Destiny Rising: Tier List, Gameplay and Review

The gaming world just got a brand new contender, Destiny Rising! 

Destiny Rising is the first mobile RPG shooter spin-off from Bungie’s Destiny franchise, developed by NetEase. It launched August 28, 2025, on iOS and Android globally. And believe me, it’s already making waves across the mobile and PC gaming scene.

The developers clearly wanted it to play exactly like what we know Destiny to be, and to capture the thrill of fast-paced looter shooters while packaging it in a way that works for mobile and cross-platform players. And honestly? They pulled it off better than expected. Oh, and did I mention it’s a gacha game?

Surprised? Excited? Curious? Come read everything below!

See Also: Genshin Impact 6.0: Lauma & Nahida Rerun Info & What To Prep

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How Destiny Rising Plays

If you’re picturing mobile Destiny, you pretty much got it. but with even more variety. Choose between first or third person. Play with touch or controller. Switch Lightbearers mid-mission and stack your gear across them. Strike missions, PvP arenas, roguelike runs, and social hubs all feel polished, not tacked on. 

Destiny Rising is built around hero-based combat with the same FPS style Destiny is known for. But instead of playing as a customizable Guardian like in Destiny 2, you collect and play as a roster of pre-made heroes called Lightbearers. Each Lightbearer has their own elemental affinity (Solar, Arc, Void), unique skills, supers, and weapons, and can be swapped mid-mission to create team comps.

Progression revolves around upgrading your heroes with weapons, relics, and gear. Thankfully, equipment is shareable across your roster, which makes experimenting with different heroes less punishing than most gacha systems. Still, the gacha pull rates are the usual mix of excitement and frustration. You’ll feel amazing when you pull Wolf, and cursed when you get your fifth copy of a B-tier hero.

Yes, there’s a gacha system. Yes, pulling is random. Yes, the grind gets real at the endgame. But the shooting and hero play? Solid!

Destiny Rising Gacha System

Unlike Destiny 2, where you grind for loot drops, Destiny Rising runs on a gacha system. Instead of unlocking every Lightbearer through quests, you pull characters through banners. Here’s the gist:

• Lightbearer Banners: The main way to unlock new heroes. Each banner highlights a featured 5-star Lightbearer (like Wolf or Jolder), with increased drop rates during their phase.
  
• Relic & Weapon Banners: Separate pools where you can summon high-rarity weapons or relics to power up your heroes. These rolls are just as crucial as the Lightbearers themselves since gear is shareable across your roster.
  
• Currencies: You spend premium resources (Crystals, Tokens, or Destiny Coins) for pulls. Crystals are the premium currency you’ll either grind or buy, while Tokens are mostly event or quest rewards.
  
• Rates & Pity: Standard drop rates sit around the typical mobile gacha baseline. Low for 5-star Lightbearers, higher for 4-stars. Thankfully, Destiny Rising has a pity system, guaranteeing a 5-star after a certain number of pulls (usually around 90).
  
• Dupes Matter: Getting duplicate Lightbearers isn’t a complete waste. They’re converted into shards used to limit-break your hero, unlocking higher stats and stronger versions of their skills.
  

So while the combat feels like Destiny, the progression loop is pure gacha: pull for the top-tier heroes, pray to RNGesus, and build your dream squad. And as usual, F2P players will need to save carefully and target banners, while spenders can dive straight for S-tier teams.

Destiny Rising Tier List: Who’s Carrying the Meta?

Here’s the scoop on the Destiny Rising tier list and which Lightbearers are standouts at launch.

S-Tier (Unmissable Meta Heroes)

• Wolf (Solar DPS): Multipliers? Check. Mobility? Check. Wolf’s Solar specials and stacking crit combos make him a mobile terminator in both PvE and PvP. If you don’t get him, you’re missing out.
• Jolder (Solar Tank/Support): The literal wall your team builds around. Shields absorb like steel, counters hit hard, and her presence just straight up reshapes teamfight flow. Raid staple.
• Tan-2 (Solar Hybrid): Need healing or DPS? He pivots between both. This adaptability makes him a safe and strategic pick across modes.
• Umeko (Arc Support/DPS): Not just support; invisibility, AoE burst, buffing teammates, she plays like the meta’s Swiss army knife.
• Estela (Void Mage): Illusions, debuffs, crowd control, AoE destruction, she literally messes with enemy minds and health bars.
• Maru (Void Artillery): Explosive defense meta? That’s her. Shielding herself while raining blasts makes Maru durable and deadly in equal measure.

A-Tier (Strong, With Context)

• Gwynn (Void Shotgunner): A beast in confined PvP maps. Clean wins up close, but wanes in extended PvE fights. Tier list aside, people are saying Gwynn is the best PvE character in the game right now though.
• Xuan Wei (Arc Melee): Fast, flashy, risky. He slams enemies but only if you nail positioning. One misstep, and it’s done.
• Finnala (Solar Defender): A simpler tank than Jolder, but she still holds the line and draws aggro when needed. Solid pick.

B-Tier (Niche Picks)

• Ning Fei (Arc Trickster): Fun clone mechanics and flashy attacks, but doesn’t scale for hardcore PvE.
• Ikora (Void Burst Caster): Huge burst damage, sad cooldowns. Great for split second plays but not long engagements.
• Attal (Solar Healer): Pure healing isn’t stealing the spotlight in this meta. Use him if you’ve got a strict team comp, otherwise he’s backup.

See Also: Best Meta Guns To Use In COD Mobile Season 8 2025 Ranked

Destiny Rising: Quick Review

If you’ve ever wondered what Destiny would feel like on mobile, with heroes you can swap mid-mission, stunning supers, and solid FPS mechanics, this is it. Destiny Rising nails that smooth, punchy gunplay we love, wrapped in hero-gacha aesthetics and real-time team synergy.

What works:

• Combat feels tight and immersive even on small screens.
• Lightbearers bring personality and tactical depth, with actual meaningful differences in playstyle.
• Features like social hubs, mini-games, and shared weapon progression add welcome depth to the grind.
• It captures the Destiny ambiance without being Destiny 2-lite. And that is such an important thing.

What holds it back:

• The story is kinda light right now. If you’re hoping for deep lore or emotional hooks, it won’t hit the mark.
• It leans super hard on gacha mechanics, tacking on stamina systems, currencies, and timers that can feel relentless. And the loot boxes make it feel like the monetization is kinda aggressive.
• Post-launch spikes feel steep if you don’t hit the RNG sweet spot (like Wolf or Jolder).

Final verdict (for now): If you’re here for gameplay that’s fast, fun, and guardian-like hero action, Destiny Rising is one of the smoothest and most enjoyable mobile FPS experiences out there right now. Just go in with the gacha expectations set, and you’re golden. 

Still, early reviews say it’s “built so well that you’ll overlook the monetization.” That is RARE praise in mobile gaming.

See Also: Genshin Impact 6.0: Nod-Krai Region & New 5-Star Characters

This has been our Destiny Rising Review and Tier List! Overall, Destiny Rising is shaping up to be a super interesting game. If you can manage your expectations fairly, the game actually slaps. But don’t just take our word for it, try it out!

Don’t let that wish anxiety get to you! You can top up Destiny Rising safely and instantly on Joytify! So top up now and get your Destiny Rising dream team.

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