Nolan North Returns For Destiny 2

Rest easy, fans of Destiny: the chances of having exposition delivered in monotone fashion have hit zero, now that actor Nolan North, the voice of the Guardians' trusted Ghost has confirmed his return for Destiny 2. It doesn't need to be said, but this should also be taken as confirmation that Peter Dinklage (Game of Thrones) has not been invited back for Bungie's sequel. And judging by the Destiny 2 teaser trailer, as well as the full Destiny 2 announcement trailer, it may be a sign that the developers are committing to story and characters more than ever before.

It seems so long ago that Destiny dawned on gamers, the long-awaited follow-up from the team that gave Halo to the world. Sadly, the bar they had set for rich mythology, well-developed characters, and rich banter was avoided entirely. Sure, the world of Destiny was dense with history and strange alien factions and conflicts. But in order to enjoy it, players had to endure endless hours of their floating robotic partner droning with exposition. The developers remained (understandably) quiet in the face of criticism that Dinklage's voice-over amounted to slightly more than reading words off a page... before having Nolan North completely re-record the character's lines.

With Destiny 2 now bearing a release date and official marketing assets, North was asked during an interview with the ETC Show if he would be returning for more. Unsure of whether or not he was supposed to confirm or deny, he went ahead and confirmed it anyway. No further details were offered, but it's clear Bungie isn't wanting to make the same mistake twice. (When your trailer reunites Firefly alums as space frontier gunslingers, you don't want to ruin the fun.)

Just in case there are Destiny fans out there who only hopped into the arena after the changes were made, it's only right that they get to share in the trauma and relief. Therefore, behold a bit of Nolan's dialogue as the plucky "little light" Ghost... and Dinklage's original recording:

The scripted story of Destiny may have felt lacking to some (and later reports revealed just how late in the process the narrative was changed), but that may be less of an issue for the sequel. Judging by the trailer, players need only be familiar with the enemies and key locations within the game's version of Earth. Destiny 2 begins one year after the Rise of Iron story, when a formidable force of the Cabal calling themselves the 'Red Legion' ambush the Tower, reducing the Guardians' sanctuary to rubble and sending them scattered to the cosmic winds.

Players will be forced to - what else? - drive back the Red Legion and its mysterious leader Gaul (Gall/Gahl/Goll) and reclaim their home. And, if the game keeps up Bungie's brand of ancient mysticism, unlock the truth of the Legion, their attack, their goals, or some other narrative bombshell. On the other hand, the comedy and charm of Nathan Fillion's 'Cayde 6' being spotlighted in marketing could be a sign that the developers are dialing back those story beats.

A streamlined, easy to follow, and well-acted story including fan favorites characters and voice actors wouldn't be a bad idea following Destiny's sprawling story. So if the developers can keep up the size of the world, but use stronger or more charismatic story hooks, they may have the best of both worlds. For the time being, though, we might advise players to expect a similar experience the second time around. Guided by a capable Ghost, thank goodness.