Halo 4 is a different game. It’s not Halo 2, it’s not Halo 3, it’s not Reach. With over a week since release, many of us have learned this first hand and either accepted or renounced this fact. This isn’t to say that Halo 4 is a bad game, because it isn’t, but there comes a certain time when the player base needs to accept that creative decisions will never agree with you 100% of the time. That’s not to say you shouldn’t voice your opinion. 343 clearly has heard the issues our community has taken with H4 and will try to please as many players as they can. I’m writing this to clearly express what issues I personally don’t agree with. I’ll preface this with saying I’ve played each Halo extensively, and while this doesn’t necessarily give more weight to my opinion than that of someone who’s first experience is Halo 4, it gives you the reader some insight to where I’m coming from. Lastly I’ll say I have enjoyed my time with Halo 4. I’m glad Halo is still around and the Universe and community are moving forward. People reading this may enjoy some of the features I find distracting. That’s perfectly ok. All that I ask is for you to contribute something more than “-Yoink- then we don’t need you here.” or simply tell yourself I’m an idiot and ignore me. Let’s begin.
Rewarding me for playing poorly.
The first time I entered a LAN tournament for Halo 1, I was still using the AR. If you’ve never played Halo 1, then understand that’s about the dumbest thing a person can do. More hilarious still, I saved up the $15 needed for the entrance and was knocked out the first round by users whose 3 shot pistol kills couldn’t miss. I left beaten and disgusted with myself but my eyes were opened. I started to use the Pistol, and I got better. Not right away but by the time Halo 2 came out my mindset of how the game was played was significantly different. Balancing problems aside with Halo 1, the lesson to take from that is even though getting your can kicked sucks, it’s a learning experience. Halo 4 has taken some of that away from the community.
Regicide is a big example of this. How many times have we seen players win their match with a negative KDR and tool of destruction as the Assault Rifle? Not that the AR is a joke anymore and all AR users are noobs, but it’s still frustrating to see players rewarded for playing somewhat silly. I don’t want to be told I did a good job when I played like crap.
Infinity Slayer further promotes this through Ordnance. I’m not saying Ordnance is bad, it has some flaws, but I don’t mind it as much as most do. What I do mind is players being rewarded for being shot at and being saved by a team mate (Distraction Medal) and points for assists seem to be given out much too liberally. Theoretically it’s possible to earn a Binary Rifle through distractions and assists alone. Rarely the case, but it can happen. The point I’m trying to make is it doesn’t encourage the player to get better.
Spartan Ops is also somewhat silly. What is the point of a mission where you cannot lose? I don’t want to sound like an old fart ranting about how “everyone get’s a medal” but this is a little ridiculous. Is essentially become an XP farm fest. To pick on someone else besides Halo 4, Reach also did this with unlimited lives in Firefight, which always annoyed me.
I’ve reached level 64 (yeah… too much time on my hands…I know) and the honeymoon effect is beginning to wear off. I enjoy playing with my friends but when they’re not on each victory or loss seems hollow. 1/50 matches come down to a difference of 5 kills in the end, and even those don’t feel exhilarating as much.
These were my feelings, feel free to comment, or tell me I’m not a true Halo fan if it makes you feel better. I left out some other things that bother me because at this point I still believe 343 will fix the bigger issues that others who have more passion than myself have brought up.
TL DR: Reward me for playing well. Humiliate me for playing poorly. Thank you.