Compared with its predecessor, Halo 5: Guardians' multiplayer is a huge improvement. Simply put, 343 Industries' latest feels like Halo again: the Call of Duty-esque loadouts and weapon-spawning are long gone, replaced with tried-and-true power weapons and an even playing field.
That being said, Halo 5's multiplayer suite isn't perfect: while Warzone is a fantastic new addition to the franchise, it doesn't hide the fact that Halo 5 launched with fewer multiplayer modes than any other game in the series. Standbys like Capture the Flag and Slayer made it in, but what about modes like Oddball or Juggernaut?
While many of the series' classic modes are still MIA, 343 Industries knows that there's room for Halo 5's multiplayer to grow — thankfully, it won't be much longer before Halo fans have something to play besides Slayer and Breakout. The multiplayer team is currently working to bring a number of new modes to Halo 5 with the February update, starting with a fan favorite:
Yes, the sport-within-a-game is back: Grifball, a popular community variant based on the Red vs. Blue Web series, will make its Halo 5 debut as part of the February update. While the core of the gametype remains intact — each team tries to deposit a bomb in the other team's goal — the new gameplay mechanics introduced in Halo 5 will add a new dimension to the mode. Passing the ball from player to player, boosting around enemies, smashing people into the floor with ground pounds ... if anything, the Halo 5 version of Grifball should be the most chaotic yet.
Of course, Grifball isn't the only Halo mode to use a bomb: Assault will also be making its Halo 5 debut as part of the February update. While the exact specifics of the mode haven't been revealed quite yet, expect it to play similarly to other variants from past Halo games.
Finally, Fiesta is making a big comeback. 343 Industries hasn't really gone into specifics regarding its more off-kilter modes — as such, there's no telling if "Fiesta" refers to the Fiesta Slayer gametype (in which players are given two random weapons after every death), or the Fiesta playlist, which features a number of random gametypes. Either way, Fiesta should serve as a nice break from the more serious eSports-style playlists.
For anyone who's been burned out on Arena and Warzone matches, the February update should bring some much-needed variety to Halo 5. The only downside to the news is that there's still no specific release date — expect it to launch sometime later this month.
