How long should a game's story be? It's a question that vexes players and developers alike. Unlike other forms of media, there's an unspoken player expectation that a game will keep your attention for longer than a film or perhaps even a book, and a run time that would be considered satisfying elsewhere is decried as short in gaming.
Which is a roundabout way of saying that Destiny 2's first expansion, Curse of Osiris, is a bit on the short side. Playing through the campaign add-on, which takes players to Mercury and sees your Guardian pursuing the eponymous Osiris – a figure only alluded to in Destiny lore previously – will take around three hours, if you (and your fireteam) pace yourself. Odd how a three hour film will numb the butts off a cinema auditorium, but seems measly for a game.
Hardcore fans will enjoy the history lesson of the story.
The brevity wouldn't be a problem though if the end result were more of a challenge. Blasting your way through the story missions will barely cause a sweat, while the final boss battle is so simple it's practically a quick-time event. Players who've been wanting more of a challenge since clocking the main Destiny 2 campaign will rightly be puzzled as to the lack of one here.
That's not to say Curse of Osiris is bereft of overall content though. There are also two new Strikes worked into the campaign, 'A Garden World' and 'Tree of Probabilities'. These represent perhaps the high point of the whole pack, with time-jumping hijinks show players a younger, greener Mercury. These arguably add more to the lore of Destiny's universe than the core narrative of the expansion, creating a sense of loss over the fate of the once thriving world. There are also a trio of adventures, chasing the time-warping Vex and obstructing their own missions; new maps for the Crucible; and of course new weapons to acquire.
Ultimately, Curse of Osiris feels too fragmented – some new missions here, a new weapon there, a vendor somewhere else. Mercury as a location is also one of the smallest seen in Destiny, which will disappoint anyone wanting a vast new world to explore. Hardcore fans will enjoy the history lesson of the story and the addition to the universe's wider mythology, but the overall shortness will frustrate. Hopefully, the second expansion due early in 2018 will be more substantial.