Destiny

Gr 7 Up—For two years Activision has been promising the ultimate futuristic role playing game (RPG) within an advanced first-person shooter (FPS) format while still being somewhat family friendly. Destiny has delivered on this promise. While most of the gameplay is reminiscent to Activision's popular "Halo" franchise, Destiny has its own twists. The player begins by creating a character in one of three classes—Titan, Hunter, or Warlock—and selecting among five different game modes: Crucible, Explore, Story, Strike, or Tower. While some gamers enjoy a well-defined plot, the story mode is more of an outline. The majority of the action is determined by the choices made by the user. However, more story content has been promised as Destiny is a 10-year project. Players who enjoy Massively Multiplayer Online (MMO) games will dive right in and not give up. FPS fanatics will enjoy the fast-paced combat and multiplayer aspect, and parents will be relieved that the gameplay is not all guns and violence. It received a T rating from ESRB, very unusual for such a popular FPS game. The PlayStation 3 and 4 versions are great for circulating collections, while 360 and X1 require the online component to even get started. Areas that lack reliable internet connectivity should spend their funds elsewhere. However, given the popularity of this game, libraries whose collections are more for the "try before you buy it" patron base would benefit from the many circulations Destiny would receive. Keep your eye on this one.