The Dark Below is a Marked Improvement to Destiny

While we're just over 24 hours into the next expanse to the Destiny universe, playing through The Dark Below shows that Bungie is moving in the right direction, even if the title still isn't what we expected from the studio at launch. With a significant improvement to the looting systems, farming methods, and variety, Destiny is back on track as the top shooter available.

[ROQFrost]

Agreed, Bungie is listening and the new expansion shows.

[Jacktrauma]

Looking forward to the future of the game. Would have been nice to have a better game out the gate but it's good to see they're acknowledging everything the people are bringing to them

[-Foxtrot]

Got this free with the collectors edition and after playing a few hours on it I don't really see that much improvement. It's a start yeah but a game shouldn't have to get really good a few DLCs later.

[JoeIsMad]

I think that the biggest disadvantage is the feeling of a lack of DLC for the price. Because Bungie had to focus on both PVP and PVE content, you feel like there's not much to speak of. Compare it with Call of Duty DLC however and you'll see the value [at least simply in content.]

Call of Duty DLC pack: 5 multiplayer maps, 1 Survival map.
Destiny DLC pack: 3 multiplayer maps, 3 Story maps, 1 Strike [or 2], 1 raid.

Offering 8-9 components as compared with CoD's 6, this is a decent deal for the money, if only in that respect.

[-Foxtrot]

" PVP and PVE content "

That's the problem I have with the game overall, they are trying to do all three types of gameplay

Single Player
Co-op Events
Competeive Multiplayer

They should of worked on a single player game first with basic co-op features and slowly add the other features

[JeffGUNZ]

@ Fox.

I got the DLC and have no regrets as I love Destiny. I am a loot/grinding kind of guy, so this game is right up my alley. Yet, I feel like this DLC is just that, DLC, not an "expansion". An expansion to me would be a new planet or moon or something. They had such opportunity to add missions to the reef yet they didn't, it's still a blank area. I do appreciate the quest forms of the DLC, but I was underwhelmed by playing in a lot of the areas I already have been in. I love this game, yet if you are going to call this an expansion, you should deliver to that extent. This was pure standard DLC. Worth the money for people who are very much into the game, but not worth it if you were to hope this would make you hooked.

To me, this shows these missions were ripped from the disc and altered to be a vendor at the tower with "new missions". Why not add a moon or play on an asteroid. The best way to tackle this would have been to add missions to go to the reef. It's literally right there on the map, why not go down that road?!

Lastly, how cool would it be if every month or so they opened a new moon or smaller explorable area with quest like missions to get you a legendary or exotic engram/weapon/armor or something? The potential is there to make this a truly evolving and always changing game, yet we goth the Queens Wrath once, which they ruined by taking away ascendant materials from breaking down the gear and 2 iron banner events, with the first being a total mess. I am hooked, so I am enjoying my time with it, but I am hoping for more content. The house of wolves will be very similiar to this DLC, aka ripped content of the disc.

[Stevefantisy]

Haven't played yet but I'm looking forward to it. So far I still like this game and see a good amount of potential.

[martinezjesus1993]

I really enjoyed it, it has a creepy vibe and I really enjoyed that. Right now my friends and I are in the process of leveling up to 31 and getting the upgraded guns so we could try out the new raid, itll keep us entertained until the next expansion

[JoeIsMad]

The set level for the raid is actually under 30. If you are already 30 you have a sporting chance at beating it right now, so you don't have to wait to get in there and whip ass.

[martinezjesus1993]

The thing is, i dont have a team of 6, I could get 5 sometimes, 4 most of the times. Going in there with 4 30s isnt going to be pretty

[JeffGUNZ]

Eh, you can get to Crota, but you can't beat him without one level 31 in the group to wield the sword. Once the enrage hits, you're basically done and the damage the sword does as a level 30 is very little compared to level 31.

[Fixay]

The raid is pretty damn hard this time, you'll thank yourself for leveling up to 31.

That being said you can get up to the final boss with just 30s, also simply spawning into the raid you are able to open a loot chest which can contain an exotic!

So yeah if you feel like your not strong enough to do the raid, at least start the raid and open the first loot chest. Good luck

[n4rc]

Even the strike was surprising.. Was like "ahhhhh holy crap" at the seemingly millions of hive..

[slappy508]

Does the Dark Below have its own set of new trophies/achievements?

[immoracle]

I think this game delivers, whatever. Ive logged well over 60 hours in. Why does this newer generation scrutinize the flames out of EVERY game and its DLC. Leave Britney alone!

[brewskiebob]

Im glad i decided to wait... im gonna wait for another dlc to drop then ima take a deep dive in.

[InTheLab]

The commendations pretty much kill pvp vendor items and like the article says repeatedly, forces you to pve. It effectively caps what you can buy from all vendors which means if you want new gear you have to do those dumb ass raids and strikes.

From day one Bungie has done nothing but force gamers into their vision of what the game is instead of letting us play. Who wants to play like this?

[CorndogBurglar]

It only forces you to PvE if you want Vanguard gear. In actuality, All 3 of the factions, and the Crucible vendor require Crucible Marks and reputation. Reputation is how you get Commendations. You can still get all of those things without PvE.

[objdadon]

You couldn't be more wrong, all you have to do for commendations is level up crucible or vanguard rank. Basically what everyone was already doing. Just turn in your bounties as usual!

[InTheLab]

So once I unlock rank and buy one of these items, does the commendation remain or do I lose it?

By the way, I popped rank 2 on one of my guys....no commendation.

[JeffGUNZ]

@inthelab

I believe you have to be rank 3 with the vedor to begin getting commendations. The gloves and the LEgs don't required a commendation. So, if you have an exotic head or chest, you can wait for Friday and Xur may be able to upgrade your exotic to the level which will get you to 33 light if you level it back up. That means one commendation and you can buy the missing part.

[mediate-this]

Yeah i hate the commendations, and it takes forever to rank up now. I was able to rank uo so fast before the commendations. Now its slow like molasses.

I have no people to do raids, and raids with randoms are a nightmare.

You get commendation at rank 3 @above guy.

I got rank 8 on crucible