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How can Halo have its day in the sun again?

What would you do with Halo?

  • [Lore] Soft reboot: Back to end of Reach

    Votes: 24 23.8%
  • [Lore] Hard reboot: Start again, consolidate story into one title

    Votes: 28 27.7%
  • [Lore] Carry on: Continue from end of Infinite

    Votes: 22 21.8%
  • [Campaign] Keep open world with campaign instances

    Votes: 23 22.8%
  • [Campaign] Back to dedicated linear campaign

    Votes: 52 51.5%
  • [Online] Create a Halo GaaS like Destiny/Warframe

    Votes: 9 8.9%
  • [Online] Create a smaller PvE coop game like Warhammer/DRG

    Votes: 16 15.8%
  • [Online] Continue/Migrate current PvP

    Votes: 12 11.9%
  • [Online] Reboot the online completely

    Votes: 31 30.7%

  • Total voters
    101

Quezacolt

Member
It can't.

I loved Halo, not so much for the multiplayer, but the single player.

343i doesn't know what to do with that, nor do they know what the multiplayer fans of Halo.

Microsoft itself can't do anything either, because as soon as the original devs stop working with them, they give the ip to someone else, that nowadays just cares about spreading the message, and not the games lore, gameplay or anything like.

Look at Gears. Sure, it's holding up better than Halo, but ask any fan since the first game, and they hate the direction the series is going.

MS lost their best talent before the release of the xbox one, and at this point, those franchises only exist because the name still carries some meaning, but for how long?

Only Forza is still going strong, and why? Still the same studio since the first game (not counting the horizon games, those are made by another studio, but has been the same since the first horizon).
 

Chronicle

Member
Most Games I play are gory and packed with action. I just like running into the thick of things and shoot bash and explode/saw anything that gets in my way. Gears, God of war, Killzone etc.

I always found I was going backwards in Halo. Hiding around corners with shitty pew pew guns. No thanks.

The game is just not mature enough. No blood and Halo chief just can't get'er done. Groundbreaking on OG xbox and didn't mature enough on 360.

Pew pew pew
 

baphomet

Member
Kids playing video games today weren't even alive during Halo's prime. It's never been a "must-play" or even remotely popular online game during their lives.

Microsoft managed to bury their flagship 6 feet deep through sheer idiocy in management.
 
They should just turn it into a co op squad based 3rd person cover based shooter like gears of war.

Then changed gears into a fps.
Two birds one stone. You have just breathed new life into both games.
 
Most Games I play are gory and packed with action. I just like running into the thick of things and shoot bash and explode/saw anything that gets in my way. Gears, God of war, Killzone etc.

I always found I was going backwards in Halo. Hiding around corners with shitty pew pew guns. No thanks.

The game is just not mature enough. No blood and Halo chief just can't get'er done. Groundbreaking on OG xbox and didn't mature enough on 360.

Pew pew pew

A good point. Halo chased the "teen" or less than teen friendly shit. Halo should have gone M or R and really matured as it audience of 2 decades did. At the very least they could have really pushed mature graphics but kept a Halo vibrancy to it. This shouldn't be confused with crappy target acquisition such as games like COD. Halo was always a clean and clear presentation and even that got FUBAR under 343 with Infinite. So much visual noise, even in multiplayer engagements and map designs.
 

Razvedka

Banned
I don't think it can. Halo as we know it is over.

Best case? They make Halo more of a 'setting', and not attached to Chief or prior conflicts (human vs covenant). Open it up, do other things. World build.

Like Star Wars pre-disney or 40k.
 
I also think many are in for a surprise when Hoberman, of Halo 2/XBL and Halo 3 fame, releases Halo's battle royale-esque mode called Tatanka. Apparently slated for this year and been in development by Certain Affinity for years at this point; I read it was being built away from the 343 team as well. Hopefully they've really let him run free and his take on modernising Halo is likely to be the best multiplayer modes and maps this side of Halo 2/3. It's all Halo ever need with respect to multiplayer, great maps and modes. The mechanics really didn't need to change at all. Clean and pure was always it's greatest equalising strength and fun.

As for campaign it needs a great overarching story with each game holding their own while having expansive and season based meaningful content. Stop rebuilding the damned engine all the time and get to the content. In 7 years we've had fuck all Halo story, how sad.
 

Corian33

Member
Do something completely different with the setting. Halo as an FPS has hit its peak and is tired. We've all been there and done that like 15 years ago. Time to let the setting itself run wild.

Give me The Division but it’s Halo and you’re an ODST fighting it out in a warzone.

Do Halo Wars again but mix it up, maybe Dawn of War 2 style. Fewer units but each one is distinct and throw in some RPG elements.

What someone else said, make a third person action game where you’re a Spartan going ham on them fools like MC in the books.
 

Chronicle

Member
A good point. Halo chased the "teen" or less than teen friendly shit. Halo should have gone M or R and really matured as it audience of 2 decades did. At the very least they could have really pushed mature graphics but kept a Halo vibrancy to it. This shouldn't be confused with crappy target acquisition such as games like COD. Halo was always a clean and clear presentation and even that got FUBAR under 343 with Infinite. So much visual noise, even in multiplayer engagements and map designs.
Appreciate the reply. I bet if they rebooted the whole thing and made it way more gritty and with some Battlefieldesque audio it would be a huge success. Get dirty with big explosions and environmental damage and a little more mature subject matter would sell xboxes big time.

Frankly I think this gen has lacked a game like that on all consoles. Too bad.

Edit: Actually Cyberpunk was great looking a gritty, dark and mature. My bad.
 
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DKPOWPOW

Member
Infinite is very solid, it’s a great game right now. As long as the updates keep coming, I say carry on…

But they need to bring back Elites in multiplayer. ASAP
 
It's all Halo ever need with respect to multiplayer, great maps and modes. The mechanics really didn't need to change at all. Clean and pure was always it's greatest equalising strength and fun.

Halo Infinite's modes, maps, and mechanics aren't the problem though.

It's the progression, the community engagement, the continual updates to keep things fresh. The basic "maps and modes" isn't enough in 2023.

I am seriously doubtful Certain Affinity has anything major lined up for this year
 

VAVA Mk2

Member
Halo Infinite's modes, maps, and mechanics aren't the problem though.

It's the progression, the community engagement, the continual updates to keep things fresh. The basic "maps and modes" isn't enough in 2023.

I am seriously doubtful Certain Affinity has anything major lined up for this year
I wonder if we at least get a teaser? ¯⁠\⁠_⁠(⁠ツ⁠)⁠_⁠/⁠¯
 
Halo Infinite's modes, maps, and mechanics aren't the problem though.

It's the progression, the community engagement, the continual updates to keep things fresh. The basic "maps and modes" isn't enough in 2023.

I am seriously doubtful Certain Affinity has anything major lined up for this year

I disagree. Apex Legends is basically an evolution of Halo and character/class based FPS. The movement, mechanics, weapons and more, with the exception of vehicles, are eerily similar and far better executed by Respawn than 343. The same can be said for the maps, just great maps and engagement spaces with dynamic circles giving replayability. I do agree the keeping things fresh with new maps/modes/story is key and Infinite failed hard there. It's getting better but there is a ton of whacky stuff in there or esports divide still. Apex is the best take on Halo multiplayer out there currently, especially with regional servers and population to play with. Health? check, Shields? check, Recharging? check, Respawning (albeit by a teammate)? check, Intrinsic squad and solo play to win? check, Limited weapons you can carry? check, Sandbox similarities? check, Map engagements from indoor to outdoor? check. Guns, grenades and melee? check. Obviously Apex adds characters/classes/abilities but again the similarities in terms of visual/audio cues to know what you're up against before the encounter are very much there.

One could reasonably argue Halo, COD, BF, Destiny PvP, Overwatch, CS and all those types of FPS are all just great maps and modes of very similar games; fundamentally speaking. This is where the focus by 343 went awry, they went too far in shaking up Halo repeatedly and lost what it is to be a Halo title and its maps/sandbox. I don't think Certain Affinity is going down that same route and giving the BR formula a more classic Halo flavour while they're at it.

It was stated sometime ago for Tatanka to be due out this year. There has been radio silence for a long time and with the 343 shake up and axing of Infinite content it's a dark horse and could be lost entirely or stealth dropped at the Xbox showcase coming up. Who knows...
 
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Which Halo game is considered to be the pinnacle of the series by most, and what makes it the best representation of what the majority ask for from the franchise?
 
Halo Infinite campaign was excellent and did put it back up in lights. 87 Metacritic coming from a ton of media who would like nothing better than to give it last rites.

It was the multiplayer that fell down, and the majority of people don't play multiplayer anyway.

Here is what they need to do.
1. MS buys Certain Affinity. They can take the multiplayer off 343i.

2. 343 need to work out what they are doing with their game engine.
It was one of the major things that effected the games development.
MS has a number of internal engines they can use like Idtech, and once the fighting mechanisms have been added to Forzatech they may be able to use that. The new Forzatech 2.0 is going to be cutting edge and capable of doing open worlds. They could rework slipspace or even adopt Unreal Engine.

3. Spend some time working out the story arch and come up with a cohesive storyline.

Other than that, just keep the Improvement from Halo 5 to Halo Infinite going.
 

h00ters

Member
I also think many are in for a surprise when Hoberman, of Halo 2/XBL and Halo 3 fame, releases Halo's battle royale-esque mode called Tatanka. Apparently slated for this year and been in development by Certain Affinity for years at this point; I read it was being built away from the 343 team as well. Hopefully they've really let him run free and his take on modernising Halo is likely to be the best multiplayer modes and maps this side of Halo 2/3. It's all Halo ever need with respect to multiplayer, great maps and modes. The mechanics really didn't need to change at all. Clean and pure was always it's greatest equalising strength and fun.

As for campaign it needs a great overarching story with each game holding their own while having expansive and season based meaningful content. Stop rebuilding the damned engine all the time and get to the content. In 7 years we've had fuck all Halo story, how sad.
Thread can basically be answered by this post ^

Provided Max has been given the proper freedom to really build what he thinks the franchise needs, this is the last shot Halo has of becoming relevant again.

If he can't nail it, I honestly think it's time to chuck Chief in an Xbox first party-themed kart racing game and never make another Halo shooter again.
 

stickkidsam

Member
Halo Infinite's modes, maps, and mechanics aren't the problem though.

It's the progression, the community engagement, the continual updates to keep things fresh. The basic "maps and modes" isn't enough in 2023.

I am seriously doubtful Certain Affinity has anything major lined up for this year
I do agree progression, social features, and community engagement are big issues.

I just wouldn't say problems don't lie with the modes, maps, or mechanics... guns feel generally the same, physics interactions are minimal, vehicles are weightless tin cans, and equipment has virtually no neutral offerings. The maps are alright; I wouldn't pick Infinite's best over classic Halo maps though.

Everything functions tightly, sure (net code not withstanding). It just feels shallow compared to older Halos. Even 343's Halo's.
 

BouncyFrag

Member
Bring back Marty and have faith…
loki-the-sun-will-shine-on-us.gif
 
Thread can basically be answered by this post ^

Provided Max has been given the proper freedom to really build what he thinks the franchise needs, this is the last shot Halo has of becoming relevant again.

If he can't nail it, I honestly think it's time to chuck Chief in an Xbox first party-themed kart racing game and never make another Halo shooter again.

Max is solid AF and built a great team at Certain Affinity, BRs crossed he's been mostly untouched by 343 management. I half recall something about Tatanka changing to UE5, of that is true I'd expect delays for another 1-2 years from now. Hopefully it's shown in the Xbox showcase.
 

VAVA Mk2

Member
Halo Infinite campaign was excellent and did put it back up in lights. 87 Metacritic coming from a ton of media who would like nothing better than to give it last rites.

It was the multiplayer that fell down, and the majority of people don't play multiplayer anyway.

Here is what they need to do.
1. MS buys Certain Affinity. They can take the multiplayer off 343i.

2. 343 need to work out what they are doing with their game engine.
It was one of the major things that effected the games development.
MS has a number of internal engines they can use like Idtech, and once the fighting mechanisms have been added to Forzatech they may be able to use that. The new Forzatech 2.0 is going to be cutting edge and capable of doing open worlds. They could rework slipspace or even adopt Unreal Engine.

3. Spend some time working out the story arch and come up with a cohesive storyline.

Other than that, just keep the Improvement from Halo 5 to Halo Infinite going.
They already are committing to Unreal Engine. Slipspace is shite.
 
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sodstall

Member
The 343 games have relied heavily on the lore from the books shoved between every release. They have a ton of stuff written that'll never make it into a game. Just referenced in names and descriptors of armor in Infinite's MP. Let halo rest, make something new.
 

Wimbledon

Member
Halos issue to me at least is that you need to go beyond the golden triangle (elites grunts jackels). I do think the direction that Halo Infinite went was a cool one with the Banished. But the mistake to me at least was not introducing new combatants among their ranks , like new aliens we haven't fought AMONG THEIR RANKS not some ancient race that we havent fought, make them stand out more so were not just facing the covenent but red. Like they could've done a whole lot more with the Banished especially how they built up the brutes.

I've been playing alot of destiny 2, and I still get amazed at the environments or the enemy types, one, in particular, being the Cabal.

57ee858e52ce41da4849af426c8fbe2d.jpg
iu




The Brutes have a similar way of conquering like warlords , heavily militaristic, big weapons, heavy armor etc. Except in the case for Halo the Brutes have something that makes them stand out which is the gravity hammer similar to a jedi with a lightsaber it's what makes them elite warriors among their ranks. Same thing with the elites with the energy swords.

iu
hi-brute-armor.jpg




But to get back to my point If i were 343 industries I would mirror how bungie made the cabal. Because the cabal they have massive vehicles tearing apart locations on planets , war mongering giant drills falling from the sky , a giant vehicle that you litterally have to go in on a strike to destroy which is like going inside a mini dungeon. Like there just so much to do in Destiny that it makes what im doing in Halo seem ancient in a way, Halos environments seem very sterile in comparison.

like if you Look at the environments in destiny it seems way more alien, more sci-fish then what im getting out of Halo. Too me banished should've altered that entire environment on the Halo , war machines, storm clouds over head etc. Similar to the cabal in destiny.

1600px-Exclusion_zone_desktop.jpg


Like I would love to see a mission structure which is like raiding a giant brute ship , while its flying slowly across the land shooting lightning on its underside and it we have to get close enough to grapple and one we get on there the mission structure would be similar to taking on a dungeon , stopping the power to the engines taking out whatever else to slow it down , get to the boss room fight some behemoth kill the boss escape and maybe get schematic for weapons or new weapon types or tools to improve how you play the game.

I would loved to scour the areas where soldiers have fought before and I find a weapon belonging to a soldier who recently died but he was using some experimental rifle that was the only one made and now I make it part of my inventory. Maybe i got to find to materials or tools in the world to put it together. I would love to find characters like ODST and other marines that I saved play a bigger part they ask for my assistance to take out a base etc.

Or even have forerunner structures be like temples where you can learn more about the forunners audio or distorted visuals that you can't make out, learn more about them (even though 343i killed the mystery behind them).

Make the sentinal designs more intimidating they should be like scouring to kill an infestation like white blood cells on the Halo killing Humans and banished alike because their damage the ring.


tldr There is a ton they could've done and they played it safe , to me their wasn't a true visionary there who could take the series to a different level.
 

Iced Arcade

Member
- Every game doesn't need to be open world. Close it up a bit making it semi open linear and flex some graphics.

- keep 343 to manage the series but ffs stop restricting 1 studio to 1 franchise... Have The Coalition, ID, infinity Ward, Machine Games, Treyarch etc rotate making games... Create your own competition.
 
Halos issue to me at least is that you need to go beyond the golden triangle (elites grunts jackels). I do think the direction that Halo Infinite went was a cool one with the Banished. But the mistake to me at least was not introducing new combatants among their ranks , like new aliens we haven't fought AMONG THEIR RANKS not some ancient race that we havent fought, make them stand out more so were not just facing the covenent but red. Like they could've done a whole lot more with the Banished especially how they built up the brutes.

I've been playing alot of destiny 2, and I still get amazed at the environments or the enemy types, one, in particular, being the Cabal.

57ee858e52ce41da4849af426c8fbe2d.jpg
iu




The Brutes have a similar way of conquering like warlords , heavily militaristic, big weapons, heavy armor etc. Except in the case for Halo the Brutes have something that makes them stand out which is the gravity hammer similar to a jedi with a lightsaber it's what makes them elite warriors among their ranks. Same thing with the elites with the energy swords.

iu
hi-brute-armor.jpg




But to get back to my point If i were 343 industries I would mirror how bungie made the cabal. Because the cabal they have massive vehicles tearing apart locations on planets , war mongering giant drills falling from the sky , a giant vehicle that you litterally have to go in on a strike to destroy which is like going inside a mini dungeon. Like there just so much to do in Destiny that it makes what im doing in Halo seem ancient in a way, Halos environments seem very sterile in comparison.

like if you Look at the environments in destiny it seems way more alien, more sci-fish then what im getting out of Halo. Too me banished should've altered that entire environment on the Halo , war machines, storm clouds over head etc. Similar to the cabal in destiny.

1600px-Exclusion_zone_desktop.jpg


Like I would love to see a mission structure which is like raiding a giant brute ship , while its flying slowly across the land shooting lightning on its underside and it we have to get close enough to grapple and one we get on there the mission structure would be similar to taking on a dungeon , stopping the power to the engines taking out whatever else to slow it down , get to the boss room fight some behemoth kill the boss escape and maybe get schematic for weapons or new weapon types or tools to improve how you play the game.

I would loved to scour the areas where soldiers have fought before and I find a weapon belonging to a soldier who recently died but he was using some experimental rifle that was the only one made and now I make it part of my inventory. Maybe i got to find to materials or tools in the world to put it together. I would love to find characters like ODST and other marines that I saved play a bigger part they ask for my assistance to take out a base etc.

Or even have forerunner structures be like temples where you can learn more about the forunners audio or distorted visuals that you can't make out, learn more about them (even though 343i killed the mystery behind them).

Make the sentinal designs more intimidating they should be like scouring to kill an infestation like white blood cells on the Halo killing Humans and banished alike because their damage the ring.


tldr There is a ton they could've done and they played it safe , to me their wasn't a true visionary there who could take the series to a different level.

Very good post mate. Destiny 1&2 have that great mix of planets/environments/art/mechanics/enemies/weapons/loot. It's the root of limitations for each game aspect e.g. Vex, Cabal, Hive, Taken etc. They established all those "rules" and then they mixed it all up over the life of those games and expansions.

343 got cold feet after Halo 4 and they had some really cool art and mechanics in there but fucked it up with small things e.g. crap ammo levels and massive shield sponges ruined the new enemies triangle of Watchers, Knights, Prowlers. The weapons animating on pickup, the enemies using watchers as cover/shielding grenades and the knights spawning them again etc was fucking awesome. Having them teleport unpredictably and bullet sponge difficulty scaling just shat on all that and made it annoying as hell so players hated it. If 343 had of refined those enemies/systems and not Warden levels repeated their mistakes they would have really had something going from game release to game release. 343 compounded much of their issues by delivering so much similarity across everything, something Destiny and Bungie are not guilty of at all. The map designs, the weapons, the vehicles, the effects, the fucking rocks even all had that same same feel. The covies and banished both ended up looking like humanity based variants, rather than alien to the player.

343 stuck to their "change guns" too much with change for the sake of change when something didn't work or wasn't widely received well. Then they would NOT stick to their story/mechanics/enemies "continuity guns" enough. The balance and decision making at that studio really didn't translate to keeping the great stuff and removing or iterating the shite stuff. It was all over the place. For example the Janus Key was a great story element I really thought was going to unlock so much going forward for Halo. It was bullshit in the end and underused, just like Requiem, they could have developed what you're talking about e.g. leading games and books to places, loot, exploration, enemies etc.

Spot on point you have about 343 lacking that universe vision; it shows in the books, games and lore throughout the whole studio.

When I reflect on what 343 chose to do with their game releases it baffles me they kept focusing on multiplayer so much and a one shot deal for campaign, all the while knowing 50% of their fans are campaign only players. Did they just not want to "copy/follow" Bungie and their success with the Destiny series? PvE would have freed 343 in terms of mechanics, art, player expectations and far less iterating and support in terms of online and community deliverables. Crazy Halo 5 firefight was so successful and BR games like PUBG/Apex come along and 343 sat on their decrepit esports throne while ignoring campaign/lore and BR.

Conversely Bungie nailed Destiny 1&2 in terms of introducing PvE content, establishing raids for friends and generally evolving the mechanics with class/character abilities to deliver freshness and lore to basically the Halo universe. Throughout Destiny 2 that game has become more and more the evolution of Halo Reach with call backs to the classic Halo trilogy.
 
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treemk

Banned
Realistically it probably can't, especially with MS at the helm. But if they could, some things that would work:

Give the series a rest for a few years, let me people miss it instead of being disappointed by it.

Obviously rebuild 343i from top to bottom, if not hand it to an entirely different studio.

As far as story cannon, get rid over everything after Halo 3 and to a soft reboot as a sequel to Halo 3. Bring in Martin O'Donnell and other Halo vets if possible.

For single player focus on the core formula, bit open maps (not open world) that serve as a vehicle and weapon sandbox. Awe inspiring sky boxes with proven enemies.

Do not every think about announcing the game until core features are in the bad, coop, multiplayer maps and mods, NO CROSS PLAY WITH PC. Xbox exclusive would serve the hype well, develop in secret so that a public beta is a few weeks or months after the initial announcement.

Unfortunately while MS thinks long term while gobbling up the market share, they don't think long term with their IPs.
 

GloveSlap

Member
Reboot the series after the events of Halo 3.

Reach, 1, 2, 3 and ODST stay canon, everything after that is completely retconned.

this goes for gameplay as well.
no copied game mechanics for the sake of it.

NO SPRINT BUTTON, NO CLAMBER, NO ADS

Evolve the game mechanics of Halo 3 without copying what Call of Duty made popular. Copying other shooters is what started the decline on Halo. it lost its identity. And games like Counter Strike show that you don't have to copy what other popular games do to stay relevant. CS has none of these overused "modern" shooter mechanics.

Halo losing its identity is imo a big reason why it lost relevance.

so Halo 3 should be used as the base for a reboot.
and that means NO MOVEMENT MECHANICS THAT MAKE YOU LOWER YOUR WEAPON OR LIMIT THE USE OF YOUR WEAPON, that was a big part of Halo 1-3 and imo part of what would help a new Halo stand out from the crowd of Sprint, ADS and vaulting having shooters that simply copied what Modern Warfare did 2 generations ago.

you can still being in new gameplay twists with that guideline.
you could have a wallkick-like mechanic, or maybe a type of slide that isn't the typical Sprint+Crouch stuff all shooters do now...
or make the grappling hook more integral to the gameplay and not just a piece of equipment.

do anything that isn't Sprint, ADS, Clamber... it can't be that hard.


what would also be of big importance is that it launches in a COMPLETE STATE.
that means on DAY 1:

Singleplayer campaign with Coop,

Multiplayer with all the classic modes like Oddball, Grifball, Infection, Slayer, CTF, One Flag, Big Team, Team Doubles and SWAT being there,

Splitscreen in every mode,

Forge,

Functional custom games with browser,

Good character customisation based on Halo Reach's way to unlock new armor, with a hint of Halo 3's Achievement based unlocks as a bonus for special armor pieces
Spot on. All of the movement and clamber garbage ruined the series.
 

Wimbledon

Member
Very good post mate. Destiny 1&2 have that great mix of planets/environments/art/mechanics/enemies/weapons/loot. It's the root of limitations for each game aspect e.g. Vex, Cabal, Hive, Taken etc. They established all those "rules" and then they mixed it all up over the life of those games and expansions.

343 got cold feet after Halo 4 and they had some really cool art and mechanics in there but fucked it up with small things e.g. crap ammo levels and massive shield sponges ruined the new enemies triangle of Watchers, Knights, Prowlers. The weapons animating on pickup, the enemies using watchers as cover/shielding grenades and the knights spawning them again etc was fucking awesome. Having them teleport unpredictably and bullet sponge difficulty scaling just shat on all that and made it annoying as hell so players hated it. If 343 had of refined those enemies/systems and not Warden levels repeated their mistakes they would have really had something going from game release to game release. 343 compounded much of their issues by delivering so much similarity across everything, something Destiny and Bungie are not guilty of at all. The map designs, the weapons, the vehicles, the effects, the fucking rocks even all had that same same feel. The covies and banished both ended up looking like humanity based variants, rather than alien to the player.

343 stuck to their "change guns" too much with change for the sake of change when something didn't work or wasn't widely received well. Then they would NOT stick to their story/mechanics/enemies "continuity guns" enough. The balance and decision making at that studio really didn't translate to keeping the great stuff and removing or iterating the shite stuff. It was all over the place. For example the Janus Key was a great story element I really thought was going to unlock so much going forward for Halo. It was bullshit in the end and underused, just like Requiem, they could have developed what you're talking about e.g. leading games and books to places, loot, exploration, enemies etc.

Spot on point you have about 343 lacking that universe vision; it shows in the books, games and lore throughout the whole studio.

When I reflect on what 343 chose to do with their game releases it baffles me they kept focusing on multiplayer so much and a one shot deal for campaign, all the while knowing 50% of their fans are campaign only players. Did they just not want to "copy/follow" Bungie and their success with the Destiny series? PvE would have freed 343 in terms of mechanics, art, player expectations and far less iterating and support in terms of online and community deliverables. Crazy Halo 5 firefight was so successful and BR games like PUBG/Apex come along and 343 sat on their decrepit esports throne while ignoring campaign/lore and BR.

Conversely Bungie nailed Destiny 1&2 in terms of introducing PvE content, establishing raids for friends and generally evolving the mechanics with class/character abilities to deliver freshness and lore to basically the Halo universe. Throughout Destiny 2 that game has become more and more the evolution of Halo Reach with call backs to the classic Halo trilogy.
That's why I think for them to really make a significant step in the right direction they need to bring someone on who is a VISIONARY like a creative who knows exactly where to take this series. Cause Halo has alot to work with and expand on, i'm not saying Halo needs to be destiny but alot of the pve stuff , the environmental design, and the different gameplay mechanics that work so well in that sandbox would be perfect in Halo.
 
That's why I think for them to really make a significant step in the right direction they need to bring someone on who is a VISIONARY like a creative who knows exactly where to take this series. Cause Halo has alot to work with and expand on, i'm not saying Halo needs to be destiny but alot of the pve stuff , the environmental design, and the different gameplay mechanics that work so well in that sandbox would be perfect in Halo.

Totally agree, the PvE and art/enviro/loot is such a big one.
 
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