The Dreadnaught is making a comeback. This legendary Hive vessel, once the throne world of Oryx, poses a renewed threat to humanity. It’s against this intimidating backdrop that Guardians will set off on their new journey when “Destiny 2: Heresy,” the third Episode and the closing act of the Light and Darkness Saga, releases on February 4. Earlier today, the Destiny team streamed a detailed presentation highlighting what lies ahead in Heresy, featuring exclusive talks with the developers and live gameplay demonstrations.
Let’s dive into the standout features of Heresy showcased during the broadcast. For those interested in a deeper dive, don’t miss the full livestream recap.
Orbiting majestically within Saturn’s rings, the Dreadnaught has never truly faded from Destiny’s rich lore. It served as a vivid memory of past battles with Oryx in The Taken King expansion and later became a stronghold for Xivu Arath’s forces. Heresy brings this infamous Hive ship back into the limelight.
“What makes the Dreadnaught’s return in Heresy so significant is its transformative nature and the fresh challenges it presents,” explained Destiny 2 Narrative Architect Nikko Stevens. “The Dreadnaught has stirred back to life after almost a decade, catching the attention of the Vanguard and Guardians system-wide. We finally get to uncover its fate since Oryx’s defeat and how it has evolved without its Navigator.”
In Heresy, players will undertake missions within the Dreadnaught itself through a compelling new activity called The Nether. Offering a thrilling blend of exploration, combat, gameplay modifiers, and scaling difficulty, plus some incredible rewards, The Nether is designed to keep players engaged every time they set foot on the ship.
“There’s a relentless surge of Taken adversaries and a corrupting power emanating from the Dreadnaught in Heresy,” Stevens shared. “The torrents of corruption act like an acerbic current pushing against Guardian forces attempting to breach the Dreadnaught. That’s where The Nether steps in.”
Within The Nether, Guardians will face a variety of patrol zones and engage in intense battles against formidable foes, all culminating in epic boss encounters set amidst the metamorphic Dreadnaught’s eerie corridors. This activity challenges players to disable the ship’s weaponry and halt the spread of Taken corruption. Drawing on previous rogue-lite initiatives in Destiny 2 like The Coil from Season of the Wish and Deep Dives from Season of the Deep, Guardians can anticipate ever-evolving gameplay. Each completed bubble escalates adversaries’ Power levels. Additionally, unique boons introduced in this activity modify combat dynamics significantly.
Players will come across three boon types: minor, major, and corrupted. Minor boons boost stats and stack with each collection. Major boons are gained by completing a bubble, delivering non-stackable yet impactful gameplay enhancements such as building up Static Charge while sprinting to unleash a devastating thunderbolt when firing. Corrupted boons also bring considerable benefits but with significant drawbacks; for example, one might amplify damage dealt yet increase damage received.
“We’ve been experimenting with player modifiers that enhance health pools, eliminate health regeneration, reduce ammo drops, introduce revive tokens, and tweak healing within the gameplay experience,” noted Destiny 2 Senior Designer Ryan Harris. He emphasized that crafting a well-rounded build is crucial for success in the Nether, as modifiers significantly increase players’ health pools and halt all health regeneration.
Along with the fresh narrative developments, new gear, and updates, today’s stream unveiled an exciting partnership between Bungie and Lucasfilm Games, introducing Star Wars-inspired gear to Destiny 2. Launching with Heresy are three new armor ornaments — one for each Guardian class — drawing inspiration from the Galactic Empire’s soldiers, plus a range of Star Wars-themed accessories.
With three Acts packing this Episode, Heresy promises to keep the momentum going with new activities, cool gear to collect, and more exciting content over the coming months. 2025 is set to be an amazing year for Destiny 2, with Heresy marking just the beginning. Stay tuned for more updates!
“Destiny 2: Heresy” makes its debut on February 4.
