For many Halo fans, 343 Industries' first game was a bit of a misstep. That's not to say Halo 4 was a bad game, but instead of distinguishing itself from its competition, it adopted some of their traits — and felt less like a Halo game in the process. Needless to say, fans noticed.
That said, 343 Industries obviously noticed as well: ever since the game was first revealed, the studio has made it clear that Halo 5: Guardians will be a return to form. A renewed focus on multiplayer, a more diverse arsenal and reworked Armor Abilities are all a part of this new generation of Halo — and at this point, it looks like 343 Industries is on the right track.
Of course, there's also the single-player campaign: considering that the campaign in Halo 4 was one of the game's highlights, the pressure is on for 343 Industries to follow it up in a big way. Again, the studio's made big strides in upping the ante, and nowhere is that more clear than the latest ViDoc, "A Hero Reborn."
While some fans may still cringe at the thought of a new playable character (the Arbiter's debut in Halo 2 is still a hotly debated topic), 343 Industries is clearly trying for something more than a simple character swap. The Arbiter may have simply been a clone of the Master Chief with some stealth sections, but the addition of Blue Team and Fireteam Osiris changes the gameplay considerably.
Even without friends playing, this is a far more cooperative affair. Healing teammates, ordering them around... it's all new territory for Halo. Hopefully, it's something that reinforces the feeling of playing a Halo game — instead of taking that feeling away.
It may feel like an eternity, but Halo 5: Guardians isn't all that far off: 343 Industries' latest title is set for release on October 27.
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