I like the gameplay, I like the maps, I like the artstyle...
I hate EVERYTHING else about it because it is objectively a step back in every fucking dimension and unlike others, I don't just sit there not saying anything because unlike others it seems, I actually want this to be successful. but go on the official reddit and look for the hundreds of threads ripping the game's monetisation apart and telling 343i how terrible the armor customization is...
343 made sure Halo is no longer at the top of the food-chain of shooters, and if they continue to do that for any longer it will some day mean the death of the franchise.
and I already see MANY issue coming to this game. the game is clearly extremely unfinished and if they don't add a shitload of content and don't fix the glaring issues, I expect most people to drop it faster than you can say 343 Industries sucks.
this is a highly competitive market with many options for players. if your game is not a good option they will drop it. look what happened to HyperScape, an initial hype with EVERY big streamer playing it... then the beta was over and the game dropped in viewership, dropped in player numbers and is now basically dead.
why? because outside of the decent gameplay idea (fast arena shooter like BR) there was not much else, it got old real fast.
and we already know Season 1 of Infinite will last 6 months... in these 6 Months almost no new content outside of event based skins and 1 or 2 modes will be released (that is at least the current plan)
with the fact that the content is already not even half of that of that launch version of Halo Reach, THAT IS BAD NEWS
Campaign launches without coop, a staple of the Halo franchise THAT EVERY GAME LAUNCHED WITH DAY 1... will come out SIX MONTHS after the campaign launches!
Forge, a mode that helped the longevity and the popularity of the multiplayer in past halo games WILL NOT LAUNCH FOR ANOTHER NINE FUCKING MONTHS!
this launch is nothing short of a fucking shameful display of what 343 is... a clearly incompetent development team that either lacks talent or leadership, maybe both, and that can't release a single product in a finished state even after an extremely long development time and 12 additional months of development due to a LAST MINUTE delay...
don't forget that last part... this game would have launched 12 months ago if it wasn't for the extreme backlash it got at E3. Imagine what game we would have gotten 12 months ago when it takes them another 9 months from now to have the game feature complete.
This is the truth. The game has an amazing skeleton. It feels great to play, the very few maps we have are good fun*, and the art direction is an amazing step forward. It isn’t the prettiest game, not even close, but it has its own unique style and it goes all out with it. I really dig it.
(*When you aren’t being easily spawn killed on the smaller maps like Behemoth)
The problems though? They are problems every self-respecting fan of gaming and Halo (especially) should be screaming out to 343i and Microsoft.
The first problem is the most blatant. There is no content. We have less content than ever before and even the first Halo had more maps, customization options, and choices. If you want the same level of customization as even Halo 1 with basic things such as colors? Be prepared to spend a lot of money. You want to play on specific, common modes such as SWAT? Infestation? Or how about just Slayer matches? Too bad. They either don’t exist or heavily RNG Against you.
The second problem is only a problem if you cared about customization and that is the Battle Pass. The speed at which you level, the methods which you use to level, and the ”rewards” with in. It is endlessly padded out with Challenge Change tokens and things such as splitting shoulders into *two* separate rewards. The Weekly Challenges, your primary source of leveling also offers a unique/rare customization option that promotes FOMO and pushes players to grind out challenges or outright buy challenge change tokens if they are randomly given ones that are too difficult/situational. This is all by design. Its basic Skinner Box manipulation and its predatory.
The third problem is a problem for everyone, including those that don’t give a damn about customization. Games are ruined by folks going for challenges. It doesn’t just happen in unranked matches, but even up to the highest levels in Onyx, it has already been shown and reported people are ignoring these objectives to specifically focus on Challenges alongside…
KDR. The fourth problem is only a problem for those who care about Ranked. You are heavily weighted on your KDR and not your objective play. This leads to people ignoring objectives and creating every match to be Slayer matches. If you are heavily outmatched, you can often find yourself in an endless barrage of deaths as the opposing team refuses to win the match, instead grinding out kills. While previous games had people ignoring objectives, the current system *rewards* players for doing it, causing it to happen far more often.
You get less content over all. Even after a year with the planned release schedule, you still have less content than that of Halo 3. The launch of this MP has less content than even the first game. You have less options, less choices, and if you want to have the same wealth of content you need to spend three times the price that you would have had paid if it was made like any other Halo product.
Being “free” isn’t an excuse to be lazy, to put out a weaker product. Especially when other free products do more at launch and treat the player base with more respect In regards to their wallets and time. This also isn’t some Indie dev team. This is a flagship studio on a flagship franchise. We should expect more, and better, for Halo.
However, I am sure I will get called out, insulted, and dismissed by the typical fanboys and xbox console warriors who are so afraid of realizing that there are objectively awful design decisions in play here. The saddest thing is, these same people criticized other games for doing these exact things. But, just remember, it was OK when *they* did it because it wasn’t an exclusive.
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