Destiny: The Dark Below Reviews
As a dedicated Destiny player, I have been happy with the new content included in The Dark Below, but find myself hoping for a bit more variation in future content. I can't imagine that anyone other than the hardcore fanbase will find value in this expansion.
In the end The Dark Below has some great ideas and adds to an already solid game, but what it adds does not seem to be worth 20 dollars. It is unfortunate that a game with such great gameplay is hindered by its own weight and becomes diluted by its own ambitions. The lack of new content is inexcusable and it will be interesting to see how well it holds up until the next expansion, House of Wolves.
Is it worth it? That's hard to say. For the ultimate Destiny experience, yes, you will need The Dark Below. You may find more of the same content, with some palette swapped enemies and similar bounties to what we traditionally had access to, but the new content allows Destiny to continue to surprise us. I put a ton of time into Destiny, and The Dark Below is just extending that clock even more for me, though I can see how it will bring on a ton of complaints from many players for at least some of its facets. The divide between those that love Destiny and those that hate it is growing with the release of The Dark Below, but I personally can't wait to see how these additions allow the game to continue to evolve and expand until the next expansion release.
While there were many valid complaints levied against Destiny after its release, the developers have taken many strides in bringing the game closer to the promised game. The Dark Below is one more step in that direction.
I understand the fierce criticism accompanying The Dark Below, but I don't think it merits such animosity. The new content offers more frequent loot drops and there are many options for buying higher-level loot. This expands access to high-level activities for both players who buy and those who don't buy the expansion. Making Destiny more accessible in this way is a welcome addition to a game built around its cooperative environment. This remains a game best enjoyed with friends, so the more people playing, the better.
So is it worth buying the pass to get the Dark Below expansion? Absolutely. And if the second expansion (which your purchase of the pass gets you as well) is anything like this one has been, I cannot wait to see what Bungie has up their sleeve for expansion number two of Destiny. So grab the expansion pass and then suit up in your favorite gear and become a legend, because the Dark Below will put your skills to the test.
The challenge in recommending The Dark Below at this price point to anyone other than a hardcore Destiny fan (who was likely never on the fence about the purchase, anyway) is that this DLC tries to please too many masters. If you don't care about the Crucible, that new content doesn't matter. If you don't have a Raid group, Crota's End is irrelevant. And what Destiny really needs—a satisfying narrative—is still entirely absent.
The Dark Below is a great reminder of what Destiny could be, but isn't. Its best content is the raid, the gunplay is smooth and playing with friends is a great time. Unfortunately, Bungie doesn't seem to have any clue how to give players a sense of progress without giving them hundreds of hours of grinding and then releasing better gear.