Destiny 2 and Tom Clancy's The Division 2 dominate the live-service looter-shooter market. They both take place in a shared world, they both have RPG elements where players can tailor their character with select abilities and builds, they both allow a party of up to four to engage in co-op missions, and they both have a wonderful loot system. They also both start with a 'D' and end with a '2.' However, despite their similarities as looter-shooters, they are both totally different games with unique approaches to the genre.
While Division 2 is a post-apocalyptic game that lets players restabilize society, Destiny 2 is a more futuristic game that takes place in the vast galaxy, thereby allowing it more liberties in level design and gameplay mechanics. On the other hand, Division 2 is more methodical and tactical given the military specialist setting. With that said, here's a list of what one does better over the other.
10 Destiny 2 | Free-To-Play
One of the main leverages Destiny 2 has over Division 2, or any other looter-shooter out there for that matter is that it's free-to-play. Costing absolutely zero dollars, players are treated to an amazing MMORPG with a stunning and varied open-world. Or, in this case, an open galaxy. It costs nothing to experience Destiny 2's breathtaking content that puts a lot of $60 titles to shame. What this does is it brings in a larger community, allowing for a more thriving multiplayer and co-op experience. Division 2 on the other hand, constantly goes on sale; sometimes reaching a 95% discount. But even a $5 price tag is exponentially pricier than Free.
9 Division 2 | Better Open World
While Destiny 2 boasts an entire galaxy to explore with each planet being varied with biomes and enemy types, Division 2 manages to make a ruined Washington DC tell a story. What the world of Division 2 lacks in Destiny's verticality and platform, it makes up in puzzles, content, random events, hidden areas, and overall complexity. Each square inch of Division 2's world has something to say, each room conceals a side mission, and each collectible in the world reveals deeper lore about the game outside that of main missions. Players can stumble upon a building and next thing they know, they're in for a boss fight.
8 Destiny 2 | More Exploration
While the Division 2's world is better suited for tactical RPG gameplay, the world of Destiny 2 is larger, wider, and has more verticality. Because players in Destiny 2 have much more mobility than those in the Division, Destiny tailors its world accordingly with more open landscapes and higher structures.
A mountain or a building in Destiny 2 isn't just a set-piece. It is an interactive platform where players may smash through the roof of and loot what's inside. Destiny is more suited for action-packed platforming, making it more fun to explore than Division.
7 Division 2 | Better Co-Op
Destiny and the Division are both very dynamic co-op games. Both games allow for up to a four-player party in missions. The main difference is Destiny allows players to select from three different classes, each with three different specializations of their own; while the Division allows players to select two abilities from a selection of eight different gadgets, each having three or four different modifications. Different gadgets can be used in combination with each other for powerful effects. Hence, the Division allows for more varied builds and specializations, but also more dynamic chemistry, thereby creating a more changing party.
6 Destiny 2 | Better Combat
If playing the Division feels like controlling the Men In Black or any spy movie with fancy tech, then playing Destiny feels like playing as the Avengers. While the Division allows for more builds and gadget combinations, Destiny 2's classes perform much differently from the other. Combat in Destiny 2 also caters to more action-loving enthusiasts with its high-impact energy attacks, devastating special abilities, and better overall mobility. This results in faster-paced harder-hitting fighting that outdoes Division's tactical military approach. On top of this, Destiny 2 has more varied weapon choices than Division 2. Weapons of Destiny 2 range from the typical SMGs and sniper rifles to swords and plasma cannons.
5 Division 2 | Better PvP
Destiny 2's PvP has two modes. In Crucible, players battle other guardians in various solo or team-based formats, while in Gambit, teams race to finish a set of objectives. While all this sounds great, Division 2 takes the cake with its more complex mode known as the dark zones.
In addition to classic deathmatch and domination game modes, the Division 2's dark zones is a dynamic PvE and PvP hybrid where players fight off hordes of enemies and take amazing loot. However, other players may also fight for this loot and take it for themselves. That's just the surface as there's even a rogue system where when a player kills other players, it triggers a high-stakes manhunt for the rogue player.
4 Destiny 2 | More Customization Options
The option alone to play as non-humans bags Destiny 2 the win in the character customization department. While the Division 2 allows players to tailor the gender, facial features, and clothing of their agent, Destiny 2 lets players customize the race of their guardian, and then decide on race-specific features such as antennae, glowing eyes, modular parts, paint, decals, down to the color of each feature. There can be an African-American male defending the galaxy, a typical grey alien, or an Autobot Transformer. The possibilities are endless with Destiny 2's customization options.
3 Division 2 | Better Enemies
While Destiny 2 has more varied enemy types given the galactic setting of the game, Division 2's enemies are more challenging to battle against since players may chance upon higher-level areas early on in the game. Even when battling same-level enemies, they feel more like actual threats than papier-mâché. The way Division 2 enemies react to damage is something else too. Though they may be bullet sponges, their jerks and fumbles make bullets feel more impactful. With regards to bosses, however, each game has taken the full potential of their setting to maximize their bosses' abilities and complexity.
2 Destiny 2 | Better Story
Division 2's story is all right with its generic military and rebel characters. Destiny 2's complex characters on the other hand are miles ahead of that of the Division's. Players get a bright inspiring companion that isn't as obnoxious as Link's from The Legend Of Zelda, some valiant heroes here and there, and towering villains with voices deeper than a black hole.
As for the narrative, the plot revolves around a high-stakes conflict that could mean the end of a civilization and race, plunging the entire planet into darkness. Meanwhile, Division 2's story plays out like any other disease-ridden setting.
1 Division 2 | Less Grindy
With Division 2's open-world seamlessly stitched together with its various activities, events, hidden loot, and missions, its gameplay always feels fresh each time players load into the game. Its varied level design and labyrinth-like areas never let players feel the monotony of repetition. There are side-content, random enemy encounters, and collectibles scattered all throughout the world, making leveling up fun and engaging. On the other hand, if Destiny players really really want legendary end-quest loot or some extra XP, they'll often find themselves re-doing certain missions until they achieve their goal.