks is pivotal to seeing where the expansion lands. If players are not playing the game, we might be in trouble. Destiny 3 might be on the horizon, but we need more to keep players interested. If Destiny 2 dies in the interim, Destiny 3 will not have a chance to succeed.
