Just want to play the story

[Solo4114]

I tried the free version of the game umpteen gajillion years ago, and pretty much just ran around shooting stuff without (A) getting very far, or (B) really seeing much of "The Story."

I picked up the recent Humble Bundle: The Story So far (2025), and would like to figure out how I basically just play the single player story, which I've heard is actually pretty good. But then I learned about "vaulted content."

Does that include actual *story* content? Is there a way for me to play through the story itself from start to finish? I'm assuming in all of this that "story" does not require doing, say, a dungeon or raid or whatever, and that you can figure out what the hell is going on just by playing through a campaign, but I want to make sure I can actually, you know, access "campaigns" so that I can play the story itself.

Is this even possible anymore?

[Horn]

You can complete the story campaigns of the Shadowkeep, Beyond Light, Witch Queen, Lightfall, and Final Shape expansions. The Red War, Curse of Osiris, Warmind and Forsaken story campaigns (chronologically located before Shadowkeep) have been removed. So, in short, the game has no beginning. On top of that, starting with Shadowkeep the developers started releasing seasons that are removed from the game once a year, and in some of these seasons there were some pretty important events for the story. In other words, be prepared that after completing a story campaign, you'll suddenly have new characters in the story, or other characters will be dead or resurrected. The game's story is a mess right now.

[HugoTaHell]

If you want the complete story, you have to go back and play D1. OR you can watch the wonderful youtube video by BYF that explains everything up to now.

[Solo4114]

Hmm. Guess I'll have to play what I can and figure out the rest when it feels like there's a weird jump.

That sucks about them gating off story content, though. I could understand gating off some raid or whatever, but at the very least, include some recap of "Previously on..." at least when you start a new campaign where old stuff is missing or something.

Honestly, it sounds like at this point I might get a more complete experience playing Anthem, of all things, than playing D2.

[Kylito]

Originally posted by Solo4114:

Hmm. Guess I'll have to play what I can and figure out the rest when it feels like there's a weird jump.

That sucks about them gating off story content, though. I could understand gating off some raid or whatever, but at the very least, include some recap of "Previously on..." at least when you start a new campaign where old stuff is missing or something.

Honestly, it sounds like at this point I might get a more complete experience playing Anthem, of all things, than playing D2.

There is a timeline at the top left of the directory that serves as a "previously on..." and includes cutscenes and a few missions that include lore dumps. They added a quest a while back where going into the timeline is mandatory for leveling progress to force players to look at it.

[Solo4114]

Gotcha. Thanks! That's helpful.

[Kernist]

That's why I refunded the bundle - I discovered first half of D2 story is missing. Just remember this is an option, HB does not make problems with refunds unless you abuse it often.

[Ged]

That sucks about them gating off story content, though. I could understand gating off some raid or whatever

Oh hell nah, if I had to pick one, story has to go.

I'd give all story modes away just to replay those old D2 raids.

[Doctor Proteus]

If you want to do the story in chronological order-
Base Game(Cosmodrome, E.D.Z/European Dead Zone, Nessus, Awoken City)
Shadowkeep(The Moon)
Beyond Light(Europa)
Witch Queen(Savathuun's Throne World)
Lightfall(Neptune)
The Final Shape(The Pale Heart)
Current Episodes - Echoes -> Revenant -> Heresy

The introduction will try to spoiler future parts of the story, like things that have happened in Shadowkeep, Beyond Light, etc... and will try to force you to start at The Final Shape and Heresy. When the game forces you into the intro missions for those two things, bring up your Ghost menu and Return to Orbit, and do them when you are ready.

[Solo4114]

Originally posted by Doctor Proteus:

If you want to do the story in chronological order-
Base Game(Cosmodrome, E.D.Z/European Dead Zone, Nessus, Awoken City)
Shadowkeep(The Moon)
Beyond Light(Europa)
Witch Queen(Savathuun's Throne World)
Lightfall(Neptune)
The Final Shape(The Pale Heart)
Current Episodes - Echoes -> Revenant -> Heresy

The introduction will try to spoiler future parts of the story, like things that have happened in Shadowkeep, Beyond Light, etc... and will try to force you to start at The Final Shape and Heresy. When the game forces you into the intro missions for those two things, bring up your Ghost menu and Return to Orbit, and do them when you are ready.

Thanks! I'll do that.

[Solo4114]

Originally posted by Kernist:

That's why I refunded the bundle - I discovered first half of D2 story is missing. Just remember this is an option, HB does not make problems with refunds unless you abuse it often.

I'm tempted to, but on the other hand, it wasn't *that* expensive, so if the guy I replied to above is right and I can get most of the story that way, well, fine. Live and learn.

[Solo4114]

Originally posted by Ged:

That sucks about them gating off story content, though. I could understand gating off some raid or whatever

Oh hell nah, if I had to pick one, story has to go.

I'd give all story modes away just to replay those old D2 raids.

Well, folks play for different reasons. Personally, I have a hard time sticking with a game just to run into a place, blow stuff up, and leave. And given that in a game like this, I assume you have to grind your character(s) up to a specific level before they're competent enough to take on a raid or whatever, that sounds incredibly boring to me.

By contrast, if I'm playing thru a story I enjoy, and just leveling up that way, then it doesn't feel like a pointless grind.

[Kernist]

Originally posted by Solo4114:

Originally posted by Kernist:

That's why I refunded the bundle - I discovered first half of D2 story is missing. Just remember this is an option, HB does not make problems with refunds unless you abuse it often.

I'm tempted to, but on the other hand, it wasn't *that* expensive, so if the guy I replied to above is right and I can get most of the story that way, well, fine. Live and learn.

Try the timeline and do what you want. I wanted to get into it so I watched on yt detailed story of everything before Forsaken. When I launched Forsaken stuff on the timeline menu (because I thought it has a campaign since, you know, FORSAKEN DLC IS IN THE BUNDLE), I got one 10 minute mission, 2 cutscenes that looked like the beginning and the end of the story and... that's it. That was too much for me, but make your own decision.

[Solo4114]

Originally posted by Ged:

Originally posted by Solo4114:

Well, folks play for different reasons. Personally, I have a hard time sticking with a game just to run into a place, blow stuff up, and leave. And given that in a game like this, I assume you have to grind your character(s) up to a specific level before they're competent enough to take on a raid or whatever, that sounds incredibly boring to me.

By contrast, if I'm playing thru a story I enjoy, and just leveling up that way, then it doesn't feel like a pointless grind.

You will find this mindset is incompatible with this game.

My prediction is 10 hours til you bail.

K.

[Kylito]

Originally posted by Solo4114:

Originally posted by Ged:

Oh hell nah, if I had to pick one, story has to go.

I'd give all story modes away just to replay those old D2 raids.

Well, folks play for different reasons. Personally, I have a hard time sticking with a game just to run into a place, blow stuff up, and leave. And given that in a game like this, I assume you have to grind your character(s) up to a specific level before they're competent enough to take on a raid or whatever, that sounds incredibly boring to me.

By contrast, if I'm playing thru a story I enjoy, and just leveling up that way, then it doesn't feel like a pointless grind.

Raids/Dungeons don't really require much leveling or grinding (1955 PL) but they DO require you to have a solid amount of game sense and weapons and armor that you can utilize to their full potential. Going through the campaigns you should get a solid amount of practice and gear, so you sort of can "level up" just by playing the story quests?

[trukr]

Originally posted by Kernist:

That's why I refunded the bundle - I discovered first half of D2 story is missing. Just remember this is an option, HB does not make problems with refunds unless you abuse it often.

Half? Really?