At the end of light, there is darkness. And at the end of darkness is light. This conflict is what Lightfall–the penultimate expansion to Destiny 2’s epic Light and Darkness saga–is all about. It’s you and your fireteam standing against The Witness and Calus’s dark Shadow Legion. The stakes are everything, with the looming extinction of all life hanging in the balance. It’s the most monumental development to the six-year-old game, and the talented team at Bungie is making sure you feel the grandeur through the plot and an assortment of new gameplay additions.
During a recent preview event of the upcoming expansion, we got to see some of the first mission and a handful of the delightful new surprises coming for Destiny 2 players, both new and old. Below are some of the most exciting details we learned about Lightfall.
The beginning of the saga’s end
You’re going to carry that weight: Lightfall looks to be one of the most powerful and emotionally heavy stories in the Destiny universe. With you as its central character (known as a Guardian), the savior battling against the end of the world, it all falls on you. The increased focus and pressure on you as the story’s hero adds to the plot’s stakes, giving your actions a greater weight than in previous expansions.
The introduction of The Witness: The ultimate nemesis of Destiny 2’s Light and Darkness Saga,The Witness, is finally entering the physical frame, adding to the urgency of Lightfall. This entity is unlike any you’ve encountered thus far. In its quest for total control, The Witness will immediately show that it is the coldest, most calculated, and reserved foe that any Guardian has ever fought.
A beautiful new destination: Lightfall is showing the world of Destiny in a new light. The cyberpunk-esque city of Neomuna is one of the most visually stunning locations in the game’s history. The architecture takes a more aerodynamic approach in its design, and the team brought that philosophy into every aspect, incorporating elements such as surf-like fins and sailboat-like ships. It’s all complemented by the vibrant neon color scheme of the city to create a vivid new aesthetic for the Destiny universe.
Fresh characters enter the fray: You can’t hope to stop the end of the world on your own, so you’ll find yourself fighting alongside some new faces in Lightfall. There’s the world-weary veteran, Rohan, and the showboating rookie, Nimbus, two members of the Cloud Striders—defenders of Neomuna.
A new power awakens from within: Alongside the new adventures of Lightfall comes a new subclass power. Enter Strand—A cosmic web of life connected to everything around you. It is a thread of dark life that can be manipulated by any class in uniquely functional ways, offering variety and innovation to Destiny’s fast and hard-hitting combat. In the first mission, it was used to quickly zipline to different locations, grab onto vehicles to gain ground on enemies, and attack from afar.
Swing like a spider can: Strand gives access to a new grapple ability that replaces the grenade slot. Not only does it let you swing through the world like a certain arachnid-inspired hero, but it also is incorporated into the melee-based combat of Destiny 2. Fling the Strand-powered grapple into the air and grapple into enemies, stunning them and allowing for follow-up melee attacks or a flurry of projectiles.
Updated weapon crafting: Weapon crafting gives Guardians the opportunity to customize their arsenal and Lightfall is giving players a fresh look at weapon progression and selection. While fewer total weapons will be craftable, many new weapons will have reliable long-term sources, with you receiving value from random perk roles. Non-craftable weapons can also be enhanced, allowing you to level up randomly rolled weapons in much the same way you can with crafted weapons.
A new challenge: The Witness isn’t the only new foe you’ll face in Lightfall; the Tormentors are ready to present a new challenge as well. The team at Bungie made this enemy with the goal of being the most horrifying and intimidating combatants in the Destiny universe. Commanding giant scythes and harnessing Void energy, the Tormentors present an encounter you won’t forget.
New classes and new potential
Each Guardian class has new darkness powers that utilize Strand in distinct and intriguing ways. These abilities give you even more freedom to express yourself in combat.
- Hunter Threadrunner: Using Strand, the Hunter can use “Silk Strike.” This whip-like ability allows you to move and attack in tandem constantly, making the Hunter’s combination of mobility and power as formidable as it is impressive looking.
- Titan Berserker: The Titan Berserker uses the power of Strand much more brutally. It weaves blades of Darkness onto its hands, enabling new melee combo attacks and a heavy strike that sends out shockwaves of Strand energy.
- Warlock Broodweaver: The Warlock controls weaved minions called “Threadlings.” It also has access to a Super that sends explosive needles toward nearby foes.
Prepare to fight against all odds when Destiny 2: Lightfall releases on February 28.
