E3 2013 Preview: Destiny

We have been inundated with Destiny footage and the requisite hype that surrounds the game. All the chatter is worth it, especially since developers Bungie are the masterminds behind Halo. But sometimes the legend overtakes reality, and what we're left with is a ton of smoke and mirrors. So is Destiny fated for excellence? We had a chance to find out for ourselves at E3 2013.

Media members were led into a screening room for Destiny, where Bungie employees thankfully wasted no time with pleasantries to launch into the actual gameplay. Although the intriguing mythology behind the title is, for me, its biggest selling point, many will only be drawn to the visceral feel and look of this epic shooter. Maybe that's why the Bungie guys skipped all the thematic stuff during the presentation. Action, my friends, is what we're all here for.

Bungie's run through is exactly the same footage that was shown at Sony's E3 2013 press conference, and the advantage with this closed door session was seeing the nuanced lighting mechanic that filtered throughout the gameplay. Although the presentation mainly centered on wall-to-wall combat, there were several moments, especially while moving through an underground sequence, where one could appreciate the shadowed visual textures of Destiny. Unfortunately, my iPhone picture taking is abysmal at best, so any intricate details I experienced were left off my camera roll. Alas, here's a quick shot of the other shooter who took part in this multiplayer journey.

Although it has its feet firmly grounded in the sci-fi genre, Destiny at times resembles a good old-fashioned Western. Wielding what looks like a pumped up six shooter and trying to destroy a Devil Walker may be the cowboy way, but that's like bringing a knife to a gunfight. Still, facing a monster vehicle with a pistol is actually a welcome sight, especially if you think big things come in small packages. The graphics? Stellar. Like I said, my stupid iPhone doesn't do the game justice.

I left the presentation with a higher level of interest for Destiny, and I'm eager to see what other pieces they place in their sandbox. Whether it reaches Halo-esque heights will be judged at a later date, but for now Destiny didn't disappoint, and that's really all that matters.