The present story arc present in Future 2 appears to have been happening for an age, and the most recent chapter of it, entitled Lightfall, is now right here, promising to maneuver the narrative alongside. However can it match the highs of the final growth, The Witch Queen, or is it extra of a moist squib? Effectively, there’s just one option to discover out, and that’s to dive in headlong. Seize your ghosts Guardian, we’re moving into.
Let’s take a look on the narrative first, as right here the information is – sadly – fairly dangerous. With none spoilers, I can reveal that we’ve a complete new planet to go and go to this time, as there’s a metropolis known as Neomuna that has popped up on Neptune; one which we have been utterly unaware of. Sure, that’s proper, in a galaxy that it appeared we had explored to the final asteroid, we by some means managed to overlook a whole metropolis.
After all, the information that it’s there was shared with not solely the Witness, the large dangerous of this story, however with Emperor Calus and his Shadow Legion. What this implies is that the as soon as peaceable metropolis is about to have a number of unwelcome guests, and at first, as all the time, that features us Gentle Bearers. We’ve to cease Calus and The Witness, save the world (once more) and attempt to hold the Traveller protected. Can we do it? Will anybody ever care?
To be brutally sincere, the story present in Future 2: Lightfall is terrible. It is filled with cliches, it is vitally exhausting to care in regards to the destiny of the one two individuals we are able to work together with, and far, far more. The entire sport this time round appears to be like an prolonged coaching montage from an 1980’s motion movie, as we try to study to make use of the brand new subclass, known as Strand. We’ve to study to drift, to not attempt to management the subclass, however to maneuver in concord with it. All in all, it’s fairly painful to play by means of. Osiris, essentially the most highly effective Warlock ever, bear in mind, appears to have changed into a needy form of emo child, continuously doubting his personal powers and making an attempt to information us; this will get outdated fairly quick too. Nonetheless, the story, whereas a significant half, shouldn’t be the entire growth. Fortunately.
The brand new location, Neomuna, is fairly sufficient in a neon, Tron form of means, with a really cool quantity of verticality inbuilt. However why, within the identify of all that’s holy, is there a metropolis with solely two dwelling individuals in it? Rohan and Nimbus are Cloudstriders, an incredible title, and they’re cybernetically enhanced guardians of the entire planet. Sure, that’s proper, a metropolis so huge that we have to experience our Sparrows to get anyplace, has a grand complete of two defenders. The remainder of the inhabitants? They’ve been uploaded into the cloud. Sure, actually.
After all, the Vex have a go at this too, so when the Taken flip up, the one factor lacking is the Fallen to actually make it a celebration. Nonetheless, all of it appears to be like good, and whereas the voice work isn’t going to win any awards, all of it works fairly properly. Nonetheless, with Rohan being the grizzled veteran, and Nimbus in place because the younger and reckless character, Lightfall might have been known as Future 2: Deadly Weapon and nobody would have batted an eyelid – it seems the writers have been watching far too many buddy films when penning this travesty. And Nimbus is so unrelentingly cheerful it makes your set off finger itch…
So, what else does the Lightfall growth introduce? Effectively, there’s a new Raid promised for later down the road (you’re March tenth) and to be sincere it’s going to should be a superb one to make up for the frustration to date. It additionally brings in a complete new Darkness subclass, Strand, which for some weird purpose, regardless of coaching with it for just about the entire sport, you possibly can’t even have and use till after the narrative is full.
There are a few new actions too, particularly Defiant Battlegrounds, which is just about the identical as all the opposite flavours of Battleground which can be within the sport, and Terminal Overload, a form of large occasion in Neomuna that sees you chasing about all over making an attempt to defeat waves of Vex and Cabal – whereas it is a little bit of enjoyable, it’s punishingly exhausting.
There may be additionally one new Strike added, however to be sincere it’s fairly unforgettable. The brand new growth raises our Gentle to 1600, and with a view to even make a dent in among the enemies wandering in regards to the metropolis, you might want to have a minimum of 1780 Gentle. To place that in context, after ending the marketing campaign and grinding as many occasions as doable, I’m at 1759 Gentle; the enemies within the metropolis can fairly one shot me, even now, and that is considerably galling. The grind is actually actual right here, that’s for rattling positive.
There’s a new season included within the growth too – the Season of the Defiant – and this brings with it the standard form of quests that you’d count on; enjoying the brand new occasions and so forth to earn season rank, which may give you some good gear, together with a brand new Unique bow known as Vergals Curve. Apart from that, it’s fairly enterprise as ordinary, and you probably have performed any of the earlier seasons in Future 2 you may be proper at dwelling.
The general feeling I’m left with after enjoying Future 2: Lightfall is certainly one of disappointment. The Witch Queen set a really excessive bar for this to reside as much as, and it simply doesn’t. The gunplay and traversal are pretty much as good as ever, but it surely should be stated that if they’d messed that up, then Bungie might have had a revolt on their fingers. I’m not utterly satisfied by Strand simply but, nonetheless preferring to maintain my hammers (I play primarily as a Titan, as everyone knows Titan’s are the perfect, proper?), however I can see with a little bit of observe it might grow to be a great tool within the arsenal. I feel the perfect level I could make in regards to the story right here is that I really don’t need to play it with my different characters as it’s such a slog and never very a lot enjoyable.
Being blunt, Future 2: Lightfall is a let down. The blessing is that the gunplay and motion are pretty much as good as ever, however silly problem spikes (I spawned again into the town after a mission immediately right into a public occasion that I had no means of surviving) and poor writing make Lightfall a chore to play. Even the brand new enemies, Tormentors, seem at random intervals within the story however are by no means used to their full potential, and all of it combines to imply that there are extra misses than hits on this growth.
Future 2: Lightfall is on the Xbox Retailer
The present story arc present in Future 2 appears to have been happening for an age, and the most recent chapter of it, entitled Lightfall, is now right here, promising to maneuver the narrative alongside. However can it match the highs of the final growth, The Witch Queen, or is it extra of a moist squib? Effectively, there’s just one option to discover out, and that’s to dive in headlong. Seize your ghosts Guardian, we’re moving into. Let’s take a look on the narrative first, as right here the information is – sadly – fairly dangerous. With none spoilers, I…
Future 2: Lightfall Evaluate
Future 2: Lightfall Evaluate
2023-03-05
Paul Renshaw
Professionals:
- New metropolis appears to be like good
- Strand feels a superb long run match
- New weapons are fairly good enjoyable
Cons:
- Dreadful story writing kills any momentum
- Neomuna is a barren wasteland, and a missed alternative
- Issue spikes are excessive and far grinding is required
Data:
- Large thanks for the free copy of the sport go to – Bungie
- Codecs – Xbox Sequence X|S, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PC
- Model reviewed – Xbox Sequence X
- Launch date – 28 February 2023
- Launch worth from – £39.99
TXH Rating
3/5
Professionals:
- New metropolis appears to be like good
- Strand feels a superb long run match
- New weapons are fairly good enjoyable
Cons:
- Dreadful story writing kills any momentum
- Neomuna is a barren wasteland, and a missed alternative
- Issue spikes are excessive and far grinding is required
Data:
- Large thanks for the free copy of the sport go to – Bungie
- Codecs – Xbox Sequence X|S, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PC
- Model reviewed – Xbox Sequence X
- Launch date – 28 February 2023
- Launch worth from – £39.99