Destiny – Completing the Vault of Glass
It has become a cliché by now to discuss how disappointing Destiny is. Yes, we all very much know by now how colossally short Bungie’s latest has come of expectations. But there is simply no denying that it’s one of the most fun co-op shooters to have come along in a while. The indisputable proof? When Destiny launched its first raid: The Vault of Glass.
Borderlands 2’s first-person-Diablo gameplay, Halo’s co-op campaigns, and surviving a legion of zombies with three other pals in Left 4 Dead are some examples of FPS co-op at its best. The Vault of Glass, however, is in its own league. For Destiny’s raid, you had to assemble a crew of six people who could carry their weight and will — must — cooperate with each other to the very end. There is no “hero ball,” if you will.
The opening puzzle alone put a fire team’s trust and reliability to the test by splitting the six-man team into three two-man teams. It was an intense exercise in talking like those people who demo online multiplayer at E3. You know, all the corny-ass “enemy on the left!” or “hey, reload, we gotta keep up the pace” kind of shit you would never dream of actually saying (until now).
On top of the heavy stress that the raid puts on your team, there was a fascinating sense of mystery as your team tries to figure out what the hell is supposed to be done next. Literally nothing is told to you nor is there any holding by the hand. Your team is just dropped off and that’s that. This added supremely to the chest-thumping and adrenalizing thrill of overcoming the raid for the first time, by finally getting your team dialled in and clicking for that one magical run that has you blowing Atheon to bits. And with The Dark Below “expansion” (come on, it’s only an expansion by name) out and adding another raid, there’s no denying that Destiny’s raids are some of the most engaging moments to be had in 2014.