Since when is changing gameplay mechanics for the sake of lore ok? 343 has taken core Halo mechanics and changing them or removing them as a result of lore. This whole idea of telling a story even in the multiplayer portion of the game is their idea of a unique Halo game. Take War Games for an example, all multiplayer gameplay experiences are nothing more than training stipulations that take place on a ship, resulting in the reason for no playable Elites in Halo 5 matchmaking. Of course lore is important, im not saying its not. It help create the unique Halo story that we currently know and love today but that doesnt mean that these story mechanics need to be applied to the online proportion of the game. Halo multiplayer was never about lore. You probably witnessed the success of Halo 3, playing and enjoying the most popular Halo game, a game that featured basic mechanics and relatively simple gameplay. Not the dude bro intros at the beginning of matches and like that we currently see today.
343’s idea of Halo is becoming an actual Spartan, doing things that Spartans do, totally disregarding the initial success of the original trilogy. Things like Clamber, Sprint, and ADS are things that 343 feels that need to be in the games. I agree that Halo needs to change, and would like to play the same thing over and over again? Im not saying to make a Halo 3.5 but in the sense these features are not innovations either. So why are 343 labeling these as “brand new features”? We already see games utilizing these features in their games and I feel that these features dont make Halo anymore unique than any other game. 343 needs to give the original trilogy a chance and focus on what made Halo unique, special and improving on that. The original Halo formula didnt die, it was fine and was ever so successful. With Reach, Bungie started tinkering with the gameplay mechanics, adding armor abilities and the sort. Reach was good imo but it kinda strayed a little too far from Halo. I thought 343 would have used a different approach. Nope. 343 further continued this path and now we are at Halo 5, I dont even need to explain things. Im sure you experienced the low population in Halo 4, the idea of taking something that simply doesnt work and trying to make it work isnt smart. Noticed how they tried to make Sprint work by making it to where shield dont regenerate when running and making maps larger to further compensate and at the end of the day this changes the flow and map design that they were once accustom to. Now they are not considered Armor Abilities, everyone has them so it is ok now? This idea of being power houses, running, jumping and clambering throughout the map, speed is their idea of a Halo Multiplayer. these mechanics are present because of the strong lore elements that now the Halo Multiplayer possesses.
The simplicity that made Halo unique in the older games is no longer to be found. Halo 5 reminds of a Twitch shooter. It feels like the game focuses more on reaction time than strategy. Playing the Halo 5 beta I found it difficult to kill someone after being shot first. My shields seemed to drain fast and once they depleted i immediately died. In the original trilogy, the game took strategy, it was about map control, power weapon control and outsmarting your opponents, getting familiar with simple game mechanics and improving yourself through trial and error. It also contained unique rewards and elements like the katana in Halo 3 in which could only be obtained through getting all 1000 gamerscore or the armor effects after amassing a huge amount of credits in Halo Reach. Now everything seems limited, players can hardly change their own Spartan. This aspect of War Games makes Halo Multiplayer appear gimmicky, instead of producing the ah and mysteries the series had before. Now everything feels like a game, just that, fiction. Gameplay is more important than lore. Lore can only go so far in term of the multiplayer portion of the game. Did you guys Halo 4 multiplayer because of the lore or the gameplay features and content it had to offer to the player. I think it would be smarter if 343 would hold gameplay and content up to a higher standard than lore, especially the multiplayer portion of the game. Focus on adding more content that would make the game unique, more gamemodes, features that would blow peoples socks off. Things we have never seen before, take advantage of the basic map editor and apply it to matchamking. Make features that would let player share and become more social in the community. Dont let lore elements hold back players from doing the most in their Halo experience, why cant we play as Elites in matchmaking? What harm could that do? Why cant we go into battle with full customization and armor effects or rare a flaming helmet that takes skill to acquire. Im by no means bashing Halo 5.
I am just trying to give positive criticism so that I can open your mind causing you to think. Some defend 343 by saying the additions like ADS, Sprint, and the sort are all ok because it is ok. What Spartans cant run, it is so unrealistic, its what Spartans could do so it should be in the game. This logic is silly, if we apply this logic to other elements in the Halo games I can easily say something like there shouldnt be kill barriers on multiplayer maps because the barriers are fake and they wouldnt kill a Spartan or shooting and killing a Spartan in the foot shouldnt happen, its unrealistic and wouldnt happen in the books. A bit dramatic but you get the point. Its video game and it is meant to be played as so. Going strictly by lore could potentially break the game making gameplay mechanics unnatural and odd feeling. Why do you think most movies that are based on books tend to stray or be different from the books? Changing gameplay mechanics or removing them just for the sake of lore is backwards. Why not improve upon the original elements that made the game successful? Halo 2 was very bare bones simple mechanics like melee, shoot and grenade brought wonders. Halo 3 was just like Halo 2 but was improved was the introduction of new weapons, maps, gamemodes and content and equipment.
Im not saying Halo 5 is a bad game but the overall point im trying to get across is why should multiplayer be strictly canon? It removes some of the potential fun factor and limited the options that once made Halo unique. My reason for why I feel that gameplay and social experiences is more important than lore. I just want people to play Halo 5 and enjoy and let it excel but thanks for you time.