At the time of writing, Lightfall is currently the latest and the seventh major game expansion of the much popular Destiny 2 video game.
This DLC continues the trend of the ever-evolving Destiny 2 universe. Each year, there is one main game expansion that further advances its storyline. Moreover, such DLCs are also supplemented by a number of seasons (up to 4) offering new events, fresh challenges, as well as tons of rewards.
Till now, almost every major Destiny 2 game expansion and season received good reviews. Unfortunately, Lightfall happened to be a pitiful exception in this continuity.
Upon release, the DLC was met with a bombardment of negative reviews by players who were massively disappointed by it. Therefore, after the tremendous hype built around it, one cannot help but wonder what could have possibly gone wrong with it!
So, in this article, we will take an in-depth review of Destiny 2: Lightfall game and, consequently, explore the reasons behind such an awful turn of events.
Launch Date
Destiny 2: Lightfall was released on February 28, 2023, for the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, as well as Microsoft Windows.
As of now, the DLC is available in 2 different bundles: Standard and Deluxe. The Standard Version gives access to the Season 20 of the game whereas the Deluxe Edition gives access to all four planned seasons (Season 20-23) as well as the Dungeon Key which grants players access to the two dungeons planned to be included in the Season 21 and Season 23. Moreover, there are also additional in-game items included in the Deluxe Edition.
The Storyline of Lightfall Expansion
The Lightfall DLC takes players to an all-new city located on the Planet Neptune. Known as Neomuna, until now, this advanced city had been cut off from the rest of the Solar System.
Unlike other players and NPCs in the game, the residents of Neomuna do not have the Light granted by the Traveler. Instead of the Light, Neomunis have trained Cloud Striders: cybernetically advanced powerful human soldiers. Also, Neomuna is home to an extremely powerful artifact, called the Veil, which is connected to the Traveler.
However, as the story unfolds, this peaceful city is now under siege by the Witness threatening to destroy the City, the Traveler, as well as the entire Solar System. As such, players must keep pace with the evil Emperor Calus (an aid of Witness) to avert the possible initiation of the second Collapse!
New Features and Changes Introduced
Destiny 2: Lightfall game expansion introduces several new features as well as gameplay overhauls.
There is a brand-new darkness subclass introduced known as Strand which is accessible to all the classes. This is the second darkness subclass in Destiny 2 after Stasis which was first introduced in the Beyond Light game expansion. Strand has access to some of the most unique powers in the game. It revolves around the entanglement and unweaving via the manipulation of reality through an extra-dimensional matrix called the Weave.
Also, this DLC introduces new armor, weapons, and their perks, Root of Nightmares raid, as well as exotics and cosmetic items. Besides this, there are several new missions and quests added. In addition, there have been adjustments to game difficulty levels, improvements to the game loadout as well as in-game “looking for group” (LFGs) features.
The seasonal artifact mods have also been replaced with unique, unlockable perks. Of these, only 12 can be active per character and are applied passively when active. Also, resetting artifacts to change perks is free.
Also, a mod customization feature to modify weapons, armor mods, and character stats on a single screen has also been introduced. Weapon crafting has been further simplified. Moreover, Season of the Risen’s PsiOps Battlegrounds and Season of the Seraph’s Heist Battlegrounds are now part of the Vanguard Ops playlist.
And just like that, the list of other features and improvements introduced goes on…
See the full list of features and changes in the gameplay here.
Negative Reception
However, despite such welcoming changes, new features, and a captivating storyline, Destiny 2: Lightfall fell short of impressing its players.
Undoubtedly, the opening moments are some of the best. The long-awaited villain of the Destiny franchise, The Witness, is finally here. However, the myriad of bizarre and inexplicable side-quest quickly sweeps away any excitement as soon as it comes in.
The part relating to the Veil is also badly told. In the Lightfall expansion, there is no explanation as to what the Veil is or why is it so important. In addition, most of the time is spent frustratingly learning the new powers of the brand-new Strand class. Moreover, the characters of Nimbus and Rohan are also poorly written. And that is just the tip of the iceberg. In fact, the whole narrative of Lightfall DLC is ill-told.
While playing the game, it is evident that there is no actual story development. And when it ends up in a mere time of only 8 hours, players would probably find themselves back at square one. Since the players had been expecting to get creatively acquainted with the newly introduced city of Neomuna, this had not been the case. Despite its lavish neon-soaked streets, the place feels empty, barren, and lifeless.
Consequently, Destiny 2: Lightfall has received negative reviews from players who had been immensely disappointed. Given that the previous The Witch Queen expansion had been a hit, gamers had high expectations from the Destiny 2: Lightfall sequel.
Conclusion
In addition to the main story, Lightfall DLC has been further divided into four seasons. So far, Season of the Defiance and Season of the Deep has been confirmed and named. The other two seasons, however, are still unknown.
Anyway, it is not to say that it is not worth playing. Everyone’s got a different taste and, who knows, you might like it!
What do you say? Have you played this Destiny 2 game expansion DLC? Share your thoughts with us and let us know in the comments below.
