Destiny 2 players prefer original game to “soulless” sequel

The Destiny 2 community has been debating if the original game was superior to its contemporary sequel. This has led to a sizable group of players stating that the first game was better and even labeling its successor as “soulless”.

The original Destiny game launched in September 2014 as a console exclusive. It marked Bungie’s first original franchise since its split from Microsoft and its first game since Halo: Reach was released in 2010.

After three years of content, the first game would be replaced by a sequel, Destiny 2. The second game in the series has gone on to deliver improved matchmaking, a greatly expanded sandbox, and much more content for players to work through.

However, not everyone prefers the sequel with a significant chunk of the Destiny community instead favoring its predecessor.

Destiny 2 community thinks sequel feels “soulless” compared to original

Initially sparked by a Fallout Plays video uploaded on August 14, a Reddit post asking Destiny players how the original game was better has gotten a lot of attention.

The post asked: “This community seems to go through phases ranging from ‘[Destiny 2] is absolute dogsh*t why didn’t they just keep adding to [Destiny 1]’ to ‘D1 and D2 are as good as each other’. Why was D1 better than D2 or even good?”

How was D1 better than D2?
by u/Caedis-6 in DestinyTheGame

The answers that followed were varied and divisive with one player replying: “D2 has MUCH more features than D1 and tons of problems in D1 were fixed in D2 eventually. It’s a much bigger game with much more content. That said, D2 feels kinda soulless compared to D1 and I can’t put my finger on why.”

The same user elaborated further: “D1 had and has TONS of problems, especially at launch, but it also had tons of moments of creativity and experimentation. It had that consistent art design and an immersive atmosphere that I just don’t really get with D2.”

Offering a comparable viewpoint, another Guardian conceded that “D2 is better than D1,” but thought “D1 (particularly at the end of its lifespan) felt more like a complete game than D2 does currently.”

Some others preferred Destiny 1 for factors largely outside of Bungie’s control: “My clan was popping. There was optimism for the future. I was younger and better at PVP. Basically all external to the game things.”

A reoccurring theme of most replies was the belief that although Destiny 2 is a better overall game, it lacks the identity of the original. Concerns over the sequel’s art direction, inconsistent tone, and overly aggressive monetization were all raised.