Later this week, Bungie will give gamers their first taste (provided they didn't participate in the first look alpha) of the developer's upcoming MMO-like shooter Destiny in the form of a two-week-long beta test. The test will launch first on PlayStation platforms starting July 17th, and then will open up to all pre-order holders (i.e. Xbox gamers) on the 23rd.

However, while we know for how long the beta will run, up until this point Bungie has yet to reveal what players can expect from the test. The developer had said the beta would be substantial, but it's only after today's rumored leak that we now know what exactly that means.

According to a brief beta description posted on Reddit, the Destiny beta will include four story chapters, four multiplayer maps, one cooperative strike mission, and a world to explore. Read the official snippet below.

While we don't know what exactly classifies a "story chapter," the beta certainly sounds like a larger slice of gameplay than the alpha, which only included two multiplayer maps and a few open world missions. After all, if Bungie is hoping to keep this beta going for almost two weeks, it behooves them to pack enough content to sustain that length of time.

One element to keep an eye out for in this beta test will be the vocal performance of Peter Dinklage as the player's AI companion Ghost. Coming out of the alpha, many criticized Dinklage's performance, claiming his line delivery was flat and lifeless…and not the lifeless that you would expect from an actor playing a robot.

Since the alpha, however, Bungie has come out to address those criticisms head-on with a "That Wizard Came From the Moon" t-shirt and claims that Dinklage's VO has been "updated" multiple times since the alpha recordings were finalized. So, hopefully we'll be able to hear this "new" performance when the beta arrives.

As we've mentioned before, there are several ways to get in on the beta, starting first and foremost with pre-ordering any of the game's four possible retail offerings (1 basic and 3 Collector's Editions). Those who don't want to pre-order can also snag a beta code by keeping a vigilant watch over the Internet, as numerous gaming sites, journalists, and even Bungie have been holding beta key giveaways fairly regularly. In fact, hopeful beta participants should keep an eye on Game Rant's twitter account for some codes.

What do you think of the Destiny beta's offering? What do you hope to see from the brief sampling?

Destiny launches September 9, 2014 for PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One.

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Source: Reddit

Follow Anthony on Twitter @ANTaormina for more Destiny beta info.