REVIEW: ‘Destiny 2: The Final Shape’ Is A Triumphant Finale (PC)

The world of Destiny has grown so much since Bungie released the first game back in 2014. Destiny 2, released in 2017, took the online first-person shooter to new heights as the Light and Darkness Sage built up over the years. Now, with Destiny 2: The Final Shape, the overarching story that has been building for the last decade finally comes to an end.

Destiny 2: The Final Shape pits players against The Witness, the ultimate villain seeking to destroy the universe through the Final Shape. The Witness has been lurking in the background for a few years, but now he has entered the Traveler and is prepared to end everything. Guardians must fight back against the Witness and his Dread, the new enemy types found in the world, in order to stop the Final Shape.

The story of Destiny 2: The Final Shape starts with players entering The Pale Heart, the new destination and patrol zone located within the Traveler. There, they meet up with the former Hunter Vanguard Cayde-6, who had previously died during the Forsaken expansion in 2018. Alongside Cayde-6 is the Crow, the Guardian formerly known as Uldren Sov, Cayde’s killer, before being reborn as a Guardian fighting for the good guys.

The dynamic between the Crow and Cayde is so great. It sets the tone for what Destiny 2: The Final Shape has to offer. The threat of the Witness is so overwhelming that even murderers and their victims can overcome their differences. Cayde has always been a fan favorite, and how he reacts to fighting alongside Crow cements that. He never takes things too seriously, continuing to joke in even the most tense moments.

And boy, do those tense moments hit hard. Destiny 2: The Final Shape features some of the most unsettling scenes in all of Destiny. The Witness brings players visions in creepy environments that are dramatically intense. The Witness has always looked a little goofy and was hard to take too seriously—until now. Now, it is clear that he is as evil as Bungie has been trying to sell him as, and he will not be easy to defeat.

Alongside Cayde and Crow, Guardians also reunite with Commander Zavala, now voiced by Keith David after the passing of Lance Reddick, and Ikora, the Titan and Warlock Vanguards, respectively. The usual mission pattern of killing smaller enemies before fighting bosses remains, but the emotional stakes of uniting the most elite fighters against the Witness raises the stakes.

The cutscenes throughout the campaign are by far some of the series’ best. There is genuine weight to what is happening, and there are constant moments of pure “holy crap” as the story unfolds. Casting David as a replacement for Reddick was an inspired choice and helps make the story as emotional as it is. There is a plot point surrounding Zavala and his past that David’s delivery brings to new heights.

The beauty of Destiny 2: The Final Shape is that it takes a world-ending story and manages to make it personal. Yes, there are countless allies waiting in the wings, and it would have been nice to see them more in the campaign instead of just in side missions available afterward, but the core of the story has always been about the Vanguard and the Guardian. Choosing to focus on that for the finale brings Destiny back to its roots as it delivers a striking ending.

There is still more to go in terms of the story, so not everything is wrapped up yet. One of the new changes in Destiny 2: The Final Shape is that the season pass model is being replaced by “episodes,” which will finish up the story and showcase the aftermath. This change is not drastic, and it remains to be seen just how different episodes will be from seasons. It is good to know that the Light and Darkness Saga may be ending, but the world of Destiny is not.

The new Prismatic subclass is one of the best additions in Destiny 2: The Final Shape. Prismatic combines Light and Darkness abilities, allowing players to be more creative when setting up their preferred abilities. Buildcrafting is such an important part of Destiny, and Prismatic opens up a whole new level of creativity for players. The options are still somewhat limited, but the expanded class ability selection is a huge bonus.

Destiny 2: The Final Shape also brings new weapons and armor to use, including a few exotic weapons like the returning Khvostov rifle from Destiny. The most drastic change here is the introduction of exotic class items. These exotic class items combine the perks of other exotic items and give yet another option for creative character-building. These won’t be available until week two of the season, but after seeing how the Prismatic subclass works, it is fascinating to see how these will work in tandem.

Visually, Destiny 2: The Final Shape is breathtaking. The Pale Heart shows players places that were important parts of the earlier story, though they are not quite the same. The mixing of Light and Dark leads to fascinatingly creative backdrops that are some of the best Bungie has ever created. The sense of dread as players get closer to the Witness is even more palpable too thanks to the stunning visuals as the world turns darker around them.

Destiny 2: The Final Shape delivers on its promise to give an emotional and exhilarating ending to a 10-year saga. There is still more to come as the story wraps up loose ends, but the direction in which this finale is heading is truly great.

Destiny 2: The Final Shape is out now on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.