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.