Many people were nervous about how Destiny 2 would improve upon its predecessor. From storyline to character development, many were on the edge of their seats about the game’s “fun factor.” And the consensus is that the game has not disappointed. One of the factors that have contributed to the success of Destiny 2 is the developer’s attention to the “little things.” Developers of games like Call of Duty, Grand Theft Auto, Overwatch, and many other popular games know that the secret of keeping gamers coming back is an attention to details that matter. A funny Easter Egg that references a key element of the first installment, hidden lore about a minor but beloved character, or a clear pop culture reference makes the game feel less like a game and more like an experience.

Bungie recognized this and rose to the challenge. They created a more coherent story, took some lessons from Overwatch’s multiplayer mode, and pulled together a team to make better content faster. This is all great, but players and non-players alike will be left talking about the moments that made them feel connected to the game. Rolling Stone released a recent article about the challenges of Bungie having to create a successful game to step outside of Halo’s shadow. However, they comment that the game did an excellent job of setting the player free to hunt the Cabal or Fallen or travel to Jupiter's Io to fight a Vanguard Warlock. The game puts so much in the player’s court. Now, it’s time to talk about several other ways Destiny 2 has made some excellent experiences for players. Here are 25 of the most awesome things you did not know about Destiny 2.

25 The Floor Is Lava!

via gosunoob.com

One of the hallmarks of being a kid (or bored college student), is someone yelling out “The floor is lava,” and watching everyone do their obligatory jump on the couch or another piece of furniture that you and your friends were not allowed on. Well, Bungie also likes to have a little fun in the midst of their serious space drama. On The Tower, if a player heads to the uppermost walkway they will be treated to a game of “The Floor Is Lava.” They created a realistic scenario by allowing the player to experience real damage if they do not find a box or platform to stand on. Winning the mini-game rewards players with the quickness buff, giving players additional speed and height to explore Tower.

24 Some Exotic Dancing

via youtube.com (Juvie《Destiny and More)

Have you discovered the dance emotes in Destiny 2? If you haven’t, you better familiarize yourself, because you might receive something useful if you get your “groove on.” The Leviathan Raid can be a real drag to get through, but there is so much to gain from completing it. If you complete the Leviathan Raid, a key called Loot-A-Palooza may randomly drop for the player. Once they retrieve the key, the player can take it back to the tower, and a Public Event will trigger. Players will then have the opportunity to unlock a chest that will set in motion a “Dance Party.” Once you bust a move and make everyone jealous with how smooth you jam, a chest will drop with a good bit of Legendary and Exotic Gear.

23 Get Your Soccer On

gosunoob.com

The purple orb was a favorite prop in Destiny 1, the fate of which will be revealed later on in this list. You probably remember kicking the ball around the tower regardless of that fact that it did not bring any rewards. Well this time, players can participate in another mini-game that honors the fun of the original purple orb. If players kick the new Tower ball around to certain locations, it will start a puzzle mini-game that spawns multiple balls. Once they are placed in certain areas, a huge zero-gravity ball appears for more “space soccer fun.” This is a pretty challenging puzzle as it requires a lot of trial and error to figure out which locations all the balls should be put in.

22 Bungie Joined The Mile High Club

via gearnuke.com and stuff.tv

It is always cool when “game can recognize game,” no pun intended. It speaks to the camaraderie of the industry when game developers can talk about the elements they admire and borrow from other franchises. Call of Duty’s short, intense, and challenging levels, one being The Mile High Club, inspired the developers at Bungie to create similar experiences for fans of the Destiny 2 universe. Their inspiration caused them to create the Black Spindle mission in Destiny 1, and the word on the street is that later mission levels in Destiny 2 will incorporate these same elements. Get ready for some mixed emotions, probably a deep feeling of awe blended with frustration that will make you want to put your controller through the television.

21 The Farm Needs Tending

via imgur.com (lavonicus)

Bungie has apparently jumped onto the entertaining mini-game train. The developers created a new social space in Destiny 2 called The Farm. It has a lot to discover, but is not as swanky as the regal “Tower.” However, it has a rustic charm that is a nice contrast from the swanky Tower. This meeting place also houses a secret mini-game for players to join in on for fun. There is a secret roof access route that leads to an area that starts the mini-game. It is called Scouting Patrol, and it requires players to accomplish certain farm duties in a timed race. A notable one requires you to scale all the roofs using the wires that connect all the buildings. Completing these tasks allows you to increase your speed and jump height to explore other areas in the space.

20 Find Items And Pieces Of Lore Right Under Your Nose

via gamesradar.com

One thing that can be said about Bungie, is that they clearly trust the intelligence and critical thinking skills of their audience. Oddly enough, the game never tells you the value of the “Ghost” symbol in the corner of the screen. Now, you may have deduced that it was something important, much of the game’s plot does include the concept of the Ghost. In the game, whenever the Ghost symbol appears on the screen, it means that there is either a valuable item or piece of lore that you can scan to either collect or learn more about the history of the game. It also can appear in social areas. So keep your eye on the upper right-hand corner as you explore lands in the game.

19 Hear The Sound Of A Beatle

via ign.com

Bungie pulled out all the stops for the first Halo-heir apparent. In 2014, Paul McCartney was slated to help compose the theme song for Destiny 1, but some personnel changes and differences in vision prevented the former Beatle’s song from making it to the final cut. The hype around this was so large that it ended up almost overshadowing the release. So, Bungie decided to have a little less fanfare this time around. However, the team understood that you should always use the creation of a legend. In Destiny 2, Bungie pays homage to the Beatle’s song. When players visit the Tower lounge in the beta, a warped version of McCartney’s song original theme song can be heard. This might even be a bit cooler than their original plan.

18 The Walking Shaxx…

via themaestronoob.deviantart.com

Along with an engaging story and visually compelling settings, Destiny 2 has some great voice actors. There are many famous faces behind the voices in the game. One notable person is Lennie James who plays Morgan on The Walking Dead, one of the more popular characters on the show. He voices Lord Shaxx, a hero of the Battle of Twilight Gap, and Guardian arms dealer. He reprised his role from the first game. This role is pretty unique, as this is the only video game character James has voiced. Sidenote, Bungie seems to like to grab some excellent talent from the United Kingdom. Another notable British actor on this list has lent his voice to the epic world of Destiny 2.

17 Will A Gunslinger Of Destiny’s Past Make An Appearance?

via destiny.wikia.com

This is one of those moments that transforms a game into an experience. The developers did an excellent job creating mystery and stirring discussion about this historical character. In the Tower, there is an old secret room that houses a diary that speaks about Ana Bray, a Hunter, and Gunslinger who fought in the Battle of Twilight Gap. There is a possibility she could appear in the game as excerpts in her journal discuss time travel. Will Ana Bray show up in DLC? Only time will tell. However, while this may be shallow, one of the coolest parts of this character is the regal cloak she wore called Strength of The Pack. Other than a few details, her character is shrouded in mystery, so this tidbit is a great add on.

16 An Exploit Of “Grenade-like” Proportions

via metabomb.net

Unfortunately, this fun is only for Voidwalkers, but let this be a hint that there could be other weapon exploits in the game. So, keep searching. There is a glitch that players can exploit that allows them to have infinite grenades. Yes, you heard right, infinite and never-ending grenades forever. Oh, Bungie! How could they have not seen this one coming? Well, their oversight might be your gain. If you throw a grenade and then use a melee attack, you can continuously throw grenades that automatically recharge. While this may be a glitch, it would be nice to have this as an option if certain parameters are met during story mode. Prizes like this could cause players to up the ante in PvP situations, making them even more fun.

15 Who Knew Grand Theft Auto Made Its Way Into Destiny?

via youtube.com (Gold Leader 66)

Destiny 2 can feel like a serious experience. The music, plot, and character voices cause the game feel a bit solemn at times, and that it is above some of the tropes other games use for entertainment. Well, the developers are here to show you that they are not above the occasional shout out to another franchise. If players travel to Nessus and wait by a particular location for three Dregs to show up, players can pull the ‘ol GTA on them by killing the Dregs and taking their pikes. This is pretty reminiscent of the principles that govern Grand Theft Auto. Hmmm, since they are including some GTA elements, can they also think about bringing the explosive melee attack cheat? The Leviathan would be a breeze with that.

14 He May Be The Baddest Guy In The Game

via gamesradar.com

Ever watch Titanic? Remember the scene where the captain is committed to going down with the ship in some weird blend of loyalty and guilt? Well, this next character mirrored that belief system but was also smart enough not to die. Sweeper Bot is a character from Destiny 1 whose whereabouts were unknown until you encounter him in a room off the beaten path near the Tower. He has literally been sweeping the same spot for years and even survived a Cabal attack to continue to do his job. The dedication this guy has to his job is phenomenal, and it is satisfying to see that he survived. It lets you know that all is not vicious and semi-depressing in the world of Destiny 2.

13 Zero Days Without Incident

via windowscentral.com

The guys at Bungie know how to have a good time at your expense. I am sure that you have decided to test the limits and take a leap off the Tower. First, it was out of curiosity; then it turned into arrogance. You knew that no matter what you did, you would always end up safe and sound without penalty. The developers recognized this and decided to remind you of your repeated “incidents.” On the Hangar where Cayde-6 and Amanda are found, there is a ticker that counts how many days there have not been any “accidents," meaning the amount of time you have not hurled yourself over the edge. It’s funny because it has this hilarious “corporate” feel to it, and shows the clumsiness of Guardians.

12 Is That The Loch Ness Monster?

via youtube.com (That Average Gamer)

Anyone who has played Skyrim knows the power of NPCs and background action. This fact adds realism to the game and creates an even more immersive environment for gamers. Again, Destiny 2 answered the call. Sea creatures have made their way into the game. In the murky waters of Titan, the moon of Saturn, large and dangerous-looking sea creatures loom in the distance. It is a bit of a shocker if you never noticed it before. It speaks to the meticulous level of detail the designers put into the design, and it may even foreshadow some future DLC material as players may later encounter these huge monsters. How cool would it be to participate in an underwater raid? Bungie, we hope you are listening!

11 This Group Lifted Their Music Permission Ban For Destiny 2

via head-fi.org

The team at Bungie have seemingly become experts in attracting top music talent. The Beastie Boys banned companies from using their music in all advertisements in 2012. The ban was originally put in place to honor Adam Yauch’s passing and wishes in his will. He did not want to have his image or music associated with any advertising. However, they were so taken with Destiny 2’s trailer footage and the story that the two surviving members lifted their ban in a very rare gesture. It also helped that the trailer director had a longstanding relationship with the band. As a result, their song “Sabotage” was used in a Destiny 2 advertisement. They have also lifted the ban for a Star Trek trailer in 2016. This is a special moment, since these instances are rare for the band.

10 Bruno Mars Would Be Proud

via youtube.com (Raumos) and musicmidtown.com

This is the third entry on the list about music, and this is not by accident. It is apparent that Bungie understands its importance in the story of the game. Destiny 2 is even more social than its predecessor, and as a result, they have developed an extensive library of Emotes players can use to interact with others. One of the more popular ones are the dances. There is one called the “Funky Dance.” This one took inspiration from Bruno Mars’ moves in his recent hit, 24K Magic. The dance is spot on to what Bruno Mars and his band, the Hooligans were doing in the music video for the song. Hmmm, maybe Mr. Mars can take on theme song duties for the next installment?

9 Think Awokens Look Weird? There’s A Reason For That

via gamesradar.com

It is safe to say that many races within Destiny have an “otherworldly” look to them. Yet, the Awoken represent that word a little more than the others. Those illuminated but “not-quite-right” eyes, the light and almost translucent skin, and the intense but subtle emotion on their face. These guys are meant to be “unique.” The look of the Awoken has a “weirdness” that cannot be denied. The reason for this is that Bungie based their look off of mythic creatures like angels, ghosts, and elves. This realization adds a serious cool factor to the character, but also a bit of fear. All three “inspirations” can be a bit frightening in their right. One would not want to meet one alone.

8 Gamers Will Not Have To Wait Long For DLC Content

via bungie.net

One of the most frustrating things is when you finish a great game only to have to wait six months to a year for new content. We live in a world where DLCs keep studios from having to churn out sequels constantly. Unfortunately, some studios missed that memo, and Bungie acknowledges that they had some missteps during the release of Destiny 1. They felt they waited too long to release DLC content, and were not able to meet the demands of new features from gamers. As a result, Activision has announced that they will pull together a number of internal studios to help Bungie produce quality content faster. So, gamers can get ready for content releases similar to Call of Duty and other recent multiplayer franchises.

7 The Late Steve Jobs Had A Hand In Some Weapon Lore

via powerpyx.com

Hard Light, a gun from Destiny 1, made its way into Destiny 2. In a nod to Steve Jobs and the release of the first iPhone, Bungie developers used parts of the speech Jobs gave during the release in the lore story of the gun. They used it to describe the interface, projectile, and range features of the gun. The inspiration for the lore is undeniable when the prose ends by saying they will “release everything all at once.” It is a very cool nod to Apple and an acknowledgment of revolutionary technology. This is another moment that not only captivates gamers, but also entertains those who do not even play the game. There is so much exotic weapon lore in the game that this might not be the last interesting reference we see.

6 The Sound Designers Are Trying To Help You

via polygon.com

Music from a Beatle, a nod to Steve Jobs, unlimited grenades, dance parties, what else can Destiny 2 brings to beat these moments? Well, Destiny 2’s sound designers have an answer for you. They have put a lot of thought into the composition and sound of the game and found a way to put in a little help for the players. The designers acknowledged the concentration on sound should be different depending upon the play mode gamers are in. This creates one of the coolest features in the game, In PvP situations, the sound designers changed the audio mix, so the sound of enemies is louder than teammates. This gives players the change to react more quickly to being snuck up on.