People have a lot of capital-O Opinions about Destiny 2, but almost everyone can agree that it’s a visually stunning video game. Bungie is famous for its sky boxes for a reason, and with each passing expansion Destiny 2 has given players incredible new vistas to ooh and ahh over.
Of the people who like Destiny 2, one of the biggest agreed-upon shortcomings is its lack of any sort of photo mode. Implementing something like this would probably represent some unique challenges in an online environment, but this latest update just implemented multiplayer emotes, so Bungie is capable of anything as far as I’m concerned. Here are some screenshots from my time with the game that prove, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that Destiny 2 desperately needs a photo mode.
(Also hey, heads up, there’s visual spoilers for some stuff in here. If you care about what keeping fresh eyes for the campaign or its expansions, thou hast been warneth’d.)
When You Save the World
An exceptional evil has been vanquished. The Red Legion burns across the system and a new dawn breaks above the mountains surrounding the farm. It’s beautiful; emotional — picturesque, one might say. If only Destiny 2 had a photo mode, one might be able to accurately capture the impact of the moment with a bit more artistic flare than a HUD-less screenshot like this one. Cayde-6 gave me that sword, you know. I still have it.
When the Lighting Is Just Right
Each planet/moon in Destiny 2 uses its own unique color pallet in the game’s lighting engine, and while the differences are subtle most of the time, there are occasions where something just looks perfect. One morning, for instance, the green skies of Nessus bounced a gentle blue off the fog, and the prongs of my exotic helm glinted with a most alluring shine. Too bad I just couldn’t quite get the shot I was after.
When the City Comes Alive
There’s only so much life left, you know? We have to appreciate it. It may be the last city, but it’s a beautiful one, especially at night. Maybe it’s beautiful because it’s the last city, I dunno. Sometimes I just like to climb down onto the lower rungs of the Tower and think for a while. Who are the regular folk that live here? What are their daily lives like while I’m off in space? It’d be amazing if Bungie ever explored the potential of normal life in the Destiny 2 universe, outside of the odd lore entry.
When the Past Rears Its Head
Curse of Osiris is easily Destiny 2‘s worst expansion, both from a narrative cohesion standpoint and design-wise, but hot damn if Old Mercury isn’t just astonishing to look at. It’s a real shame that only a couple of quests made good use of this bright and shocking color pallet, as the expansion often opted instead for same-y floating platforms and that damn hallway.
When the Goof Is Strong
For all its pomp and circumstance around world-ending threats and giant evil magic space worms, Destiny 2 can also be goofy as hell when it wants to be. This year’s Festival of the Lost was a prime example, as it gave everyone ready access to a bunch of goofy hats, as well as an emote where you pet a hologram chicken. This screenshot turned out okay, but a real photo mode would have allowed me to do so much more with these incredible props.
When You Finally Meet Your Wife
Okay, so Mara Sov and I aren’t married yet — she wasn’t as wooed by my sensual, flamenco-style guitar playing as I’d hoped — but we’ve exchanged words in person, and that’s a vital step in any potentially-infinite relationship. I just wish I had a better photo of the occasion for when it’s time to put the wedding scrapbook together.
When the Gear Is Good
I finally got Dawning Cheer last night (get your own via our guide), and while I was able to snag this decent action shot, it’s a far cry from the Lowrider Magazine cover I had in mind. The people responsible for designing the exotic sparrows in Destiny 2 have really knocked it out of the park, and I wish I had better tools for exemplifying their work, as well as my rad accomplishments.
When the Season Is Bright
Sometimes I just wanna spread a little holiday cheer, dammit. Let me take some nice pictures in my green-and-red shaders with Cookie Grandma, so I can finally have proper framing on my annual greeting cards for once. Bungie.
