A critique of Halo 5 - by a true Halo fan

Games Halo 5: Guardians
1

Hey Everyone,

I just finished watching an hour long gameplay of Halo 5, which you can all see here: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_9T1ILYYJk&list=UU-UXMS9Q-apozW8jALP5UZw&index=2). I took notes while I was watching it, and highlighted things I liked, disliked, and things I thought needed specific improvements. I want to emphasize that this is a positive and constructive post; 343 has decided the direction they want to go with Halo, so there is no use in whining about it… help improve it! I would also like to clarify that the title containing the phrase “by a true Halo fan”, I am not attempting to insult anyone, I’m simply telling you how much this franchise means to me. I’ve labeled this post in to sections, and feel free to skip over them if they don’t interest you. But PLEASE, if you wish to comment, don’t complain about my point of view or the game itself… help provide feedback that 343 can use to shape this game in to something that truly represents the interests of the community. I hope you enjoy the post!

MY BACKGROUND IN HALO
To begin, I’ll give a short backstory on my experiences with Halo. The first game I played was Halo:CE. My first match online was played on the day Halo 2 was released - this is when I truly fell in love with the game, and online matchmaking as a whole. There was so much intensity, skill, and communication required to be successful, and it changed gaming in to something on the level of competitive sports (I played competitive hockey too, so no… it wasn’t me making up for something I didn’t already have). I hit level 34 in Team Slayer and was terrified to play again. People modding and the idea of losing that level 34 made matchmaking the epitome of online gaming. Fast forward to when I’m 15, and Halo 3 is released. Waited outside for midnight release, and played that game for hours on end. I hit level 49 in TS, and mid 40’s in MLG. The competitiveness was still there, and I still loved the game. As of late, Reach (hit Onyx), and Halo 4 (49 CSR?) haven’t impressed me as much, but I still had fun playing them. So here we are: I’m 22 and I have a chance to provide feedback on the newest installment of the series, and this is me trying to make it the best game possible.

POSITIVE ADDITIONS AND ELEMENTS TO HALO 5

I wanted to start out on a positive note on this critique. Honestly, this game looks incredible. The lighting, textures, and detail to weapons and the environment is pretty amazing. I am not a huge fan of the look of the spartans in Halo 2A, Halo 4, and Halo 5 (I think they look almost cartoon-like), but overall, I’m very impressed with how the game looks. I also believe a number of the additions to the game seems to improve the gameplay. I love the increase in verticality of the game, the increase to game speed, and I think 343 have done a pretty good job of balancing this additions. Here is a list of the things I do like so far:

-The HUD is clean and informative. The kill information is to the right of the mini-map and doesn’t clutter the screen. Little things such as the amount of ammo in your secondary, the call-out for your area, and the usual scores, health/shields, and grenades are all there. Overall, it’s uncluttered and simple.

-Contrary to what most people believe, I like the smart-scope. No, I haven’t played COD since MW2; I just think it’s a cool way to change the old sight system. Think about it: Halo has always had a form of smart-scoping. In halo 2/3/4, when you click in the RS, you scope in… how is this any different? Now, I realize the pistol now has a slight zoom, as does some other weapons which is different from the past, but it makes little or no change the game’s mechanics. Example: watch from 33:16-33:19 in the video I posted above. His DMR is using smart scope, but he is being hit out of scope and the game mechanics are identical to the previous Halos. I think people need to stop whining about this because it isn’t going to go away, and honestly, it isn’t that big of a change.

-Clamber is awesome. Halo has always been about higher ground, surprising the enemy, and map movement. Also, it never seemed to make sense that your Spartan would hit his ankle on a ledge, causing him to fall. I find that this only aims to facilitate map movement, and really presses the importance of map and high ground control.

-Sprint and thruster are back, but they are more refined than ever. We can quit talking about sprint because we all know that it’s debuffed (can’t regain shields while sprinting), but thruster does needs to be discussed. This is an ability that most people would say “allows players to not be punished for their mistakes”. An example would be if they chased someone week, walked over a grenade, and thrusted out of the way. While this is true, this now leaves the player immobile, and now he is on the defensive. I like the movement options it brings to the table, and it only adds one more trick that can be used to either out play someone, or force you in to a bad situation.

AUDIO/VISUAL CRITIQUE OF HALO 5
Unfortunately, this is where I’m going to have to rip on Halo 5 a bit. A lot of the audio queues sound toy-ish, some are annoying, and some are repetitive/redundant. Let’s dig in.

  • I think a lot of people would agree that the change to the announcers voice has been for the worse. He has a weird robot/echo to his voice, and he is far too enthusiastic. I don’t exactly know how to put it, but he puts way too much emphasis on words and tries to glorify everything. He isn’t the terminator, he’s just an announcer. Keep it simple (and normal)
    .
    -When someone’s shields are low, and are waiting to be recharged, there is an annoying high-pitched beeping noise. Of course, these were present in all of the Halo games, and I have never found them annoying until now. I think it has to do with how high pitched it is. It kind of makes me cringe (like nails on a chalk board), and it is a little distracting from the gameplay.

-Whenever someone is damaged by you, the game makes a sound that is extremely hard to describe. It’s almost like the sound of an arcade game… a high pitched “clink”. This is another sound that is very distracting, and I personally believe adds nothing to the experience. We are already given a hit marker to signify that we are hitting the other player, so I don’t think it’s necessary.

-The announcer let’s everyone know when the power weapons will drop, however they are also redundant. Example: he says “Sniper up in 10”, then immediately after, “Power weapons up in 10”. Other than the redundancy, I think this will result in too many players betraying one another for a weapon. Halo was about timing weapons, and miraculously coming across those fresh rockets. If I were to change it, I would have him online say “Our team has the sniper”, “Sniper is down/dropped”, “Enemy has the sniper”.

-I actually don’t mind the A.I. chat. I think for people without mics, it’s extremely helpful, although at times it’s a little cheesy. All I ask is that there is a MP setting that can toggle this on and off.

-Before and after the match, it shows the spartan’s in a stance. To be honest, I think it’s pretty lame. This has more of a psychological impact I think… it makes me have less respect for Spartans. It almost makes me think of them as -Yoinks!-, if that makes any sense. I’m not saying leave it out, because I could see some younger kids enjoying the animation… but please give me the option to just show the scoreboard.

2

GAMEPLAY CRITIQUE

  • Obviously this has a nostalgic bias, but the BR being a single shot weapon is a huge disappointment. It has a slight effect on the game mechanics because you can’t hit 1/3 of the bullets, but it’ more sacrilegious than it is gamebreaking

-In the very first game they play in the link above, the player jumps off the edge. Afterwards, he continues to get a running riot, and an untouchable. I doubt this is a glitch, I think 343 is moving to make sprees non-death dependent. Meaning regardless of how you get 20 kills (could be 19 deaths) then you still get an untouchable. I am not a fan of this feature, as I think you should be rewarded for staying alive.

-This is a HUGE one for me, and I think it deserves the most attention. When walking over a weapon, only the name of the weapon appears, no the image. In a life-or-death situation, when you need to reload, you don’t have time to read the words “sword”, a picture gives an immediate connection to the object, and therefore gives a faster response time. I think it’s only a matter of time before this is reinstated.

  • The kill cams seem to be a little clunky in the death screen. The transition between death and kill cam, and the transition between kill cam to teammate cam is a little jarring. This is a minor detail, but I think it could be made more seamless. Also, I personally believe that my teammates POV gives me more information than a death cam, which is why I would LOVE if I could toggle off death cam In MP settings. Just a thought!

-Similar to the above point, I hope that the A.I. call outs can be toggled on/off. When playing with my friends/teammates, I would rather hear their voice, instead of the A.I.’s interrupting. I could see this making it difficult to hear one another.

-It’s pretty obviously that hit markers are now a part of the game. I don’t have a huge issue with them, but they do become a problem when they are implemented for grenades/projectiles. In halo 2/3, you could grenade in to a random corner, and even if you hit someone, you would have no idea and would probably go no further to see if someone was there. Now, you can grenade anywhere, and if you get a hit marker you KNOW they’re weak. It’s a little unfair, and I think provides too much information to the player. I know this won’t be removed from the game, but hopefully when creating custom gametypes, we will be able to toggle this on and off.

-Similar to Halo 2C, Halo 5 doesn’t have a countdown before the game begins. This makes the start almost a surprise, and gives the user no warning to when it will begin. I think if there was a countdown from 5 (even if it’s just visual), or a racing style beeping noise, that it would make the game start a little more smooth.

-SMG is OP. ‘nuff said.

-I found the pistol, DMR, and BR to all be balanced, no complaints there.

-Sniper looks clunky. I’m not sure if it’s just the large scope, or if it actually feels that way, but it looks clunky to me. I’m also biased, because I prefer the halo 2 sniper to halo 3, because it was a little snappier and had a higher ROF, but that’s probably just my preference.

-In crossfire, when you are dead, the “number of players remaining” disappears from the bottom right hand corner. Obviously, you can hit the back button and see the scoreboard, but it would be a nice addition if it remained after death.

MY CONTROLLER LAYOUT
At the end of the video, it shows all of the controller layouts. I have been using bumper jumper since it’s introduction in Halo 3. I have a scuff controller with 2 paddles, so I will be mapping X( thuster) to the left paddle, and A (Sprint, stabilize) to the right paddle. This leaves me with Y (switch weapons) and B (action/reload), and the D-pad as the only buttons that require me to take my fingers off the thumbsticks. The reason is obvious for thruster: it is definitely a benefit to be able to aim while thrusting. For sprint, it comes down to the stabilize feature. If you turn off aut-stabilize in your settings, you need to click the sprint button to hover in the air. While for the majority of situations you will get killed as you make yourself a sitting duck… I think there will be circumstances where you can get a better angle in the air if you can aim while going in to the stabilize feature.

For the most of the time, reloading and switching weapons has some deadtime (time where you can’t shoot), so to me, they are less important to be able to aim while completing the action.

Let me know what controller schemes you guys are going to go with, and how you plan to play Halo 5!

CLOSING COMMENTS
I honestly think that 343 has been given way to hard to a time on Halo 5. While I agree MCC has been a pretty tragic launch, let’s not lose faith just yet. Over the course of the hour I watched the Halo 5 gameplay, it honestly looked really fun. I can say that I’m genuinely excited to play it, and I hope/think it will keep the competitiveness that has made Halo, Halo. The game looks great, it looks intense as ever, and I think they have been doing a good job of changing the game while trying to keep it as close as possible to its roots. That’s all I have to say (really, that’s it? Haha) about Halo 5, and I look forward to your comments below (keep them positive please!).

See you online Dec 29th!

3

I am too tired to read through all that, but I caught things here and there. I too started with CE back in 2001. Got (almost)all the books, first online Halo I played was 3. Then it got deeper for me(as if Halo wasn’t already deep enough). But yeah, I am also excited for the beta to try out Halo 5 as well, and from what I’ve seen, it looks really fun. Sound design needs work though.

4

I agree. People complain too much about sprint, saying stuff like " now the devs have to make the map larger"; well if you have sprint and can get around faster than what does it matter. Although, I was devastated to learn about the “Aim down sights” until I figured out it that it was essentially the same thing as old but just a bit of a cosmetic tweak. As long as they don’t map it to left trigger, then ill be fine. I don’t really like with how they displayed zooming with AR’s though, but oh well, I guess we will have to wait and see. BTW… Good assessment!

5

The Br is not a singleshot weapon. Watch the ammo counter when they fire with the Br, it goes down in the regular three rounds. The sound for the Br is probably still a WIP.

6

> 2533274964874146;5:
> The Br is not a singleshot weapon. Watch the ammo counter when they fire with the Br, it goes down in the regular three rounds. The sound for the Br is probably still a WIP.

You’re right! It just sounds almost exactly like the DMR

> 2533274919757519;4:
> I agree. People complain too much about sprint, saying stuff like " now the devs have to make the map larger"; well if you have sprint and can get around faster than what does it matter. Although, I was devastated to learn about the “Aim down sights” until I figured out it that it was essentially the same thing as old but just a bit of a cosmetic tweak. As long as they don’t map it to left trigger, then ill be fine. I don’t really like with how they displayed zooming with AR’s though, but oh well, I guess we will have to wait and see. BTW… Good assessment!

I posted in the sprint debate… and it seems that people are using sprint in the context of Halo 2 and 3. However, you can’t talk about a new game mechanic in old games! Sprint is being implemented in maps that are scaled. This means people can’t just “get away”. Sure, if they were one-shot 5 feet from a wall on guardian they would get away when they would have died in H3, but we are talking more, larger open spaces, that make cover harder to get to.
The only awkward thing is that now we have spaces that are meant for both sprinting through and normally running through! That makes certain situations awkward

7

Can’t critique a game that isn’t out lol

8

> 2533274930529875;7:
> Can’t critique a game that isn’t out lol

Allow me to fill you in on this.

> 2533274881015020;22:
> We don’t have just one or two videos of Halo 5’s gameplay to adequately judge it objectively. The pool of footage that we can judge its gameplay - and most if not all of its elements - numbers in the hundreds.
>
> Saying that we can’t accurately judge a variation of a game that we have been playing for years based on the footage of a sequel which has the same base elements of its gameplay as its predecessors is a really passive-aggressive attempt at trying to prevent discussion and the critical analysis of a sequel and its mechanics.
>
> It’s ridiculous that users are bullying others into accepting the spurious belief that no one is allowed to think differently or consider the footage of Halo 5 as proof enough of what it’s going to be like. Every time I’ve seen anyone bring up a good point about Halo 5 has been met with stiff opposition in the form of a fallacy that we can’t judge a game’s sequel based on video evidence. Enough is enough. I thought Bungie’s community was toxic, but this is downright manipulative in the worst of ways. It’s dismissive to the extreme.

9

> 2533274881015020;8:
> > 2533274930529875;7:
> > Can’t critique a game that isn’t out lol
>
>
> Allow me to fill you in on this.
>
>
> > 2533274881015020;22:
> > We don’t have just one or two videos of Halo 5’s gameplay to adequately judge it objectively. The pool of footage that we can judge its gameplay - and most if not all of its elements - numbers in the hundreds.
> >
> > Saying that we can’t accurately judge a variation of a game that we have been playing for years based on the footage of a sequel which has the same base elements of its gameplay as its predecessors is a really passive-aggressive attempt at trying to prevent discussion and the critical analysis of a sequel and its mechanics.
> >
> > It’s ridiculous that users are bullying others into accepting the spurious belief that no one is allowed to think differently or consider the footage of Halo 5 as proof enough of what it’s going to be like. Every time I’ve seen anyone bring up a good point about Halo 5 has been met with stiff opposition in the form of a fallacy that we can’t judge a game’s sequel based on video evidence. Enough is enough. I thought Bungie’s community was toxic, but this is downright manipulative in the worst of ways. It’s dismissive to the extreme.

Amen, Majatek.
@Pureclutch;

I gotta say, this has to be the single most thought out and well constructed post about Halo 5 I have seen. I dislike the bit about ‘True Halo Fan’, even if you did explain it a bit, but otherwise, this was a really good read. I agree with many of your views and points, some I could take or leave. But overall, I really enjoy your positive and objective outlook.

10

> 2533274878812358;1:
> Hey Everyone,
>
> I just finished watching an hour long gameplay of Halo 5, which you can all see here: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_9T1ILYYJk&list=UU-UXMS9Q-apozW8jALP5UZw&index=2). I took notes while I was watching it, and highlighted things I liked, disliked, and things I thought needed specific improvements. I want to emphasize that this is a positive and constructive post; 343 has decided the direction they want to go with Halo, so there is no use in whining about it… help improve it! I would also like to clarify that the title containing the phrase “by a true Halo fan”, I am not attempting to insult anyone, I’m simply telling you how much this franchise means to me. I’ve labeled this post in to sections, and feel free to skip over them if they don’t interest you. But PLEASE, if you wish to comment, don’t complain about my point of view or the game itself… help provide feedback that 343 can use to shape this game in to something that truly represents the interests of the community. I hope you enjoy the post!
>
> POSITIVE ADDITIONS AND ELEMENTS TO HALO 5
>
> I wanted to start out on a positive note on this critique. Honestly, this game looks incredible. The lighting, textures, and detail to weapons and the environment is pretty amazing. I am not a huge fan of the look of the spartans in Halo 2A, Halo 4, and Halo 5 (I think they look almost cartoon-like), but overall, I’m very impressed with how the game looks. I also believe a number of the additions to the game seems to improve the gameplay. I love the increase in verticality of the game, the increase to game speed, and I think 343 have done a pretty good job of balancing this additions. Here is a list of the things I do like so far:
>
> -The HUD is clean and informative. The kill information is to the right of the mini-map and doesn’t clutter the screen. Little things such as the amount of ammo in your secondary, the call-out for your area, and the usual scores, health/shields, and grenades are all there. Overall, it’s uncluttered and simple.
>
> -Contrary to what most people believe, I like the smart-scope. No, I haven’t played COD since MW2; I just think it’s a cool way to change the old sight system. Think about it: Halo has always had a form of smart-scoping. In halo 2/3/4, when you click in the RS, you scope in… how is this any different? Now, I realize the pistol now has a slight zoom, as does some other weapons which is different from the past, but it makes little or no change the game’s mechanics. Example: watch from 33:16-33:19 in the video I posted above. His DMR is using smart scope, but he is being hit out of scope and the game mechanics are identical to the previous Halos. I think people need to stop whining about this because it isn’t going to go away, and honestly, it isn’t that big of a change.
>
> -Clamber is awesome. Halo has always been about higher ground, surprising the enemy, and map movement. Also, it never seemed to make sense that your Spartan would hit his ankle on a ledge, causing him to fall. I find that this only aims to facilitate map movement, and really presses the importance of map and high ground control.
>
> -Sprint and thruster are back, but they are more refined than ever. We can quit talking about sprint because we all know that it’s debuffed (can’t regain shields while sprinting), but thruster does needs to be discussed. This is an ability that most people would say “allows players to not be punished for their mistakes”. An example would be if they chased someone week, walked over a grenade, and thrusted out of the way. While this is true, this now leaves the player immobile, and now he is on the defensive. I like the movement options it brings to the table, and it only adds one more trick that can be used to either out play someone, or force you in to a bad situation.
>
> AUDIO/VISUAL CRITIQUE OF HALO 5
> Unfortunately, this is where I’m going to have to rip on Halo 5 a bit. A lot of the audio queues sound toy-ish, some are annoying, and some are repetitive/redundant. Let’s dig in.
>
> - I think a lot of people would agree that the change to the announcers voice has been for the worse. He has a weird robot/echo to his voice, and he is far too enthusiastic. I don’t exactly know how to put it, but he puts way too much emphasis on words and tries to glorify everything. He isn’t the terminator, he’s just an announcer. Keep it simple (and normal)
> .
> -When someone’s shields are low, and are waiting to be recharged, there is an annoying high-pitched beeping noise. Of course, these were present in all of the Halo games, and I have never found them annoying until now. I think it has to do with how high pitched it is. It kind of makes me cringe (like nails on a chalk board), and it is a little distracting from the gameplay.
>
> -Whenever someone is damaged by you, the game makes a sound that is extremely hard to describe. It’s almost like the sound of an arcade game… a high pitched “clink”. This is another sound that is very distracting, and I personally believe adds nothing to the experience. We are already given a hit marker to signify that we are hitting the other player, so I don’t think it’s necessary.
>
> -The announcer let’s everyone know when the power weapons will drop, however they are also redundant. Example: he says “Sniper up in 10”, then immediately after, “Power weapons up in 10”. Other than the redundancy, I think this will result in too many players betraying one another for a weapon. Halo was about timing weapons, and miraculously coming across those fresh rockets. If I were to change it, I would have him online say “Our team has the sniper”, “Sniper is down/dropped”, “Enemy has the sniper”.
>
> -I actually don’t mind the A.I. chat. I think for people without mics, it’s extremely helpful, although at times it’s a little cheesy. All I ask is that there is a MP setting that can toggle this on and off.

agreed with most, ESPECIALLY the annoying clinking hit marks, and the gun noises - these are not finished - but the problem with this game is in the Audio, Visuals is fine, people like the play - except for the smart scoping… but thinking i do like the way it tacks into your hud like the old ones - the announcer is to frequent and soundds like a robot. and i would like AI chat diabled option. like FFA dont be all like. power weapons up and someone finds you because you cant keep your yap shut, for some team play i guess its okay,just have it optionable for some modes, like team slayer, let it be on, but rumble pit turn it off and it be optionable in custom for each player or an option for the host to make. but i like everything else i see :slight_smile:

11

> 2533274856560133;9:
> > 2533274881015020;8:
> > > 2533274930529875;7:
> > > Can’t critique a game that isn’t out lol
> >
> >
> >
> > Allow me to fill you in on this.
> >
> >
> > > 2533274881015020;22:
> > > We don’t have just one or two videos of Halo 5’s gameplay to adequately judge it objectively. The pool of footage that we can judge its gameplay - and most if not all of its elements - numbers in the hundreds.
> > >
> > > Saying that we can’t accurately judge a variation of a game that we have been playing for years based on the footage of a sequel which has the same base elements of its gameplay as its predecessors is a really passive-aggressive attempt at trying to prevent discussion and the critical analysis of a sequel and its mechanics.
> > >
> > > It’s ridiculous that users are bullying others into accepting the spurious belief that no one is allowed to think differently or consider the footage of Halo 5 as proof enough of what it’s going to be like. Every time I’ve seen anyone bring up a good point about Halo 5 has been met with stiff opposition in the form of a fallacy that we can’t judge a game’s sequel based on video evidence. Enough is enough. I thought Bungie’s community was toxic, but this is downright manipulative in the worst of ways. It’s dismissive to the extreme.
>
>
> Amen, Majatek.
> @Pureclutch;
>
> I gotta say, this has to be the single most thought out and well constructed post about Halo 5 I have seen. I dislike the bit about ‘True Halo Fan’, even if you did explain it a bit, but otherwise, this was a really good read. I agree with many of your views and points, some I could take or leave. But overall, I really enjoy your positive and objective outlook.

what he said

12

Halo 5 will be 343’s best game yet. They have accepted a lot of criticism from fans because they didn’t create halo, but they have made major improvements to the halo franchise. I love the new art style and the fact that the SMG is back with a great scope.

13

> 2533274927535172;12:
> Halo 5 will be 343’s best game yet. They have accepted a lot of criticism from fans because they didn’t create halo, but they have made major improvements to the halo franchise. I love the new art style and the fact that the SMG is back with a great scope.

Opinion. For three games now the community has been asking for sprint to be removed and it’s still in Halo. Can you shill any harder?

14

> 2533274881015020;13:
> > 2533274927535172;12:
> > Halo 5 will be 343’s best game yet. They have accepted a lot of criticism from fans because they didn’t create halo, but they have made major improvements to the halo franchise. I love the new art style and the fact that the SMG is back with a great scope.
>
>
> Opinion. For three games now the community has been asking for sprint to be removed and it’s still in Halo. Can you shill any harder?

this

15

I agree with everything* great post OP!

*except for the SMG being OP. I’ll wait to actually play the game before I form any opinions on weapon balance :slight_smile:

Edit: I must ask: What’s your stance on ground pound, charge and slide?

16

> 2533274833164531;15:
> I agree with everything* great post OP!
>
> *except for the SMG being OP. I’ll wait to actually play the game before I form any opinions on weapon balance :slight_smile:
>
> Edit: I must ask: What’s your stance on ground pound, charge and slide?

Yeah, it’s hard to determine if something’s OP or not without playing the game. It appears to be as powerful as the AR, so I’m just kind of wondering what the point is of having two automatic weapons of equal strength.
Haha, yeah I didn’t include my opinion on the ground and pound because I haven’t completely formed one yet. I think it could be a nice addition, as long as it’s not semi-spammable. Perhaps you need to get a killing spree? Maybe it can only be used once per life? I’m not quite sure, but I’m confident there is a way to have it in the game. On another note, it looks extremely hard to use. For bumper jumper, you need to hold in the left thumbstick while using it to aim? Come on, that’s ridiculous!

> 2533274881015020;13:
> > 2533274927535172;12:
> > Halo 5 will be 343’s best game yet. They have accepted a lot of criticism from fans because they didn’t create halo, but they have made major improvements to the halo franchise. I love the new art style and the fact that the SMG is back with a great scope.
>
>
> Opinion. For three games now the community has been asking for sprint to be removed and it’s still in Halo. Can you shill any harder?

I don’t like sprint, but I think there is so much hate because it hasn’t been implemented properly. If it were added, and increased the competitive level, I’m sure everyone will be happy that it’s there. Unfortunately, so far it hasn’t added anything, and has hindered gameplay. Maybe this time it’ll be different.

> 2533274915983628;10:
> agreed with most, ESPECIALLY the annoying clinking hit marks, and the gun noises - these are not finished - but the problem with this game is in the Audio, Visuals is fine, people like the play - except for the smart scoping… but thinking i do like the way it tacks into your hud like the old ones - the announcer is to frequent and soundds like a robot. and i would like AI chat diabled option. like FFA dont be all like. power weapons up and someone finds you because you cant keep your yap shut, for some team play i guess its okay,just have it optionable for some modes, like team slayer, let it be on, but rumble pit turn it off and it be optionable in custom for each player or an option for the host to make. but i like everything else i see :slight_smile:

Yes, the audio is somewhat of a train wreck. Luckily, that is one of the most simple things for a developed to change! I agree with everything else.

> 2533274856560133;9:
> > 2533274881015020;8:
> >
>
>
> Amen, Majatek.
> @Pureclutch;
>
> I gotta say, this has to be the single most thought out and well constructed post about Halo 5 I have seen. I dislike the bit about ‘True Halo Fan’, even if you did explain it a bit, but otherwise, this was a really good read. I agree with many of your views and points, some I could take or leave. But overall, I really enjoy your positive and objective outlook.

Fair enough. I was just trying to point out that there are fans, and then there are fans on a whole different level (such as myself, Darque who posted above, and countless others). A lot of the people in the community (and these forums) claim to be fans, but then rip apart the series and the developers. To me, a true fan wouldn’t complain and say that the Halo series is over; instead, they would try and keep it alive and make it better. That, and it also makes the title stand out a little more!
I appreciate your kind words!

> 2533274881015020;8:
> > 2533274930529875;7:
> > Can’t critique a game that isn’t out lol
>
>
> Allow me to fill you in on this.
>
>
> > 2533274881015020;22:
> > We don’t have just one or two videos of Halo 5’s gameplay to adequately judge it objectively. The pool of footage that we can judge its gameplay - and most if not all of its elements - numbers in the hundreds.
> >
> > Saying that we can’t accurately judge a variation of a game that we have been playing for years based on the footage of a sequel which has the same base elements of its gameplay as its predecessors is a really passive-aggressive attempt at trying to prevent discussion and the critical analysis of a sequel and its mechanics.
> >
> > It’s ridiculous that users are bullying others into accepting the spurious belief that no one is allowed to think differently or consider the footage of Halo 5 as proof enough of what it’s going to be like. Every time I’ve seen anyone bring up a good point about Halo 5 has been met with stiff opposition in the form of a fallacy that we can’t judge a game’s sequel based on video evidence. Enough is enough. I thought Bungie’s community was toxic, but this is downright manipulative in the worst of ways. It’s dismissive to the extreme.

Amen, brother.

17

I just want my spartan 2s and 3s :frowning:

18

I’ve been playing Halo since 2001 as well, got every game on their release date or midnight launch if applicable and have all the original books of the H1 era…also have practically a closet full of the McFarlane and Joyride figures along with my own customized figures…

I’m not an MLG gamer, never wanted to be since I look at their gametypes as a “watered down” Halo experience. Now I don’t mean to offend with that terminology as I do completely understand why they set their games up the way they do with limited weapons selection, smaller arena maps, etc etc. but I’ve never really liked the concept. I’ve always felt that the entire experience should be taken in from the lowly Magnums and Plasma Pistols to the mighty Laser and Energy Sword, from the Lockouts to the Sidewinders. Basically I’ve always been more a fan of the “sci-fi war game” aspect as opposed to the “arena” aspect.
I’ve also always been more of a campaign fan, the Halo universe is so full of lore and story that it just sucked me right in.

All this aside, I like where they’re going with Guardians. I really do. All the previous games you never fully “felt” like a Spartan or at least what all the books, instructional manuals (remember those?) comics, videos, etc etc all described a Spartan to actually be…and that was the ultimate warrior with the best training and the most advanced armor ever designed (I distinctly remember reading that the Mjolnir Mk V being as expensive as an entire UNSC Frigate). Sure we were tougher with our shields and stronger with melee and more alert with the motion tracker but that’s about all that set us apart from average Marines. Hell the ODSTs had some gear that Spartans didn’t have with the VISR system and the real-time location map.

Now to me it seems like 343i wants to make Spartans actually be Spartans and the Mjolnir armor justify it’s outrageous in-universe price tag. Built-in maneuvering thruster jets have long been described in the books as part of the Mjolnir armor system, even as far back as the novel First Strike I believe.
Smart-linked scope/zoom systems have also been there from the beginning, now it just looks a bit different and is usable with all firearm types.
Even the sprinting was there in the lore from the beginning with Spartans top speeds being tested and clocked at an excess of 30 MPH with Kelly-087 surpassing even that (source is The Fall of Reach). I doubt we’ll get to move that fast though for balance reasons.
Probably won’t have anything like VISR either which is a shame but I guess you can’t get everything…or can you… >_>

As for why BOTH the AR and SMG? Easy answer, SMG optimal for close range and AR for close to medium as it’s always been described for use in via the manuals and in-game descriptions. Plus more options never hurt.

19

I don’t understand why 343 is trying to fix things that aren’t broken. The BR being one shot, the announcers, etc. are very disappointing to hear about. Hopefully the few issues i’ve heard wont be too big of a deal

20

> 2533274808538326;18:
> As for why BOTH the AR and SMG? Easy answer, SMG optimal for close range and AR for close to medium as it’s always been described for use in via the manuals and in-game descriptions. Plus more options never hurt.

The AR and SMG have always had that close range (SMG) and close-medium range (AR) balance. However, in the beta gameplay linked above, the player is getting TONS of kills using the SMG, most of which are in the medium range. Whenever the AR was used, I saw a relatively small difference in their strength at various ranges, which is why I’m expressing my concern.
In my experiences with past halos, the SMG has always been useless past a range of about 20 feet (if we take 7 foot spartans as reference). It was a weapon that you would spawn with, and immediately try to find a replacement. Their strength was when used with dual wielding, but when that was stripped from the game they became a weapon that served no purpose. Perhaps the apparent buff I’m seeing is to make the guns more relevant in a game that no longer supports dual wielding? I’m not sure. Like I said, it could be that I’m used to it being so terrible, that it appears to be OP, but is actually balanced.