Halo 5: Guardians

Editor's Notes

Digital Xbox One version reviewed.

Introduction

343 Industries, a subsidiary of Microsoft, was given control over the 'Halo' franchise in 2012. They took over the reigns from Bungie, who had separated from Microsoft after 'Reach' and went their separate way to release 'Destiny'. As custodians of 'Halo', 343 has released several games, most notably 'Halo 4' in 2012 that received strong reviews. 'Halo 5: Guardians' is the first original game in the series for the Xbox One, following the 'Spartan Assault' mobile port and the 'Master Chief Collection' compilation.

The Game Itself: Our Reviewer's Take

'Halo 5' uses a split perspective in its campaign narrative. Part of the story is experienced in the boots of the Master Chief, now leading a team consisting of some of the last remaining Spartan-II supersoldiers. At the beginning of the story, Chief is still aligned with the human military, at least philosophically. The rest of the campaign is experienced from the point of view of Locke, a Spartan-IV who leads the Osiris fireteam, which also includes Buck from 'Halo: ODST'.

The canon of 'Halo' has become unwieldy over the years, especially as the games have been crowded in with various other media like novels, comic books, and films. For a pleb like me who is only familiar with the actual video games, many of the characters are strangers, though they may have appeared elsewhere in the continuity at some point. Still, even with my limited knowledge, I was able to mostly keep up with all of competing powers and conflicts. The Covenant is in a state of civil war, with remnants being led by the Arbiter of 'Halo 2' fame. The self-righteous Didact from 'Halo 4' has been put on the back burner for now, although his digitized Promethean forces are still at large and being used for nefarious purposes. And then there is Cortana.

Cortana is still alive, and her existence and motivations are the impetus for 'Halo 5's storyline. In the interest of spoiler avoidance I won’t mention her exact situation, but suffice it to say that I am pleased with the direction 343 is taking. They are not averse to taking risks, even with Microsoft’s golden goose. The Chief again defies orders, and Osiris is given the awful task of bringing him in. There is little difference in gameplay between the Chief and Locke, and I enjoyed playing both segments.

In terms of shooting, 'Halo 5' is a treat in all of its gameplay modes. The gunplay is furious and relentless. Because the entire campaign is 4 player co-op, with AI teammates replacing human players when needed, the difficulty seems a touch higher. Enemies are smart and very mobile, particularly the Prometheans, who have a habit of teleporting, sprinting, or making long jumps across the battlefield. The Knights are far tankier and often require the attention of the entire team to dispatch. Locke and the Chief can give commands to their AI squadmates, and though they are limited (move here, pick up this weapon, kill this target, etc.), they make fighting more dynamic. Also of note is squad revival, where Spartans have a brief period of time when downed before they die, and can be picked up by teammates to prevent a checkpoint restart. "Dead" AI squaddies are unavailable until the next checkpoint.

All of the Spartan abilities showcased in the multiplayer beta earlier this year are available in single- and multiplayer. This includes the charge, butt smash, hover scoping, etc. A few have been tweaked slightly. These make for a more fast-paced multiplayer experience, where Spartans are frequently clambering over things to escape or get the high ground, or boosting away from incoming grenades, or closing the distance with a judicious charge. Many weapons have been altered, like the magnum and laser, and there are a few new ones. The plasma launcher is a favorite of mine because it can fire sticky or bouncy projectiles, which both have their uses depending on the situation.