Sparrow Racing League Has Returned
For those who have been itching to get their high-octane fix in Destiny, you won’t have to wait much longer as SRL is returning with The Dawning. This competitive racing format sees six Guardians take their modified Sparrows to a variety of race tracks to prove who’s the fastest. Unlike the first appearance of SRL, there are actually four maps this time as opposed to the original two. Two of these race tracks were revealed at the PlayStation Experience last week and have vastly different layouts and hazards.
One of the tracks is set on Mercury and has our racers attempt to navigate through hostile Vex territory, as they try to kill any Guardian zipping past. This track’s most prominent features are a variety of warp gates and jumps over massive gaps that could give players the upper hand. Users will also have to contend with the massive sun that can obscure the driver’s vision with its glare.
In contrast, the other new map shown offers players the chance to race around Felwinter Peak. This race track is slightly more traditional and features a variety of weaving paths through caves, forests, and even some ancient pipelines scattered throughout. Users will also have to contend with not only the Devil Splicers but also a variety of Hive enemies as well during their race.
Accompanying these two new maps will be the original race tracks from when SRL launched last year, all of which will be a new permanent fixture in the Destiny universe. While The Dawning will be a timed event, SRL will stick around forever, allowing racers to compete against each other whenever they please. This will come with quests from Amanda Holiday and a variety of new Sparrows and racing outfits for players to obtain. Unlike last year’s SRL, all of the racing gear is infusible up to the max Light Level, allowing you to take this gear into high-level content like Nightfalls or Raids.
Strikes Get Some Love
One of the newest features to enter Destiny is a unique scoring system that will reward players with a variety of different points and medals based on any number of factors. Following the same idea of Prison of Elders or PvP, this system will allow players to compete for who’s the best among their friends, as well as earn rewards while completing this playlist. There will also be bounties tied to this and it will be available to play in the Heroic, SIVA Crisis, and Nightfall strike playlists.
We will also see the return of the Shadow Thief, Will of Crota, and The Nexus strikes with updated SIVA/Taken variants for each one of these. While a SIVA infected Taniks is an interesting sight to behold, one of the more peculiar alterations came in the form of The Nexus strike. In a variety of screenshots shown. we got to see a Guardian carrying around the shield relic from The Vault of Glass raid. This means that these strikes are not just reskins but will feature new mechanics that change how the encounter develops.
The Dawning Event
Following in the same tradition as Festival of the Lost and Crimson Doubles comes a winter-themed, timed event for players to experience. This will not only alter the visual look of The Tower social area but also offer quests to complete, just like the other holiday events. Included with Destiny: The Dawning will be some fun, winter-themed cosmetic items that players can wear that are akin to the masks and giant eyeballs you could dawn for Festival of the Lost. Players will also be able to open presents that will give them a random gift, however what that could entail is still unknown.
New Armor, Ornaments, and Returning Exotics
One of the most interesting aspects of The Dawning is that it is bringing a suite a new armor for Guardians to rock and customize. All of the classes are getting new gear that they can wear, with some of it featuring ornaments that will add new designs when equipped. While we don’t know the specifics for how they are acquired, the best assumption is through the strike scoring playlist and PvP.
A handful of exotics are receiving new ornaments for players to collect and use once this event releases on December 13. The exotics in question are Thorn, Red Death, Icebreaker, and The Last Word, each of which will receive two different ornaments. Players can also collect new shaders and emblems during The Dawning event, along with holiday-themed items from the Eververse Trading Company.
We are also seeing two new versions of the Thunderlord releasing with this event, each one focusing on a different element. Both void and solar variants of the Thunderlord will be available for players to use and are acquired by completing a quest. This will probably follow the same idea as the three different exotic swords, so make sure to pick them up quickly.
Finally, perhaps the most exciting announcement is that the exotic sniper rifle known as the Icebreaker will return to Destiny. This rifle is one of the most famous weapons in the entire game due to its infinitely regenerating ammo magazine. Not only that, but it was also almost required for raid parties back when players were still attempting to beat The Vault of Glass. It’s a welcome addition and one that the fans have been waiting on for a long time.
Make sure to check back with Twinfinite for all your Destiny: The Dawning information when it releases for PS4 and Xbox One on December 13.
Published: Dec 7, 2016 09:00 am