Included in some of the upcoming patches that will be making their way to Destiny in the coming weeks — which were detailed earlier today by Bungie’s community manager — will be a number of bigger files that will also be adding content from the game’s upcoming The Dark Below DLC, including some “mood and polish to untapped environments.”
“These are the things that turn an empty space into an experience – the sort that finds you fighting for your life,” wrote Bungie’s David “DeeJ” Dague in a recent Weekly Update. “Our team has been weaving a new web to ensnare you.”
More thank likely, Dague is referring to a few of the empty DLC environments that have been discovered in the base game through various glitches, like the Saraphim Vault on Earth or the Hypogeum on Mars.
To give fans a small taste of what’s to come, Bungie’s Head of World Art put together a small gallery of some of the new locations that you’ll be exploring in the upcoming DLC, including a some commentary on each environment’s background. Check it out:
“Deep beneath the abandoned architecture of the Cosmodrome lies the Serpahim’s Vault. Eons-old crypts of inscrutable power and knowledge lie in wait for the seasoned explorer. Rob Adams was the Lead Artist on Cosmodrome and put a lot of personal passion and energy into the visual realization of Rasputin’s chamber.”
“Sharp observers will already wonder what the other space communications building in the Cosmodrome keeps hidden away. In The Dark Below, ‘The Jovian Complex’ is opened at last and some truly frenetic combat takes place herein – not before taking in some of the gorgeous Hive-infested spaces that the Cosmodrome environment Art Team put together.”
“Buried under the shifting sands of Mars the Hypogeum and its ancient secrets await discovery. Built by the Vex in another age altogether, this chamber of ancient power houses an extremely powerful and watchful guardian. Built by Jason Sussman (art owner of Mars) as a perfect complement to the Black Garden, this space is designed to deliver tight, directional combat.”
In the deepest, darkest, inner sanctum of the Moon’s Hive interior, we gain access to the Chamber of Night, in which the bleached bones of a long forgotten and vast lunar dweller rest. It’s rumored that dark rituals and mass gatherings of Hive witches happen here. A major goal of this space was to nail the surreal qualities of this awesome concept by Ryan DeMita.
Along with new locations to explore, The Dark Below launches on December 9 with a new Light level cap of 32, new missions, a new Strike, a new Raid, and new gear. It’s included in Destiny’s Expansion Pass but will also be available as a stand-alone purchase for $19.99.