When 343 Industries took the reins of “Halo,” one of the biggest changes was how the developer expanded the sci-fi franchise’s universe. It has become a series that relies less on Master Chief and Cortana and richer with strong supporting characters. The film “Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn” and miniseries “Halo: Nightfall” gave tertiary figures such as UNSC Navy Capt. Thomas Lasky and Spartan Jameson Locke some much-needed limelight.
With “Halo 5: Guardians,” the developer pushes that concept further. Although Master Chief still gets top billing, this entry is a vehicle for lesser-known heroes — namely Locke and his Fireteam Osiris. The squad run by the Office of Naval Intelligence is hunting down Master Chief and his Blue Team, which has mysteriously gone AWOL.
The uneven campaign switches perspective between the two units as fans discover the reasons behind Master Chief’s departure and uncover a new threat to the galaxy. The cooperative experience is a change for the series as the “Halo 5” encourages players to work together in teams of four. To compensate, 343 Industries adjusts the level design to focus on huge spaces and multiple routes toward a shared goal. It lets players switch between a variety of roles.
They can be a sniper backing up the squad or the commando leading the attack. The array of ways to finish a level encourages exploration and problem-solving with the new Spartan abilities. Players can break through walls and uncover new paths by charging. They can attack the Covenant and Forerunner forces from above using a ground pound. They can escape a grenade blast with a dash in the right direction. And that means brute force and bigger guns aren’t always the best approach to advancing. Sometimes sneaking behind enemy lines or ambushing foes is more effective than four Spartans armed with rocket launchers. The new moves offer a sense of freedom to maneuver through a bigger world.
Master Chief fans will be disappointed with the amount of face time their hero gets. Most of the 15 campaign missions are spent with Fireteam Osiris and this makes it feel as though Blue Team’s half of the story is shorted. Don’t get me wrong. Locke and company have their moments, especially with Edward Buck, played by Nathan Fillion, on the squad, but fans have so much more invested with Master Chief and the fact that his own conflict doesn’t get more of the spotlight is a missed opportunity. Hopefully, the developer can address that issue with the sixth installment. (And yes, barring the apocalypse, there will be one.)
When it comes to multiplayer, 343 Industries has much better success with its efforts to shake up the old formula. They do this mostly with the new REQ system, which brings a card element to multiplayer. Instead of unlocking new weapons and items through experience points, players now earn requisition points and spend that on REQ packs. These digital offerings contain a random slew of items and upgrades, which can be used in “Halo 5’s” two main modes — Arena and Warzone.
Focused on skill, Arena only lets players use cosmetics and boosts in the multiplayer competition. This is where players find old favorites such as Slayer and Capture the Flag. But there’s also a new four-versus-four competitive mode called Breakout, which is geared toward eSports. It’s a game that pits two teams in a “Counter-Strike” style match. Once players die, they are eliminated and can’t return. The match ends when all players on one team are dead or if they manage to bring a flag to the enemy base. It’s fast-paced and intense with each round lasting less than five minutes. It’s a mode that’s sure to be streamed.
With Warzone, 343 Industries threw everything it could think of into a multiplayer match. I call it the kitchen-sink mode. It puts two teams of 12 against each other in a large map. The goal is to reach a 1,000 point total, and that’s done by holding up to three bases scattered on the field. They can also battle each other or computer-controlled foes that spawn randomly on the map for points. The variety of ways players get to contribute means that Warzone is accessible to players of all skill levels. The fact that they can use all the REQ cards means that items like vehicles and special weapons will be used. It’s a mode best described as controlled chaos, but one that many fans will be playing long after the campaign is finished.
Contact Gieson Cacho at 510-735-7076 or gcacho@bayareanewsgroup.com. Read his blog at http://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei.
‘halo 5: Guardians’
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Platform: Xbox One
Rating: Teem
