As a gamer in my mid-30’s, I’ve spent a lot of time traversing the worlds that have been created by Bungie: From Myth II: Soulblighter to Oni, and of course, countless hours in Halo and in Destiny. While I don’t have quite the playtime in D2 as I did in D1 or maybe even the original Halo at LAN parties, the Bungie 30th Anniversary Pack for Destiny 2 was a fun nostalgia trip. At $25, spoiler alert, it’s not going to be a must-buy for every guardian in the Destiny 2 universe, but for collectors and hardcore Destiny 2 players, it’s a fun look back mixed with enjoyable new content. Check out the video below to see all of the details.
What you get
Bungie has a handy table that will easily display what you get for free with the 30th Anniversary event and what buying the Bungie 30th Anniversary Pack will get you. Besides the instant Bungie streetwear armor ornament set, everything else requires completing events or the new dungeon, which is getting great reviews.
The new Dungeon: Grasp of Avarice
To access most of the content from the 30th-anniversary pack, you’ll need to complete the Grasp of Avarice dungeon. Dungeons are like mini-raids that support a fireteam up to three instead of the six of the normal raids.
Like raids, there is a game mechanic that plays a part throughout almost all of the encounters in the dungeon. There’s a great mix of battles, traps, puzzles, and even sparrow racing that makes it a fun dungeon.
I’m still nowhere near max power level, and most of the guardians on my friend list have moved on to playing other games these days, but I was able to use Bungie’s “find fireteam” feature on their website to find someone who was familiar with the dungeon and could take me through it.
Gjallarhorn
One of the most notable parts of the 30th-anniversary pack is the return of Gjallarhorn. The quest requires completion of the Grasp of Avarice dungeon. While it didn’t have quite the same dramatic effect of the time I finally got one to drop in Destiny 1, it is a great rocket launcher that is a lot of fun to have back in the current Destiny universe. And through Bungie rewards, you can even purchase a real four-foot Nerf version of the exotic rocket launcher once you acquire it in-game.
Bungie 30th Anniversary Pack: Video
Other Dungeon Gear
Beyond Gjallarhorn, the Grasp of Avarice dungeon also offers a nice selection of favorite weapons from Destiny 1. The Matador 64, Eyasluna, and 1000 Yard Stare were all top-tier PVP weapons back in the day and, for me, are a welcomed return in Destiny 2. I know Bungie gets some flak for recycling gear from D1 to D2, but the 1000 Yard Stare was a common sniper in my load-outs, and I’m happy to have to opportunity to use it again. Matador 64 is common in the crucible these days as is the 1000 Yard Stare.
Additionally, there is a Thorn-inspired armor set that can be dropped from different events in the Grasp of Avarice dungeon.
What you get for free
Even if you don’t want to shell out the $25 for the 30th-anniversary pack, you can still join in some of the nostalgia by completing the Dares of Eternity 6 player event. Themed like a game show, the infamous exotic loot dealing NPC Xur teams with up a galactic star horse with an insatiable thirst for entertainment. It’s kind of silly, but it’s a fun event that brings back some old mechanics, like the Crota battle, with a variety of final bosses. Dares of Eternity also drops plenty of loot with a pretty good chance of getting the Halo three-burst battle rifle.
Forerunner Magnum exotic
Another nostalgic weapon available for everyone in the 30th Anniversary event is the Forerunner exotic sidearm, which is based on the Magnum from Halo. While easier to acquire solo than the Gjallarhorn, the Forerunner takes completions of the Dares of Eternity event. While maybe not as potent as its ancestor in the original Halo, Forerunner takes me back to the days of picking off my friends on Blood Gultch in our multi-hour capture-the-flag LAN parties. I don’t think anyone is considering it a top-tier weapon in PVE or PVP, but for collectors, it’s a fun addition.
Should you get the Bungie 30th Anniversary Pack?
While I have been enjoying the pack, there really isn’t any need to get the Destiny 2 Bungie 30th Anniversary pack. It’s fun to have the nostalgia trip with Gjallarhorn and the Forerunner, and the new dungeon is a lot of fun, but there isn’t a real need for it. If you are a die-hard Destiny 2 player, you’re probably welcoming the new content and are willing to spend a little more for the new dungeon and weapons (and probably already have it at this point). If you still love playing Destiny 2 but are feeling bored waiting for the Witch Queen expansion at the end of February, this is a great bridge to get there.
As someone who’s spent a lot of time playing Bungie games over the years, and got the Hawkmoon mini replica, it’s a fun way to bring some of that into Destiny 2 and I think it’s well worth the $25 price if you’re still playing the game.
Buy Bungie 30th Anniversary Pack for Destiny 2
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