Destiny 2: The Final Shape (REVIEW)

"An end to a long ten-year saga is finally here"

Game/Content: Destiny 2: The Final Shape
Developer: Bungie
Destiny 2: The Final Shape offers a Standard edition at USD 49.99 and a Standard + Annual Pass edition at USD 99.99.
Release Date: June 4th, 2024
Review Code provided: Yes, provided to review.

​DO NOTE: These are my thoughts and opinions on the expansion, so I apologize if I sound biased and there's also a chance of some potential spoilers so be warned.


Before we start the review of this expansion, I want to say that it’s been quite a long time since I’ve reviewed a Destiny expansion since Lightfall, with some of its issues during its release. Despite some of its creative end-game content, such as dungeons, it’s substantially improved with that, though it didn’t make it still “amazing.”
And, it's been a long time I blogged also so uhh.. whoops? things happen and I do apologize, once again, but besides that.

 Although the stories for those seasons felt okay, I did think that giving us answers in a seasonal format didn’t help much for the story itself compared to how Witch Queen did in its campaign, giving us answers through a beautiful campaign that was Destiny-styled a story game for the Witch Queen expansion since Lightfall had some issues especially with Osiris being a bit whiny, Nimbus just there I guess?, and things that needed to make sure Final Shape lived beyond those expectations of what Lightfall was set out to be since it was announced. It being delayed was a surprise to hear even with the long wait and the team at Bungie knowing that they needed to live up to the expectations of Taken King, Witch Queen, etc.
Over time and during the final season of Lightfall, we enter into the final chapter of a ten-year saga that has been (surprisingly) built up for this long and is now coming to an end.

With that lengthy wording out of the way, let’s begin this read-dive review about Destiny 2: The Final Shape and see if this expansion met Bungie's expectations as promised. And do know this was during the launch week of the expansion so nothing will be mentioned about Episodes at this time being and want to thank Bungie also for providing me a code also to review this too.

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“The Final Shape awaits..”  

Destiny 2: The Final Shape begins very strong especially with the first mission, Mara giving us a chance to head straight toward the portal to the Traveler known as the Pale Heart. Once heading there, the ship goes haywire and crashes before getting near any access to enter, like how we landed into the Dreadnaught in The Taken King back in Destiny 1. 

​This first mission and more going forward gave me a strong sense of Destiny: The Taken King and Witch Queen vibe all around and, by far, an optimistic look in the start; seeing Bungie starting this with a fantastic start to the story, even seeing the Witness being this much of a threat is significant.

While proceeding through the mystery and exploring the mysterious pyramid or similar structure.
 Hello, Dread, a new enemy type in Destiny 2: The Final Shape, is such a refreshing change of pace in the combat for the game. It needed it for some time, despite knowing that Tormentors (my favorite enemy type in Lightfall) was somehow the first enemy type of this race. It was fantastic to see them in action from the Gameplay Preview Bungie did way back about them, explaining exactly how they mentioned them to be, and I love it. 

I don’t want to spoil too much, but will say this has been an fantastic experience by far..

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“What a wonderful pale heart…” 

Especially will say even through the mission, I don’t want to seem biased here so far, but I just want to applaud the team or everyone so far on this expansion just did a fantastic job with it being so colorful and impressive, especially just entering the Pale Heart for the first time was jaw-dropping, just chef’s kiss.

Seeing so much work and art toward everything around the Pale Heart gives so much mystery and temptation just to go “explore” this familiar and yet unknown location that brings memories of things you’ve maybe seen/encountered or something you have not at all.

Even throughout the game, if you do intend to finish the story, there will be other options to enhance your ability generation, a finisher to give a frag grenade or something that could spice up your gameplay in the location with the Traveler’s Blessings or Pale Blessing, which give you some cool stuff to make it more fun while playing in the destination in the public activities or splunker cave exploring in Lost Sectors.

The weapons in this expansion are superb, even with Still Hunt's nifty trick of having the Hunter Golden Gun to it. Still, there are many fun weapons to check out in a sniper, especially the legendary machine gun and the healing auto rifle.

Bungie has done a fantastic job with this location, and I love coming back to explore as a destination so much that I want to see more of this type of location in the future.

After completing the first mission, instantly gaining Prismatic, and going through everything, especially finishing the raid and the finale mission, I will say that this was the best way to start a campaign, even on the narrative side. 
It feels like something other than a Destiny story but a story “story” type of game with Final Shape.

The Salvation’s Edge raid is so good; I can’t even explain how awesome it was to feel so tiny in a massive, gigantic location of the unknown. To experience the Witness in multiple voices was surprisingly only one voice actor doing that is just true insanity, the Raid team and everyone involved in this Raid needs a raise. Like, my goodness. But whoever made the fourth part of the raid is an absolute madlad but in a good way, much love and respect for making this fun mechanic and area..

They fixed many issues from Lightfal, and I am happy they did that. Seeing Cayde back, although, in a way, I never expected him to return, was excellent. Even with the narrative focus, the story was needed for a long time, and the plot twist of the ending was just a cherry on top of it.
Despite that. The raid and campaign can’t be just the cherry on top of it all, right?
Haha… right?
 Man, was I so wrong…

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"Taste the Rainbow, they Say"

Despite the beautiful location, fantastic campaign, raid and such.
Prismatic is the highlight throughout this expansion too. Using light and darkness in one subclass is superb and a dream come true for the Destiny player base/community.
Getting to use a Solar Subclass with Darkness Melee and Light or Darkness/Grenade has been the most fun I have had in a long time since Beyond Light with Stasis and Titan with Strand in Lightfall (shout out to Banner of War).
There is so much around Prismatic that it goes crazy. I love how I get stuck over hours using it in the new location or playing with others to figure out what can enhance the subclass, too, even with the new perk of the system called Transcendence.
What Transcendence does is that it makes your Guardian get a special grenade out of the three elements of Arc, Stasis, Void, Strand or Solar, and for each class is a little unique, for example:

Warlocks, while Transcendent, get a Void Hybrid of Stasis (Ice) grenade together, which can trap foes from the void and freeze them together.

Hunters, while Transcendent, get a Spike Grenade of Solar and Stasis all around, which could be helpful for scorching and freezing foes.

 Titans get Strand and Arc out of their Shackle grenade, which can suspend (trap) their enemies from the strand and jolt (electrocute and blind) them all around, which can be suitable for ad control and chaining weaker enemies.

However, it’s not just Primastic that puts a fun change to the expansion or the main stage here.
​ It also has more benefits with the new Light subclasses for Warlock, Titan and Hunter.


It’s also mainly about the fantastic new light element subclasses for each class in the sections presented a form that reminds me of Sunsinger from Destiny 1 and a touch of the Super Sayian from Dragon Ball type flare called Song of Flame for Warlock, Hunter’s with the Electric Dagger that teleports known as Storm’s Edge, Titan’s with the cool axes void super called Twilight Arsenal. These supers give such a fun change variety for the guardians and teammates.

Warlocks activating their Song of Flame grants them a change on their grenade, which sends out a tracking phoenix to their enemies and an enhanced incinerator snap melee (finger snap). If the teams are around them, it gives them radiance, which gives the team more damage on solar weapons is super friendly, though it isn’t a well of radiance, but it will do.

Hunters get an Arc Super, which gives them a staff type of acrobatic jump, and a teleporting knife cutting-edge super that they teleport on their foes, which could leave them in their dismay; this also gives your team amplified (kind of like radiance but instead it’s no damage buff or increasement but just mainly an enhancement to arc/electricity abilities or gives you a sprint boost too if active), Do know that if you ever do see someone running it in multiplayer, aka Crucible. I just see it active. I begin running like crazy from it cause ever since getting beaten up by the super, I have called that thing “the blade teleportation of electric doom.” so yeah, hunters scare me, sorta or you could call that, um, teleporting hunter PTSD.

Jokes aside, the Titans specifically get this super bad-ass void subclass called Twilight Arsenal, which is a one-and-done super where you swing three axes at your foes, and once done, the axes can be left on the ground and give your teams even the chance to pick up their axe and provide maybe an over-shield to them also, their new aspect that makes your hand into a void pulse wave and deflects attacks (not sure about supers from other classes but mainly lower tier enemies).

With all these in mind, especially adding Prismatic makes the possibilities almost endless once the Exotic Class items drop.

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“The Last Word…”
​(VERDICT)​

Bungie did so much with Final Shape, hitting it out of the park, setting this game in the direction to go where it should be and setting a bright path forward, even creating a fantastic conclusion to the story. Especially finishing the raid and then going right to the final mission with that ending made me emotional, and staring at the screen, knowing that this game has impacted me so much, and the saga ending was unreal.
I used to step back and say not to recommend the game since Witch Queen, but now, I can say yes. Please do hop into the game. It’s a great time to hop in this game for what Final Shape has done.
Despite all of that. 
All I can say is.
Bravo… Bravo, Bungie.. You got the W from me.

Quote:
“Destiny 2: The Final Shape is the best conclusion to Destiny’s ten-year saga as a whole”.
Rating: 10/10.
Pros:
Amazing Narrative Campaign
There are endless possibilities with the new Subclass and Light Supers and are really fun to play with in the build-crafting area..
Fantastic Jaw-Dropping Location with much to explore and admire throughout the sandbox
Superb Gameplay that Destiny needs.

Do I recommend it?:
 If you are a new player, wait for a sale to pick this one up with the rest of the expansions since buying them all at once total price is too much.
It's best to be safe to wait for sales to snag it, or if wanting to take the risk, then go for it.
I recommend checking out videos such as MyNameisByf or Myelin Games to get caught up in the story, especially MyNameisByf's fantastic 12-hour video of the entire Destiny story lore to get caught up, so take your time with it your pace to know the game lot more and its story.

unless If you're a returning player, I’d recommend it.
You won’t be disappointed in paying for the standard version of the expansion as is for now.

That said, I hope you all enjoyed reading this.
​Really do want to review other titles or games when I can, as I have been more focused on Streaming lately, so I do want to apologize.

Till then... Game on!

-Timothy S. / TimTheGamer12 (Tim).