Please watch the video in full to understand the mindset behind the map and it's many intricacies: Halo 4 Competitive Maps | Serenity (1v1) - YouTube Serenity was originally designed due to the lack of smaller maps featured in Halo Reach and the inability to play proper and exciting 1v1 matches. Fast forward to Halo 4 and while this problem isn't quite as prevalent, it is apparent. The main objective of Serenity is fast paced smaller matches that allow the player to both out think the competition as well as out shoot. The result is a map that has many ways about going into and out of various areas, most of which require precision jumps that become second nature. The thrust ability in Halo 4 allows players to manipulate the pre-existing lift in ways not possible in Reach. This allows better movement around the map and the outplaying of your opponent. Through literal years of play testing now (counting Reach), the map has proved it's place in my group as a standard for 1v1 sets and the like. Areas can be held down like any good map, though there is not one spot a player can easily hold due to area advantage. What makes this map a joy to play for any competitive player is that it aids a high level mindset, it doesn't diminish it. Like any competitive map, absolute flow is achieved by practicing and understanding the maps intricacies, only then will it be fully understood and appreciated.
Design Despite its vague inspiration from Lockout, Serenity does manage to retain one aspect in particular that improves upon the original; excess trimmings. Lined around nearly every elbow of the design, these structures prevent otherwise constant stalls in gameplay allowing players to precisely bounce grenades into certain areas from a distance, thus giving them an opportunity to push on their opponent over a lengthy line of sight. However, that is not to say Serenity displays no semblence to the aforementioned design. Similar to the Halo 2 classic, the design features verious, lengthy elbows connecting all of the predominant locations, as well as carefully positioned tactical jumps offering an alternative method to players in which to quickly travel between said locations. With that said, these jumps may not prove to be an adequate substitute to some few as they also create the evident risk of mistakenly jumping beyond the intended platform, and into the deadly waves of the Ravine waiting below. As was mentioned before, Serenity draws vague inspiration from Lockout. However, the occasional short range engagement seen in the original is close to nonexistent during gameplay. As the design is lacking the necessary structure to create adequate seperation between locations, one can generally view their opponent over a lengthy distance leading to the stalls mentioned earlier. Despite the allowance of grenade bouncing, strong positions like above sniper spawn are often difficult to effectively push onto due to the lacking structure around the paths leading to them. The difficulty only increases on account of the limited routing into those positions as well. The utilization of fusion coils to encourage players to abscond at some point, however, displays that the negative aspect was not overlooked. Though on a miniscule level, the explosives do serve thier purpose as the radius of the explosion they create are often enough to momentarily disable, if not entirely finish, an opponent abusing the respective location. In addition to the lacking variation in engagements, the design was very dependant on the several bridges connecting important locations. Generally, minor use of the object in such fashion cannot be constituted as a negative, but the exceeding amount utilized on Serenity is the exception to this. Another cause of the difficulty in pushing onto a powerful position was the meager amount of space offered by bridge structures to players attempting to do just that. One could state that this is countered by the fact that even powerful positions are of very little width, but this fact only broadens the problem in that the movement options players have are limited to simple strafes to prevent a tumble into the ravine below. This method of pathing does have its positives, however, as the linear bridges create a deliberate path around the design, thus placing further emphasis on the predetermined flow. Still, even more variation and freedom is stripped from the already lacking engagements with their use as well. Overall, Serenity takes a different approach to gameplay, but suffers through the two fundamental factors that its particular variant of design does not highlight. Nevertheless, the lack of them fabricates a style of gameplay different from other designs of the one versus one category. That originality in conjunction with its underlying aspects gives Serenity a high level replay value despite its faults. 7/10 Weaponry Serenity follows in the cliche often seen on designs of the category in that its weapon layout consists of three power weapons, and multitude of precision weaponry, and the occasional plasma pistol. However, this is to be expected as the setup functions well on the design. The sniper rifle, located in the risky deadend near the bottommost level, operates exceptionally well on account of the open natured design yet is countered by its initial position and the limited long range view that most with the weapon are accustomed to. Following closely behind it is the Sticky Detonator located on the same level as the latter but positioned towards the center of the level. As was mentioned earlier, pushing up on an opponent holding a poweful position was often difficult. The Sticky Detonotar acts as the prime counter to this, harming or entirely killing the target of its shot from a fair distance with the large radius explosion. Weaponry on Serenity is not impeccable, however. The aspects that the weapon layout here do not have in common with the layout of others designs in the category are the settings applied to each individual one. Generally, weaponry is given a little amount of spare clips in conjunction with a timer ranging between one and two minutes. Of course, configuring settings differently than this can be a viable method depending on several factors, but they cause a negative effect as they are on Serenity. The sniper, given a high clip and timer of one-hundred and eighty seconds, would often aid in the control of a position for the simple fact that it could be utilized for a prolonged amount of time before being depleted of ammo. Now, said player controlling the position with sniper in hand could normally be countered with a weapon offering the same effects, but the weapon does not respawn for quite a while after being retrieved. In this case, the unfortunate player is left with the Sticky Detonator which, although very powerful, crumbles at the might of the Sniper Rifle in longer ranged combat. 7/10 Durability As Serenity is certainly an open map in terms of structure, there are bound to be spawning problems present. Unfortunately, they are quite evident during gameplay in terms of predicatability, respawn control, and spawn killing. Upon gaining a solid understanding of the spawning system on the design during gameplay, one could use this to their advantage by assuming a certain position and forcing their opponent to spawn in a limited amount of positions. The map is meager in size and lacking in structure as mentioned beforehand, thus there are very few distinguished locations in which a player can spawn. This fact was often exemplified as a player would respawn on the lower level of the design when their opponent was controlling the respawn on the upper level when their opponent was on the lower. Though this an obvious fact with respawning, it becomes a particular complication with this design on which players can traverse between levels very quickly via tactical jumps, gravity lifts, or the teleporter; all three of which allow for immediate transportation from one position to another. Beyond the aforementioned, the durability on Serenity is flawless concerning framerate despite the heavy amount of glass utilized in the design. Likewise, although the design is not enclosed by walls, there is no method in which to completely escape, and roam the fields of the Ravine. With that said, there is one exploitable position present on Serenity; the area above the reciever room. Only accessible through a series of jumps, the position stands at a higher elevation with access to various lines of sight. The list goes on as, in addition to the structure provided by the single antenna placed there, the height advantage acts as cover against an opponent shooting from the lower position. Nevertheless, the abuse of this position can be eleviated with a simple soft kill boundary. Even without the use of the latter, the position proves to be useless in the face of an opponent armed with grenades. 7/10 Aesthetic As mentioned several times earlier, the design of Serenity is of a structureless and open nature, thus orientation was never a problem for players during gameplay. In addition, despite the strong correlation between the various objects used to create the design, the varied design of each location accounted for the lack of specific landmarks additionally orientating players. Nonetheless, even though they are no necessity, some areas are constructed with different objects such as the rock path leading to the uppermost power position, as well as this center of the design made of glass. However, the two also present a minor problem concerning the neatness of Serenity; bumps. Although not on a major level, these bumps could disrupt the aim of a player and, regarding the path of rocks, it was often the better method to simply jump through the bumps, leaving one exposed to fire. 8/10 Scores 07/10 * 4 | 28/40 07/10 * 3 | 21/30 07/10 * 2 | 14/20 08/10 * 1 | 08/10 71/100 | 7.1/10 That was strictly opinionated. If you have any questions regarding any of that or would like me to go into further detail about a point, let me know, man.