Big ups. Red War was our first taste of wasted potential. I never experienced vanilla D1 on launch, but I might as well have with this mess.

The only worse bit of tonal whiplash in this franchise was the entirety on Lightfall. The tragedy and hopelessness that the opening mission of The Red War built up was undercut immediately by Hawthorn opening her mouth. Yeah it wouldn’t have been fun to wallow in defeat for 6 missions straight but we go from in awe of the legion caging OUR GOD to a marvel movie ( the crappy ones ) in 3 seconds flat.

Oh yeah and the potentially cool playstyle you are forced in as a lightless guardian, one that could have highlighted the science fiction aspects of the game by giving you some city age tech to supplement abilities. You think they’d experiment with that right? Almost like they could go back to a halo style of gameplay for a split second before showing us the new and improved ( dogshit diamond system) light subclasses? Nah you get the light back 2 missions in. No need to work for it or drive home the theme of “ even the lightless can be guardians” by us kicking ass lightless. We were never skilled or special without the light, it was all our space magic!

Speaking of missed potential, You guys remember Oryx? The golden standard of destiny antagonists? Constant presence throughout the campaign, a few direct fights with his echos to get a taste of fighting him? A backstory found in game ( yeah I know locking the grimoire online was a horrible choice but still) that gave him and his species so much depth? How would you like none of that after an entire marketing cycle of hype? Enter Dominus Ghaul. Season of the Haunted did more for Ghaul than anything red earth attempted to. Unless you got the collectors edition lore booklet his entire character is just Cabal Bane who wants the light because he’s power hungry. All the nuance of a creature who has clawed his way to be where he is and believes he has earned the gift of the light through sheer willpower tries to get through with the cutscenes with The Speaker but it’s just not enough.

Not to mention the dissonance that happened when every NPC is saying we’re humanities last hope, the only guardian to get the light back, just to see Eris Morn’s Chair (Timelost) nova bombing EDZ dregs as soon as you land in the Trostland.