Metareview: Destiny

Our review of Destiny said we're in it to "slay monsters, level up and collect loot." It's an interplanetary dungeon crawler. Go into the experience with that expectation, along with some friends, you'll do just fine.

But, overall, Destiny reviews have skewed toward the lower end of the acceptable game spectrum. The game has been dinged for a lack of content, a lack of story and a lack of refinement. Destiny seems to suffer from "The Lack," which is actually a perfectly acceptable name for a new Destiny villain race.

• Game Informer (88/100): "Even with its stumbles, the initial release of Destiny is a colossal achievement in interactive design, integrating a number of differing genre elements into a smart and unified whole."

• Gametrailers (80/100): "Destiny has not achieved greatness, yet. It is however, extremely fun to play."

• Giant Bomb (3/5): "Its fantastic graphics often serve to make the game's mechanical underpinnings that much more disappointing. There are cool little flashes of brilliance in Destiny, but a lot of it feels like a game designed by people who weren't sure what sort of game they were designing."

• Gamespot (60/100): "A lavishly produced but troubled game that excels in the basics but lacks creativity and heart. It is role-playing grind in shooter form--an empty house built on a firm foundation."

• The Escapist (60/100): "World of Chorecraft."

[Image: Activision]