Before I start, I just want to say that this is purely for discussion, I doubt any of these points will be brought up in Halo 4’s development, and for all we know it might be past the point where this would be relevant anyway.
Anyway, I always suck at starting these, so I’ll just get right into it:
-Blend the BR/DMR type weapon and the assault rifle type weapon. By this I mean something automatic, more powerful than the MA37 in Reach, I’m thinking three kills per magazine assuming every single shot lands.
It has to be very accurate when burst firing for the sake of making burst firing relevant. People have to go into a game and try to spray and pray, and get dominated by others burst firing, and stop and think, “Oh wow, I’m doing this completely wrong, I should be watching my shots!”
This gun should be a killing machine in the right hands, and completely useless to someone spraying. Spraying should get you maybe somewhere around one kill per magazine at anywhere past where the Reach’s pistol’s optimal range is, if you’re lucky.
Other than this weapon, however, I don’t so much support the return of bloom.
I think the MA5k would fit this role perfectly. And assuming this place we’re headed is Onyx, then MA5ks would be available anyway…
-Set melee damage back to what it was in Halo 2.
I don’t know why people don’t complain about this more, we used to all the time back when Halo 3 first came out, and frankly I don’t know why melee is still so powerful! One punch should not break your shields completely, it should take at least two to bring someone’s shields all the way down.
You see, the problem with the assault rifle right now, (and this applies to both of the first two points) is that people run straight at their enemies, making a bee-line, and meleeing as soon as they can. They spray and spray and spray their assault rifle until the second they’re in melee range. I’ve seen people depend on it like a crutch and simply give up on firing their weapon entirely, opting instead to run at people and try to double-beatdown. This type of behavior should be punished, it should not be a viable tactic.
-Now for the not-so-much-gameplay points; Halo 4 should be a lot more makeshift and improvised.
In campaign at least, weapons should be valued, armor should be haphazardly put together. It would be cool to see makeshift weapons, shotguns held together with duct tape, crude sights on snipers and armor with dents and scrapes and burns. The chief should be pretty much on his own out here, he should have to make due with what he has.
-I personally think the campaign should have a bit of a scarier feel. Not so much like Dead Space or anything, but I mean, the books always talk about how enemies are so alien and horrific, I want to see that. I want to be scared to go down dark hallways and to explore burned down buildings; I want real alien enemies.
This was somewhat shown in Reach, the best example probably being the end of Winter Contingency, where you’re ambushed by elites that kidnap civilians and hide in the shadows, that type of mood is what 343 should be going for.
Anyway, just my two cents. Or four cents, I guess. What do you guys think? Don’t be too scared of change.