The Narrative May Suck, But Halo 5 is Damn Fun!!!

Games Halo 5: Guardians
#1

Who agrees that, technical restrictions put into effect to ensure constant 60fps aside, ALL of the problems with Halo 5’s campaign is to do with it’s story/dialogue/characters etc. Basically, the narrative experience of Halo 5 is arguably the worst of the series. It’s simply not a great ‘Halo game’.

BUT!!!

It’s a fun FPS!!! A bloody fun FPS!!! As restrictive as the level design is, they’re well designed with plenty of weapon options scattered around them and a bunch of intricate little routes allowing for various tactical options, the squad AI is surprisingly good (9/10 they always revived me when I went down) giving you choices of how you handle each firefight, the combat is fast and ferocious, some of the vehicle sections are among the best of the series, the (admittedly few) new enemy types nicely complement the others, the battle chatter is frequently interesting and, perhaps most importantly for an FPS, EVERY gun feels great to use.

Who agrees that as a standalone narrative experience, as the next step of the Halo story and most crucially as a ‘Halo game’, Halo 5 is VERY disappointing but as a solid well made FPS campaign with exciting combat it’s a stellar game???

An underwhelming Halo game is still a fantastic game.

#2

I agree. The story itself is not that great but it looks great and is fun to play.

#3

I had zero problems with the narrative, but I agree that the gameplay was some of the best of any Halo campaign.

#4

I was bummed that the ARG Hunt the Truth didn’t really have a crossing reference in the game or a cameo or something to that affect. I agree the story was underwhelming. Love the game, Hope Halo 6 takes all the good things and builds on that for one of the best halos yet!

#5

No, the linear design kills me every time. I don’t see these “multiple ways to combat a level” that you see. Unless you’re talking about weapons…which every other Halo game had.

Yeah no, I just can’t agree, but then again, its just are opinions, not fact.

#6

> 2535406272231884;5:
> No, the linear design kills me every time. I don’t see these “multiple ways to combat a level” that you see. Unless you’re talking about weapons…which every other Halo game had.
>
> Yeah no, I just can’t agree, but then again, its just are opinions, not fact.

I meant the destructible walls in the levels that open up flanking routes.

#7

> 2535445800682170;6:
> > 2535406272231884;5:
> > No, the linear design kills me every time. I don’t see these “multiple ways to combat a level” that you see. Unless you’re talking about weapons…which every other Halo game had.
> >
> > Yeah no, I just can’t agree, but then again, its just are opinions, not fact.
>
>
> I meant the destructible walls in the levels that open up flanking routes.

Yeah, I can simply go through a small little hallway and get charged by every enemy I skipped! SO FUN!!!

Yeah, no. Its not that special or cool, especially since they all result in the same event.

#8

> 2535406272231884;7:
> > 2535445800682170;6:
> > > 2535406272231884;5:
> > > No, the linear design kills me every time. I don’t see these “multiple ways to combat a level” that you see. Unless you’re talking about weapons…which every other Halo game had.
> > >
> > > Yeah no, I just can’t agree, but then again, its just are opinions, not fact.
> >
> >
> > I meant the destructible walls in the levels that open up flanking routes.
>
>
> Yeah, I can simply go through a small little hallway and get charged by every enemy I skipped! SO FUN!!!
>
> Yeah, no. Its not that special or cool, especially since they all result in the same event.

Just my opinion, don’t go hating!!!

#9

I mean, I agree. But we’re still missing multiplayer features that I’d like to have in a standard Halo game.

#10

I would like it more if my health wasn’t docked to compensate for the 3 moderately dumb AI forced to tag alongside me. Fighting an Elite in hand-to-hand, non Spartan Charge combat shouldn’t be nerve-wracking outside of Legendary and maybe high level elites in Heroic. The and I kind of play campaign only for the narrative…so…that was kind of shot.

#11

> 2535406272231884;5:
> No, the linear design kills me every time. I don’t see these “multiple ways to combat a level” that you see. Unless you’re talking about weapons…which every other Halo game had.
>
> Yeah no, I just can’t agree, but then again, its just are opinions, not fact.

That is pretty much like every Halo. You move forward with a variety of weapons and vehicles to mix the gameplay up. Halo 5 has multiple approaches to the way you can play a level. There are parts of the campaign where you have the option to activate turrent and lots of variety in vehicles and weapons. There is even optional paths. One example is the second Blue Team level where you can either fly in a vehicle or walk and jump on man cannons to get there.

#12

> 2533274954911187;11:
> > 2535406272231884;5:
> > No, the linear design kills me every time. I don’t see these “multiple ways to combat a level” that you see. Unless you’re talking about weapons…which every other Halo game had.
> >
> > Yeah no, I just can’t agree, but then again, its just are opinions, not fact.
>
>
> That is pretty much like every Halo. You move forward with a variety of weapons and vehicles to mix the gameplay up. Halo 5 has multiple approaches to the way you can play a level. There are parts of the campaign where you have the option to activate turrent and lots of variety in vehicles and weapons. There is even optional paths. One example is the second Blue Team level where you can either fly in a vehicle or walk and jump on man cannons to get there.

I feel like Halo Reach did it better. It had large environments, a variety of secrets to discover, and multiple paths. The most notable mission being New Alexandria where you flew around in a falcon with missions being randomized, as well as several secrets existing outside common eye.

#13

> 2533274846370979;9:
> I mean, I agree. But we’re still missing multiplayer features that I’d like to have in a standard Halo game.

I was talking about the campaign.

#14

They are going to have to do some extensive back-peddling and retconing to save what happened in H5’s campaign, but I do looooove the multiplayer. Even if I’m terrible, I’m still having fun.

#15

The story was a disappointing mess but MP is fun as hell. I play everyday.

#16

if the story sucks but gameplay is good that still makes playing the campaign pointless especially with warzone and warzone firefight

#17

> 2533274816487930;16:
> if the story sucks but gameplay is good that still makes playing the campaign pointless especially with warzone and warzone firefight

What about the people like me who don’t have Gold Live???

#18

> 2535445800682170;17:
> > 2533274816487930;16:
> > if the story sucks but gameplay is good that still makes playing the campaign pointless especially with warzone and warzone firefight
>
>
> What about the people like me who don’t have Gold Live???

fair enough but i cannot support the campaign having merits in terms of gameplay when the sole reason many people play it is about as good a painting cardboard

#19

I wasn’t a huge fan of the story but Halo 5 is one of the most enjoyable Halo games that I’ve played.

#20

I can’t really put it there. CE, Reach, ODST and H4 are campaigns that I am always in a mood to play. H2, H3 and H5 campaigns are definitely mood dependent.

Of course, this is based on the pre-refresh experience. Haven’t Legendary’d it or tried co-op with it since.

The core mechanics, I LOVE. However, the levels that aren’t levels…?? Teleporting enemies held outside a solid gate because…?? If you want to play a level with a Scorpion, I’m OK with that. Of course any level where you can control a Scorpion, then the thunder rolls!! And, while I agree with some damage multiplying, 3 or 4 player co-op is just insane on the damage per hit meter.

I really don’t mind some increased magnetism, and for sure am down for RoF cap usage, but going over the reload/cooldown of a weapon, making Shoulder Charge and Ground Pound near useless due to increased health and lack of knockback, and making nearly any weapon a 1-shot shield drainer, 2nd hit heath finisher, just because there’s 3 or 4???
Ack, the design of 4-player is defeated, regardless of level architecture or encounter frequency.

Single-player-wise, we’re it does its job but has not-so-good AI, none of my “bads” are near as my dislikes in H2 or H3, but it’s so held back by said AI… I need my 3 other friends to have the fun I want… But then see the above paragraph.

It’s a depressing cycle.

There is sooo much I know I want to love, and do like, but the stumbles don’t let me.

… Design and flow, definitely better than the great majority of H2 or H3 :slight_smile:
Experience, about half as fun as my favs, but still Halo and that’s a pretty high bar :smiley: