{"id":509,"date":"2021-11-19T14:55:38","date_gmt":"2021-11-19T14:55:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/engadget.vip\/?p=509"},"modified":"2021-11-19T14:55:38","modified_gmt":"2021-11-19T14:55:38","slug":"destiny-2-shadowkeep-pc-technical-review-a-sight-for-sore-eyes-in-more-ways-than-one","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/engadget.vip\/?p=509","title":{"rendered":"Destiny 2: Shadowkeep PC technical review \u2013 A sight for sore eyes in more ways than one"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>

\u201cIt\u2019s time, Guardian! Crush them!\u201d Shaxx would say that line, if only you had the opportunity to play Crucible. Yes, Destiny 2: Shadowkeep<\/em> is currently plagued with a number of connection issues due to so many users attempting to log in at the same time. That\u2019s a technical problem that seems fitting since this is a technical review.<\/p>\n

Yes, Destiny 2<\/em> has been available for a couple of years now on Battle.net and I did own the vanilla game. However, I never truly bothered to progress further since my main account was on PS4. Destiny 2: Shadowkeep<\/em>\u2018s cross-save viability meant that I could experience all the goodness that awaits my Guardians on PC without the hassle of redoing the grind. I hope you\u2019ll indulge me as I marvel at what the game provides along with meeting Eris Morn once again. Since Destiny 2: Shadowkeep<\/em>\u2018s release also coincides with the launch of the free-to-play version known as New Light, <\/em>this should help beginners who are also looking to see what they can expect from playing on PCs.<\/p>\n

Note:<\/strong> For everything there is to know about Destiny 2: Shadowkeep<\/em>, you can check out our nifty guides and features hub.<\/p>\n

\"Destiny<\/p>\n

Destiny 2: Shadowkeep \u2013 System Requirements<\/h2>\n

Minimum:<\/strong><\/p>\n

    \n
  • Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system<\/li>\n
  • OS: Windows\u00ae 7 \/ Windows\u00ae 8.1 \/ Windows\u00ae 10 64-bit (latest Service Pack)<\/li>\n
  • Processor: Intel\u00ae Core\u2122 i3 3250 3.5 GHz or Intel Pentium G4560 3.5 GHz \/ AMD FX-4350 4.2 GHz<\/li>\n
  • Memory: 6 GB RAM<\/li>\n
  • Graphics: NVIDIA\u00ae GeForce\u00ae GTX 660 2GB or GTX 1050 2GB \/ AMD Radeon HD 7850 2GB<\/li>\n
  • Network: Broadband Internet connection<\/li>\n
  • Storage: 105 GB available space<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Recommended:<\/strong><\/p>\n

      \n
    • Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system<\/li>\n
    • OS: System Windows\u00ae 7 \/ Windows\u00ae 8.1 \/ Windows\u00ae 10 64-bit (latest Service Pack)<\/li>\n
    • Processor: Processor Intel\u00ae Core\u2122 i5 2400 3.4 GHz or i5 7400 3.5 GHz \/ AMD Ryzen R5 1600X 3.6 GHz<\/li>\n
    • Memory: 8 GB RAM<\/li>\n
    • Graphics: Video NVIDIA\u00ae GeForce\u00ae GTX 970 4GB or GTX 1060 6GB \/ AMD R9 390 8GB Memory 8 GB RAM<\/li>\n
    • Network: Broadband Internet connection<\/li>\n
    • Storage: 105 GB available space<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      Author\u2019s:<\/strong><\/p>\n

        \n
      • OS: Windows 10 (64-bit)<\/li>\n
      • Processor: Intel Core i7-7700 4.2 GHz<\/li>\n
      • Memory: 16GB RAM<\/li>\n
      • Graphics: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 Ti (8 GB)<\/li>\n
      • Network: Fiber-optic connection<\/li>\n
      • Storage: Just a note regarding the storage \u2014 Destiny 2: New Light<\/em>\u2018s installation folder is currently at 81.2 GB. This is even though I also have the Shadowkeep<\/em> and Forsaken<\/em> expansions. I didn\u2019t notice any additional assets being downloaded which means the assets for the expansions are already in your drive. You\u2019re merely buying the license to access the content in-game.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

        \"Settings<\/p>\n

        Video Settings<\/h2>\n

        Destiny 2<\/em> has a lot of graphics options for you to tweak and toggle. You\u2019ve got your usual changes to your resolution, texture quality, shadows, anti-aliasing, and environmental and character detail options. You can also make changes to the settings for foliage, depth of field, light shafts, motion blur, chromatic aberration, and film grain. Notably, you\u2019ll be able to toggle HDR on or off if your display supports it. Do note that your screenshots won\u2019t appear in their folder in this case (you\u2019ll have to turn this setting off).<\/p>\n

        You\u2019ll also want to keep your framerates uncapped and v-sync turned off. This will ensure that you\u2019re getting the most bang for your buck.<\/p>\n

        For overall graphics, there are also several presets you can choose from (low, medium, high, and highest). You can also see the overall VRAM usage at the top of the screen, letting you know just how much each graphics option impacts Destiny 2<\/em>\u2018s performance.<\/p>\n

        \"Settings<\/p>\n

        Performance<\/h2>\n

        I promised myself I wouldn\u2019t get a 4K display, but I ended up taking the plunge anyway. I\u2019m glad I did because Destiny 2<\/em> is quite a visual treat at 4K.<\/p>\n

        With the aforementioned specs up top, these were my average FPS rates using different presets:<\/p>\n

          \n
        • Highest \u2013 45-50 FPS<\/li>\n
        • Medium \u2013 60-70 FPS<\/li>\n
        • Low \u2013 80+ FPS<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

          I prioritized quality over performance, at least while I was playing some of Shadowkeep<\/em>\u2018s missions. It\u2019s just low-end PvE anyway so it\u2019s no big deal. Plus, since I originally played Destiny 2<\/em> on PS4, even doing raids was manageable at 30 FPS. The 40-50 FPS I had on the highest settings (at 4K UHD\/3840 x 2160 resolution) was a sight to behold.<\/p>\n

          But, that\u2019s for PvE. If ever I\u2019d head to the Crucible, it\u2019s when the framerates would matter more. Ideally, you\u2019d want to be at a consistent 60 FPS or higher (80-140 FPS). That\u2019s a long shot unless you\u2019ve got a more advanced rig.<\/p>\n

          In this case, though, it\u2019s better to lower your Destiny 2<\/em> graphics settings (medium preset ought to do it). Alternatively, you can opt to downscale your resolution. Check the screen bounds option in the video settings panel to fit everything to your screen just in case.<\/p>\n

          Anyway, when I downscaled to 1080p, these were the results:<\/p>\n

            \n
          • Highest \u2013 130-140 FPS<\/li>\n
          • Medium \u2013 140-150 FPS<\/li>\n
          • Low \u2013 150+ FPS<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

            Graphics Comparisons<\/h2>\n

            Below, you\u2019ll see two sets of images for graphics comparisons. I used the highest, medium, and low settings. As usual, click on each image for a larger view.<\/p>\n

            First up, here I am chilling with Zavala at the Tower.<\/p>\n

            \"Destiny<\/p>\n

            Highest preset.<\/p>\n

            \"Destiny<\/p>\n

            Medium preset.<\/p>\n

            \"Destiny<\/p>\n

            Low preset.<\/p>\n

            Next, here\u2019s a look at the moon\u2019s landing area near Eris Morn:<\/p>\n

            \"Destiny<\/p>\n

            Highest preset.<\/p>\n

            \"Destiny<\/p>\n

            Medium preset<\/p>\n

            \"Destiny<\/p>\n

            Low preset.<\/p>\n

            As for the actual differences in quality, these are most noticeable when it comes to the sharper edges and character detail. Armor and other special effects also look more frayed at lower settings.<\/p>\n

            Given that these areas don\u2019t have a lot of action going on, and special effects that will bombard your eyesight, you won\u2019t see a major impact on your framerates. You\u2019ll see that happening while you\u2019re in raids or other activities when everyone\u2019s popping their supers.<\/p>\n

            Control Settings<\/h2>\n

            You\u2019ve got your usual control settings here such as inverted camera, sensitivity, and the like:<\/p>\n

            \"Settings<\/p>\n

            You can also see the keybindings and gamepad layouts below:<\/p>\n

            \"Settings<\/p>\n

            \"Settings<\/p>\n

            As you can see, there\u2019s a new action that you can do called \u201cFinishers.\u201d If you bring down an enemy to low health, you can rip them apart with a devastating move. By default, finishers are bound to \u201cG\u201d (keyboard) and pressing the right thumbstick (gamepad).<\/p>\n

            \"Finisher<\/p>\n

            Audio Settings<\/h2>\n

            Of course, you\u2019ve got your effects, music, and dialogue volume settings. You can also change the volume of voice chat. Your push-to-talk key can be found on your keyboard bindings panel.<\/p>\n

            \"Settings<\/p>\n

            Gameplay Settings<\/h2>\n

            You\u2019ll find various options such as your FPS counter, reticle color, and notifications. You can also make certain changes to Destiny 2<\/em>\u2018s in-game text chat and the channels that you join. This is one of the major boons for PC players \u2014 you can just type what you need to mention to other players or teammates rather than trying to remember the mechanics or cues.<\/p>\n

            \"Settings<\/p>\n

            Accessibility Settings<\/h2>\n

            In Destiny 2<\/em>\u2018s accessibility settings screen, you can disable your HUD in order to take screenshots akin to \u201cphoto mode.\u201d You can also enable subtitles and color blind mode.<\/p>\n

            You\u2019ll also see your NAT type in-game. You can manage with a moderate NAT type for the most part, although an open NAT type would be most ideal. If you\u2019ve got a strict NAT type, then that\u2019s when you can experience a number of connection issues.<\/p>\n

            Note:<\/strong> Check out the port forwarding and troubleshooting guide from Bungie.net.<\/p>\n

            Even with a fiber-optic connection and port forwarding for Destiny 2<\/em> enabled, I still found myself with a moderate NAT type. This led to several warnings that I was experiencing connection problems at the risk of getting booted out. I was able to play for a couple of hours until the unthinkable happened.<\/p>\n

            \"Settings<\/p>\n

            Network Connection Issues<\/h2>\n

            That brings us to where we are now. Just as I was about to finish Shadowkeep<\/em>\u2018s final story mission, I got booted out of the game world (not just back in orbit). This time, I ended up back in Destiny 2<\/em>\u2018s queue. The problem? I\u2019m told that the game is at capacity and I can only join in later on. I checked back after 30 minutes to see that I was number 6,772 in the queue at around 3:30 p.m. EST.<\/p>\n

            I waited an extra 15 minutes only to realize that the queue wasn\u2019t moving at all. I was still #6,772.<\/p>\n

            \"Destiny<\/p>\n

            Here, I\u2019ll present a couple of screenshots from Destiny 2<\/em>\u2018s SteamDB page. First, this was how things looked like around 4 p.m. EST:<\/p>\n

            \"Destiny<\/p>\n

            Fast forward and you\u2019ve got this situation around 6 p.m. EST:<\/p>\n

            \"Destiny<\/p>\n

            Destiny 2<\/em> lost around 50,000 players within two hours at peak time on launch day. It\u2019s likely that SteamDB counts everyone else who\u2019s still waiting in the queue, which implies that those 50,000 players must\u2019ve gotten tired and have logged out completely. Still, hundreds of thousands are waiting even after Bungie already tweeted that both Destiny 1<\/em> and Destiny 2<\/em> have been taken offline for emergency maintenance.<\/p>\n

            \n

            Emergency maintenance for Destiny 1 and Destiny 2 is still ongoing. We apologize for the continued delay. Please stay tuned for updates on our progress.<\/p>\n

            \u2014 Bungie Help (@BungieHelp) October 1, 2019<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

            Destiny 2: Shadowkeep \u2013 Final Verdict<\/h2>\n

            Destiny 2, <\/em>now free-to-play with its New Light<\/em> moniker, is an amazing way to introduce someone to the wonderful universe crafted by Bungie. It provides you with a slew of content that you can, hopefully, enjoy.<\/p>\n

            Similarly, the cross-save functionality allows console players to experience the game on PCs without needing to redo everything. You cannot imagine my delight upon returning to the moon for the first time since Destiny 1<\/em> on PS4 and seeing familiar landscapes. With a number of user-friendly options for you to tweak and toggle, you can be amazed by the visuals, or focus on performance-boosting changes to help improve your framerates. Also, the speed and responsiveness while checking your menus and getting to various destinations are vastly superior. I can genuinely say that Destiny 2<\/em> is truly meant to be played on PCs.<\/p>\n

            The problem is that you also won\u2019t be able to play at all\u2026 at least not yet. True, Destiny 2: Shadowkeep<\/em> and New Light<\/em> have a lot to offer for veteran and \u201cboo-berry\u201d Guardians out there, at least once these not-so-much-as-hiccups-but-more-like-annoying-belches are fixed.<\/p>\n

            We don\u2019t know the full story as to what\u2019s been causing these connection issues that are plaguing many players, including yours truly. I can only surmise that this was due to a number of factors:<\/p>\n

              \n
            • The fact that Bungie is releasing Shadowkeep<\/em>, a full-on expansion (comet) as opposed to a mini-DLC.<\/li>\n
            • The fact that Destiny 2<\/em>\u2018s base game (and other content) have become free-to-play under the New Light<\/em> moniker, no doubt increasing the number of potential players. You\u2019ve got veterans, returning players, and newcomers who saw a free-to-play FPS game logging online.<\/li>\n
            • The split from Activision-Blizzard managed to generate some buzz as to what Bungie\u2019s capable of when striking out on their own.<\/li>\n
            • All of the above also coincide with Destiny 2<\/em>\u2018s move from Battle.net to Steam. I do wonder if any actual server stress tests were done.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

              It does leave you scratching your head. Yes, fumbled launches are a given for many online games, but the Destiny<\/em> franchise hasn\u2019t had these kinds of launch problems in past releases for major expansions and DLC\/seasons.<\/p>\n

              On PCs, Destiny 2<\/em> is a sight for sore eyes because of how amazing it looks. Similarly, it\u2019s also a sight for sore eyes because of how long you\u2019d end up staring at the queue or on your social media feed waiting for an announcement that you can finally play the game.<\/p>\n

              Moon\u2019s haunted? Yes, it is\u2026 because it\u2019s emptier than that scary house across the street. Since you can\u2019t play, there\u2019s no use looking at the screen. Eyes up (and away from the screen), Guardian.<\/p>\n

              \"Destiny<\/p>\n

              \n

              You can find Destiny 2: New Light<\/em> and Shadowkeep<\/em> via the Steam store page. Don\u2019t forget, we also have our Destiny 2: Shadowkeep<\/em> guides and features hub to help you out with other concerns.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

              \u201cIt\u2019s time, Guardian! Crush them!\u201d Shaxx would say that line, if only you had the opportunity to play Crucible. Yes, Destiny 2: Shadowkeep is currently plagued with a number of connection issues due to so many users attempting to log in at the same time. That\u2019s a technical problem that seems fitting since this is […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":510,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[655,656,657,658],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/engadget.vip\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/509"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/engadget.vip\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/engadget.vip\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/engadget.vip\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/engadget.vip\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=509"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/engadget.vip\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/509\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/engadget.vip\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/510"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/engadget.vip\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=509"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/engadget.vip\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=509"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/engadget.vip\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=509"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}