I have been playing Halo for a long time. It's the title that pushed me into the core gaming community and has kept me a part of it ever since. It's the reason I've been an Xbox-first gamer and it drove my interests in literature and other media as I've developed a keen eye for science fiction and military science fiction. I read the books, I read the comics, I watch the animated features, the episodic series, collect statues and figures and so on. I know Halo pretty well in and out. I'm no pro, but I have enjoyed the franchise just the same. It's like the Star Wars equivalent of video games for me.
So how does Halo 5: Guardians stack up against the rest of the series? And how does it fit in the Halo Universe? Let's take a look!
New but Familiar Gameplay
The core mechanics and gameplay are a refreshing take on the series that made its name on slow-moving and heavy heroes. The series may have begun with no sprinting and tank-like mobility, but the overall lore of the universe allows for these super-soldiers to maneuver much more fluidly. What good is a Mjolnir suit if you can't crash through the enemy or mantle and clamber onto a ledge? The thruster packs have always been there to use if needed, but they weren't in the games. Now you can dodge out of fire or across a gap to make leaps you never could before. But be careful. If you get caught with your shields down and decide to make a quick sprinting exit, they won't recharge until you stop. For the "purists" who believe sprinting shouldn't be in the game, this adds a kink in the armour that limits your ability to motor on through enemies with ease. As a result, the mobility remains fun and frantic. You feel like a walking Spartan tank but you don't lose the sense of danger in the face of the enemy.
Many fan-favourite weapons make a return such as the AR and BR along with a host of Covenant and Promethean weapons that have always looked and acted impressively in your hands. It was a bit upsetting to see the SPNKR rocket launcher go by the wayside, but the new one can fire a heavy salvo. There seems to be more than one tool for any situation. And they feel so tangible and hefty with the Xbox One controller and its duel vibration packs in the triggers. I have always loved this feature and each time I play a new game it seems that they have improved on the function.
Vehicles remain a staple in the Halo gameplay, making a long running mission pick up in a flash, or should I say Phaeton. Oh boy, are those Promethean aircrafts fun. I've always enjoyed the Banshee and even that Hornet in the past, but the Phaeton's controls feel better than the Hornet's and it packs a punch.
The level design can be a bit confusing at times, but it sticks with the mostly linear pathways and grand-scale structures. There are a number of pathways to choose from in a lot of different situations, so flanking can be made easier, but it also works in your enemy's favour. If you take your time to look for hidden passageways and caves, sometimes you will come across vehicles or weapons caches that will give you the advantage in a pinch.
Past Halo games have been primarily single-play games in terms of story, but co-op has always been an option. Before Halo 5, I used to pretend that the second player was another Spartan II like Fred, Kelly or Linda, making it more fun than two Master Chiefs running around. The lore has always supported the opportunity to get in a squad and combat the enemy together, but it always seemed a bit awkward in the core games. Now, Halo 5: Guardians allows you to play in a fireteam more naturally with squad-based combat in both single-player and co-op gameplay. As John-117 you lead your fellow remaining Spartan IIs in Blue Team and as Spartan Locke you command Fireteam Osiris, made up of other Spartan IVs Olympia Vale, Holly Tanaka and Edward Buck, the fan favourite former ODST played by Nathan Fillion.
Lore Continuity and Fans of the Universe
Halo 5: Guardians seems to have been written with fans of the extended Halo lore in mind. At least, for the most part. The Halo books have told great stories about the Spartan IIs, IIIs and even sometimes the new IVs, but some of the greatest instalments were written by Eric Nylund. He and Frank O'Connor created Blue Team in Halo: The Fall of Reach and paved the way for a deep story within the core game experience. Halo 5 doesn't exactly explain any of Blue Team's story or relationship, possibly assuming you've heard the story or will seek it out. However, even a fan of the lore would like to know "how the hell did Chief find Fred, Linda and Kelly again?"
Spartan Locke and Fireteam Osiris are new additions to the Halo canon, if you don't count Locke's time with ONI in Halo: Nightfall, which does not come recommended. These Spartan IVs work well together and I feel the writing and dialogue flow suited them better. Buck was a fan favourite character in Halo 3: ODST and makes a triumphant return as a Spartan in Halo 5. He carries the charisma for all of Osiris and they would have suffered without him. I wasn't given any reason to like this team other than Buck, but their chemistry and playability allowed Osiris to grow on me. Even Spartan Locke wasn't such a bad guy. Ah, yes. "Bad guy," which leads me to my next point.
Misleading Marketing and Locke-Sided Gameplay
Halo 5: Guardians has been introduced to fans as a "Hero Vs. Hero" story line pitting Master Chief and Spartan Locke against one another. Advertisements and live-action commercials promised a competitive relationship and general dislike between John and Locke, what with Chief being officially dead according to ONI and Locke's mission being a recover or kill order. Chief was branded as a traitor depending on the perspective the marketing took at the time. But in the game, Chief goes rogue with Blue Team and Fireteam Osiris are ordered to retrieve them. He is given permission to use deadly force, but he doesn't. Chief and Locke only have a very well choreographed fist fight which I found to be similar to the fight between Cooper and Mann in Interstellar because of the physical display amidst a universe-spanning storyline of greater significance. When Locke finally reaches Chief they come out together and Locke is made a hero for preventing Blue Team from being led down a dark path. Chief is not officially dead at any time, and Locke isn't the aggressive man I'd been told he was.
I'd like to make a side note regarding the gameplay split between Chief and Locke, and it may upset longtime fans of John's story. There are fifteen chapters that make up the full Halo 5 campaign, but Chief is only playable in three of them. Three! The main character, the beloved mascot of the Xbox isn't even in his own title for more than twenty percent, and when he is he is hardly the hero he has always been known to be. This is incredibly frustrating for fans and it doesn't bode well for the future of Spartan Locke. He may be a good character but he is not a replacement for Spartan-117.
A Return to Multiplayer Form
Halo 2's arena multiplayer changed the game for console shooters in the years that followed, even making it hard for its successors to match or surpass the feat achieved by the sequel in 2004. I believe Halo 5's multiplayer modes are the best in the series since Halo 2, with the return of 4v4 arena and a new addition in Warzone. The new mode combines campaign-like objective based PVE with competitive PVP multiplayer. Spartans must capture their base by clearing out AI players and defeat bosses around the map all while defending themselves and their base from enemy online player and attempting to take their locations as well.
Warzone is a long battle, but lots of fun because Halo 5 has introduced a Requisition System. Players unlock Req Packs by gaining experience and hitting level milestones, and depending on XP spent and the level hit, the Req Packs could be a bronze, silver or gold tier unlock. Players unlock temporary vehicles, special weapons and abilities for Warzone as well as permanent unlocks like armour and weapons skins. This makes levelling up a lot of fun for Halo 5 and builds on the drab system introduced in Halo 4. I'm always on the lookout for a cool new helmet or an Magnum weapon skin.
Arena multiplayer brings back that close-quarters hard hitting team game that was so familiar in the first two Halo games. The new Spartan abilities increase the speed of the Arena game, allowing more verticality to the sci-fi shooter. It doesn't feel gimmicky like Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare's vertical systems, and it is less weightless than Titanfall's, making Halo feel more grounded and bulky without sacrificing speed. The sprint ability may not seem very Halo, but the shield recharged restriction while making a run for it curbs the power considerably.
Breakout is a new arena mode introduced in Halo 5 that flings Spartans into cool new maps for a One-Flag CTF, but that flag isn't easy to get. You start with SMGs and have half your shields, so good luck staying alive in the open. Breakout uses a round-based elimination system with a best-of-nine series because the rounds only last as long as the flag is captured, all four players are killed or a total of two minutes. I've never seen a round clocked out. It's fast and fun. A welcomed new mode.
But Was It Fun?
Yeah, Halo 5: Guardians is fun. I have my issues with the story and sometimes Warzone can be a little complicated and hectic, but the game is worth the purchase. The campaign is quick, but it plays well for those who aren't huge into the lore. If you haven't played a Halo game and you have an Xbox One, no excuses. Pick up The Master Chief Collection and knock out the first four (and don't forget ODST!). You can really see how far these games have come. I wish there was more Master Chief and Blue Team, but it was interesting to play as a new character for a little time. Locke isn't such a bad guy after all, and I hope he can return in the future. However, I don't want him around at the expense of Master Chief. If I continue to get less Chief because of Locke, toss him out the air lock because the light is not green, Spartan.
Play Halo 5: Guardians for a fun, but convoluted campaign and a refreshing multiplayer.
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