So while reading through some destiny articles I happened to come across a pretty interesting take on D2's current PvE mode that really feels like the central problem to the non end game PvE content.
Unlike in D1 where difficulty modifiers could be selected prior to starting a mission, D2 has forgone all options to change or play around with difficulty until you reach end game content ala the night fall and the soon to be released HM leviathan raid. As such, the vast majority of the PvE content has been almost comically easy to get through if youre playing through on the recommended levels. Running missions at lower levels than the recommendation can be done rather easily regardless of skill since the enemy AI is usually rather passive and dying rarely sets you back with any serious repercussions.
Additionally, much of the campaign mission's areas throughout each section are largely optional. Most encounters can just be ran through without so much as shooting a bullet and the enemies don't seem to do much besides tickle you on your way by. Even if their damage modifiers were turned up, I doubt any serious impediment would be made since the AI usually just stands about or slowly walks towards you (in the cabal's case they laughably slowly jump up and float down in some other location all the while not shooting for some reason; these are the main enemies of the entire campaign).
While it is no doubt fun and what made destiny feel so good to play, the fact that most of its PvE content could be turned to cruise control and let you just mow down enemies without much effort, it has felt like in D2 it's reached an extreme end where encounters are no longer fun anymore. By mission 3 I found myself sprinting through everything I could just to get up to 20 and start end game content, something that has been the sole reason for my interest in the franchise despite its often shallowness compared to other loot/mmo esque structures. Most encounters felt like a colossal waste of time since I was never under any serious threat; rooms where I was forced to kill enemies often became tedious and a chore because of bullet sponge yellow bars rather than creating that intense by the skin of my teeth victories.
Mission structure is another issue that Ive had with the franchise and is still ever present in this game. It was nice to get two tank missions but neither were particularly well designed while the rest of the campaign was a retread of every encounter youve ever had in D1. Go here, scan something, horde mode, rinse and repeat. FIght fallen, taken, hive, and cabal. Kill bullet sponge bosses that are giant versions of regular enemies in strikes. This is what makes up 80-85% of the PvE content in Destiny and its a slog to get through until you get to what most (and myself) consider the real game, which is the end game content raid/nf.
Personally I'm really hoping the other expansions and future entries in the series bring back difficulty settings or at least dial up the AI and mission structures enough so that there isn't such a feeling of mindless tedium and repetitive tasks. Even the NF feels much easier than those in D1 due to death rarely being an issue in and of itself rather than the newly implemented time system. Anyone else share these sentiments? For everything D2 did to really bring us some much appreciated improvements, I feel there is so much more that can be done with the PvE aspects.
http://time.com/4929671/destiny-2-review-impressions/
Unlike in D1 where difficulty modifiers could be selected prior to starting a mission, D2 has forgone all options to change or play around with difficulty until you reach end game content ala the night fall and the soon to be released HM leviathan raid. As such, the vast majority of the PvE content has been almost comically easy to get through if youre playing through on the recommended levels. Running missions at lower levels than the recommendation can be done rather easily regardless of skill since the enemy AI is usually rather passive and dying rarely sets you back with any serious repercussions.
Additionally, much of the campaign mission's areas throughout each section are largely optional. Most encounters can just be ran through without so much as shooting a bullet and the enemies don't seem to do much besides tickle you on your way by. Even if their damage modifiers were turned up, I doubt any serious impediment would be made since the AI usually just stands about or slowly walks towards you (in the cabal's case they laughably slowly jump up and float down in some other location all the while not shooting for some reason; these are the main enemies of the entire campaign).
While it is no doubt fun and what made destiny feel so good to play, the fact that most of its PvE content could be turned to cruise control and let you just mow down enemies without much effort, it has felt like in D2 it's reached an extreme end where encounters are no longer fun anymore. By mission 3 I found myself sprinting through everything I could just to get up to 20 and start end game content, something that has been the sole reason for my interest in the franchise despite its often shallowness compared to other loot/mmo esque structures. Most encounters felt like a colossal waste of time since I was never under any serious threat; rooms where I was forced to kill enemies often became tedious and a chore because of bullet sponge yellow bars rather than creating that intense by the skin of my teeth victories.
Mission structure is another issue that Ive had with the franchise and is still ever present in this game. It was nice to get two tank missions but neither were particularly well designed while the rest of the campaign was a retread of every encounter youve ever had in D1. Go here, scan something, horde mode, rinse and repeat. FIght fallen, taken, hive, and cabal. Kill bullet sponge bosses that are giant versions of regular enemies in strikes. This is what makes up 80-85% of the PvE content in Destiny and its a slog to get through until you get to what most (and myself) consider the real game, which is the end game content raid/nf.
Personally I'm really hoping the other expansions and future entries in the series bring back difficulty settings or at least dial up the AI and mission structures enough so that there isn't such a feeling of mindless tedium and repetitive tasks. Even the NF feels much easier than those in D1 due to death rarely being an issue in and of itself rather than the newly implemented time system. Anyone else share these sentiments? For everything D2 did to really bring us some much appreciated improvements, I feel there is so much more that can be done with the PvE aspects.
http://time.com/4929671/destiny-2-review-impressions/
