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There's absolutely no doubt that Destiny is an incredibly smooth and polished first-person shooter: its controls are silky, its aiming is snappy and fast, and its gunplay in general is immensely satisfying. But what if the game adopted a third person viewpoint? What if you could see your Guardian at all times, essentially allowing you to experience the sci-fi blast-'em-up as a third-person shooter?

Of course, you could say the same about any first-person game on the market, but the basis for this particular talking point is built upon the fact that Bungie's latest already makes use of a third-person perspective multiple times. Within the hub-like Tower, you'll be forced into the viewpoint, for example, and even when you're roaming the solar system's various planets, hitting a button on the d-pad launches the camera into third person as your Guardian waves, points, dances, or sits.

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This would already suggest that the title could well be playable from such a viewpoint, but the real evidence for a third person camera comes courtesy of one of the release's main story missions. We won't go into detail about the mission here – so there's no need to worry about spoilers – but there is a point where you'll again be forced into third-person, although this time, it's during combat. Judging from this specific task alone, where you're still able to throw grenades, use your super ability, and jump around like a lunatic, you'd think that it wouldn't be too difficult to incorporate the same viewpoint into general gameplay.

Motion sickness is a common issue for some, and an alternative would certainly be welcomed by those affected

That's just in theory, however, and we doubt that it's an easy change to make in reality. Still, we reckon that some gamers would welcome the option. Titles like The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim always allow you to shift from first to third-person when you see fit, and it does tend to add a different feel to the overall game. In Destiny, for instance, we'd quite like to sprint and leap around Mars' sand dunes in third-person, before switching to the eyes of our Guardians in order to rain bullets down on our enemies.

That said, it's really the shooting itself that would throw a spanner in the works. Games like Uncharted and Mass Effect work as third-person shooters largely because of cover mechanics – and there's none of that in Destiny, where you simply pop in and out from behind something large enough to shield your character. Even then, though, you could argue that Bungie's creation is far more focused on movement, and so cover isn't quite as important as it is to our dear Commander Shepard.

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The only other thing standing in the way of a third person view is competitive multiplayer. If you're a regular in the Crucible, you'll have probably noticed fellow Guardians standing next to walls or large objects and dancing so that they're able to see around the corner without having to poke their head out, and so the ability to swap from the two different viewpoints even during combat would perhaps make things a little unfair for those who prefer to play in first-person.

Regardless of your own feelings on the matter, there's no doubt that it's quite an interesting subject, especially since the groundwork for a third-person view already seems to be in place. After all, nausea and motion sickness are surprisingly common issues for some when it comes to first-person gaming, and an alternative would certainly be welcomed by those affected. The question is: would you appreciate the addition?

Do you think that Destiny would play well as a third-person shooter, or is it just fine the way that it is? Vote in our poll, and make your opinion heard in the comments section below.

Would you prefer to play Destiny in third-person? (53 votes)

  1. Yes, at the very least I’d appreciate the option64%
  2. Hmm, I haven’t really considered it9%
  3. No, I reckon the game is just fine the way it is26%

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