Halo 5: Guardians Multiplayer Beta Impressions – The Good and The Bad

For the past three hours I have been neck deep in the Halo 5: Guardian‘s Early Multiplayer Beta. In that short amount of time I have been absolutely sold on the game.

Let me give you an idea of where I’m coming from. The Xbox One is my first Xbox console, and before Halo: The Master Chief Collection I had only played a very small amount of Halo. So, you could say that I’m an outsider to the franchise. Though, if the final release is anything like the beta, that’s going to change in 2015 when I invest a ridiculous amount of time competing in Halo 5: Guardians multiplayer.

Further Reading: Watch a Full Match of Halo 5 Multiplayer

Though my experience has been immensely positive, there have been both good and bad things that have come out of my first few hours with the game. Below I’ll go over the main points that I jotted down as I played the game for my first time.

Primer: Halo 5: Guardian‘s Early Multiplayer Beta includes two maps, one game mode, and is quite rudimentary in its menus and options. Once the full beta is underway starting December 29th a full seven maps, three game types, and several weapons will be introduced.

The Good

Gunplay is cohesive.  Halo has never been a stranger to great gunplay, and Halo 5 continues that going into the future. Handling each of the weapons is intuitive and exciting. I found myself with a smile on my face even in situations where I died, if only because I was able to spray half a Sub-Machine Gun magazine into the opponent and the walls behind him.

Feedback is in full force. Weapons sound impactful, and when you hit an enemy there is a subtle noise you hear that lets you know that your shot connected. You’re never left wondering whether you hit or not.

Aim down sight feels right. While the full integration of aim down sight has brought up lots of discussion around the internet, a lot of which has been negative pre-beta, after playing the game for myself I feel as though the way it’s being implemented is good for the franchise moving forward. Being able to zoom in, lower my sensitivity, and take more precise shots is something so standardized in modern FPS games that I think the game would suffer if it didn’t have it to some degree. Hip firing is as good as ever, it’s just that when there’s an enemy 50 meters away I was thankful that I could avoid the situations I had in Halo: MCC where I was left spraying all over the place. It’s worth noting that you can’t view your minimap when using ADS, which means it needs to be used methodically.

Sprint is well-balanced. I know a lot of Halo fans don’t want sprint added to Halo, but I’ve found that it’s balanced in a meaningful way. Basically, your shields are unable to charge when sprinting, So, you’re unlikely to see players in firefights running around like they do in many other games. Instead, sprint is mostly used for quickly getting into the action or reaching an objective/weapon. The Thruster Pack is what I’ve seen most commonly used in battle, and it’s a very skill-oriented ability that adds a layer of complexity to the environment.

Halo’s soul isn’t lost. This feels way more like Halo than Call of Duty, so those thinking that it’s just becoming a sci-fi Call of Duty should change their tune once they get their hands on it. This is a precision shooter that wants you to aim for heads, be quick on your feet, and precise with your grenade throws. In other words, it’s definitely Halo.

Gameplay additions are meaningful. I’ve seen a couple Ground Pounds that smashed enemies and left me speechless, though they are very difficult to land and seem to be more of a tool for punishing a player in poor position. While it isn’t employed regularly, the Thruster Pack is something worth using as often as possible. With a short cooldown, it allows you to gain a small burst of speed in a direction. I’ve found it most useful for jumping behind cover when losing an encounter, but it’s also great for dashing into melee range. Mastering it is something that is sure to separate the best players from the rest.

Great weapon selection. I’ve actually found myself actively using every single weapon in the game. Currently, that includes the Assault Rifle, Sub-Machine Gun, DMR, Battle Rifle, Prophet’s Bane, and Sniper Rifle. I mean it when I say they are all effective and feel great in the hands. Though, one thing to note is that outside of the Prophet’s Bane all currently usable weapons are UNSC. I’m unsure if Covenant and/or Promethean weapons will be introduced later in the beta.

The Bad

Classic Halo is being left behind. Thematically Halo 5 feels like its predecessors, but the gameplay is a far from its roots. This is much more in-line with the direction Halo 4 took, which I know made many fans unhappy. To be fair, slow-paced shooters like classic Halo are a dying breed. I think Halo fans should give Halo 5 a try to see if the direction it’s taking really is a problem, but I can definitely say that the speed and gameplay have evolved in big ways since the original three releases.

The graphics need work. Yes, this is beta, and I am certain that 343 Industries was far more concerned with delivering a smooth 60 frames per second experience. That said, the graphics in this beta aren’t far from late-generation Xbox 360 graphics with a mere 720 resolution on display. There is a lot of aliasing and rough textures. As unimpressive as the presentation is, there are great weapon models and well-designed environments rich with color that leads me to believe that as the game is polished, it should turn into a beautiful game. 343 Industries did make the gorgeous Halo 4, after all.

Matchmaking issues. I’m concerned at this point that 343 Industries may be incapable of delivering a smooth network experience at launch. My first hour of the beta was full of broken lobbies, endless searches, and lengthy load times. This is a beta, but after witnessing the official launch of Halo: MCC, I can’t help but feel uneasy.