I’m intending this to be legitimate constructive feedback for 343 regarding their multiplayer. I’m hoping they read this.
I’m 34 and have played Halo since the first game. I’ve completed campaign and battlepass. Logged plenty of hours already. For the most part, I love most of the design choices made for multiplayer. Of course tweaks and balancing need to happen, but at the game’s core, it’s what I’ve been waiting for since Halo 3. I love the choices made with weapons, equipment, the return to innovation through the sandbox, etc.
I LOVE THIS GAME… When it’s working right. And here’s the problem/constructive feedback.
Desync, poor servers, bad net code, being placed in far away region servers, whatever it is, it’s killed this game for me at this point. And before you say it, no, it’s not my internet. I play on Series X. I have more internet speed than I know what to do with, a very nice gaming router, everything is Ethernet, no WiFi, etc. I bought a nice TV specifically for this Xbox. Ping is consistently super good.
I don’t think I noticed these issues in the beginning because it took me so long to figure out good aim settings for me. So I had trouble being consistent with my aiming. Now, my settings are dialed in. And I’ve put in lots of hours. Now that my aiming issues are out of the way, these problems are so very clear now. Here’s a list of examples I come across EVERY. SINGLE. MATCH:
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My hammer physically goes through an opponent, they just lose shields and kill me. Opponent hammers at me from a distance similar to the length of two warthogs and kill me from full shields.
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Melees connect and do nothing.
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Hammer guy runs at me in straight line. I have BR. Three body shots, then three headshots. Got hit markers on every single shot. He runs right up to me anyways for the hammer kill.
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Again, running in a straight line to me in the bottom tunnel of live fire map. I’m using an AR. His shields popped, still had about half mag. I went through the whole freaking mag. Constant hit markers. Get to the reload… he’s still alive. I don’t even try at that point. Completely deflated.
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Fighting for a control point, enemy loses shields from grenade. I use sidekick a little beyond melee range. FOUR. FOUR HIT MARKERS ON HIS HEAD!!! Nothing. He kills me.
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Enemies running right through the explosions from grenades, cindershots, and rockets taking little to no damage.
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Regularly seeing hit markers on head shots for br, commando, and sidekick with no kill.
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Not seeing grenades in mid fight until they’re at my feet.
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Grenades and rockets just disappearing.
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Trading melee at the same time with an enemy. Post melee, enemy is firing his weapon before i can. It’s like my melee animation takes longer than there’s. This happens so often i actively avoid trying to go for melee with a headshot follow up.
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While trading melee, crosshairs will sometimes be yanked to the side after the melee.
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I shoot someone with the skewer, only to watch them continue fighting with a giant metal spike sticking out of them. Domed a guy in the forehead today. The newly made unicorn continued to steamroll me with his AR.
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Being killed by two round bursts from BRs or a very short burst from an AR.
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Watching ALL my needles from a full needler mag connect with the enemy and never super combine.
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And finally, everyone’s favorite, dying/being shot around corners.
The list could go on, but I think you get the picture by now. And again, this isn’t an occasional anomaly that i could just shrug and brush off with a laugh. It’s every game and multiple engagements. I’ll occasionally have a game or two where things seem to work right under the hood, but those are few and far between right now.
This problem alone, whatever it is, is gamebreaking for me and a deal breaker.
I’m so passionate about Halo. It gave me and my friends so many good memories through high school and college. Went to Halo Outpost Discovery a couple years ago and got Taylor and Downes to autograph merch. I read the books. I love Halo. But I rage quit today for the last time. Games shouldn’t induce anger like this. And I feel so deflated after waiting so long for this game and getting so hyped up for it.
I didn’t type all this up as another “I’m quitting” post. I posted this to tell 343 they need to take this seriously. Because this broke me. I’m not booting up multiplayer anymore because I can’t physically play it. I can’t play a game where the rules of what should and should not happen change on a minute to minute basis. Will my BR 4 shot this time? Or 6 shot? Will this guy punching me kill me in one punch? Am I far away from the hammer guy this time? Am I close enough to kill with mine? How is this game so broken on a fundamental level after so long in development? You want me to spend money in your store? I’m sorry, but not a chance. I regret buying the pass as well.
You know what game I buy cosmetic stuff from regularly? Sea of Thieves. Their game works. And they show me a good time and keep pumping out fun content. I want to support that. I’m not spending another dime or another minute of my time in your multiplayer until these fundamental issues are fixed.
If these things ever get fixed, I’ll be back. I have been rooting for you 343, and I still am. I just hope the potential this game has isn’t wasted.
…And for the love of all that is holy turn on player collision for everyone and give us the larger radar range this game sorely needs.