Destiny 2's Sentinel subclass for Titans is the focus of today's developer preview video. Once again IGN has the exclusive hosting privileges, but it's Bungie's Senior Sandbox Designer Claude Jerome and Senior Effects Artist David Samuel who lead today's coverage.

The video focuses on what brings the Sentinel sub-class to life in Destiny 2. Players may seen what the shield-toting Guardian version of Captain America can do in action in early gameplay footage, but now Bungie is explaining what makes the subclass tick.

The Sentinel will be replacing the Titan's Defender Void subclass from the original Destiny. The Defender's Super Ability, players will recall, is the Ward of Dawn bubble shield which blocks weapon fire while also empowering teammates.

sentinel titan subclass shield

Destiny 2 is amplifying Super Abilities, and the Defender to Sentinel changes embody that. Not only can the Sentinel summon a shield which can be thrown or used to guard, but the Sentinel also gets a Void-based shoulder charge. Oh, and the Sentinel can summon a bubble shield if they choose, too.

Jerome describes the Sentinel as the "vanguard," not to be confused with the Vanguard. He says, "You're the aggressor that starts the fight." Bungie has turned the point-of-the-spear into a shield wielder, a class designed with both offensive and defensive strengths. Simply put, the Sentinel stands at the front.

But this 'Creating the Sentinel Titan' video isn't just about what the Sentinel is capable of; it's also about making the class feel incredible to play too. David Samuel's exuberant sound effect outbursts are hopefully what all Titans will be feeling while playing the Sentinel, as he's clearly put all of his passion into bringing each Sentinel action to life through visual and aural effects.

"Once it was like, 'We have a shield,' I could really let that shield stand out and be the star of the show."

Samuel goes on to describe how the shield's trail of void-light is designed in such a way that players can see its path as it bounces between targets, but doesn't linger unnecessarily. It's not just about visual flair, it's about communicating Destiny 2 gameplay. Similarly, the new bubble is designed to better show its durability as enemies lay into it with gunfire. The purple bubble will communicate its health visually, through warping and deterioration, rather than through a private timer.

The challenges of, as Samuel says, "trying to make a purple space guy look cool," look to have been met and overcome. While Defender may be left behind in the original Destiny, the Sentinel looks like a more than worthy successor.

Destiny 2 is scheduled to launch on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One on September 6, with the PC launch to follow on October 24.