The 10 things you need to do in the Destiny 2 beta

Destiny 2's beta is finally here. You've probably already completed the Homecoming mission and taken on the Modular Mind of the Inverted Spire strike but it's time to make sure you've not missed anything. Like a Destiny 2 beta bucket list - try saying that 3 times - we've compiled everything you have to do to make sure you have a true Destiny experience. There might be secrets appearing as the week goes on but here are the 10 things you absolutely have to do in the Destiny 2 beta. Hurry Guardian - The Tower isn't going to save itself.

1. Take a moment to give a nod to the sweeper bot

They’ve been sweeping that corridor for a long time, it’s only right that you take a moment to recognise the hard work of the sweeper bot. Even in times of dire need, when The Tower is falling to actual pieces, that one piece of floor still needs to be clean. Even when the world is ash, you just know that the sweeper bot will be there, sweeping away for all eternity. Doesn’t that just make you feel warm and fuzzy? Or empty. Like the floor of the Tower where no Guardian will now wander... 

2. Dance everywhere! 

What better way to celebrate the end of the world than with a lovely dance. No Light? Samba. The demise of your Ghost? Foxtrot. Regardless of the situation, Destiny 2 wants you to get your groove on and the Destiny 2 beta gives you plenty of opportunity to do just that. We recommend the final boss of the Inverted Spire. Before running away and playing the floor is lava. 

3. Take out a whole team with a nova bomb

The Voidwalkers’ new Nova Bomb super is amazing. Bigger and slower than before - at least in the variant that’s currently unlocked in the beta - it can now, however, be shot during flight for a huge area-of-effect explosion, which works a lot like heat-seeking napalm made of magic space plasma. If you get it charged in PvP, wait ‘til they’re all in one place. It’ll be worth it. 

4. Shatter a blockade with a charged-up grenade

Voidwalkers can also charge up their grenades in exchange for some of their Super meter, by holding the button before throwing. Found a heavy Cabal blockade full of shields and inconveniently healthy heavies? Of course you have. There are three in the Inverted Spire Strike alone. But they need be no problem. Just charge a Vortex grenade, throw it into the middle, and watch it eat them alive. 

5. Make the most of that new Hunter Arcstrider ability

While it’s always been ridiculously fun to be a Hunter - throwing knives and tethering bows, hello - the Arcstrider subclass means you get to hurtle into battle with a spinning staff of arc power. Put simply, it’s exhilarating. Arc power crackles as you spin through enemies like an electric superhero. It also has the added bonus of looking great too as everyone else hangs back as you decimate the opposition like a sparky version of Donatello from TMNT. 

6. Take in the new view of The Traveller

It’s important to take in the little moments. You’ve sat for a long time just gazing up at The Traveller from the Tower, and just because the sky is on fire, that doesn’t mean you can’t do the same thing from the Homecoming mission. You’ll just feel a little guiltier for doing it as the Tower is smashed into Lego bricks around you. Mmmm. Red. 

7. Die at least once in a jumping puzzle

Let’s face it, it wouldn’t be Destiny if you didn't die horribly in a jumping puzzle. Whether it’s while you’re crossing a chasm in the Inverted Spire with a group, or destroying the exhaust turbines in the Homecoming mission, you’re going to have to jump, and at some point you’re going to shuffle off your (im)mortal Guardian coil. Consider it a rite of passage. And of course if no-one is falling to their death, it’s entirely permissible to shove one of your team-mates off a platform and dance in victory. Rite of passage. Totally acceptable. 

8. Find the Fallen (and ponder whether they’re really the Fallen) 

Although the Destiny 2 beta focuses primarily on the Cabal and Vex, the Fallen are in there as well. Sort of. The first part of the Inverted Spire strike takes place in the overworld Patrol area of Nessus, meaning that it’s pretty explorable (if slightly locked off in its current, beta state). If you take your time and explore off the beaten path, you might eventually see a dropship full of Fallen arrive and start fighting the Cabal. Interesting point though: None of them seem to have four arms, and the word ‘Fallen’ never appears with their health bars. Instead it’s replaced with ‘Resilient’. Are these a special, die-hard splinter faction, to contrast with the (rumoured) disbanded, potentially friendly, mainstream Fallen? It’s entirely possible. 

9. Take a little tour ‘out of bounds’

Okay, you can’t go very far, and there’s not much to discover at the moment, but what’s a beta test for if not stretching the boundaries of the game and trying to find unfinished and broken stuff? Ignore your waypoint in the Inverted Spire strike, go back and to your right, and you’ll find a lake of white Vex goo. A bit of canny jumping will get you across, and from the other side there are multiple routes, ledges, and makeshift platforms to exploit. 

10. Steal a Pike

It’s a little early to tell, but Pikes might be considerably better in Destiny 2. They certainly feel faster and more deadly when you’re on the receiving end of an attack. So far, we’ve only found one pack, which spawned in at random near the start of the Inverted Spire strike. Their increased power and maneuverability make them tricker to take down than before, but manage it (by shooting out their riders or destabilising the bike with an explosive), and you can jump on and taste the power for yourself. Until it inevitably explodes.

Looking for some help? Then check out our Destiny 2 beta tips - 11 ways to get the most from your early access.

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