Exploring the Landscapes of “Destiny”

One of my favorite things about playing Destiny so far is the scenery. I’m a sucker for a pretty landscape, and I believe Destiny has some of the most beautiful I’ve seen in a game so far. The fact that it’s science fiction (with a fantasy flair) makes it even more my style.

Here are some of the main locations in the game so you can see what I’m talking about!

Mars

The red sand on Mars gives it the appearance of a desert world. It’s occupied mainly by Cabal forces, who also brought the moon Phobos into a closer orbit so it fills a large portion of the sky. I honestly think this is part of what makes Mars so beautiful.

Dreadnaught

The Dreadnaught is the ship of the Taken King, Oryx. Nestled in the rings of Saturn, it’s an imposing structure with tall ceilings, wide canyons, grim archways, and a hull breach caused by the Cabal ramming their ship into it at one point. While an impressive place, it’s also haunting and beautiful — especially where you can see Saturn and the asteroid belt outside. That is just gorgeous.

Cosmodrome (Earth)

The Cosmodrome is the name for Earth’s old Russia, which is pretty much the last bastion of civilization on the planet — though it’s torn up and rusted now. It’s like a post-apocalyptic warzone. There are Fallen and Hive enemies here, as well as ruined colony ships and many structures you can dive into for indoor exploration. (Get your flashlights ready.)

Venus

Venus is one of my favorite spots in the Destiny galaxy, due to its jungle ruins. You can see towering buildings, junked husks of old cars, and a reddish-colored ocean here. It makes the whole world feel very post-apocalyptic. Probably my favorite place is the Ishtar Academy, which houses huge statues and a library but is now being overgrown with jungle plants as it falls apart.

Elsewhere on the planet are some dark, labyrinth-like ruins that are among my favorite places to explore in Destiny. The Vex Citadel is an amazing spot. Most of the enemies here are Vex, but the planet also houses some Fallen.

Moon

The moon is my favorite place in Destiny, hands down. The lunar surface looks white, gray, and powdery. It’s like a crystal to me. Playing with the purple-hued Void abilities here is like creating art. I love it.

Around the area are a few old human structures as well as alien architecture. Fallen and Hive make a home here, but honestly, I would spend time on the moon just to take a joyride on my Sparrow, enemies or not.

— Ashley