NOTE: I cannot link the thread I cited a quote from because it wouldn’t allow me to post this otherwise
You people might know me from various threads debating on why Halo 5 needs to evolve, be modernized and all that. However I’ve come to realize that Halo 5 can evolve from it’s own core, it’s own mechanics, it’s own features and modernize on it’s own formula. It doesn’t need to adopt features from other games. This is what some Veterans of Halo have been trying to get across since the beta began. Some posters in the link thread explain well why Halo doesn’t need to modernize from other trends, but do it, in it’s own way. Heres a brief description of what evolution I’m speaking of in the original trilogy.
Halo CE
Introduced Weapons, vehicles, 4v4 Arena Style gameplay and 8v8 BTB
Split Screen up to 4 players and LAN up to 16 players
Co-Op up to 2 players
Halo CE - Halo 2
Introduced Dual Wielding for certain weapons
Launched Xbox LIVE practically
Clan Systems
1-50 Ranking System
Introduced the Banshee in MP
Introduced Custom Games over Xbox LIVE.
Playable Elites in MP
Introduced Ranked and Social Playlists
Halo 2 - Halo 3
Dual Wielding for certain weapons
Introduced Brute Weapons for Campaign and MP
Introduced Theater Mode
Introduced Armor Permutations
Introduced Forge
Introduced Equipment
Re-added the Banshees Fuel Rod
Introduced 4 player Co-Op
Introduced new Grenade Types
Halo 3 - Halo 3 ODST
Introduced Silent Weapons
Introduced FireFight
Note that this was how the original trilogy evolved, but kept the formula there intact and evolved features from within the game itself. It didn’t need to change anything or take from other games. However, Halo: Reach changed all that, and I think that’s where a lot of peoples disinterest with Halo started.
Halo: Reach
Introduced Forge World (upgraded from Halo 3)
Introduced Invasion
Introduced new weapons
Introduced Sprint
Introduced Visible Bloom
Introduced Assassinations
Removed Dual Wielding
Replaced 1-50 Ranking System with cR Ranking System
Replaced Equipment with Armor Abilities
Replaced Equal Starts with Loadouts
Halo 4
Introduced various Forge Maps including Forge Island with upgraded and new features
Introduced Forerunner Weapons
Introduced new Armor Permutations
Replaced cR Ranking System with SR Ranking System
Removed Theater Mode for Campaign
Removed Playable Elites
Replaced Descope with Flinch
Replaced Weapons on map with an Ordiance System
343 followed the trend from Halo: Reach which in spite of Halo 4, some Halo fans think of Reach as more of a Halo game then Halo 4. Though following the trend from Reach and attempting to cater to what many think are new fans (even maybe the COD fanbase) or are new fans from an entirely different playerbase while not catering to the already Veteran fans of the franchise that have known what Halo has been since CE. Halo 5 however is changing that completely, and from what some fans think, Halo 5 is evolving and modernizing Halo in a way that the franchise isn’t meant to be modernized. Following trends from Titanfall and COD trying to cater to that playerbase, while ignoring what playerbase Halo already has. Halo CE - Halo 3 constantly evolved the formula, but kept the core intact, and kept the experience new but at the same time similar. Halo: Reach - Halo 4 completely changed Halo and it’s formula from what it was, it removed most of what made Halo, fun and enjoyable to play and competitive. Halo 4 completely alienated the Elite fanbase because of the removal of playable Elites in MP.
What some fans are asking is for 343 to continue the evolution of Halo from within, not follow their own trend with what they want, how they want Halo to be and how they think fans are going to enjoy it. The formula was already there in the original trilogy, and with Reach and Halo 4 it was thrown out and change completely.
Heres how some fans want Halo 5 to be portrayed
Halo 5
Readded Dual Wield for certain Weapons
Readded 1-50 Ranking System
Readded Playable Elites in MP
Introduced Forge World 2.0 with new features and objects
Readded Theater Mode for Campaign and MP
Introduced new weapons
Introduced new Spartan Abilitys for Social Playlists
Introduced new Vehicles
Introduced new Armor Permutations
Introduced SR Ranking System for Social Playlists
Introduced Custom Game Lobbys for Xbox LIVE
Readded Clan Systems
Readded Weapons on Map
Removed Sprint
Replaced Flinch with Descope
This list, is how a Halo game should evolve, and evolve from within it’s own formula. Returning features from the original trilogy while redefining features and mechanics it already has, and what other mechanics have been in the game for the last 7 years. This is Halo evolution done right and what many Veteran and long time Halo fans want the franchise to return to. Not to copy off of other games and devolve into the standard generic FPS. Here are some posts cited from the thread someone posted a few days ago.
> From Wrath15
>
> Between Halo: CE and Halo 2 Bungie added dual-wielding of weapons, the Fuel Rod Cannon became a weapon, Rocket Launchers received Lock On, Ghosts received the boost ability as did Wraiths, The Banshee lost the Banshee Bomb ability in multiplayer, we got to play from an Elite perspective (The Arbiter) during campaign, we received the ability to highjack vehicles and to beat down the drivers of tanks or drop grenades into them to destroy them. Banshees also got Boost and aerial acrobatic abilities. Online Multiplayer support and function via Xbox Live also became a thing with Clan Functions.
>
> Between Halo 2 and Halo 3, we received equipment abilities, new brute vehicles, new brute weapons, the gravity hammer was introduced, multiplayer sucked for a long time due to bad netcode, true multiplayer customization was introduced with armor permutations not just for Spartans but also for Elites, we also received the ability for melee based weapons like swords to clash, and the Plasma Pistol received its EMP ability to disable vehicles. The hornet was also introduced as well as the Mongoose and Spartan Laser. Also we gained two new grenade types, the Spike Grenade and the Napalm Grenade. Additionally we gained two unique empty spaces to produce Forge Maps, as well as the Forge system being implemented.
>
> Between Halo 3 and Halo 3: ODST, we received a new campaign, a few silenced weapons, and while gaining the unique perspective of playing as an ODST, we also gained Firefight.
>
> Between Halo 3 and Halo: Reach, we received a massive amount of customization options, assassination animations were included as an additional mechanic to increase the “cool factor” of getting the jump on someone from behind. We also more famously/infamously received armor abilities, adding a host of new gameplay options, we also gained a huge new Forge World. Many new weapons, settings, and of course Invasion Mode were added.
Also in regards to the skill gap, Halo CE - Halo 3 never lost it. If you were put on a bad team, most of the time you lost if you couldn’t carry and outdo everyone else. If you got put on a good team then you’d wipe the other team out. Reach and Halo 4 lowered this, and Halo 5 to some fans seems to be lowering the skill gap to that of COD where thre really isn’t any gap in skill at all. The Skill Gap in the original trilogy is what made Halo outplay all it’s rivals. It’s what made Halo competitive at it’s core and also fun.
Ultimately what many fans want is for Halo to return to it’s formula, and evolve from there, to make the experience, fun, competitive and enjoyable.