Can You Still Play Destiny 1‘s Story Mode in 2024? A Nostalgic Return to Where It All Began

Absolutely – veterans and newcomers alike can and should revisit Destiny 1‘s campaigns. While overall players are down, D1‘s servers remain online. Reliving these iconic stories is the perfect way to experience Destiny‘s origin and prepare for the Lightfall expansion.

The Lone Guardian Who Started It All

Destiny 1 kicked off the franchise back in 2014 by casting players as a resurrected Guardian defending the last city on Earth. With a mysterious robot companion called a Ghost, you set out to investigate a looming alien threat and reclaim your lost identity.

This humble beginning spawned what would become Bungie‘s biggest franchise. Let‘s revisit those first steps into the world of Destiny 1.

Destiny 1‘s Main Story Campaign

Destiny 1‘s base game featured a main story campaign that took most players around 6-12 hours to complete solo, or 4-8 hours in a 3-player fireteam.

The initial story arc established the state of this new universe – an Earth ravaged by invading aliens, the mysterious Traveler entity that gifted humanity advanced technology and powers, and the Guardians who use these gifts to protect the Last City.

You battle through old Russia, the Moon, Venus, and Mars while unlocking new subclasses, weapons, and growing your strength as a newly reborn Guardian.

The time investment feels well-spent uncovering tidbits of lore and backstory through cutscenes, grimoire cards, and sweeping vistas that showcase the aftermath of alien destruction.

The Dark Below – Destiny 1‘s First Expansion

The Dark Below launched as Destiny 1‘s first expansion in December 2014, just 3 months after Destiny 1 initially released.

This brief 2-3 hour campaign added a new chapter focused on the horrific Hive and their god Crota. In terms of story content, it was quite light, with only 5 missions.

But what it lacked in length, it made up for in striking new destinations – the Hive temple of the Hellmouth on the Moon, and the eerie underground Crotas End raid.

The Dark Below sold 3.4M copies by the end of January 2015, showing there was a definite appetite for more of Destiny‘s sci-fi adventures.

House of Wolves – Enter the Awoken & Fallen

After another 3 months, this second expansion House of Wolves brought players to the Reef to hunt down Wolf rebels of the Fallen race.

Spanning around 4 story missions and unlocking the new Prison of Elders endgame activity, House of Wolves gave fans their first real look at the enigmatic Awoken faction through Queen Mara Sov and Petra Venj.

The Taken King – Oryx Arrives

At last we come to 2015‘s monumental The Taken King expansion. This campaign took a dramatic leap in narrative scope and quality with around 6-8 hours of story content.

Facing a full-scale invasion by the Taken forces of Hive god Oryx, Guardians journey to Saturn and plunge into the Dreadnaught ship. You slowly work to gain a foothold, while uncovering surprising revelations about the Awoken‘s grim past with the Hive.

The Taken King sold an astounding 5M+ copies in its first 5 days – proving leading villains and richer storytelling was the perfect recipe to hook the fanbase.

Oryx remains one of Destiny‘s most memorable antagonists. His lore from The Taken King enriches the plot of recent expansions like Shadowkeep and Forsaken.

Rise of Iron – Destiny 1‘s Final Chapter

The last expansion Rise of Iron in September 2016 closed out Destiny 1‘s tale with around 4-5 hours of story content focused on the Fallen faction.

It sees Guardians investigate a new plague affecting the Fallen on Earth, leading them to the mountainous Plaguelands zone filled with startling set pieces.

The SIVA nano-tech menace offers a nice change of pace from typical Hive/Vex fare. And the epic Wrath of the Machine raid remains a fan-favorite to this day.

Campaign Hours Per Destiny 1 Expansion

Can You Still Buy and Access All This Content?

The good news is all the Destiny 1 expansions are still available bundled in Destiny: The Collection – purchasable digitally on PS4 and Xbox One.

So new lights can experience the full evolving story, and veterans can dive back in for nostalgia.

Having personally bought and played them all at launch, revisiting the campaigns brings back waves of memories. I still clearly recall that sense of wonder when first discovering the Vault of Glass and defeating Atheon.

And the opening mission of The Taken King where your Guardian actually speaks still delivers chills. After a year with a silent protagonist, hearing veteran voice actor Nolan North announce "We‘ve awoken the Hive!" marked an exciting evolution in storytelling.

Don‘t miss out on the chance to forge your own nostalgic memories in these campaigns before Destiny 1‘s servers eventually go offline.

How Does Destiny 1‘s Campaign Compare to Destiny 2?

Destiny 2‘s campaign tells a new tale, with no direct narrative links to Destiny 1‘s story. However, the vaulting of much of Destiny 2‘s content makes revisiting D1 worthwhile to fill in backstory gaps.

Comparing campaigns, Destiny 1 feels more serious in tone – you play as a lone avenger exploring the unknown. Destiny 2 leans into more humor and camaraderie with expanded character interactions.

Destiny 2‘s campaigns also evolved to feature fully-voiced cinematics and elaborate set pieces – evidence of Bungie‘s growing experience with storytelling.

But D1‘s campaigns should not be overlooked. The worldbuilding and tone establish crucial foundations for the Destiny universe. And experiences like raiding the Vault of Glass or exploring Dreadnaught remain etched in players‘ minds for their unique mystique.

The Merits of Revisiting Destiny 1 Campaigns

Here are some of the biggest reasons it‘s worth returning to Destiny 1‘s story content:

Nostalgia – Relive memorable moments that shaped the franchise. Like firing Gjallarhorn for the first time, or finally toppling Oryx after wiping for hours.

Lore – Grimoire cards and scannables enrich the world. Oryx‘s backstory gives deeper context to his sisters Savathun and Xivu Arath.

Gameplay – Shooting fundamentals that feel fantastic. Subclasses like Sunbreaker Titan that never returned in D2.

Visuals – Art direction and skyboxes that stand the test of time. The scope of the massive Dreadnaught ship interior still impresses.

Gear – Pursue powerful exotics like Thorn, Ice Breaker, and Vex Mythoclast that veterans remember fondly.

Preparation – Brush up on lore and history before future D2 releases like Lightfall and Final Shape.

Tips for Revisiting Destiny 1 Campaigns

If you plan on jumping back to Destiny 1, here are some tips:

• Find a fireteam – Having just 1 or 2 friends enhances the experience.
• Take your time – Appreciate details and environments. Read the grimoire!
• Try story missions at level – Engage with progression and difficulty.
• Watch cutscenes – Destiny 1 has some true cinematic gems.
• Explore thoroughly – Wander off the critical path a bit if you can.
• Attempt the raids – Vault of Glass, Crota‘s End, and King‘s Fall especially.

Conclusion – Rediscover Where It All Began

It‘s simple to recommend replaying Destiny 1‘s campaigns in 2024. Just purchase The Collection and enjoy those early visions that sparked a franchise now 6 releases strong.

Destiny 1 lays the groundwork through unforgettable destinations, raids, missions, and stories that hold up shockingly well even today.

These campaigns offer the perfect way to reflect on fond memories ahead of Lightfall. And they provide critical history on characters like the Hive gods who continue to influence Destiny 2‘s unfolding narrative.

For long-time fans, it‘s a nostalgia trip down memory lane. And for new lights, it‘s a chance to learn more about the origins of this beloved universe.

So rally your fireteam, boot up your legacy console, and journey back to where Guardians first began their adventure. The Vex aren‘t finished with you yet.