How Destiny 2's Final Shape Campaign Stacks Up Against Forsaken and The Witch Queen (2024)

Destiny 2's highly anticipated expansion, The Final Shape, is here at last, with an epic conclusion to Destiny's decade-long story and a brand-new location and subclass to boot. As the culmination of ten years of Destiny, The Final Shape had a lot riding on it leading up to its release. Thankfully, it delivers what it promised it would deliver, and perhaps arguably even more. With an emotional story involving pivotal plot points like the fight against the Witness, the revival of Cayde-6, and Destiny's most prominent characters struggling with their inner demons, The Final Shape is a fulfilling end to what Destiny started back in 2014.

After the release of The Final Shape, Destiny 2 has had six major expansions, some of them being better than others. Excluding The Final Shape, Forsaken and The Witch Queen are widely recognized as Destiny 2's best expansions for their story and gameplay elements, with some even saying The Witch Queen has Forsaken beat in a lot of ways. However, The Final Shape has now arrived on the scene, which means the pecking order of Destiny 2's best expansions might need to be reevaluated.

How Destiny 2's Final Shape Campaign Compares to Forsaken and The Witch Queen

Forsaken and The Witch Queen Are Celebrated for Their Narratives

Destiny 2's Forsaken campaign was once considered by all to be the game's absolute best. Before the release of Forsaken, Destiny 2 had been criticized for being too lighthearted and playful in its tone. Forsaken changed that by giving players a much darker narrative, complete with the death of their favorite Hunter Vanguard, Cayde-6. Forsaken continued to hold its ground as Destiny 2's best expansion for years — until the release of The Witch Queen.

With what could be considered a much more compelling and twisted narrative than Forsaken, The Witch Queen's campaign rose to prominence within the first week of its release. It was the first time the game offered a Legendary difficulty for a Destiny 2 campaign, which certainly helped it climb the ladder, but its characters, environments, and varied level design all contributed to what many came to consider to be Destiny 2's best campaign. Of course, this was all before The Final Shape.

The Final Shape Has a Few Legs Up on Forsaken and The Witch Queen

Destiny 2's Forsaken and Witch Queen campaigns will never be forgotten, but The Final Shape may nevertheless have a few legs up on both of them. Firstly, The Final Shape's campaign has more character development and focus than any Destiny 2 expansion to date, zeroing in on major characters like Commander Zavala, Cayde-6, and Crow. The story is full of deeply emotional moments that explore the pain-filled pasts of these beloved characters and their struggle to move forward.

The Final Shape's environments are also some of the best Destiny has ever seen. The Pale Heart of the Traveler quite literally transforms before players' very eyes and offers a sizable explorable location with multiple biomes, largely unlike any other location in the game. Additionally, each of The Final Shape campaign's encounters are tense and exciting, especially the final boss. Forsaken and The Witch Queen both included plenty of memorable fights and noteworthy environments, but it's difficult to deny the urgency and looming threat behind each of The Final Shape's encounters, as well as the uniqueness and beauty of the Pale Heart location.

While Forsaken and The Witch Queen may still be considered by some to be the best campaigns in Destiny 2 history, The Final Shape offers something truly unique in its emphasis on character development, its breathtaking environments, and its rewarding battles. Time will tell as more players complete The Final Shape's campaign whether it is deemed Destiny 2's best, but it's absolutely in the conversation.

Destiny 2

Bungie's Destiny 2 is an online FPS that blends single-player and multiplayer content. Constantly evolving, the shooter has established a strong following since its 2017 debut.

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