I would like to start off by saying feel free to debate me or correct me on any points I ducuss. Also I understand it is day one of the Beta and (of course) it’s only a beta so I’m not going to be judging too hard, since changes will eventually be made.
Menu- I found the menu music very generic and not very relevant to all other Halo soundtracks. Multiple cases where armor wasn’t textured/rendered, usually after a game. Armor turns pink in armor preview, but chosen colors are the same. Going up on a list of players while searching for a game makes no noise. Switching from searching for a game to the playlist makes the screen go black and takes you back to the main menu.
Weapons and Abilities- When watching documentaries, the developers talked about wanting Smart Scope to be optional, but I found it is very difficult to have good accuracy without it, and many weapons seem dependant on it to be accurate. I find the Thrusters a great addition to the strategic side of Halo 5. Ground Pound is very unusable due to the fact that to get a good impact, you have to charge for so long and you’re on the ground for a while (I get the point but it seems unbalanced). The DMR is difficult to use and the only word I can use to describe it is “clunky”; it seems to spray its bullets, even when zoomed. I’m very pleased with the Assult Rifle and the Pistol, I found them very usable and worth keeping instead of trading them out.
Truth- This is a very good map, but a lot of places are very hidden due to the darkness. Making areas more accessible would encourage players to explore the map and use Clamber to their advantage. I think the circle in the middle is great and a good way to apply Clamber. Overall good map.
Empire- This map is very fun and I personally can’t find anything worth noting.
Performance- My internet is crap, but playing this game I didn’t lag at all. Gameplay was smooth and fun. Staying in a lobby after a game takes a long time to find players or it returns you to the main menu.
Killcams- I think everyone can agree that killcams are broken. They show players not shooting their victims, yet getting the kill. I find that the start should be pushed back (when the killcam loads, it instantly shows your death). I would also like to see a “Respawning in 5…” added.
Overall I found this game very fun and playable. Although ranking needs some tweaking. Thanks 343 for a fun experience!