I know quite a lot of you have done similar threads concerning Halo 5; what should happen in the next instalment, who should be present, what the gameplay should be like. So here are my views, and they’re likely to divide the community.
Cortana should remain dead.
Many will disagree with this. Hell, even I do to an extent. She’s a great character, and likeable – providing a balance within each game the Chief has been in. But bringing her back could be a little cheesy. If she comes back, she can’t be the very same AI that we all know. She has to be very different.
Balanced play for online games.
Halo’s strength has always been a level playing field for all players, regardless of how much they play the game. Everyone spawns with the same weapon, at the same time. The reward for those out there who play Halo every day should be improved knowledge of the map and where each weapon/vehicle is. And access to beautiful armour, of course, once earned.
Currently in Halo 4, you can spawn with a variety of different weapons, which can result in a very average player standing back from the main combat area and simply shooting them from a distance. I have no incentive to go in, to charge forward. That must change. And limit or remove the Infinity ordnance packages in order to encourage play.
Firefight should return.
As it says, Firefight was a great addition in ODST, and in Reach. But I was sad to see that it wasn’t in Halo 4. We needn’t fight just the Covenant/Storm, we could also fight the Flood.
Ranked ‘Hardcore’ matches
Though I’m not one myself, dedicated players need somewhere to test their mettle. And those who achieve the highest of highs – topping the leader boards or gaining enough rank – could be rewarded with rare types of armour that have physical properties, such as Recon with the ability to nullify motion detection completely. Or, if you feel hard enough, simply play in your regular armour and gain even more points.
It’s Halo, so give us a Halo.
It’s been a while since we landed, feet first, on a Halo. So it would be nice to go back to one, in 60 fps and in HD, with stunning new graphics on the Xbox One.
Invasion should return.
Invasion was a great inclusion in Halo Reach, and I think it should return. I know 343i were eager to stamp their own mark on Halo 4 but never remove a good thing. I may be in the minority with this, or not. But I thought Invasion was great and I’d love to play it in Halo 5.
Be Careful with the plot for new players.
I thought Halo 4 was narrative heavy, especially if you’re new to the franchise, and the terminals should have been in-game, not on Halo Waypoint. Remember, 343i, Halo is a game for all players, new and old.
Blue Team
I’m not too sure about this one. I would love Blue Team to get back together, properly, with the Chief, but I’m not sure how it could be done in a respectful and carefully managed way. Balancing that with the plot and gameplay could be very difficult. Though if done correctly it could be amazing. Just imagine it.
Running around and pushing buttons in a campaign isn’t interesting.
For me, there’s nothing more frustrating than running backwards and forwards pushing various buttons and switches that lower bridges, deactivate forcefields, or bring anti-aircraft guns online. Do something different. In reality, many of these would be designed with fail-safes in mind, so that a half-ton Spartan-2 doesn’t have to carryout mundane button-mashing missions. A rescue mission perhaps?
If buttons and levers do have to be pressed, then send John with a complement of marines or ODSTs like in HALO CE or HALO 2. Then you don’t feel alone, fighting your own war, while the rest of humanity sits back with a beer.
Halo 4’s Story Was Emotional
The ending of Halo 4 was a brave step. And I loved it. In future installments the story should also have a similar impact: Make the story matter.