The legendary Hive ship, the Dreadnaught, makes its ominous comeback as a looming threat to humanity. Guardians will embark on new adventures against this formidable backdrop when Destiny 2: Heresy, the game’s third Episode and final chapter in the Light and Darkness Saga, launches on February 4. In a recent livestream, the Destiny team unveiled what players can anticipate from Heresy, treating viewers to exclusive developer insights and live gameplay from the Episode.
Let’s dive into some of the most exciting aspects of Heresy highlighted in today’s presentation. For a more comprehensive overview, be sure to check out the full livestream recap.
Hovering in the majestic rings of Saturn, the Dreadnaught has long been a significant part of Destiny’s lore. It’s been both a haunting reminder of past battles with Oryx in The Taken King expansion and a base for Xivu Arath’s forces. However, with Heresy, this Hive ship is back in focus.
“The Dreadnaught’s return is significant because it’s evolving, and we’ll engage with it in ways we haven’t experienced before,” explained Destiny 2 Narrative Architect Nikko Stevens. “It’s reawakened after nearly a decade, prompting the Vanguard and Guardians to rally. We’ll finally see how the Dreadnaught has transformed since Oryx’s demise, as its corridors have decayed without a Navigator.”
In this Episode, Guardians delve into the heart of the Dreadnaught with a new feature called The Nether. This activity blends exploration and combat, alongside gameplay modifiers and escalating challenges, promising exciting rewards and keeping players engaged.
“There’s an intense outflow of Taken forces and corruption from the Dreadnaught in Heresy,” said Stevens. “This torrent opposes Guardian forces attempting to board, which is where The Nether plays a crucial role.”
Incorporating area patrols and multiple zones filled with tough enemies, each climaxing in epic boss encounters, The Nether invites Guardians to infiltrate the ship’s eerie confines. Their mission involves shutting down its weaponry and stemming the spread of corruption. Drawing on insights from past rogue-lite elements in Destiny 2, like The Coil from Season of the Wish and Deep Dives from Season of the Deep, players can look forward to a dynamic adventure. For instance, as each zone is cleared, enemy Power levels rise, adding a fresh twist to combat with gameplay-impacting boons.
Players can collect three types of boons: minor, major, and corrupted. Minor boons enhance stats and can stack, while major boons, acquired by completing zones, offer game-changing advantages—such as accumulating Static Charge stacks during sprints to release a powerful thunderbolt upon firing a weapon. Corrupted boons provide significant gameplay boosts with certain trade-offs; one example ups damage dealt while also heightening damage received.
“We’ve experimented with modifiers like increased health pools, absence of health regeneration, limited ammo, and revive tokens, all affecting healing during play,” noted Destiny 2 Senior Designer Ryan Harris, emphasizing the importance of strategic loadouts for the Nether activity. “Players should tailor their setups for durability as game mode modifiers significantly boost player health while halting health regeneration.”
Today’s livestream also introduced a thrilling collaboration between Bungie and Lucasfilm Games to create Star Wars-inspired gear for Destiny 2. Launching with Heresy, this collection features new armor sets for each Guardian class, reminiscent of Galactic Empire soldiers, along with various themed accessories.
With three Acts lined up for this Episode, Heresy is packed with excitement in the months ahead, including new activities, incredible gear to collect, and more. It also marks the beginning of an exhilarating 2025 for Destiny 2, so stay tuned for even more adventures!
Destiny 2: Heresy is set to launch on February 4.
