Destiny April Update: the King’s Fall raid has never been more enjoyable

Destiny’s new, inclusive direction means any guardian can now appreciate King’s Fall for its considerable genius.

The Warpriest went down in two damage rounds today, bringing with it a glittery glow of mastery, an almost palpable sense of domination. We were heroes. We were the force to be feared. That’s the best feeling any game can give.

How Destiny's April Update affected King's Fall for the better

I ran Destiny’s King’s Fall on Hard Mode this morning for the first time since the April Update, and it was easily the most enjoyable I've experienced. Thanks to Destiny’s gift of relinquishing the need for King’s Fall to be so hard (in terms of levels) that all but the most dedicated, competent players could only ever look upon the Oryx kill as some kind of mythical, unattainable nonsense, everyone can now pootle on beyond 320 and be part of a winning team.

Here's why Destiny’s April Update benefited King’s Fall:

• Chilled means chilled. Now anyone who’s completing any of Destiny’s loot-drop activities can expect to effortless rise in Light (check out our April Update review for more details), the pressure’s off. We’re all OP, and we’re all ridiculously well versed in King’s Fall’s mechanics. This means clean, easy runs and an appropriate level of stress. This morning’s group was great: friendly, chilled and skilled. The100's Destiny LFG service really is coming into its own now. Shout out to this morning's Echo Company 9 teammates: extraextra, Zushin567-2, Aquexus, KRAZIENSEAL and Elroubi_.
• A sense of mastery. And because it’s so much easier, you marvel at the rate the bosses drop, at the ease you work the auras, at the way your armour set-up and weapon choices interlink to produce the desired results. The Warpriest went down in two damage rounds today, bringing with it a glittery glow of mastery, an almost palpable sense of domination. We were heroes. We were the force to be feared. That’s the best feeling any game can give.
• It’s doable in a realistic timeframe. It took us 90 minutes from beginning to end. I mean, any broken veterans of the Great Oryx Challenge War will know what that means. If the raid burnt you out before the April Update then you should now return. Apart from the generous rewards (see below), being able to smash through King’s Fall like a frickin' superhero is just the best. Remember sitting there at four in the morning watching the clock tick ever closer to divorce? Funny, right?
• King’s Fall’s genius mechanics are now appreciable. Now we’re able to run King’s Fall’s Hard Mode from beginning to end without anyone having a hernia, the boss mechanics are a joy to work with. The Oryx room, in particular, still needs concentration to navigate, thanks to its four pillars and the Witches’ plinths, and when you have a knowledgeable group who just gets on with it, that sense of collaboration, sleekness and complexity represents Destiny PvE at its absolute best.
• Killing Oryx first time isn’t just for ninjas. We did it first time. I’m sure all you HM hard-deads are sitting there going, “So what? I did it three times a week for months while my teeth went yellow and all my hair fell out.” I don’t care. Now everyone can do it, provided they know the mechanics. When we detonated the bombs and his health vanished everyone squeaked with pleasure. Such a fantastic feeling. King’s Fall is now an inclusive activity.
• Real, actual levelling. And finally, you are now appropriately rewarded for your now laidback efforts. This morning’s run took me from 322 to 328 in an hour-and-a-half. I got nice guns, nice boots and some nice gloves. Of course, I didn’t get the hat. Of course I didn’t. But maybe next time. And, as this is now something I can’t wait to do again, there definitely will be a next time.

King’s Fall is now representative of Destiny’s new direction, a fresh ethic delivered with the April Update, that of making the player feel powerful and adequately rewarded. It’s brilliant, and has never been more enjoyable.

Hit me up on The100 or PSN (patlikefr) if you fancy dropping the big guy. That hat won’t win itself.