Version Tested: PS4
Also available on: Ps3, Xbox 360, Xbox One
Developer: Bungie
Publisher: Activision
The House of Wolves is the second expansion pack for 2014 hit game, Destiny. After a lukewarm response to the first expansion pack The Dark Below Bungie and Activision have a bit riding on this. They decided to change things up by adding a few new game modes, a new place to explore called the Reef, and various new weapons.
The Reef is smaller than the hub on Earth, but it is more lively. Fans of the game who purchased the DLC are sure to want to come back to this hub more than Earth. That isn’t to say the Earth hub world isn’t important. Players will need to go to that hub to purchase items from Xur, the Vangaurd/Crucible Quartermaster and the Speaker. The Reef is just a nice little extra for players though it might be annoying that players will have the check both places to get all the bounties and items in the game, compared to going to one place.
On top of the hub world, The House of Wolves has the new game modes. Bungie decided to opt out of having a Raid in the expansion which fans might not like. Though, there is a new Strike which is possibly one of the most difficult ones in the game to date. Trying the nightfall version of the new strike is just plain insane and is a challenge of itself.
Besides the new Strike, players will definitely want to check out the Prison of Elders, a wave based game mode. It’s a horde mode, with five sections. Players will be relieved to know that this new mode is a new way to gain vanguard marks, though it might take a bit longer. Besides, the reward at the end of the Prison of Elders, is definitely worth the time. You are guaranteed (according to reports and from my own experience) to get at least one legendary weapon.
There are two versions of the Prison of Elders. One with a set difficulty and has matchmaking, but the other version has three different difficulties and requires you to have a team set up already (no matchmaking). Fans might be disgruntled at this because of the possible good rewards but there are always places to find a team (Destiny FLG being one of them). Only downside to this is that you need to play the story missions to access this game mode.
There is one other game mode but that is only available from Friday-Tuesday called the Temple of Osiris. To access this, you will need to purchase a token at the Reef hub. You must have your own team for a 3v3 tournement so again no matchmaking. If you lose 3 times you have to buy a new token but the more you win (up to 9 times), you get rewarded. I have not played this mode so I can’t speak for it, but from what I can gather, it is already a mode being looked forward to.
Lastly, the weapons and armor for The House of Wolves brings the new level cap to 34. There are new materials you will need to ascend your armor to light 42, to get to the level cap. Only way to get those materials is to play the new game modes. Players will definitely find it a lot easier to level up this time around compared to The Dark Below. Even when you do ascend your weapons and armor, you don’t lose any of the progress you made to level up, so this new system is a nice addition. Even if you don’t have access to the DLC, players will be able to upgrade their weapons and armor just as well but it will be a more difficult.
Overall the new (maybe last?) DLC exanpansion for Destiny is a lot stronger than The Dark Below. The $20 price tag if you haven’t bought the season pass is definitely worth it, even if you just want to play the Prison of Elders. Despite the downside of having to play through all the story to access the new game modes, the traveling between hubs and the accessibility for the Trials of Osiris, players will have much to love about The House of Wolves.
[review]
