Destiny's alpha shows this polished shooter still needs an identity (hands-on preview)

Call of Duty publisher Activision is betting $500 million that you’re going to love Destiny, a role-playing-flavored first-person online shooter from Halo developer Bungie.

With the steep price comes a lot of expectation. Considered by many to be one of the flagship titles of the new console generation, Destiny is Bungie’s first new series since releasing 2001’s Halo: Combat Evolved. Although it’s still in alpha-testing, I played through a small sample of what Destiny will offer gamers when it launches on consoles Sept. 9, and I found a polished and competent experience that will feel familiar to anyone who’s spent time in Master Chief’s space boots.