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Veknoid_Outcast on 12 February 2017
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Puppyroach said:
Veknoid_Outcast said:

No need to call folks bitter. I agree with teamsilent on this. 343 has been a poor shepherd of the series. Halo 4, for me, is the worst game in the series. The multiplayer is a confused and watered-down version of Call of Duty, and the single-player is just as bad. The story is mawkish and embarrassing, the level design is linear and uninspired, the QTEs are intrusive, and the artificial intelligence a step backward from Bungie's excellent work in Reach.

The single-player campaign in 5 is worse, if that's possible. The AI companions are as dumb as a sack of doorknobs, the story alternates between bewildering and silly, and the entire thing runs out of gas in the final act. It's saved somewhat by the return of arena multiplayer and the inclusion of Warzone (343's best and only meaningful contribution to Halo) but it's still a poor game, especially compared to earlier games in the series.

There are reasons people don't like the 343 games, and it's not bitterness or nostalgia. It's because 343 has turned the series into something far less enjoyable and far less enduring.

Some fans being bitter is the view I have of them since they can´t let go of the Halo of old. Calling the games "garbage" is irrational and signs of being bitter. They are not garbage in any way. You might think they are not as good as the old ones, but calling them garbage just goes to show it´s an emotional response, not a reflective one. It actually started happening with Reach,, this fan outrage, simply because Bungie started to evolve the formula for the game. Halo CE has an amazing story and was revolutionary for its time, but it had bad MP Halo 2 had a poorly told SP campaign, saved by an incredibly strong MP. Halo 3 had a bit weaker MP than Halo 2 but was overall a fantastic package. In my view, Halo 4-6 is following the same path, where 343i are coming into their own and will likely combine 4 and 5 t make a complete package for the 6th entry in the series.

Halo 5 sold 5 million within its first 3 months and will likely match Halo 2 in sales. it´s MP continues to be succesful, forge is the best it´s ever been and they have an over-arching idea with the story that I´m positive will show itself in Halo 6.

Halo has had an issue since the third entry, and that is that the story has become so complex that it´s hard for newcomers to get into it. I would hope that 343i will rectify some issue with Halo 5 for the next game, mainly:

- Splitscreen: This is my biggest gripe and the one thing I am angry about.

- Improve on armor mods and REQ system: The REQ system is brilliant but a bit too simplistic to be as enjoyable as it can be. Also, we need more armor mods like in the past (Reach did it great).

- Simplify storytelling: We need a summary at the beginning of each game and a more linear way of telling the story. It gets a bit to complex sometimes, especially for new fans.

But should they learn to let go? If they think the Bungie formula worked better, why not champion it moving forward? Halo is one of my favorite series of all time -- definitely my favorite FPS series -- but I remain disappointed with what 343/Microsoft have done with the property.

I'll agree that 343 learned its lesson from Halo 4 in terms of multiplayer. The multiplayer options in 5 are pretty sweet by comparison. I still think Halo 3 is the high water-mark for Halo multiplayer, though.

The single-player is still a mess though. Bullet-sponge bosses; waves of dumb enemies; a plot that requires pre-reading; over-reliance on cinematic cut-scenes and cinematic storytelling in general; and, worst of all, lazy level design and enemy placement that cuts at the heart of the series - tactical, improvisational gunplay. It's as if 343 thinks people love Halo only because of its mythology.

I do like your suggestions: bring back split-screen multiplayer and go back to a simpler, stream-lined plot. I dunno about REQs though. I'm actually not a big fan. I know 343 put systems in place to avoid abuse, but I'm just uncomfortable with the microtransaction-y element of it.

I just think 343 is so eager to prove itself different from Bungie that it's thrown away a lot of the progress made under the old regime. 343 has aped Call of Duty, Titanfall, and Battlefield, all in an attempt to make Halo different and unique. The result is something that's inferior to all of the above.