Halo 5 review

[dropcap]H[/dropcap]aving spent the last ten years playing through the Halo series, I’d consider myself something of a fan. From the revolutionary first-person shooting of Halo: Combat Evolved to the RTS combat of Halo Wars, I’ve experienced the width and breadth of what the Halo Universe has to offer on consoles. After something of a regression with Halo 4, I went into 343’s second outing in the series with tempered expectations, expectations that the game ultimately matched.

Narratively, Halo 5 seems somewhat disjointed from the rest of the series. Halo 4 spent a great deal of time attempting to establish a new threat in the form of the Forerunners as the ‘big bad’ of the new trilogy of Halo games, as well as orchestrating several large twists with overarching ramifications for the series as a whole. However, Halo 5 throws almost all of this plot development out of the window within the first few missions, leaving the stakes somewhat blurred and irrelevant. Even the role of the eponymous ‘Guardians’, the driving focus of the plot, is left unclear until near the climax of the game.

Halo 4 spent a great deal of time attempting to establish a new threat in the form of the Forerunners as the ‘big bad’ of the new trilogy of Halo games, as well as orchestrating several large twists with overarching ramifications for the series as a whole. However, Halo 5 throws almost all of this plot development out of the window within the first few missions

As such, players entering into Halo 5 with high expectations for the plot may be left disappointed. It’s by no means a bad story in any sense of the word, and for most other games the plot would be more than serviceable. However, for a series such as Halo, with such rich lore and backstory, gamers have come to rightfully expect more, and 343 fails to deliver in this regard.

More than anything, Halo 5 seems like a game where gameplay is king. The mechanics have changed quite dramatically from previous entries; most weapons now have access to iron sights or scopes, bringing aiming more in line with other shooters such as Call of Duty, and moving away from hip-fire focused shooting. Navigation has also changed, with directional strafing coming in greater use, as well as mantling onto and over surfaces, leading to increased mobility in combat. Overall, these modifications lead to an experience that feels more involved and more natural within the context of the series. You feel more like a badass Spartan than ever before.

Multiplayer is where the game really shines. The online experience has become a key competent of the series over the years, and Halo 5’s contribution stands out as one of the best. All the original game types have carried over, but the roster has been bolstered by a significant new entry in the form of War Zone. Here, large maps are populated by teams of players attempting to capture bases in order to gain points. However, the stakes are upped by the inclusion of AI bots in the form of Convent or Forerunners who attempt to kill everyone. This, combined with unlockable requisition tiers and randomly spawning ‘boss’ minions lends the mode a great deal of depth and diversity, drawing from elements of the ‘MOBA’ genre that has been growing in popularity in recent years.

343 are clearly very aware of what players like about the Halo multiplayer experience, and have gone to great lengths to include a large selection of maps populated by classic vehicles for players to enjoy, rather than the more interior focused maps of previous entries. This, combined with the improved control system creates a game that feels more at home with large, open-combat maps, giving players greater options for engagement.

343 are clearly very aware of what players like about the Halo multiplayer experience, and have gone to great lengths to include a large selection of maps populated by classic vehicles for players to enjoy, rather than the more interior focused maps of previous entries

However, while there is much to praise about multiplayer experience, Halo stumbles in its inclusion of what is becoming something of a multiplayer staple: packs. Called REQ Packs, these unlockables, which now also populate the FIFA and Call of Duty series, grant players random loot as they level up, or, crucially, if they pay for them. These packs award power weapons that are statically better than most other guns, thus essentially creating a ‘pay to win’ element within the game. This is unlikely to gel well with most players, and stands out as a glaring flaw in an otherwise stellar multiplayer experience.

Overall, your enjoyment of Halo 5 will be contingent on what you like about the series. If you’re a great fan of the story and the universe as a whole, then you will likely be left cold by this entry. However if you take pleasure in the simple act of shooting aliens in the face, or running down your friends in a floating spacecraft, then you’ll no doubt find a lot to enjoy.

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