Yardbarker
x
Combat Variety | A Gateway into Destiny Rising and Its Game Modes September 12, 2025
- Image of Destiny Rising courtesy of NetCase Gaming and Bungie

Look, I’ve been knee-deep in Destiny games since the original dropped, and when Bungie announced they were shrinking their massive universe into a mobile game, I’ll admit I was skeptical as hell. How do you take something as epic as six-person raids and cram it into something you can play on your phone during a bathroom break?

Well, after diving into Destiny: Rising’s closed alpha, I can tell you this isn’t your typical mobile cash grab. NetEase and Bungie have somehow managed to pack an absurd amount of variety into this pocket-sized Guardian experience. We’re talking multiple modes that actually feel like proper Destiny content, not watered-down mobile nonsense.

Let me break down exactly what you’re getting when you fire up this alternate timeline adventure.

Campaign Mode: Your Gateway to Guardian Glory

Image of Destiny Rising, Courtesy of NetEase

The campaign in Destiny: Rising serves as your main story experience, but don’t expect to marathon it in one sitting like you might with other mobile games. This isn’t some mindless tap-fest – it’s structured more like bite-sized Destiny missions that actually respect your time.

You play as Wolf, a customizable Lightbearer who teams up with familiar faces like Ikora Rey. Instead of picking the traditional Hunter, Titan, or Warlock classes, you’re wielding power through relics. Each relic gives you different “Super” abilities, which honestly feel fresh after years of the same three-class system.

The campaign modes are designed perfectly for mobile sessions. You get solo missions that gradually unlock the larger story, chase sequences that’ll get your heart pumping, and boss fights that teach you mechanics you’ll need later in the harder content. Think of it as boot camp for the real challenges ahead.

If you’re struggling with any of this content, there are professional boost services available, but honestly, the campaign does a solid job of teaching you the ropes without holding your hand too much.

Strikes: The Co-op Sweet Spot

Image of Destiny Rising courtesy of NetCase Game and Bungie

No Destiny game feels complete without strikes, and Rising delivers here in spades. These three-to-six-player missions capture that perfect Destiny formula: clear enemies, complete objectives, fight a massive boss with your fireteam.

The genius of strikes in Rising is how they’re scaled for shorter playtimes while keeping the same addictive structure we love:

  1. Clear waves of enemies in open arenas that actually feel spacious despite being on mobile
  2. Complete objectives like defending points or carrying items (classic Destiny stuff)
  3. Face multi-phase bosses that require actual teamwork, not just mindless shooting

Why do strikes work so well? They’re infinitely replayable, they drop quality loot, and they give you that “raid-lite” experience without demanding three hours of your life. For most players, strikes will probably be the go-to farming method for gear upgrades.

PvP Modes: Crucible in Your Pocket

Image of Destiny Rising courtesy of NetCase Games and Bungie

Destiny PvP has always been divisive – you either love getting your face melted by some kid with perfect aim, or you avoid it like the plague. Rising brings Crucible to mobile with arena-based matches that actually work surprisingly well.

The modes you can expect include:

  • Team Deathmatch – Classic frag-fests for when you just want to shoot stuff
  • Control – Capture and hold objective points (prepare for chaos)
  • Elimination – Smaller, sweeter matches that reward precision over spraying

Mobile PvP comes with obvious challenges – touchscreen aiming is trickier than mouse and keyboard – but auto-fire and aim-assist options help level the playing field. Early testers noted that matches are shorter and snappier, perfect for quick 5-10 minute sessions when you need that competitive fix.

Roguelite Dungeons: Where Things Get Spicy

Here’s where Destiny: Rising does something genuinely innovative. Instead of just copying Destiny 2’s dungeon format, they’ve added roguelite elements that keep runs fresh and unpredictable.

Picture this: You drop into a dungeon solo or with a buddy, and each room presents you with choices. Fight tougher enemies for better loot, or take the easier path with fewer rewards. If you wipe, you start over – but you might unlock permanent upgrades for future runs.

This roguelite approach fits mobile gaming perfectly. Runs can be as short or long as you want, and the randomized elements mean you won’t get bored after multiple clears. It’s like they took the best parts of dungeon crawling and mixed it with that “just one more run” addiction that makes roguelites so compelling.

Raids: The Ultimate Mobile Challenge

Yes, you read that right – Destiny: Rising has actual raids. Mobile-friendly raids that don’t require you to block out your entire weekend.

Don’t expect six-hour marathon sessions, but these scaled-down raids still require:

  • Six-player coordination for complex mechanics
  • Puzzle-solving and synchronized objectives
  • Multi-phase bosses that’ll test your team’s communication
  • Exclusive loot you can’t get anywhere else

Whether mobile raids can capture the magic of classics like Vault of Glass remains to be seen, but the ambition alone is impressive. They’re positioning these as the “ultimate test” content – harder than strikes, more complex than dungeons, but still accessible enough to play on your phone.

How All These Modes Connect

The beauty of Rising’s structure is how everything flows together:

  • Campaign teaches you the basics and unlocks relics
  • Strikes provide steady, replayable co-op content for loot grinding
  • PvP lets you test your skills against real players
  • Roguelite Dungeons offer variety and flexible session lengths
  • Raids serve as the ultimate endgame challenge

This variety addresses one of mobile gaming’s biggest problems: repetition. Instead of mindlessly tapping the same content over and over, you’ve got genuine choices about how to spend your time.

The Mobile Gaming Revolution We Didn’t Know We Needed

Screenshot of Destiny Rising and Destiny 2 collaboration emblem courtesy of NetEase Games and Bungie

Most mobile shooters stick to battle royale or quick PvP matches. Rising is pushing boundaries by offering campaign content, strikes, raids, and roguelite dungeons. It’s not just a companion app – it’s shaping up as a standalone experience with genuine depth.

The big questions remain around execution. Can phones handle mechanics-heavy raid encounters? Will PvP feel fair across different devices? How grindy will the gacha system make progression? But if Bungie and NetEase nail the balance, this could be one of the few mobile games that actually feels like a console experience.

Early alpha feedback suggests they’re on the right track. Players are praising the variety, the respect for source material, and the surprising depth packed into a mobile format.

Whether you’re commuting, taking a break at work, or just want Destiny content without firing up your console, Rising’s modes offer something for every type of Guardian. The real test will be whether this ambitious vision survives contact with the broader mobile gaming audience.

But honestly? I’m cautiously optimistic. This might just be the mobile Destiny experience we never knew we needed.

For more gaming content, visit Total Apex Gaming

For more Destiny Rising-related content, visit Total Apex Gaming: Destiny Rising

This article first appeared on Total Apex Gaming and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads:

Customize Your Newsletter

Yardbarker +

Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!