Hey guys, I want to get an idea of what you liked AND disliked about each previous Halo title multiplayer. Not forge, not campaign, just multiplayer. I know everyone has different reasons, but I want to see what most of them are for each game specifically. I'm looking for honest and constructive feedback. Halo 1-3: I highly valued that everyone spawned on an equal playing field, and weapons/powerups were fought over. It allows the better player to succeed based on skillful decisions during the match. Vehicles were integrated in the core gameplay, and felt special to the game, and map they were on. Power weapons had to be found and timed in order to get them. In fact, all the player had to worry about, was where the enemy was, and when they can grab the power weapons. That's it. To me, that is why Halo was so successful and accessible to millions. You pick up a controller, and you could just play. Halo Reach-4: I liked the weapon experimentation. There were several new additions to the sandbox that offered different experiences, while still feeling like they belonged in the franchise. I disliked the class-based system that forced players to pick and choose between abilities and weapons off spawn. I also felt that it removed the importance of map pickups. I felt it removed the most important aspect of the original games multiplayer. Halo 5: I enjoyed that once again, everyone entered the match as equals, and that we had a strong and consistent, accurate, utility spawn weapon. I didn't feel helpless at spawn. I respected that everyone had the same abilities, despite my feelings towards some of them. It scratched the itch I've had since Reach. I liked that the game was developed to feel competitive, and there is a clear skill gap amongst players. I disliked certain abilities that granted an instant kill, or unfair advantage. I disliked a "tiered" weapon sandbox that lead to less combinations on map If you plan on replying, don't say: "nothing." Trying to have a serious discussion here. There's clearly a reason you played or still play these games.
Level design was far more interesting in the early renditions, and slowly became more and more aligned with boring ass modern level design with each new title. Every map in CE played completely differently. One of the best map pools ive ever seen in a shooter. I loved the movement speed and lack of strafe momentum in H2. It took skill and smarts to predict a players strafe pattern. H3 was probably the highest overall quality online multiplayer experience. They learned a lot from H2s shortcomings. H4 was ****. I have nothing good to say about this game H5 was quite the comeback realizing where they went wrong with H4. Better in just about every way. Sandbox is not so great, though. Every spartan ability has negatively affected gameplay.
the only good halo game is halo 2 because that's where i have the most nostalgia, this a completely factual opinion though
I've played them all. Things others have/will say about 1-3 is all I would have to say. Halo 4: Looked very nice on the aged console but gameplay was mediocre. Catering to the COD style of perks and stuff really bugge dme, but I played it because it was halo. I never felt like I understood how to play the game well. Something about it hindered me. Probably the very large battlefields most of the modes were played on. Related to MP... Halo 4 introduced paid DLC that had horrible framerate drops if played on splitscreen. While splitscreen is now at least temporarily gone, I would hope that 343 never has that lack of standards again. My son and I spent money on the DLC that we couldn't play together, which was the whole point. The frame drops for us, the minority of players using splitscreen in those matches, greatly disadvantaged us compared to other players, who could always shoot faster and respond quicker. if Split stays gone, I am actually indifferent because hopefully I'll be playing Halo 6 on PC. But any DLC content should have the same framerate standards as the rest of the map. Don't make us pay extra for stuff that's broken. Halo 5: I will be hated for saying this, but I love (most) of the spartan abilities. It adds complexity to gun battles that otherwise would not be there. It is much harder to hit all of your shots, and the top-level players who can do it consistently stand out as exceptionally different from those who can't. Abilities also add the complexity of pathing for players who master and push the boundaries of what can be reached, grabbed, and hopped over. Players who practice trick jumps are rewarded with shortcuts that other players cannot or just will not attempt to reach. More skill gap = good. More variations and surprises during encounters keep them from getting stale. Spartan charge, however, is the worst thing because it gives an almost guaranteed kill to a player simply because they were sprinting and the other player may not have been. If this is going to be kept, it needs a very good counter-balancing move for the defending player. A rock/paper, if not rock/paper/scissors thing. I love the pistol in Halo 5. Hope that stays relatively the same in "6". I have never liked the idea of Weapon Pads, but I also understand the need for them in giving the players an equal footing on knowing when and where the power weapons are. I don't know if there's a way to notify players without having a perminant Pad always singing and cluttering things... a momentary notification on the fact (Audible = "Thing is ready", and location of a spawned power weapon, might be better. Visual notificaiton could be a shorter duration nav that one must pay attention to if they want to learn what is happening. If they aren't attentive enough, they miss it but that's okay IMO. Thakns for asking for and gathering feedback!
I've played every main halo title (in order) and both halo wars games. The only halo games i can say i flat out despise playing (multiplayer wise) are CE due to its age, and halo 4.
I like h5 because of forge, but hate it because of clamber. I'd rather have a wall jump. The weapon sandbox is wack I'm excited for H6, i'm confident it will be leaps better just like 4-5 was.
I put this together quickly off the top of my head, so I'm sure I've missed a ton of positives and negatives from each game in the lists below. I'm going to spoiler the likes/dislikes, because I just realize this post is pretty massive. Spoiler: Likes/Dislikes Halo 1 Likes: Sandbox (all weapons and powerups complement and counter each other well, aside from a couple of useless weapons) Multi purpose weapons (quick camo, plasma rifle stun, different melee distances and speeds) Smoothest aiming of any Halo game Easy to learn, really freaking hard to master Physics (grenade launching) Strafing and crouching are work well Unique multiplayer levels Button Combo's (backpack reload and double melee) Flat surfaces Dislikes: Jump delay Aiming glitch (when jumping) Not enough in-game info (score, timer) Halo 2 Likes: Online Matchmaking Ranking system Party Chat Proximity Voice Clans Crisp movement 1-Sided objectives (and maps that are purpose built for them) Competitive 4v4 maps Momentum based melee system Dislikes: Weapon respawn system Unlimited sword ammo SMG starts Coagulation with SMG starts Coagulation Did I mention SMG starts? SMG starts Boosters Modders SMG's Weapons tuned for dual wielding Halo 3 Likes: Theater Saved Files/File sharing Dislikes: Aiming Weapons Movement Equipment Halo Reach Likes: Forge DMR Aiming Movement Dislikes: Armor Abilities Bloom Halo 4 Likes: Weapons Nav Points Dislikes: Loadouts Ordnance Armor Abilities Flinch Boltshot Halo 5 Likes: Even Starts Strongholds Pistol Forge Dislikes: Sound Lighting Aiming Armor Abillities Grenade Markers ADS (Zoom) on every freaking weapon for no reason Accuracy bonuses for crouching and/or zooming Overall, Halo 1 is by far my favorite, followed closely by Halo 2. The others all rank FAR below the first two for me, primarily because of the additional factors that made the games feel more random and gimmicky to me (equipment and armor abilities in particular). I've always preferred simplicity in Halo, because I feel that it leaves the result more in the hands of the players. Halo is a game that has enough uniqueness built into it at a foundational level that it doesn't require much innovation on the gameplay end of things. There are some things I really enjoyed in later Halo's, like forge, certain gametypes, I like the nav points notifying players of where weapons are and when they're spawning (though I hate the fact that it gives away your position if you pick it up). Overall though, I feel like the attempts to make the franchise's multiplayer fresh and new has resulted in it losing its uniqueness. It already was unique, and no longer is (not because it's failed to innovate, but because it's innovated in the wrong directions). Halo has innovated AWAY from what made it unique, which has made it into what it is now - a generic shooter. It needs to go back to its roots and begin innovating in the right ways. Halo needs to have even starts. It needs to ditch the movement abilities and return the unpredictability back to the hands (and minds) of the players. It needs to have a well refined sandbox, with minimal overlap in weapon functionality (I don't need 3 weapons that all do essentially the same thing). There's plenty of room for innovation in how weapons function; how they interact with the players, the maps, and the other pickups on the map. There's plenty of room for innovation in gametypes. There's unending room for innovation in level design. The UI needs to be simple and intuitive. The controls need to be simple and intuitive. Moving around a map needs to be simple and intuitive for new players. Aiming needs to feel natural and controllable. And no automatics as starting weapons, for the love of god. You'd think we would've learned that after the 2nd or 3rd time it started out that way and clearly didn't work, but for some reason those damn autos keep returning as starting weapons. Autos should be pickups for mid or close range, NOT starting weapons. I'll be honest, with how much visibility I've seen from market researchers and statisticians working on Halo, I have virtually no hope for the franchise at this point. A unique game requires a company that is free to think outside of the box, AND act upon ideas without needing to go through multiple levels of bureaucracy. I feel like we're well beyond that point now, though I hope I'm proven wrong because I want Halo to be great again.
Halo CE: Pros: Story, Art Style, Music, Gameplay, Overall theme , Cons: Unbalanced weapon sandbox and occasionally weird physics. Halo 2: Pros: (Same with Halo CE), Improved multiplayer gameplay and balanced; focuses on precision and skill. Cons: In regards to modern day, some of the graphics (mostly human models) didn't age well. Halo CE's graphics aged better tbh. Halo 3: Pros: (Same with CE and 2), Forge opened new doors to custom games. Maps are my favorite of the series. Cons: Hitbox inconsistency and a shorter campaign than Halo 2/3. (Campaign is still one of my favs) Halo Reach: Pros: I loved the realistic style they were going for in this game. Was serious and dark; loved every second of it. Very detailed. The amount of items available for forge allowed custom games to blossom into something beautiful. Cons: No longer traditional Halo gameplay for multiplayer. Unbalanced armor ablities. Halo 4: Pros: Its a gorgeous looking game, especially for the 360. Narrative for the campaign was great and forge was fun and enjoyable. ****ing Forge Magnets are a god send. While the Music isn't as good as the previous 4, its still good music. Cons: COD-ish Multiplayer, Gameplay suffered in general. Halo 5: Pros: The control and performance is the best feeling I've ever encountered in any Halo game. Forge and Custom games are the best thing regarding Halo 5. Halo 5 forge is the best out of the franchise. Also free stuff is cool. The Music as always is great. Cons: Campaign was trash, Multiplayer needs work, Warzone needs a revamp, REQs are a mistake, Oversaturated glossy graphics, weapon sandbox needs improvement. Hurt the Halo franchise A LOT; to the point where Halo 6 will either help or kill the Halo Franchise forever.
H1 H2 H3, Reach v7 was cool I guess even TU was fun to me Any halo without armor abilities H1 - I can't say much unfortunately I didn't experience its "greatness" H2 - Loved the movement speed, equal starts, weapon balance (besides p pistol and sword) felt amazing, very smooth, button combos separated the men from the boys H3 - Bubble shield is ass cool and gorgeous maps, did not like projectile, wasn't a fun of pick ups, good weapon balance, very smooth, felt good, did not like movement speed at all, ranking system was great HReach - UI was good, I actually enjoyed countdown and zealot (covenant ;p) but really lack of good dev maps, nade launcher <3, did not like armor abilities, TU bloom was cool, good playlist options, no ranking system H4 - They put a microwave on maps and called it a sniper rifle, CSR was terrible, bad maps, felt terrible, armor abilities were bad, bad weapons (rail gun, bolt shot, and more) had to wait for staple playlists, just a bad game H5 - Forge was amazing, clamber is dumb, armor abilities are dumb, radar is a no, weapon balance issues that still aren't addressed properly, limited playlist selection, having to wait for staple playlists, flawed ranking system but still better than progressive or CSR ranking, having to wait for updates, map remixes are lazy, maps look awful, 343 being stubborn and incompetent when it comes to feedback H6 - Given save us EDIT: In halo 2 and 3 you could always jump on really cool **** to outplay your opponent. Me and a friend referred to them as bungie ledges. Every 343 map has lazy invisible boundaries I feel like instead of letting players really explore the map and give a potential higher learning curve to outplay your opponent. EX: Guardian and lockout jumps Also my nades are so unpredictable in newer halos which is frustrating
So far, these are the results I was expecting. It's pretty much even between 1,2,3, & 5. I hope more people vote and comment. Sorry bucko, that bubble shield diss cost you
I swear if h6 has bubble shield Im driving to your house with Multi cause idk where you live and Multi will tell me
Just going to say a one or two positive things about each game. CE: Weapon Sandbox (omitting vehicles) and spawning. Gunplay. Pistol 2: Button Combos which led to the game having larger diversity in effective playstyles. Gunplay. BR 3: Team play because the BR was **** which led to emphasizing teamwork more that made objective gametypes more enjoyable. Sniper Rifle Reach: Custom game options which led to many unique gametypes. ZBNS was an enjoyable in between of CE and Halo 2. DMR 4. Extraction. One-shot incineration cannon (Thought this version was better than the H5 version) 5. Strongholds and stabilize (I like it mostly because it is a feature that doesn't pull away a persons ability to shoot and can lead to some interesting got ya moments. Pistol Now I am thinking how awesome it would be to have Reach's custom game options with Halo 5's scripting.
I think you're the only one in existence, so I guess I'm okay with that. What in the hell is an ONI Agent anyway?