Ever since I was a child, I have been fascinated by magic. There is something enchanting about the ability to make things disappear or reappear at will. As I grew older, I made it my mission to learn the art of magic and perform my own tricks. One of my favorite tricks to perform is the classic reappearing act. It never fails to amaze and impress audiences. The trick involves making an object disappear in front of their eyes, only to magically reappear a few moments later.
Weapon crafting is a system I never knew I wanted in Destiny, where it’s shaping up to be the kind of long term investment grind the game has been lacking for years now. I’m already strategizing which types of weapons I’m building in my head, and I get excited each time that little “weapon level up” icon flashes onscreen. And this system is only getting started, where it’s clear that it’s going to be a core part of Destiny’s loot system going forward from here.
0 is a joy to play around with, so good that I never once felt the need to take it off during the entire campaign, and I cannot wait to use it on my Titan and Hunter in addition to my Warlock. Bungie s main focus this time around was crafting a lengthy, memorable campaign in a way that we haven t seen for I would argue really any of its Destiny 2 expansions so far.
The trick involves making an object disappear in front of their eyes, only to magically reappear a few moments later. It requires careful misdirection and sleight of hand to execute seamlessly. To prepare for the trick, I choose an object that is small and easily palmed.
Destiny 2: The Witch Queen Review - Yes, It’s Better Than The Taken King
Bungie pulled it off. Despite a frankly worrying amount of hype, The Witch Queen delivers on every front, and there is absolutely no question that it is Destiny’s best campaign and will likely prove to be its best expansion across both games. And I do not believe it is particularly close.
Yes, that includes the beloved Taken King expansion, the moment where Destiny 1 transformed into something that felt like maybe it did have legs after all. While perhaps the difference between vanilla D1 and the Taken King is greater than the gap we’re seeing here, that’s not exactly fair because Destiny 2 is just coming off what I have considered it’s best year to date already.
And with the Witch Queen, things just got better.
Bungie’s main focus this time around was crafting a lengthy, memorable campaign in a way that we haven’t seen for I would argue really any of its Destiny 2 expansions so far. While Forsaken was the best of the bunch before this, it was still the “kill the lieutenants and fight the big boss” format at its core. Shadowkeep was just oddly structured, mainly about assembling a single set of armor for one final mission. Beyond Light did more “kill lieutenants” things in between a rather interminable grind for Stasis aspects and fragments.
If I could say one thing about Destiny 2’s Witch Queen campaign, it’s that it’s all meat, no fat. There are no moments where you’ll stop and need to go complete 10 bounties or grind out 200 planetary kills. Those types of objectives are saved for side quests you can do later, while the main campaign is just huge mission after huge mission.
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Amy Danise EditorI am praising the campaign even not having taking on the Legendary version yet, which is already instantly beloved by players, as my Twitter feed indicates. My goal was just to get through the campaign on Normal to hit all the story beats, and even on that difficulty, I very much enjoyed myself and was able to see the kinds of things Bungie was doing with this campaign this time around. It’s not just about difficulty, it’s about depth. There are very few “defend for three waves until a door opens” segments, and the longer things go, the more you’ll run into decently elaborate puzzles and mechanics you will have to work out for yourself. Nothing as complicated as raids, perhaps, but certainly more substantive than any story campaign we’ve seen from Destiny so far, which includes both vanilla D1 and D2. This is better than those campaigns, too.
I would love to do a deep dive into the story, which is also best-in-class for Destiny, but it’s hard to say much at all without getting into spoiler territory, which I will save for when it’s not literally day 2 of launch. All I’ll say is that I found the central mystery of how Savathun got the light very compelling, which kept me guessing at the truth until the end, and I was delighted with the answers I found. This is also a deeply personal characterization of Savathun herself, the realization of years of storylines, plus some great moments from longrunning characters like Zavala, Ikora, Eris and even our own Guardian who yes, gets to speak a fair amount this time around.
Finishing the campaign, you are presented with a whole lot of “loose threads” to finish up. Several exotic quests. More exploration of the Throne world. But I do not even need to chase down all those down to say that this expansion is Bungie’s best ever. The raid isn’t out yet, but there is roughly a zero percent chance that given everything else Witch Queen has brought, that it’s not going to be good as well.
And it’s not just the campaign and story. What Bungie has done here in other departments is working extremely well too. Void 3.0 is a joy to play around with, so good that I never once felt the need to take it off during the entire campaign, and I cannot wait to use it on my Titan and Hunter in addition to my Warlock. The new weapon type, glaives, are an absolute blast, and I used my new one throughout the entirety of the campaign.
Weapon crafting is a system I never knew I wanted in Destiny, where it’s shaping up to be the kind of long term investment grind the game has been lacking for years now. I’m already strategizing which types of weapons I’m building in my head, and I get excited each time that little “weapon level up” icon flashes onscreen. And this system is only getting started, where it’s clear that it’s going to be a core part of Destiny’s loot system going forward from here.
I haven’t even spoken about Season of the Risen, the attached Destiny season that will produce most of the ongoing content for the next few months. It’s another advantage over the Taken King era, as once you beat that expansion you were essentially just running the raid and hunting down Dreadnaught secrets. Here, we have many, many ongoing story beats from both Witch Queen and Risen to track as we head into what is almost assuredly going to be another solid year for the game.
I cannot call this a “return to form” for Bungie because Destiny has already been so good lately. But if you’ve been missing Halo-style campaigns with variable difficulty, gorgeous level design and impressive fights, Witch Queen checks every box. This is the best thing Destiny has produced in seven years.
And it’s not just the campaign and story. What Bungie has done here in other departments is working extremely well too. Void 3.0 is a joy to play around with, so good that I never once felt the need to take it off during the entire campaign, and I cannot wait to use it on my Titan and Hunter in addition to my Warlock. The new weapon type, glaives, are an absolute blast, and I used my new one throughout the entirety of the campaign.
It could be a coin, a playing card, or even a small toy. I make sure to practice the sleight of hand techniques needed to smoothly make the object disappear from view. Building suspense is crucial, so I make sure to engage the audience with a captivating story or a series of dramatic gestures before performing the trick. When it is time to make the object vanish, I use a combination of misdirection and precise hand movements to distract the audience's attention away from the object and execute the disappearance effortlessly. This is where my hours of practice come into play, as the trick relies on swift and seamless movements that go unnoticed by the audience. Once the object is out of sight, I hold their attention by performing additional tricks or engaging them in conversation. This creates an air of mystery around the disappearance, heightening the anticipation for the reappearing act. To bring back the object, I use a different set of techniques. I may use a secret pocket in my clothing or a hidden compartment in a prop to produce the object, making it seem like magic. The key is to be confident and showmanship, ensuring that the audience is in awe of the trick. What makes the reappearing act so captivating is the element of surprise. Audiences are continually amazed at how an object they saw disappear can suddenly reappear in a completely unexpected place. It challenges their perception of reality and makes them question the limits of what is possible. Performing my own tricks and mastering the art of the reappearing act has been an incredible journey. It has allowed me to entertain and bring joy to others while fueling my passion for magic. Each time I perform the trick, I am reminded of the wonder and awe that magic can create, and I am inspired to continue honing my skills and pushing the boundaries of what I can achieve..
Reviews for "The Magic of Practice: Perfecting My Own Reappearing Act Through Dedication"
1. Sarah - ★☆☆☆☆
I was really disappointed with "My Own Magic: A Reappearing Act." The plot was weak and predictable, and the characters were underdeveloped. The whole story felt rushed and lacked depth. I expected more from this author, but unfortunately, it fell short of my expectations. I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone looking for an engaging and well-crafted magical story.
2. Mike - ★★☆☆☆
I found "My Own Magic: A Reappearing Act" to be quite mediocre. The pacing was all over the place, and it was hard to connect with the protagonist or any of the other characters. The writing style was also lacking, with awkward dialogue and a lack of descriptive details. The plot had potential, but it wasn't executed well. Overall, I was left feeling unimpressed and unsatisfied with this book.
3. Jessica - ★★☆☆☆
I struggled to finish "My Own Magic: A Reappearing Act." The story started off promising, but it quickly became convoluted and confusing. The magic system was poorly explained, and there were several inconsistencies throughout the book. The main character's actions and decisions were unrealistic, which made it hard to relate to her. The ending was also lackluster and left me feeling unsatisfied. I would recommend skipping this one and finding a better magical read.
4. Robert - ★☆☆☆☆
I regretted picking up "My Own Magic: A Reappearing Act." The writing was amateurish and filled with grammatical errors and typos. The characters were one-dimensional, and their motivations were unclear. The plot was disjointed and lacked coherence. I found myself struggling to follow along and ultimately had no interest in how the story would end. This book failed to capture my attention or engage me in any way, and I would not recommend it to anyone.