Destiny 2: Into the Light impressions – Light at the end of the tunnel

Into the Light, Destiny 2’s last major content update before the release of the Final Shape, has recently launched, and it’s chock full of exciting new content for players. 

As you may know, we’re dangerously close to The Final Shape expansion, Destiny 2’s concluding chapter to its first 10-year saga. The expansion was unceremoniously delayed at the end of 2023, prompting some turmoil and disdain within the community. However, in the same announcement that the expansion was to be delayed, Bungie announced that a free update for all players would go live in April, approximately two months before the launch of The Final Shape. Here we are, in early April, and Into the Light has arrived.

The update offers a solid amount of content, from a new in-game activity to a reprised exotic mission and a slew of reimagined weapons. The headline offering, the new Onslaught mode, is a wave-based horde mode reminiscent of the Warmind expansion’s Escalation Protocol. Both activities are horde modes, but whereas Escalation Protocol was more about defending multiple objects from a small amount of enemy waves, Onslaught is about defending one object from many waves. Personally, I’ve found Onslaught to be far more enjoyable than Escalation Protocol.

Onslaught drops either your matchmade three-man fireteam or a premade group into one of three familiar locations that have been slightly altered by Darkness architecture: either Midtown or Vostok, two different multiplayer maps, or Mothyard, a section of the Cosmodrome. In these locations, players are responsible for the defense of the Advanced Defense Unit (ADU), a static pylon that can be damaged by enemies and repaired using enemy-dropped batteries. Surrounding the ADU are purchasable defenses. Defenses include turrets, trip mines, and decoys, all of which serve to take the heat off of the fireteam during waves. Waves get increasingly difficult, mixing in different enemy types, champions, and minibosses to try and kill your fireteam and destroy the ADU. There are a few boss fights mixed in as well to pace the experience. The mode essentially boils down to defend the point and survive while doing it. 

Onslaught is easily the best thing about this update. Destiny is a franchise that lends itself so easily to a horde mode that the fact that we were missing one for so long seems absurd. Fighting droves of increasingly challenging enemies is the perfect way to experiment with the sandbox available in Destiny 2. Using all abilities profusely, tracking special and heavy ammo, coordinating defenses with your fireteam; everything about Onslaught feels so right. There is a short, 10-wave experience on offer for a quick hit, a longer, more rewarding 50-wave mode, and a 50-wave Legendary difficulty option for those needing more of a challenge. Definitely bring a wave-frame grenade launcher to that one.

The keynote rewards for Onslaught runs are the newly reintroduced BRAVE weapons: popular legendary weapons that were either previously sunset or fan-favorites, reimagined for the current sandbox and crafting system. Weapons like The Recluse, Hung Jury SR4, and Succession are just a few of the guns on offer. With the right roll, every weapon truly does feel like it should be banned; these guns are seriously powerful and worth the chase. The BRAVE arsenal better be here to stay, because it’s been a long time since hunting for specific weapon drops was this enjoyable.

There is also a new social space, the Hall of Champions, helmed by none other than Lord Shaxx. In this social space players can attune BRAVE weapons, open reward chests, claim new Onslaught bounties, and find easter eggs. The Hall is beautifully adorned, and does a great job of celebrating some of Destiny 2’s best content both new and old.

Into the Light also features the return of a previously vaulted exotic mission, The Whisper. Taking place on Io, this time-trial mission has been fully revamped from its previous version, switching up puzzles, enemy encounters, and boss fights to offer a fresh new experience. Though the introduction of Strand has made the mission infinitely easier than the original, the reinvigorated combat encounters still offer a healthy challenge, especially since you’re against the clock. Upon completion players receive a craftable Whisper of the Worm exotic sniper rifle, which is very welcome as the weapon has been disappointing for some time. A challenging, reimagined mission and craftable exotic sniper? What’s not to love?

There are some things I am unable to discuss now, such as the return of a second vaulted exotic mission, Zero Hour, systematically rolled out BRAVE weapons, a new boss-rush mode named Pantheon, and, most importantly, three brand new Crucible maps. According to Bungie’s blog posts, the Zero Hour mission will feature new challenges and reimagined encounters similar to The Whisper. Additionally, the BRAVE weapons will undoubtedly make a similar splash to those in the game now, serving as somewhat overpowered revamps of previously “banned” weapons like Forbearance and Luna’s Howl (that’s right – sunsetting is canon now).

The two most exciting pieces of currently unreleased Into the Light content are Pantheon and the new PvP maps. Pantheon is allegedly a raid boss gauntlet-style mode that sees players take on multiple bosses from across Destiny 2’s raids in a row. This is such an unexpected but welcome addition to the Destiny 2 experience, and I am excited to see how the player base reacts to its additions. I’m sure we will see some insanely fast takedowns very soon on April 30th. Finally, on May 7, three new Crucible maps, Cirrus Plaza, Eventide Labs, and Dissonance, will be added to the PvP rotation. This makes me one happy guardian – gone are the days of a rotting PvP scene where we were relegated to the same monotonous Crucible maps for years on end. It will be extremely nice to have some new scenery to compete in, and I’m excited to experience Trials of Osiris on them further down the line.

Everything mentioned in these impressions is either live in-game right now or to be released within the next month. Into the Light itself lasts from April 9th to June 3rd, the last day of Season of the Wish and the day before the release of The Final Shape. Make sure to enjoy all of what Into the Light has to offer during this time period – we’re in a bit of a Destiny 2 renaissance right now, and I, for one, couldn’t be happier.

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