I thought this game was a huge flop.
There are a couple big flaws, but at its core, it's amazing. I think Bungie spent so much time perfecting the gameplay, ui, and visual style that they neglected some other elements. Personally, I'm addicted to it. I was on the fence about it at first with all of the criticism, but it really is quite good. The only thing it needs in my opinion is a better social mechanism. Right now, you pretty much have to just group with people already on your friends list, or find people in forums and such (hence the post) to play with. There really is no easy way to make friends in the game, which is Destiny's biggest downfall. But I don't think it deserves all the criticism it gets just for that. The lack of a finished story is understandable. This game is supposed to last 10 years, so I don't think it would make sense for Bungie to reveal the entire plot line in one go.
It's actually really difficult, and the funny thing is, it doesn't necessarily reward you for playing well. You may not get jack shit after a long and tedious raid. That's another gripe people have with the game. When a big ass monster falls down dead, they expect a shower of gold and gear to come raining down on them. In Destiny, an elite monster will give you 25 glimmer. I think a raid boss gives you 50-100 glimmer, which is practically nothing. You stand a good chance to get at least one pretty good weapon or armor piece from a raid or a strike, but you have to work for it. Sometimes you get a really awesome epic or legendary, or even a new ship, but it's not guaranteed like in other games. You have to like the gameplay to like Destiny, and I think this is where a lot of people are split. There are the MMO players who want an endless treadmill to run on, which Destiny doesn't give them, and there are the FPS players who just like shooting monsters and other players. Oh, and it's an extremely difficult game which probably makes some people feel jipped when they don't get a shitload of shit for killing a boss.
At its core, Destiny is very entertaining with a lot more replay value than many other $60 games. The visuals include gorgeously drawn, vast, sweeping landscapes of extraterrestrial planets. The gameplay is smooth and addicting, and ultimately challenging in the end game. The strikes and raids are exhilarating. One false move and you'll fuck the whole thing up for everyone. And finally, the major flaw is the lack of a robust social system. It does take away from the game, but not enough to overshadow the good aspects. I'm pretty sure I'll be playing this game for awhile.
The satisfaction Destiny gives you is along the lines of putting your shotgun in someone's back and pulling the trigger. I think a lot of people were expecting a huge MMO with lots of deep lore, but that's not what it was ever supposed to be. Basically, it's a really really good Call of Duty.