I have looked for such a thread and found none, so I thought I’d start this.
First let me tell you, as a big Halo fan, how much I enjoyed the Halo 4 campaign.343 did a great job there, bringing back a truly epic dimension to the lore. The saving Earth scenario became really cliché.The Halo 4 story gave me goosebumps and the characters and dialogues are a far cry from Halo standards.The forerunner terminal story is really good as well;
Secondly, I myself find the pure multiplayer grind not very rewarding, so I welcomed and was looking forward to the idea of Spartan Ops, its episodes and CG story.
This is were I got dissapointed; I know we’re only half way into the 1st season,but I can’t help noticing the story doesn’t really go anywhere(or doesn’t promise much in light of the player’s effort), same maps are used every week,players are just bashing increasing number of AI enemies,and there’s very little to no variation in mission objectives(go there and push that button).The missions are too disconnected from the story, and some characters(Sarah Palmer)have the charisma of a donut. I know some out there are dismissing SpartOps as an afterthought, just a horde mode disguised as a story mode, but that’s the thing: it’s obvious from some missions more could be achieved; The best episode yet Ep.3 Catherine shows that Spartops can be really exciting, varied and epic.
So I’ll keep playing Spartops hoping for the best,and I’m really looking forward to be proven wrong by 343.
SOps is Firefight with a story. Truthfully, they could ditch the overarching story altogether and it wouldn’t make much of a difference to the gameplay… but at least the story tries to bring a thematic point to everything you’re doing.
As for reusing environments… well, what did you expect?
Right. There are 8 large and diverse campaign missions and 10 multiplayer maps. There’s no need to have revisited the same locations two, three, or even more times by this point.
And yeah, OP is right. I’ve been saying for some time that Spops could be great if there was more investment in the quality of the writing, diversity in combat goals, and more variety in levels. Tightening up the gameplay and not relying on the old tropes of pushing buttons and having enemies spawn on your head would help too. Right now Spartan Ops is a jack of all trades and master of none: the narrative was done better in campaign, the Horde Mode aspect was done better in Firefight. What we’re left with is an unfocused mess.
Whaddayaknow! They did it again in Episode 5: They’re even using the same map twice in the episode.And guess what.We have to push buttons and shoot even bigger packs of ennemies.And the CG is totally disconnected from what we actually play…I feel this is going to get real old real quick.Strange, as this didn’t bother me in Reach Firefight.But at least there was a competitive goal there…get the most or best overkills…
Even stranger, in the 3rd mission, the spartan support team (Shadow I think)sounds like they’re having a far more interesting and rewarding mission than the actual players,up in the Covenant cruiser…
I know it’s not easy coming up with weekly episodes, but it’s something they brought upon themselves…
Well on the bright side, Palmer wasn’t on the com,and the episode’s cliffhanger is really intriguing.Hope it all looks better next week!
> The missions need to show more relation the the Episode Videos. Thats it for me.
>
> My critique:
>
> Ep1- 8/10
> Ep2- 7/10
> Ep3- 5/10
> Ep4- 8/10
How is episode 3 the worst? Episode 3 had one of the more memorable moments. Your squad gets some mechs and is battling a ****ing cruiser. Also, it starts tying the missions into the story somewhat.
My ratings:
Ep 1 - C-
Ep 2 - B-
Ep 3 - B+
Ep 4 - B
Ep 5 - B+
The cliffhanger definitely increased my interest in episode 5. Some of the previous episodes had no real hook, and I only came back because I want to give Spartan Ops a fair shake before I potentially give up on Halo and Microsoft.
Indeed, episodes 3 and 5 were the best ones. The other felt like fillers,which is a bit weird. For a game mode that was incorporated from the getgo, there doesn’t seem to be consistency in the story (talking about the playable missions)Some parts seem to have received more care and attention than others
Ep 1- B
Ep 2- C+
Ep 3- A
Ep 4- C
Ep 5- A+++++++
(Spoiler)
I really enjoyed 3&5, i particular loved cliffhanger although I could tell the pelican would get blown up, once the music came on I knew it was about to get real. I just wish the Cinematic episodes were 2-3 minutes longer.
Just a thought.One small feature in Reach I remember had really made me and my Halo-playing friends happy:seeing our own character in his latest armors in the campaign cutscenes.It’s a small thing but it showcased our avatar’s evolution.If only they would have integrated it in the SpartOps engine cutscenes…(daydreaming…)
Does 343 offer so much experience (6000) for spartan ops so that people would be more encouraged to play it and then they could say it was a success? This way, they could get away with using the same maps practically every episode. I don’t know if it’s true but I have been wondering it. I just don’t see why they can’t use any of the other multiplayer maps; I’m so sick of sniper alley!
I don’t see why 343 would try to “force” this into being a success.If people would play it only for the points,it would show in the end and a season 2 dlc would prove useless as not many would buy it.I don’t really get either why they don’t vary the maps.
I’m livid.I 've just read on the net (not on halo waypoint, of course)that Spartops are going on hiatus.for the holiday season.
Hiatus? Really? After 5 shaky sets of episodes, who didn’t really move crowds to tears,they consider they worked so hard they need to go on vacation,starting on the 10th of december?
How about the people who just bought Halo 4,FOR the holidays?
And you’re not going to make me believe, they’re not done and ready, just waiting to be released…
This is bad.At this point it’s easy to see interest for Spartops will waver even more among players,and 343i don’t seem to be alarmed by it.
So I believe they don’t really care about Spartan ops anymore.It wouldn’t surprise me if the 2nd season would be actually already shelved.
Well,well,well, well. I’m so glad to be writing here something positive for a change:
After a long, loooong hibernation where I almost gave up on the game,I came back to Spartan ops to find they finally made some changes:
Spartan Ops is begining to show its true potential:episode 6 and especially episode 7 are the best episodes yet, and by far.
The new environements are beautiful,the levels are much more involving, epic and even rewarding.It may be still a "kill everyone then push a button"pattern to the missions, but it’s definetly a shove in the right direction.There is in my view only one bad aspect:why only now? I only hope it’s not too little too late…looking forward to episode 8!
I couldn’t agree more! Eps 6 and 7 are pretty good. Not perfect, but certainly a huge improvement. In my opinion, it would be ideal if this season finished on track with how it is now and 343i did some real brainwork before diving into Season 2. They surely, eh, hopefully can’t ignore the difference in feedback between the first and (so far) second half and make Season 2 even more of what we ask for. At this rate, I’d gladly pay for a second season!