This week, a new Strike, "Proving Ground," was added to Destiny 2. This marks the latest piece of new content for the Beyond Light expansion, though this one is styled a little differently than previous Destiny Strikes. With multiple bosses and some mechanics for the final encounter, "Proving Ground" feels like something right out of an MMO - and that's a good thing.
"Proving Ground" focuses on the assault of a Cabal Land Tank to answer a challenge made by Commander Zavala to Empress Caiatl. In the Strike, Guardians fight their way to the massive vehicle and then through it, encountering hordes of enemies and dispatching several bosses along the way.
Destiny Strikes are short and manageable pieces of content players can handle in 15-20 minutes. It's likely because of this reason that Strikes seldom include multiple bosses or encounter mechanics. That said, "Proving Ground" shows these elements can exist while keeping true to the desired result. It's a refreshing change of pace from previous Strikes and not something attempted since the Forsaken expansion.
At one point in the Strike, Guardians face off against two Goliath Tanks, some named combatants and the standard swarms of enemies players can expect in any Strike. Players will need to manage the rank and fodder foes, dodging tank fire and eliminating all the threats against them. In the last encounter of the Strike, Players will encounter the boss and some unique mechanics. The boss will periodically shield himself, first implemented in the Battlegrounds Activities, until players destroy a generator powering the dome-like shield. Additionally, the foe will hurl out burning projectiles that Guardians must shoot down before they explode on their targets.
Additional mechanics in an encounter, and extra encounters themselves, offer players a greater feeling of satisfaction when they reach the end of a Strike. "Proving Ground" plays out a lot like World of Warcraft's or Final Fantasy XIV's Dungeons. Dungeons in these titles typically feature anywhere from three to five bosses, and each encounter tends to have specific mechanics beyond just damaging the enemy. This added layer of complexity is something that has been almost entirely absent from Destiny 2 Strikes. Destiny 2 certainly isn't an MMO in the same vein as these titles, but there are several similarities between the genres—namely, multiplayer cooperative content.
If "Proving Ground" is any indication of what's to come for future Strikes in Destiny 2, things are looking brighter than ever. Content that keeps players engaged, makes them think and tests their skills creates the most memorable experiences, and that's something the title should strive toward.
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