Survive The Critic

Halo 2 was simply ahead of it’s time. The campaign itself offered endless variety from mission to mission. Play as the covenant taking on a bunch of heretics with unique armor. Watch the brutes and elites fight it out in a civil war as the master chief. Defend a space station from a covenant invasion. Every mission felt so unique which made it extremely enjoyable. The multiplayer is also what made the franchise blow up. The new weapons and competitive modes were revolutionary. No long review needed. The game is simply amazing.

Halo 5: Guardians is a unique addition to the Halo franchise. It introduced so awesome new mechanics but fell short to feel like a Halo game. Let’s break it down. Campaign: The campaign was the weakest point of the game in my experience. The focus on fireteam Osiris over blue team was a mistake. While they were interesting characters, their story line seemed much less important than the mission of blue teams. They storyline also felt confusing and a desperate effort to switch the story line from Halo 4. I finished the campaign with no satisfaction but countless questions. The choice to kill or Jul through a cutscene was lazy. The choice to introduce Warden with little purpose was confusing. I will admit that the new ai Spartans and the ability to control them was a fun addition, when it worked. Overall, not memorable. Multiplayer: The multiplayer is simply amazing. Fast paced and competitive modes along with party modes allowed me to play without getting bored. The new mechanics of the ground pound and thruster packs allowed unique gameplay. The war zone game type was a masterpiece of a mode that allowed you to play how you felt comfortable, whether in a tank or sniping while invisible. However, it did not feel like a Halo multiplayer experience, it was still loads of fun. Progression: The games progression was decent. The inability to choose what to unlock or having to open random reward packs is troubling. As always games should go back to unlocking certain gear for certain achievements. The leveling XP system seemed to work well. The ranked system could be more balanced for teams as even if you play really well and lose you will still be punished. Art Style: The games new weapons and REQ variants were phenomenal and well balanced. I enjoyed using every type of weapon. I was even more thrilled when classic weapon designs such as the rocket launcher and beam rifle came out. I wish the would’ve done that for the Carbine and Shotgun. The covenant art style is horrible still. The blocky elites, toad grunts, and Dino Jackals do not feel like Halo. The campaign sandbox and map sandboxes were well made, too much forerunner focus of course but that is the point of the game. The new armor sets also are hit or miss. I love the variety, but some serve no purpose. Custom Games and Forge: Best in the series by far. The forge options are hard to use for new comers. However, it is extremely precise and advanced, especially when using scripting or lighting. Some of the most fun modes have come out of Halo 5. The custom games browser that was introduced also allows for endless fun. This was the strongest part of the game. Overall the game has a lot going for it. The failure to feel like a halo game is sadly what turned many OG fans against it. It is a fun game to play regardless and is one that I will continue to enjoy.