Halo 5: Guardians Review

Halo 5: Guardians is not only another major step Microsoft’s star franchise on their new hardware but a chance at redemption for last November’s Halo: The Master Chief Collection’s troublesome launch.

Now, 343 Industries seeks to reclaim the hearts of many and decides that the best way to regain fans' trust is to take as many risks as possible. That’s what Halo 5 is, a refinement of the iconic formula that made the franchise such a hit. It stumbles along the way, but at the end, Halo 5 sets new standards for the series.

Halo 5 doesn’t play like other Halo games, yet it also pays tribute to past titles in the franchise. New mechanics, such as aiming down your sights, have become a staple in many other shooters, but this new addition dramatically changes the flow of the game. As a result, the combat has taken a different path, requiring steady aiming rather than run-and-gun tactics to succeed.

Customizable Spartan abilities have been removed, and now players have free access to new and old armor upgrades. Thruster packs allow for quick dashes, Spartans can remain in mid-air for a small duration if they aim their weapons while falling, and sliding is ideal for getting into cover. Of course, each comes with a cost; thruster energy is finite and must recharge after each use. Sprinting also comes with a setback: it halts all regeneration until you remain stationary.

These flashy new abilities come with some special complementary attacks. Sprinting forward and triggering a melee attack will send Spartans flying forward with immense force, and a ground pound can be performed in mid-air, perfect for diving into enemies from the air. Seeing enemies fly across the battlefield after dashing forward, or crumbling after a massive ground pound, never loses its appeal.

Perhaps the most significant achievement of Halo 5 is that it still plays like Halo. My biggest fear after playing the Halo 5 Beta was that 343 would focus on popular trends rather than the core concepts that defined the Halo franchise, but after the first mission, these fears quickly disappeared. Power weapons still cause massive calamity and prove to be vital tools during difficult battles, and proper awareness of the battlefield is necessary during hectic fights. 

Graphically, the varied environments and cutscenes are gorgeous. You’ll travel from exotic forest to destroyed alien worlds while facing a combination of Covenant and Forerunner enemies. While the Covenant forces remain adamant in their previous tactics and enemies, Grunts are used as cannon fodder and suicide bombers; Jackels stick to long-range combat or carrying shielding; Hunters toting heavy weaponry; and Elites leading assaults with shielding.

The Forerunners have adapted new tools and upgrades, with the biggest edition being the soldier. This nimble adversary can dash across the field, either closing in or quickly running into cover.

Each level has been carefully crafted with a myriad of hidden pathways and vertical ledges. Expanding and capturing the sandbox style of Halo: Combat Evolved, curious players can find hidden passages tucked away within each stage. These hidden paths can be smashed open using your Spartan Charge, unveiling flanking opportunities or hidden weapons. Unfortunately, the campaign doesn’t deliver a solid reason to care.

The campaign starts building itself up only to stop halfway. Those unfamiliar with the Halo lore will find little reason to care for any of these characters outside of the Master Chief, who takes the backseat to Agent Locke.

Locke is charged with finding the Master Chief after he and his team go AWOL. The story had a lot of potential, focusing on loyalty and relationships, but it feels rushed, as the only point was to bridge Halo 5 and the eventual Halo 6.

Despite having cooperative options available in past Halo games, this is the first time we see it as a core concept within the campaign. Both Master Chief and Agent Locke are accompanied by three other Spartans who can be controlled either by other players or AI. Unfortunately, the AI-controlled allies are horrendous.

Unless given a direct command, allies will ignore enemy targets, even missing at point-blank range, and have trouble performing basic tasks such as reviving. The campaign is manageable, even on Legendary, without support, but if given the option, play with other people. What’s more bewildering is the lack of a campaign scoring system or campaign matchmaking.

Those who play Halo primarily for multiplayer will be in FPS heaven. With seven modes and up to 24 player support, players will find a lot to love in the competitive arena.

Speaking of arena Arena is the highlight of Halo 5 multiplayer. With 5 modes that support small battlefields, precise aiming is essential. Power weapons appear at specific intervals, and the announcer counts down the moments until they spawn. Similar to Crysis 2, player avatars now act as conduits for information, yelling details such as “Sniper almost up”, enemy locations, and if you’re “One-Shot”.

Map design takes advantage of the new gameplay mechanics. The interesting vertical design offers quite a few ledges to clamber up, and many walkways provide useful vantage points but leave players exposed.

The real issue is how the maps look; after playing through all the maps, they began to bleed together. Most of them have no distinctive look and resemble computer simulations. Those wishing to create their own maps will find a diverse array of options for crafting new maps from existing ones.

Warzone is Big Team Battle with a new twist. Two teams of twelve engage in a large battlefield, taking hold of key objectives while collecting resources by killing players, enemy-controlled AI opponents, and holding bases. Players must either reach 1,000 points or capture all the bases and destroy the enemy’s core to win. Specific maps were designed for Warzone, and they show that battles become hectic, with players darting between capturing bases and killing high-value AI targets. 

As you accomplish objectives you’ll gain a higher requisition level, the higher the level the stronger weapons, vehicles and power-ups you can request. To get these items, you need to spend REQ Points, with the strength of the weapon determining the price.

You’re also limited to the number of cards you have. Cards are required by spending REQ Points through special booster packs, if you happen to get a card you don’t have any use for selling it for REQ Points is an option.

These booster packs are how you unlock permanent unlocks, such as weapons loadouts, cosmetic items for customizing your Spartan, and assassination animations. If earning REQ Points becomes too tedious, you can purchase them with real money.

Based on my experience, earning REQ Points to buy the highest grade pack was easy enough. Those who play enough multiplayer to earn higher ranks and complete commendations will acquire special one-time packs.

Halo 5 is powered by bold changes and new ideas. Blasting through walls, scurrying up walls, and smashing enemies into pieces is great fun with friends and against other players.

The campaign ends with a whimper and with so much potential wasted it’s heartbreaking knowing we’ll have to wait until Halo 6 to see if 343 Industries can create the intense drama that Halo 5 could’ve been. Despite all its faults, Halo 5: Guardians firmly sets Halo’s position as one of the best FPS games ever.