Destiny 2: The Final Shape Review: A Gratifying Ending To An Enduring Bungie Masterwork (2024)

The Final Shape may not be the final expansion for Destiny 2, but it does provide one of gaming's most intense and satisfying conclusions to the Light and Dark Saga with a release that shouldn't be missed. Since the first game was released in 2014, the sci-fi epic from Bungie has grown considerably in gameplay mechanics, lore, and player count.

Each Destiny 2 expansion has added new abilities, weapons, worlds, and campaigns that have kept the series feeling exciting and fresh. It's impressive Destiny 2: The Final Shape looks and plays as well as it does this far into its life cycle, especially with the DLC's new powers and customization options that feel like a celebration of everything that has come before it. It all leads to a final mission that feels like Destiny's own Avengers: Endgame moment.

Destiny 2: The Final Shape

10/ 10

Pros

• The Prismatic subclass is a microcosmic and wonderful culmination of class design
• Perhaps the most cohesive and compelling Destiny 2 narrative ever
• Gameplay continues to represent some of Bungie's best shooter work

Cons

See Also

Destiny 2 Dual Destiny Complete Quest Guide (All Puzzle Solutions, How to Start)How to unlock the Dual Destiny Exotic Quest in Destiny 2Destiny 2 Dual Destiny walkthrough: All encounters & how to get Exotic Class ItemHere's How to Get Exotic Class Items In Destiny 2's Dual Destiny Mission

• Difficult to imagine where the story can go now to top this narrative

A Story That Rewards Hardcore Fans Without Punishing Everyone Else

The Final Shape Doesn't Require Players Play Past Content To Have Fun

Destiny 2 has delivered several grandiose campaigns in the last few years. The Forsaken and Witch Queen expansions specifically delivered top-tier sci-fi shooter storylines that pushed the overarching plot into a more focused conflict against the architect of many of the series' biggest problems: The Witness. The latest expansion delivers on providing exciting and satisfying battles against the imposing enemy and his forces. The Final Shape's storyline especially excels beyond past campaigns by focusing on and growing beloved characters rather than introducing new ones.

Without spoiling too much for players who've taken a break from the franchise, The Witness finally emerged from the growing Darkness and accomplished what was thought impossible: capture the immortality-granting Traveler. Now that a mysterious portal has opened, the player's Guardian and their allies have found a way to pursue the Witness into the Traveler to finally stop them before their plans to control the Universe are complete. However, as soon as the new campaign's first mission ends, shocking surprises and emotional confrontations begin and don't stop.

Past Destiny 2 campaigns have attempted to tell a compelling story that doesn't always leave an impact on casual players who've not immersed themselves in the series' profound lore. The Final Shape briefly features characters from almost every expansion, and the latest DLC tells a more personal story that revolves around mainstay characters like Commander Zavala, Ikora Rey, and the fan-favorite Cayde-6. This helps its emotional plot connect more effectively with players, even if they haven't played every expansion in the Destiny franchise.

Light and Dark Combine To Expand Gameplay Even Further

The New Prismatic Subclass Is A Little Bit Of Everything

Destiny 2's previous expansion, Lightfall, introduced Strand powers that feature new class abilities that significantly increased mobility with skills that could damage foes in new ways while also restraining them. The Final Shape's new Prismatic Subclass blends every subclass the franchise has introduced so far, granting players use of almost every type of ability in the game to customize their playstyle. While Destiny 2's gameplay has already set the gold standard for movement and shooter mechanics, the range that Prismatic offers opens the game up even more.

Adding the Prismatic Subclass also includes new Super abilities for each Guardian class. Each new ultimate attack has the ability to deal significant damage to foes. Titan and Warlock players will be able to boost their teammates' skills and provide powerful melee weapons that others can use. The increase in abilities with multiple customizable subclasses provides teammates even more opportunities to create effective and clever character builds to get the upper hand on Destiny 2's content, especially on the Legendary difficulty.

It's Never Been Easier To Get Into Destiny's Best Content

Grinding Is No Longer Required To Play Destiny 2's Greatest Battles

Bungie has outdone itself with The Final Shape's campaign, especially with later stages. No matter how many players, Destiny 2 has been well-balanced to accommodate them if they want to play alone or with others. While specific activities will take longer to tackle alone, players can play everything single-player, with the traditional three-person squad, six-player raids, and even the incredibly chaotic yet grand final mission that welcomes twelve players to work together for a particularly memorable battle.

Past expansions in Destiny 2 have introduced complex and lengthy Raids that provide an extreme challenge to maximum-level players. Bringing a player's character to the Light level required to even attempt the previous Raids was once a long and arduous process that locked some of the game's important story information and boss battles behind a steep entry ticket. Thankfully, that has been alleviated in The Final Shape, and players can experience one of multiplayer gaming's best boss battles after completing the expansion's effective but short campaign that only takes around 7 hours.

After The Final Shape's campaign and a particularly humorous Exotic Weapon quest are completed, the newly unlocked 12-player Excision mission can be accessed, a genuinely monumental end to everything Destiny 2 has been building up to. The level of satisfaction and chaotic fun the mission provides feels like something only hardcore fans of the games have been able to access in the Raids, but Bungie has significantly lowered the barrier of entry for emotional and cumulative experiences in a final mission that hits all the right notes, even for players who haven't played any Destiny 2 expansions.

Final Thoughts & Review Score

5/5 - "Masterpiece" by Screen Rant's Review Metric

The newest Raid, Salvation's Edge, might be the franchise's most challenging and important. As soon as it went live, the race to become the first team to conquer it began. While the new Raid represents the ultimate challenge, more than a few activities will keep fans going after completing The Final Shape's main quest.

The new Pale Heart map is an awe-inspiring addition that immerses Guardians into the enigmatic world inside The Traveler. Some locations will evoke a sense of familiarity, delighting players with nostalgic hints on more than one occasion. While some areas are stunning refreshes of beloved past locations, others are truly twisted amalgamations from The Witness's mind, challenging players to navigate through fascinating levels adorned with mind-blowing artwork from Bungie's talented artists and designers.

Destiny 2: The Final Shape is a poignant tribute to the franchise's journey since its debut in 2014. It breathes new life into the existing classes with the versatile Prismatic subclass, introduces fresh enemies and locations, and weaves a narrative that'll likely tug at the heartstrings of even the most casual players. With more seasonal and story content on the horizon, Destiny 2: The Final Shape propels the series to new heights, solidifying its position as one of the top PVE multiplayer shooters in the gaming world.

Destiny 2: The Final Shape

Franchise

Destiny

Platform(s)

PS5 , PS4 , Xbox Series X , Xbox Series S , Xbox One , PC

Released

June 4, 2024

Developer(s)

Bungie

Publisher(s)

Bungie

Genre(s)

FPS , Action RPG , MMO

Multiplayer

Online Multiplayer , Online Co-Op

Engine

Tiger Engine

ESRB

Teen // Blood, Game Experience May Change During Online Play, Language, Violence