Destiny and The Division are very similar when you look closely
It seems that Ubisoft looked at Destiny and saw what worked and what didn't work. They built upon those systems and improved them. Destiny still holds its own ground when it comes to the first-person shooter genre, as it is one of the best out there mechanically; but the concept Bungie was going for seemed to die quickly. Ubisoft seems to embrace the MMO RPG category more gracefully. It seems Bungie had a vision that didn't quite live up to expectation or was different than the one they painted initially. Whatever happened, the game we got was not the one we expected. That being said, there's no denying Destiny helped pave the way for a game like The Division to exist.
Destiny is kind of in limbo at the moment. The game is still fun, but with the lack of content, people are starting to jump ship. We do know that another "huge" expansion pack is coming sometime later this year, following a full-fledged sequel next year, but did Bungie scare off their players?
Ubisoft's upcoming game looks to deliver these expectations. The full game has still yet to release, so we have our reservations, especially have the Destiny fiasco. Will players steamroll through The Division leaving them wanting more, or will it succeed where Destiny failed? I'm afraid only time will tell, but according to creative director Magnus Jansen, The Division players will be kept busy with endgame content.
"Rest assured, there's PvE endgame for you, and there's going to be goals and challenges and things to aspire to for you and your group. Difficult things that you really want to set your sights on and accomplish."
The Division has its upcoming open beta next weekend (Feb. 19-21), so hopefully we get a better idea then. The full game releases on March 8th for PS4, Xbox One, and PC.
The Multiplayer Showdown
The Division and Destiny have two very different approaches to multiplayer. While both games allow their story to be played online, they also offer competitive multiplayer game modes to let players take a break from PvE and get into some intense PvP.
Destiny takes more the traditional route with multiplayer, in the form of separate game modes like team deathmatch and domination. Each mode offers a different experience and gives players diverse options on how long they wish to play and what they want to experience. Although separate from the PvE story experience, loot and gear you earn in PvP can be used in PvE. You also earn experience, so there's still benefit for players who prefer PvP.
The Division handles PvP multiplayer much differently. Instead of individual game modes, you enter the Dark Zone, a PvP-enabled zone where anything goes. Here, you hunt down NPCs and collect gear. You must then find an extraction point to safely extract that gear. But here's where things get interesting. Players are free to open fire on you at any moment and steal your gear. You never know who you can trust which makes the entire experience incredibly intense.
In the Dark Zone, players enter the most dangerous yet thrilling part of the game. The enemies are harder, loot is better, and other players can kill you. It creates a different style of online gameplay, one similar to the hit post-apocalyptic game Day Z or the 'Wild' in the OG Runescape game for PC.
It creates a sense of tension that pits everyone at each other while trying to incorporate teamwork. The game shows you that some people are just there to cause madness while other want to help, and it's going to be interesting how the Dark Zone plays out in the future for The Division since this is will be their style of multiplayer. Plus I love that the Dark Zone PvP ties in thematically with the overall game. It just doesn't feel tacked on.
Loot, Customization, and RPG Elements
If there's one main similarity between the two games, it's their emphasis on random loot.
Once again, due to the beta we weren't able to see the full extent of what The Division will bring to the table when it comes to randomized loot, although we did see a little bit. Similar to Destiny, enemies would drop common or rare items that could either boost your character up or alter your appearance.
However in The Division, customization plays a larger role. Instead of just rocking out some of the freshest clothes in New York, each item has its own attributes that make each item different. You might like how one particular jacket looks, but the uglier one might have a better defense and more holding space; it doesn't just come down to appearance.
There's also a whole range RPG elements in the form of a skill tree with different branches. There are a total of 12 skills in The Division, grouped into three different categories:
- Medical: Provide support and tactical info for your team.
- Technology: Give you an offensive edge.
- Security: Defensive-focused abilities and tools.
Skill are acquired at your Base of Operations and assigned to each of the three wings in that base. By completing missions, you can upgrade each individual wing, unlocking new skills, and modifications specifically for that wing. Each skill has four mods that alter their basic operation.
Similarly, Destiny had three different classes, Titan, Hunter, and Warlock. Each class offered their own subclasses which offered unique abilities only that class could perform.
Saying that The Division has a better RPG element would be unfair, as both games offer their own unique skill tree that caters to the world the game built; it really comes down to preference when it comes to the RPG elements.
Base of Operations
In The Division's closed beta, we got the opportunity to explore the base of operations. Similar to Destiny's Tower, this is where players can sell items, buy new gear, and pick up new missions.
Destiny did some things right with the Tower, but early on it felt like a nuissance as you were forced to travel there any time you wanted to turn in a bounty or mission. I understand the need for a "social hub" where players can gather, but it looks like The Division's Base of Operations is going to offer much more.
A lot of the content in the Base of Operations was locked due to it being a beta, but we did see the three specialized wings — Medical, Tech, and Security wing — that you'll have to upgrade to unlock new abilities. This is a great RPG mechanic that'll give players a sense of building up their character and feeling worth in what they do around city.
This sort of base-building mechanic has a player thinking rahter than just running around shooting mindlessly. Also, note that this base of operations will be your individual "safe house". Not only for you but also for the people of New York City. Here is where you could help shelter civilians and restore the city since that is the main part of the game.
Destiny lacked story
Obviously, I can't compare the stories fully yet, as the The Division's beta only presented us with a single mission. However, the upcoming open beta will open another, so we'll see. Even still, The Division's story is already shaping up to be substantially better, or at least more in depth, than what Bungie originally delivered with Destiny. Fort starters, we know the purpose of our mission in The Division.
It's no mystery fans were disappointed with Destiny's story, or lackthere of. If you were to ask me what happened in the original release, I wouldn't be able to tell you; it was a mess. There's plenty of rumors and speculation as to why Destiny's story didn't live up to expectations, but the point is people were disappointed. It took three expansions to finally get the story we weanted.
Destiny's mechanics are undoubtedly one of the best aspects about the game, but with a universe like the one Bungie created, you need a captivating story. You need purpose. Destiny's gameplay is fun — I clocked in an unhealthy amount of hours into the game — but when you give the choice of gameplay and story, I will choose latter without thinking twice.
Both The Division and Destiny resemble MMOs.
One of the big points in these games are playing online. Both could be played solo if desired, but with Destiny you are missing out on a big chunk of the game. Still, the games offer story missions, side missions, and random events that make the world around you and your friends feel real.
This was all present in Destiny, as players could join their friends and voyage out on a mission, but this is where The Division stumps Destiny early on.
The Division feels super immersive and realistic. Ubisoft went on record saying they wanted to make players feel like they were based in NYC. And as a native New Yorker, I couldn’t be happier with what they've done.
Now Destiny had multiple areas to play in like the Moon, Earth, and Mars. Granted, I've never been to any of these locations in real life, but in the game they all feel bland, boring, and repetitive. The environments lacked a sense of story immersion that The Division embodies so well. The blame shouldn't solely be on the environmental artists, but rather the studios ability to write a captivating story. This bleeds into reason number two, story.
With gamers finally getting their first hands-on time with Ubisoft's highly anticipated post-apocalyptic shooter Tom Clany's The Division, we are reminded of another game that launched a few years ago that had similar high hopes — Bungie's sci-fi shooter Destiny. Though completely different mechanically, the ambition of both projects have caused the two to become entwined, with many drawing comparisons (some fair, some not so fair).
Admittedly, the two games don’t look or play like each other, but only after participating in the recent closed beta for The Division did I see the similarities.
Back when Destiny was launching in 2014, Bungie had big plans for the new franchise and players had grand expectations. As we know now, most of these promises fell short of player expectations. Destiny really only starting to gain momentum with the release of its biggest expansion pack, The Taken King, in September of last year. By then, it might have been too late.
However, from just playing the beta, I feel confident in saying that The Division is going to be the game we wished Destiny would have been from the start. It feels as though Ubisoft paid close attention to Destiny, and its shortcomings, and have built upon what made that game popular. On the following pages you'll see why I believe The Division will be the game we hoped Destiny would have been.
