From what I’ve seen so far 343 is kind of lazy. They are working, but not their best work. Everything is casual and these are the reasons why I think that.
Customization
There are more than 100 armors, maybe close to 200. The problem is that there are too many repetitive armors, same design with different skins. If we count only original armors, there might be 100 or little more than that, or less. When I get those armors from REQ packs, it feels my REQ was wasted. Tired of seeing armors. Also lack of HUD design and color makes me think they are lazy. Well, different HUD is controversial topic, but 343 could at least add different colors for HUD. I personally think different HUD does not affect the gameplay, I had no problem with it in campaign and it was cool, interesting. When we had playable Elites in multiplayer, Spartans and Elites had different HUD, did they affect the gameplay? I don’t think “providing same visuals to players” is not a proper and enough reason for having only one HUD, unless is a technical problem. Another thing is uselessly many emblems, who cares about emblem???
Requisition
I am not a hater of REQs in Warzone. I like the idea of player can spawn with favored gears. The thing annoys me is weapons’ variations. Every weapons function differently, but same looking with different skins again. I was so disappointed by Needle Rifle turned to variation of Carbine with different skin. Needle Rifle had its own design back in Reach. 343 could make it similar to it. This literally tells me 343 is lazy. They could slightly adjust the design from the originals, a little change, just like Whispered Truth did as a Magnum variation (not an example of little change, it is a true necessary variation, a perfect example of variant). But, they are not even doing that. Vehicles are even worse, so I’m not going to talk about it. Just make skins that apply to every weapons and vehicles, that might be better.
Maps
They added forged maps on Big Team Battle, not 343 made. I am not saying those are bad maps, they are good. However most of them feels unbalanced and infantry focused. I think Halo 4’s Big Team Battle maps are well made, why not adding those by remaking on Halo 5 engine? Create a community playlist that contains only forge maps. They should spend time on making maps and modes than making poor REQs…
343, stop making REQs, do other meaningful things! REQs are embarrassing…
So 343 is lazy for not considering customizeable HUD colors? even though no other entry in the series had done this outside of the Spartan/Elite race selections? And even then, it was straight ripped out of the campaign and tossed into multiplayer in H2 and H3. (That’s what you should call laziness)
I’d agree that it would be neat to have, but calling out their omission as “lazy” without there being a set precedent in the series is awfully fallacious. Now, for stuff like Firefight (maybe) and Game modes not being around? You could call that laziness in the absence of any explanation of them not being there, but those were also things in past titles. You can try to argue that the Elite HUD justifies the argument, but it’s not the same thing as customizing your HUD Color. As for them generally not putting forward their best work? I’ll agree as far as the REQs go, if only for those redundant armor skins and some of the weapon skins, and the subject can go either way with weapon variations. But if you take one look at the patch notes, you’d realize that they’re not just padding out the REQs.
What about those expanded color options that now include something I can comfortably refer to as the color “Black” that has been absent since CE? Or is that different? While we’re at it, what about the forgeable Pelicans (which are great editions, and you can have a much more authentic Valhalla remake because of it) and drop pods? Or that new Skybox that was added right on top of Parallax in addition to expanding the level bounds?
As far as the maps go, It’s hard to argue the point with BTB. But even Forge maps can look incredible assuming that there’s enough budget and skill on the forger’s part. I’d at least like a couple of shipped maps for BTB at minimum, however. But I’d also like a host of Community BTB maps to be considered as well. (Confinement would be perfect in BTB, among others) I’m not trying to discredit your argument, because parts of it are obviously true. But I’d hardly say they aren’t putting forth their best work in a general sense. Tom French has done wonderful, groundbreaking work with Forge, and I daresay that more care was taken with the weapon balancing than past entries. (including the Bungie ones)
To make the point clear on the HUD issue, also. I would be all for them being added. But I don’t believe it’s a lazy omission. Sure, the campaign visors are cool and all, but you’ll be changing your tune once you realize that your line of sight is being cut off.
I could give more examples, but I’m actively trying to temper how big my walls of text are.