Destiny 2: Renegades

I jumped into Destiny 2: Renegades expecting a cheeky crossover and left with mixed feelings — part genuine enjoyment, part baffled sigh. Bungie throws the Fate Saga deeper into sci‑fi mashup territory with a Star Wars‑tinged vibe, new heat weapons and a lightsaber exotic that actually feels slick in combat. What makes Renegades interesting is how it mixes a sandbox shooter with small, ambitious experiments — a Lawless Frontier open for turf wars, a three‑player dungeon that clicks, and a story that aims high even when it wobbles. If you’ve followed Destiny’s ups and downs, this expansion reads like a bold last act: entertaining, flawed, and oddly nostalgic.

Racing Through the Lawless Frontier

The core of Renegades is a turf‑war playground called the Lawless Frontier, where you and your fireteam take on high‑risk assignments for competing syndicates. Gameplay loops alternate between short, punchy objective runs and larger open‑area skirmishes: capture points, escort convoys, rip out objectives and survive invasions. Abilities feel chunky and consequential — you can rain down airstrikes, set up deployable turrets or call in an Imperium Behemoth to bulldoze a choke point. The addition of heat weapon archetypes spices up the usual Destiny gunplay: they hit differently, have a distinct visual flair, and pair nicely with the fast, melee‑forward feel of the Praxic Blade. Missions are often designed around these toys, which is both a strength (you feel powerful) and a weakness (design leans on spectacle over variety).

When Syndicates Turn the World Into a Chessboard

What sets Renegades apart are the systems layered on top of standard strikes: faction standing with gangs, territory control, and extraction‑style events that give the expansion a quasi‑MMO heartbeat. You’ll be doing syndicate jobs to climb ranks and unlock gear perks, but the risk is real — some activities allow invasions, and being shoved into PvP while farming reputation has frustrated many. There’s a fun tension in choosing greedy rewards versus safer play. The three‑player dungeon, Equilibrium, is a bright spot: it’s focused, mechanically tight and rewards coordination without resorting to op‑gimmicks. The new Praxic Blade progression and the exotic acquisition paths feel like destiny‑flavored RPG moments — satisfying when they land, maddening when grind and gatekeeping appear.

A Cinematic, Uneven Presentation

Graphically, Renegades leans into cinematic setpieces and homages — some areas unmistakably wink at a certain space‑opera aesthetic — but Bungie’s art team still delivers strong moments that feel like Destiny. Sound and gunfeel remain top tier; the lightsaber swing is surprisingly weighty and the heat weapons crack with personality. Where the expansion trips up is pacing and polish: lots of talky NPC stops, reused patrol scaffolding and occasional UI/marker confusion. Performance on PC is mostly solid, though some players report bugs and mission clarity issues that undercut the fun. Accessibility is mixed — the mechanics themselves are approachable, but the meta (standing grind, invasions, and unclear mission routing) can be alienating for returning or new players.

Renegades is a mixed bag: it delivers some genuinely fun additions — memorable weapons, a solid three‑player dungeon and entertaining frontier activities — but it’s hampered by pacing issues, repeat mission structure and questionable value at full price. Buy it if you love Destiny’s core combat and want the dungeon; otherwise wait for a discount. For longtime fans this feels like a bittersweet encore: enjoyable in parts, but not the renaissance many hoped for.