To those who have a bone to pick with Bungie concerning their new game Destiny, I have a question:
Do you consider yourself an avid, hardcore first-person shooter fan? Chances are, you don’t.
I have yet to meet a fan of the genre who isn’t currently enjoying the game in question. The lukewarm reception of the critics – especially the bigger critics – isn’t surprising, because it’s my belief that the developers did indeed misrepresent the game, at least to some extent. Therefore, some people were expecting the epitome of “next-gen,” a production that goes above and beyond and gives us a glimpse of the future.
Instead, they got a shooter that, while plenty fulfilling for fans, doesn’t really reach new heights in the eyes of others.
Sometimes, we have to accept a game for what it is…and if it’s a shooter, so be it
At its core, Destiny is a first-person shooter within a persistent world. It could be called an MMOFPS, although to some die-hard MMO followers, that might be a bit of a stretch. As I’ve said many times before, the combination of elements within Bungie’s production is what makes it somewhat unique. It’s not like playing Call of Duty or any other shooter online, and it’s not like World of Warcraft, either. It’s a separate entity that offers plenty of entertainment for shooter fans.
I like the occasional shooter, like many other gamers, but I don’t consider myself a hardcore fan of the genre. I’m not standing in line at midnight launches for the new CoD or Battlefield, and I really don’t play them online. As such, it wasn’t too surprising that I was disappointed in Destiny because I really was expecting something special. I expected a far better narrative, more RPG-like depth, more variety and diversity overall, etc. Instead, I got a big, multiplayer-oriented shooter and not much else.
But really, what’s wrong with that? Shooter fans LIKE that
The game has its fair share of detractors but the community has been awfully vocal. That community consists of shooter aficionados. They’re lovin’ the game. They’re having a blast. That’s because Destiny has just about everything a FPS follower could want; what is the game missing, if you really think about it? Compared to other shooters currently available, how is Destiny lacking? I’m not saying the game couldn’t have been better, and I’m not excusing Bungie for misrepresenting the game during their promotional efforts.
All I’m saying is that when you start to analyze the two sides in this war, you will invariably find that those who support Destiny are happy with what it is. Those people are self-confirmed shooter fans and they’re not ashamed to admit it. Those who go on the attack are generally not as involved in the FPS community; they’re like me: They play a shooter here and there for fun but for the most part, they’re not die-hard fans. Bungie targeted the correct demographic and they’re being rewarded for it.
That’s what people need to understand here.
