Destiny

Reviewed in its final form, this is a brilliant mess whose best-in-class console FPS gunplay and feel are reason enough to play, complemented by superb raids and an exceptionally positive community. Its greatest failing is storytelling: a woefully thin vanilla campaign hiding genuinely rich lore, gradually redeemed across expansions. The loot grind was once miserable but is now smooth, while the PvP remains underwhelming, lacking ranking systems and hurt by balance-driven weapon nerfs.

ZP: characters warm as bowl of cold piss; MMO status quo; nothing happens.

Combat and visuals shine but campaign is thin, missions repetitive, RNG loot frustrating; PvP saves it from lower score.

Solid expansion with good story pacing and fresh multiplayer maps. Delivers expected content for dedicated fans but won't convert skeptics. Stopgap before the raid.