Note: I did pretty bad making the poll because I wouldn’t purchase/support Halo if it was either HYBRID or MODERN, so please choose your MOST disappointing option.
Note 2: If you choose the FIRST option, it means you won’t settle for neither a modern nor a hybrid approach. Again, please post if possible and elaborate on your choice.
Good evening, my friends. As you all well know, Halo is not doing so well right now. It is on life support.
Many of us who are against the current direction Halo is taking have voiced all of our concerns; in multiple formats, in different words, on multiple forums and social media. We all know the modernization – or more specifically the “CODification” – of Halo is not the way to go. The majority have spoken. Some have even become martyrs and have gotten banned on these forums just to get their point across. Hopefully, their motives won’t go in vain.
We want Halo to end on a high note, and the only way to do that is to emulate the core of the classic Halo experience. We cannot afford to implement modern features and mechanics of other popular, fast-paced shooters in Halo. It would be unthinkable HERESY, as the Covenant would say.
Some people have claimed that those who want Halo to go back to its roots, to put it simply, aren’t helping because Halo 5 “should be its own thing”. Okay, so can this be defined, and how? How can Halo 5 be its own thing? Many of us, more than likely the majority, who loved Halo pre-Reach (or at least pre-Halo 4 since Reach left mixed reviews) want Halo to stay true to its individuality and uniqueness. The gameplay wasn’t cheap or uninspired like COD is nowadays.
Additionally, I’m seeing that some possible detractors of the Campaign to Emulate the Core of the Classic Halo Games are claiming that Halo will become the very thing many of us in the Halo community have declared COD of being guilty of – which is simply being just a reskinned, money-milking shooter. No. That is just not true.
You see, what if COD decided to grab some inspiration from a game like Halo? What if it derailed from its normalcy of being a class-based, fast-paced shooter with perks and loadouts went on to be more simple, with an “easy to play, but hard to master” way of gameplay? Everyone starts out on an equal-footing, with no overabundance of medals and gimmicks? You get the point. Well it would be catching A LOT of flak from its player-base, and there’s no doubt in my mind that many of those who’d criticize that type of COD game would point out how COD would be nothing more but a COD shooter with a Halo skin on it.
What the developers need to realize is that what is WORSE than MORE of the same is LESS of the same. It’s completely OKAY for a Halo game to have more of the same, but unlike COD, you’ll need to innovate, improve and expand WITHOUT releasing a title yearly, WITHOUT deviating from the core of the classics, and without removing things that simply made Halo even better (e.g. Elites and armor customization, dual-wielding, MLG support, etc.).
Therefore, IN A WAY, those claiming the next Halo game “needs to be its own thing” are possibly incorrect. That would be taking a HUGE risk, one that 343 cannot afford whatsoever. They took way too many more risks than they could afford and completely blew it with Halo 4. This time, it’s time for Halo to recover by erring on the side of caution; to implement features/mechanics that had no reason to be removed, and to remove features/mechanics that just simply don’t work in Halo (but work in other popular, modern shooters).
Keep in mind that forums for gaming community are a minority. Many gamers do not utilize a game’s forums, but it is an ideal way of receiving feedback from the hardcore/competitive players – the ones who have the most experience with the game and knows its ins-and-outs. With them, a game can cater to both casual AND competitive players because a causal game is only good for casuals (only temporarily, in some cases, however), while a game with a focus on the hardcore/competitive community makes for a great experience for both of the playstyle’s communities.
Right now I do notice how some are saying that the next Halo game should be a hybrid of the classic Halo games while having some of its modern features/mechanics. Do I think that’s correct? Absolutely not. As I, and many others have said previously, Halo cannot afford anymore risks. It’s time to err on the side of caution and for it to go back to its roots.
That being said, will you AVOID purchasing the next Halo games if they decide to take a more modern approach (Halo 4), a more hybrid approach (Halo: Reach), or a more classic approach (Halo: CE, Halo 2, Halo 3)? Please elaborate after posting, especially if you choose the hybrid option.
Thank you.
No WOT can be provided for this thread!
