Destiny 2: Lightfall Reviews
Destiny 2’s Lightfall expansion doesn’t make a good first impression, but beneath that Lightfall story is still a satisfying game, a game that keeps me coming back infinitely and beyond the grasp of any other title.
Destiny 2 Lightfall is somewhat of a mixed bag for me. While the Strand subclass is incredible, and I’ve been really enjoying actually playing the game, the story leaves a lot to be desired, and some of the new additions seem a little half-baked. The new Vow of the Disciple raid feels more like a strike due to how easy it is while exploring basic patrol zones on Neomuna feels like a death trap. If a new player asked me if this is the time to jump into Destiny 2, my honest answer would probably be no. The Guardian Ranks system is a step in the right direction, but there is still a lot of work to be done to make the game easier to get into. As a veteran player, I’ve been enjoying my time, though, and hopefully, Bungie can get things back on track in time for The Final Shape.
From bizarre difficulty balancing to a poorly written story, Lightfall has a lot of misses. However, it also makes a lot of good changes that enhance the general gameplay like with Strand subclass and the accessibility of buildcrafting. It isn't the worst Destiny 2 expansion, not even close, but it is also far from being great.
Lightfall is a controversial expansion for Destiny 2. While it once again shows a highly entertaining gameplay, we are not convinced by the narrative context. The expansion lacks bite, leaving a bitter taste for being "the beginning of the end".
Review in Italian | Read full review
Destiny 2: Lightfall is overall, a great experience. The gameplay additions, the Quality of Life improvements, and the music and sound design are all best in class. The Lightfall campaign is going to be divisive for a long time to come and I think that’s okay. Its storytelling doesn’t live up to the Witch Queen’s standards, but the level design is some of Destiny’s – and Bungie’s – best. I loved the characters we met along the way, the post-campaign content, and Neomuna itself. I love Neomuna, Strand, and the new Root of Nightmares raid, But I think the best part is that I’m having just as much fun as I ever have in Destiny.
In Destiny's great history of expansions, there are several examples of better deliverables. Lightfall isn't the worst of them, but it's the weakest in years.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Destiny 2: Lightfall falls short of expectations, leaving players with unanswered questions and minimal impact on the Light and Dark saga. The introduction of Neomuna and Cloud Striders has little purpose to the overarching plot. However, the powerful Strand toolset is a delightful addition, though it raises concerns about balance with weaker elements. While quality of life improvements are positive, the removal of certain content makes the game challenging for new players. Overall, Lightfall feels rushed, as if it was a flustered effort to fill a gap before the final hurrah.
Lightfall is assuredly Destiny 2’s weakest effort at providing something new for its enormous player base. Whilst the setting is exciting to look at, there’s very little here to convince lapsed players to return and has already proven frustrating for the hardcore. If you’re brand new, don’t even bother. Perhaps it’s time tor Bungie to finally move on.
Lightfall was the most anticipated expansion in years for the Destiny 2 community. Bungie's publicity team knew how to sell the expansion very well. Unfortunately, those who expected quality at least equal to the Witch Queen were disappointed. The nice additions to the game's mechanics and gameplay bring a bittersweet taste to the start of Year 6 of Destiny 2. If the creative team for levels, powers and equipment is following a brilliant path, the same cannot be said for the writers.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Is it a justified chapter in Destiny 2’s plotline? Possibly not, but it does give us a nice bridge toward The Final Shape, to which I feel is Bungie’s final goodbye to what has been an excellent online shooter for a near decade. Destiny 2 Lightfall isn’t the best expansion, but is indeed an expansion to experience if you’re deep into the series and are looking forward to its curtain call.
Destiny 2: Lightfall picks up a year after the events of The Witch Queen and seasons in between. It is an action-packed expansion that does not reach the epic story of The Witch Queen. It has some positive changes that the community has been begging for for years almost. Still, some of those changes are time consuming and don't quite show up. But the biggest flaw is and remains a well-developed story that leaves you with more questions than answers. Hopefully this will change in the coming seasons.
Review in Dutch | Read full review
Despite the plotholes, I have really enjoyed the expansion and the introduction of Strand. The new dynamic in gameplay means raiding simply won’t be the same. I know I couldn’t now be restricted to simply Arc, Solar and Void. Bungie learnt from their mistakes in introducing Stasis and the rollout of Strand has been far superior.
In the midst of that disappointment, Lightfall manages to pull through by being some of the most fun you can have with Destiny 2 in the places that have always actually mattered with this franchise.
Destiny 2: Lightfall hits a lot of great notes. The new subclass, Strand, is very cool to use and gives you a lot of new movement options. Neomuna is a true sight to behold and invites players to explore. The most important part of the expansion however is the campaign and even though it has a lot of amazing and cool moments, the story falls short. Lightfall offers up more questions while we should have been getting some answers.
Review in Dutch | Read full review
With Lightfall, and everything else happening in the game right now, Destiny 2 is reaching the scope of Bungie's ambition. I had a blast with Lightfall, I am continuing to have a blast with Lightfall, and I truly cannot wait to see where this story goes next.
Lightfall is a step down in quality from the excellent Witch Queen, even though it is still a very entertaining expansion. The Strand system is one of the most interesting gameplay mechanics Bungie have added to the game with incredibly satisfying grappling and explosive power moves, but they overcomplicate things just slightly in later missions and lather it with a wafer-thin story that’s definitely holding back its big moments for the next year.
It turns out, light was not the only thing that has fallen in this new expansion. With disappointing story, the campaigns even feel like they were created for the fun of developers, rather than players. While these letdowns still interfere with overall immersion of the game, at least the new ability and revamped system are holding the expansion precariously.
Review in Korean | Read full review
“Lightfall” certainly doesn’t stand up to the fantastic story of “The Witch Queen,” and Strand doesn’t quite meet expectations. But, Neomuna and its inhabitants are fascinating, and the way “Lightfall” handles some of its characters adds a lot of lore and depth to their stories.