Before Destiny came out, the gaming audience at large didn’t know quite what to expect, as Bungie was hesitant on how exactly to define they’re new IP. Lot’s of MMO terminology was thrown around, but it wasn’t an MMO. Their roots in the shooter genre suggested that it would be an update and refinement to the Halo formula, but RPG mechanics would help to influence and inform design choices. A distinct space-fantasy flavor was also promised as you would turn your guardian into a defender of a dying universe, spinning your story and becoming legend. All of this while playing alongside compatriots and sharing unique story experiences.
This ended up playing like a mix between Halo and Borderlands, and this ends up being a very apt description.
Earlier this year in April, Gearbox announced that we’d be getting a Borderlands game set between 1 and 2, and a majority of the development would be handled by 2K Australia.
This ended up playing exactly like Borderlands.
So now that both games are out and are essentially in the same genre (shoot-n-loot if you have to pin down specifics) which one is better? If you go by this site, you have scores determining a numerical value, but there’s a finer breakdown and analysis that can be done between these two games. Each has strengths and weaknesses, most often in different areas, suggesting that future iterations could stand to learn lessons from each other.
On a side note, some might think it unfair to compare Destiny’s first outing to a franchise on essentially it’s third outing. I wholeheartedly disagree, as Bungie has proven itself time and again not only an incredibly capable game studio, but also must have played the first two games to some degree and either failed to learn lessons or made intentional choices to stand apart from the Borderlands series.
