After 5 hours with 'Destiny 2,' the most-anticipated game of 2017, I'm anxious to play more

Rise of Iron Destiny gear

The first "Destiny" game, for me, is associated with deep disappointment.

As a long-time "Halo" fan, I was excited to be there for the launch of the next big series from Bungie Studios. The beloved studio even entered into a 10-year deal with mega-publisher Activision, ensuring that its next big franchise would be exactly that: big.

Expectations were high and, after a series of chances to play early versions of the game ahead of launch, I was cautiously optimistic. "The shooting is fun!" I said to myself. "Assuredly the story is just bare bones because I'm playing a beta version of the final game; there must be other areas to explore that are bursting with life."

Obviously I was wrong.

When the original "Destiny" launched three years ago, it felt rushed and messy. The story was incoherent, its world was small and empty, and enemy encounters were cookie-cutter — my interest in continuing to play fell off a cliff around halfway through.

On Wednesday, "Destiny 2" arrives. In my brief time with it thus far, "Destiny 2" seems like a vast improvement.

Destiny 2

After spending around five hours with it, I have a very different reaction than I did last time: hope.

It is — dare I say it — a beautiful, thoughtfully designed, well-paced game. At least so far.

Allow me to be clear that this isn't a review of "Destiny 2." It's a large game and I've only spent five-ish hours playing it (as of this writing) on PlayStation 4.

Warning: Spoilers ahead for "Destiny 2," including story and gameplay.

It probably goes without saying, but I'm going to speak explicitly about the first few hours of "Destiny 2" — beyond where the beta's intro mission ended. If you don't want any of that spoiled, turn back!

In "Destiny 2," you're facing a new foe named Ghaul. He's got a real Alexander the Great vibe about him. If you played the beta for "Destiny 2," you already met him at the end of the intro mission.

Ghaul isn't a particularly complex enemy — he wants to be the emperor of the stars. He's come to Earth to take control of "The Traveler" (the orb that usually floats above Earth in "Destiny"). And by the end of the introduction, he's well on his way to doing that.

You may recall him pushing your character's face with his boot at the end of the beta's intro mission.

Destiny 2

Indeed, him. Soon after he knocks you out and sacks The Last City, you're left to pick up the pieces.

And this is where "Destiny 2" — thankfully — continues to demonstrate how different it is from its predecessor. Your first mission is to slink around the destroyed remnants of The Last City, clinging to life and completely unarmed.

This kind of story-setting, quiet moment was completely missing from the first "Destiny," and it's refreshing to see it front-and-center in "Destiny 2." You can see the outline of the rest of the game's plot stretching out before you, and that's tremendously meaningful considering how much of a mess the first game's structure was.

It sounds simple, but slowly walking through the ruins of The Last City is the kind of scene that lends gravity to the rest of the game. You see first hand how devastated the city is from the attack, how enemy troops are patrolling the ruins — it's a rare peek at the civilization you're supposedly fighting for in the "Destiny" franchise, and how it has just fallen.

You also get to experience how weak a "Guardian" is without the magical powers they're usually imbued with by The Traveler. No double jumps. No power weapons. No weapons at all, actually.

And yes, in case that wasn't clear — "Destiny 2" does the classic gaming trope of starting you with loads of powers and subsequently taking them away, forcing you to build yourself up once again. It's blessedly quick, and smartly handled. There are no moments you can't handle, even though you're unarmed.

It isn't until (in-game) days later when you find a camp of slaughtered Guardians that you get ammo for your pistol.

Destiny 2