Destiny 2 Review 2026: Is It Worth Playing?

What is Destiny 2?

In our view, Destiny 2 is one of the most ambitious and enduring live-service games of the last decade, though it presents a famously complex picture for newcomers. Developed by Bungie, the studio behind the original Halo trilogy, Destiny 2 is a first-person shooter (FPS) that masterfully blends MMO-lite social spaces and progression systems with the crisp, satisfying gunplay for which Bungie is renowned. The premise casts players as a Guardian, a resurrected warrior gifted with a mysterious power called the Light, tasked with defending humanity's last city from a host of alien threats and cosmic entities. It is important to clarify that, contrary to the provided details, Destiny 2 is not a turn-based strategy game; it is a first-person shooter/action MMO. It launched in 2017, not 2023, though 2023 saw a major expansion, The Final Shape. The Steam rating and Metascore provided also do not align with the game's actual standing, which has seen significant fluctuation over its long lifespan.

Gameplay

Playing Destiny 2 feels, at its best, like a peerless action fantasy. The core gunplay is exceptional—every weapon type, from snappy hand cannons to chunky grenade launchers, has a distinct and weighty feel. Movement is fluid, whether you're wielding a Hunter's triple jump, a Titan's catapult lift, or a Warlock's graceful glide. Abilities recharge frequently, allowing for a powerful power fantasy where you can regularly clear rooms with a well-placed Super ability or a cascade of grenades and melee attacks. The PvE content spans short Strikes, sprawling open-world patrol zones, challenging dungeons, and pinnacle six-player Raids, which are elaborate, multi-encounter puzzles requiring communication and teamwork.

However, the gameplay experience is deeply intertwined with its live-service structure. The core loop involves chasing new gear, levelling up your Power, and mastering seasonal activities that tell a rolling narrative. The learning curve is notoriously steep, not for the shooting mechanics, but for the game's overwhelming array of systems, currencies, and progression paths. New players face a fragmented introduction to the story due to the controversial "vaulting" of older campaign content. Depth is immense for those who engage with build-crafting, using armour mods and exotic gear to create powerful synergies for endgame content. The player-versus-player Crucible offers a high-skill-ceiling arena, though it has often been criticised for imbalanced metas and a lack of dedicated support in recent years.

Who is Destiny 2 for?

Destiny 2 is fundamentally for players who enjoy a persistent, evolving world and don't mind their shooter experience being wrapped in MMO-style grinding and seasonal chores. It caters to both casual and hardcore audiences, but in different ways. A casual player can enjoy the weekly story beats, casual Strikes, and exploration, while the hardcore community is served by punishing Master-level content, Grandmaster Nightfalls, day-one Raid races, and the pursuit of god-roll weapons. It is a game best experienced with others; while solo play is viable for much of the content, the most celebrated activities (Raids, Dungeons) are designed for cooperative fireteams, and the social experience is a major draw.

In terms of similarities, its closest relatives are other "looter-shooters" like Borderlands 3 or The Division 2, but Destiny 2 distinguishes itself with its far superior gunplay and more mystical, space-opera setting. It also shares DNA with MMOs like World of Warcraft in its ritualistic weekly lockouts, gear treadmill, and focus on large-scale cooperative endgame activities. It is not for players who want a contained, finite narrative experience or who are averse to the feeling of a part-time job that live-service games can sometimes cultivate.

Graphics and performance

Destiny 2's visual style is a stunning blend of hard sci-fi and high fantasy, from the derelict, golden-age ruins of Earth to the neon-soaked cyberpunk streets of Neomuna. Character and weapon designs are consistently excellent, and the game's art direction often carries it beyond the limitations of its ageing engine. Environmental storytelling through visuals is a particular strength. On a technical level, performance is generally solid. On current-generation consoles (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S), it targets a smooth 60 frames per second at 4K resolution, and the field-of-view slider is a welcome addition. The PC version is well-optimised, offering extensive graphical settings that allow high-end systems to push high frame rates, though it remains demanding at maximum settings. The main performance criticisms tend to centre on occasional server instability during major new content launches and some older areas showing their age.

Value for money

This is Destiny 2's most contentious and nuanced aspect. The free-to-play version, dubbed "New Light," is more a generous demo than a full game, offering access to core playlists and one Raid/Dungeon but locking the central narrative campaigns and most rewarding content behind paywalls. Value is entirely dependent on your engagement level. For a dedicated player who partakes in the annual expansion and seasonal content, the cost can exceed £80-£100 per year. In our view, this can represent strong value if you play regularly, offering hundreds of hours of entertainment. The expansions, particularly the larger ones like The Witch Queen and The Final Shape, deliver high-quality campaigns, new destinations, and endgame pursuits.

However, for a lapsed or new player looking to catch up, the cost of entry for all legacy content is prohibitively high and confusingly packaged. The practice of "vaulting" paid content—removing it from the game entirely—also severely undermines the long-term value proposition of earlier purchases. You are not buying a permanent product, but access to a rotating service. Length is virtually infinite for the committed, but the quality of that time can sometimes feel padded with repetitive bounty grinds designed to prolong engagement.

Verdict

Destiny 2 remains a towering achievement in feel-good FPS action and ambitious, persistent-world storytelling, but it is hamstrung by its own convoluted business model and daunting barrier to entry. In our view, the recommendation comes with significant caveats.

You will love Destiny 2 if you crave the best-feeling first-person shooter combat on the market, enjoy deep build-crafting and loot chases, and have a regular group of friends to tackle its superb cooperative endgame. If you want a game to be your primary hobby, offering a constantly evolving universe with spectacular moments, it is in a class of its own.

You might not enjoy Destiny 2 if you prefer a complete, self-contained narrative; are frustrated by grinding and FOMO-driven seasonal models; play primarily solo; or are unwilling to navigate its byzantine new-player experience and expensive buy-in cost. It is a demanding commitment as much as it is a game.

Ultimately, Destiny 2 is a flawed masterpiece. At its peak, during a finely tuned Raid encounter or a climactic story mission, it is arguably unmatched. But to reach those peaks, you must be willing to traverse its often-tedious valleys and accept the realities of its live-service design.