Destiny 2 Curse of Osiris (8)

Three months after it debuted, Destiny 2’s rock-solid launch has somewhat fizzled out. It’s campaign has most likely been completed three times over by fans looking to fine-tune a trio of Guardians across all of the classes, its Crucible multiplayer is divisive to say the least and communication regarding the endgame has been lacking from Bungie, as the sequel finds itself slipping back into old habits.

There’s one other trend that Destiny 2 is in danger of falling headfirst into: DLC expansions that offer very little substance to keep players around. In many ways, Destiny 2’s Curse of Osiris feels like a repeat of Destiny 1’s The Dark Below. A hype-train detailing the return of an enigmatic figure from the lore of the franchise that amounts to not much at all, a story that lasts a scant handful of hours and new gear to collect are mirrored in this slice of DLC, resulting in an expansion that quickly fizzles out after a single playthrough.

Destiny 2 Curse of Osiris (1)

It’s a pity, because Curse of Osiris is mechanically and visually a fantastic setup for a hard right hook that ends up feeling more like a love tap. The new playable world of Mercury is a mesmerising zone of searing mystery under the red-hot sun until you realise its main hub is roughly the size of the Farm social space, while the Infinite Forest quickly becomes a tedious gauntlet of slightly-random simulations that you need to shot your way through.

Bungie may have made a claim that the Infinite Forest will be different every time you play it, but a platform being moved to the left or the Hive substituting for the Fallen doesn’t really help sell that claim. Worse yet, a chance to truly expand on the lore of Destiny 1 feels like a wasted opportunity. For years, the name of Osiris was whispered in reverence, a heretical figure whose teachings resulted in him being exiled from Earth and banished to Mercury where he continued to pursue the Vex across all of time and space.

Destiny 2 Curse of Osiris (10)

Osiris was built up as Destiny’s greatest champion of the Light, a former Vanguard warrior and a rebel with a cause. There are signs of that character in his self-named expansion, but they’re fleeting and quickly replaced by a character whose machinations within the timestream have resulted in a friendly old chap at the end of the tale. Kind of anti-climatic really.

Mercury itself doesn’t fare much better. It’s small, packs in a single Lost Sector and one new Public Event. Given its size it is understandable that it only has so much to offer across the various time eras that Vex load into it, but it hardly feels worth exploring in its present state. If there’s one thing that Destiny 1 managed to do with its expansions, it was to make certain that the events you played through had an impact on the rest of its universe.

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House of Wolves introduced Fallen raiding parties who you could battle for a chance to find chests filled with rare loot, while the Taken King would spawn dangerous armies in your location if you loitered too long around any planet. Curse of Osiris doesn’t have that impact, as its main endgame revolves around a grind for exotic new weapons instead as you engage in heroic versions of its three adventures available.

Strike-wise, Curse of Osiris fares a little bit better. A Garden World and Tree of Probabilities help Guardians feel legendary thanks to their lush vistas and seemingly overwhelming odds, although the boss fights appear to be over before they begin. They’re filled with interesting mechanics, but any fireteam that’s prepared for the fight ahead will soon find that a battle to save time itself from the Vex wasn’t exactly that epic.

Destiny 2 Curse of Osiris (2)

If you were looking for a change in PVP, you’re also out of luck. The first hefty patch of Destiny 2 doesn’t change up the formula for the Crucible, which still remains a more team-based experience that focuses on easily-accessible squad tactics instead of those defining moments of glory when a single Guardian had a brief chance to turn the tide of battle. Love it or hate it, the Destiny 2 Crucible is here to stay in its current format.

With all of that being said, it does feel like a shame to not take notice of just how beautifully designed this small section of Destiny 2 really is. Were Mercury larger, it’d easily rival Nessus or the European Dead Zone in terms of design, instead of being a tiny sandbox under the sun. The visuals still pop, the battle still feels amazingly legendary in scope and the audio design is a grade above many a contemporary in the field.

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The problem is, is that Destiny 2 finds itself caught between a rock and a hard place currently. It needs to keep its fanbase interested and invested for the ride ahead towards the inevitable September expansion, but it also can’t afford to show its hand too early. Are better features in the works for Destiny 2? If The Taken King and Rise of Iron are signs of what Bungie can do in a year when it comes to adding new content, then I don’t doubt it.

Destiny 2 Curse of Osiris (7)

It’s the ride between now and then that’s the concern. Even with the promise of another substantial patch, Raid Lairs and upcoming fixes, Curse of Osiris can’t help but feel like a case of style over substance.

Last Updated: May 14, 2018

Destiny 2: Curse of Osiris
Destiny 2’s first substantial piece of DLC may look pretty, but it’s a surface fix that misses the mark on truly pushing the series forward.
5.5
Provisional score
Destiny 2: Curse of Osiris was reviewed on PlayStation 4
57 / 100

13 Comments

  1. Kromas Ryder

    December 7, 2017 at 12:57

    Miles wide inches deep. 2 hours to complete the main quest and maybe another hour to finish the 3 adventures. In a way I am sorta glad I don’t feel like spending too much time in destiny as I have other games to play. Just sad I paid money for this.

    Reply

  2. Allykhat

    December 7, 2017 at 13:52

    I’ll be honest D. It’s difficult to find a bigger fan of Destiny than myself. I honestly think that CoO as a very positive stretch only deserved a 5. There is some really good stuff, but I give it a week, maybe 2, tops and we’ll be right back at square one, waiting months for info again.

    The mere fact that 80% of the new loot, exotic loot included, is locked behind eververse is just not on. I could sit and write pages about how badly Bungie have lost the plot with D2… but one thing is resoundingly clear. Their focus isnt on delivering engaging story and gameplay anymore. It’s funneling as much into eververse as possible without being called out for charging a premium price for a free-2-play model game.

    Reply

    • The D

      December 7, 2017 at 14:12

      Fair enough. The score might change for the lower, but seeing as how content like the Curse of Osiris can only be fully evaluated after it has matured for a few weeks, it remains to be seen.

      Believe me, I am keeping track of any and all complaints from you and everyone else for this review.

      Reply

  3. For the Emperor!

    December 7, 2017 at 14:42

    Read somewhere that content available pre-DLC is no longer available to players who have not yet purchased the new DLC due to level (or is it power) requirement going from 300 to 330! So content you could play last week you cannot now unless you get the DLC. Sucks man. Luckily the game didn’t win me over when I tried it for free.

    Reply

  4. Sageville

    December 7, 2017 at 14:47

    Things we wanted: Fixing of End game, something to play for…

    Things we got: Broken end game now delayed 2 weeks.

    Reply

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