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Halo 5 reviews round-up

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Halo5

Halo 5! It’s the biggest game on the Xbox horizon at the moment, and is likely going to help Microsoft sell more than just a few consoles, as people really, really want to play the first real “new generation” Halo game. Review embargos have dropped, so people are starting to become quite chatty about the game. Here’s what critics think of Halo 5.

Destructoid – 7/10

If it weren’t for Warzone, Halo 5: Guardians would probably be somewhere on the lower end of the franchise’s spectrum for me. It’s still a fantastic and well-oiled machine, but the story falls flat, and the shift in gameplay mechanics result in the loss of some elements that made the series so unique in the first place. Still, if you’re looking to shoot some dudes online, Guardians is your huckleberry.

EurogamerReview In Progress

Halo-5-screenshot-9

Perhaps the most important thing to say about Halo 5’s campaign is it’s a substantial improvement on Halo 4’s campaign, which I’ve always maintained was a decent first effort from a new developer still finding its feet. Halo 5’s missions do not revolutionise the FPS genre, or even the Halo series, but they are a welcome return to form. For me, that’s good enough.

GamespotReview In Progress

In the end, Halo 5 introduces some of the most drastic changes to the longrunning franchise. Both in multiplayer and campaign, there are additions and iterations in almost every area, and even veteran players will find a fresh experience waiting for them. If 343’s multiplayer servers perform as they should after tomorrow’s release, we’ll have a review up afterward, with in-depth analysis of all the changes in Halo 5: Guardians.

Giant Bomb – 4/5

You’ll spot some rough edges and notice some omissions, but Halo 5 looks great, plays well, and has enough options to keep you coming back.

IGNReview In Progress

Halo-5-screenshot-3

In almost every way, Halo 5: Guardians is bigger than the already large and excellent games that came before it.

Polygon – 9/10

Halo 5 feels like it knows its obligations. The campaign’s narrative is likely to prove controversial, though its biggest sin may be its familiarity. Otherwise, Halo 5 excels under the pressure, providing one of the most welcoming, competitive, balanced and fun games of the year — and providing my personal favorite Halo multiplayer since the series began.

USGamer – 4/5

Halo-5-screenshot-6

The campaign mode hits some great highs over its somewhat short 15-mission span, but also occasionally suffers from a lack of variety, and some boss fights that feel disappointingly one-note. Halo 5: Guardians’ strength is found in its PvP. Arena and Warzone offer two distinctly different flavors of action, and both are solid, very well designed, and a lot of fun to play. Ultimately, campaign is a good way to ease you into the game – but it’s the PvP that delivers the best of what this game has to offer.

SAGamer – 89/100

Halo 5: Guardians feels like a step towards whatever will be concluded in Halo 6, when focussing on the single player experience. There’s no Spartan Ops to prolong your game this time round, which makes the experience feel a little short-lived. The multiplayer on the other hand is once again an absolute joy with the addiction that is Warzone. Halo 5: Guardians is not as perfect as Halo 4 was, but it’s the stepping stone to Halo 6 bundled with some of the best multiplayer gaming you’ll find on console.

Pennyworth reviews – 3.8/5

Multiplayer is clearly where it’s at for Halo 5 though, as it really feels like other letdowns and oversights were really all because 343 was heavily eyeballing the multiplayer side of things as its main feature. Playing online with matchmaking even from here in South Africa with pings over 200ms, we found games quickly and the online multiplayer almost felt like the lag was non-existent. Multiplayer packs in a new objective-based Warzone mode, Arena 4v4 and custom modes and the rounds we played were a real blas

EGMR – 70/100

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Despite its minor imperfections, and a story that will hardly blow your Spartan-socks off, Halo 5: Guardians is an easy recommendation, and I strongly recommend picking it up for your Xbox One, finding some friends, and killing some grunts online.

Lazygamer – 7.9/10

A short, disappointing tale makes nearly no progress in 343’s trilogy, and offers nothing that lives up to the billing of a tense showdown between Halo 5’s two protagonists. Thankfully the improved gameplay and consistently great multiplayer shine in Halo’s uneven debut on the Xbox One. The multiplayer is fantastic, and the co-op is magical. Bring friends.

Last Updated: October 26, 2015

50 Comments

  1. oVg

    October 26, 2015 at 09:41

    WOW. I am surprised at the polarised scores. Who did not get their Mountain dew and free Dorritos?

    Reply

    • Hammersteyn

      October 26, 2015 at 09:50

      IGN is waiting for the cheque to clear

      Reply

      • oVg

        October 26, 2015 at 09:53

        Bwahahahaha Talking about biased reviews, its almost time for the GOTY awards. This year is going to be crazy.

        Reply

        • Greylingad[CNFRMD]

          October 26, 2015 at 09:56

          Top of the list is definitely TW3, second to that might be MGS:V, but the way the game drop kicked itself into the shamble that was chapter two, no, not number two…

          Reply

          • Grand Admiral Chief SpaceNinja

            October 26, 2015 at 09:59

            TW3 by a longshot

          • Greylingad[CNFRMD]

            October 26, 2015 at 10:01

            I started playing a bit of it again this weekend and ended up passing by the tree that demands the sacrifices before meeting the crones, FYI, it takes a different twist when you do… I was quite amazed at how that bit was incorporated…

          • Grand Admiral Chief SpaceNinja

            October 26, 2015 at 10:03

            I really enjoyed the quests

          • Greylingad[CNFRMD]

            October 26, 2015 at 10:06

            Me too, even after all this time, I keep going back to it… The only way I can describe it is, as a masterpiece for storytelling….

          • Hammersteyn

            October 26, 2015 at 10:12

            *Mgs5

          • Greylingad[CNFRMD]

            October 26, 2015 at 10:17

            Urgh…. Wargarbleshwarble…. NO, I can’t, I loved MGS:V especially until the end of Skull face, and I wish it was complete, but it isn’t, which makes me sad and wanting for more coffee….

          • Brady miaau

            October 26, 2015 at 10:19

            We take coffee and produce code. Or a reasonable facsimile.

          • oVg

            October 26, 2015 at 10:00

            I thought I would think the same. But yet another dunking game play session with MGSV left me with a grin on my face. I thought I would be bored by now but it just resonates so well with the oldschool 80s kids.

            210hours 85% and 2 nukes. Still going strong. The time that I have spent in MGSV is actually longer than I spent in The Witcher. Its actually the longest I have spent in any game the last 33years.

            The Game is Tight, never mind the silly Otaku narrative.

          • Greylingad[CNFRMD]

            October 26, 2015 at 10:40

            210 hours? Rome was built in less time…

          • iusedtobe(a)regular

            October 26, 2015 at 12:10

            Bloodborne?

          • Greylingad[CNFRMD]

            October 26, 2015 at 12:40

            Until I’ve finished Bloodborne, which will also provide me with a new record for the fastest moving Dualshock controller recorded in history(right before it hits my TV, smashes it, along with the wall behind it and decapitating my neighbours’ dog), I won’t be able to give it a score/full opinion other than at this stage it is a beautiful game, with grand monster designs and (once you’ve achieved a high enough level to fight said bosses) quite rewarding, but bearing in mind that the game is flawed in the sense that your actual game time is spent farming/grinding mostly rather than being filled with a story that drives you forward, which is based on extremely flawed gameplay and level design specifically aimed at hampering the player, ultimately creating a game to hate more than what you would love…With that said though, it is an addictive experience…

        • Hammersteyn

          October 26, 2015 at 10:19

          MGS5

          Reply

          • oVg

            October 26, 2015 at 10:25

            It will be a fight between The Witcher 3 and Fallout 4,
            many people expected more from MGSV because of that collectors DVD that revealed there was more content. MGSV will drop to five.

            I am all for The Witcher 3, just little things like FREE themes with audio while everything else is R44. From that to giving the gamers what they want and the best Hard Copy collection ever, from stickers to maps and all for R99 cheaper than normal retail price.

            The Witcher 3 FTW

            But my personal favorite is MGSV.

            Honorable mention to Until Dawn.

          • Hammersteyn

            October 26, 2015 at 10:44

            Got Until Dawn for R560 yesterday on PSN halloween sale

          • 40 Insane Frogs

            October 26, 2015 at 10:44

            But.. you’re supposed to help me get my exotic sword… 🙁 How can you be thinking of playing other games?

          • Hammersteyn

            October 26, 2015 at 11:07

            Helped Ir0seraph last night get a step closer to his. Drop me an invite any time XD

          • oVg

            October 26, 2015 at 10:55

            Score 🙂

          • oVg

            October 26, 2015 at 10:27

            Its not MGS5 😉 Its V for Venom.

          • Hammersteyn

            October 26, 2015 at 10:43

            hahahaha!

      • 40 Insane Frogs

        October 26, 2015 at 10:29

        5/10 (Cheque doesn’t clear)
        9/10 (Cheque clears)

        Reply

        • Grand Admiral Chief SpaceNinja

          October 26, 2015 at 11:07

          xD
          Such a rotten nana you are

          Reply

  2. Greylingad[CNFRMD]

    October 26, 2015 at 09:41

    With all the hype surrounding this, it seems a little like Wart doge…

    Reply

  3. Hammersteyn

    October 26, 2015 at 09:51

    Everyone is giving it high scores because of the PVP. I also thought the story matters most in the series?

    Reply

    • Greylingad[CNFRMD]

      October 26, 2015 at 09:53

      Exactly, wasn’t it the story that made Halo, Halo?

      Reply

      • oVg

        October 26, 2015 at 09:56

        That and the fact it was the year 2001. Back when gaming was all about driving the narrative. Then the Internet turned up the speed during the second half of the XBOX360. All went pear shaped from there.

        Reply

        • Greylingad[CNFRMD]

          October 26, 2015 at 09:57

          Yep, the days when storytelling mattered…more than being screamed at by kids who got their hands on COD…

          Reply

          • oVg

            October 26, 2015 at 10:02

            Rince and I tried playing Halo 4 on-line. I dont think either of us managed to stay alive for more than 5 seconds. If only they awarded people for re-spawning. I cant keep up with modern gamers, it seems they are tought how to side swipe touch screens before they can speak these days.

          • Grand Admiral Chief SpaceNinja

            October 26, 2015 at 10:04

            Amen to that dude, I was checking my in-law’s minion this weekend operating an android phone, besides the fact that the kid needs a smack (and by this I mean the smack is warranted as when the mother wanted to phone back the kid slapped the mother, kids these days), she was quite handy with the interface. But can barely speak

          • Greylingad[CNFRMD]

            October 26, 2015 at 10:06

            Sheesh… that would be a well deserved smack….

          • Brady miaau

            October 26, 2015 at 10:13

            Depends on age. At two, brain development wise, the little ones are so full of frustration. Saying that, however, my kid smacked my multiple times last night, on the glasses cause it hurts more and I calmed her down. Then she hit me again, I reflexively smacked back. She very gingerly touched me the whole night from there (after the crying stopped). They can learn, but toddler frustration is real and a brain development issue.

          • oVg

            October 26, 2015 at 10:15

            lol refresh for pic

          • Brady miaau

            October 26, 2015 at 10:18

            When our little one was REALLY little we looked for a new, smaller pram. We came across prams with ipad holders, so the kid can play with iPad in pram, but not grab it, they protect the sides and back with extensive covers.

            Yeah. Or not. There is an age for everything and my little one WILL learn all about technology, but in balance with the world.

          • oVg

            October 26, 2015 at 10:19

            All I had was the SONY walkman 🙂

          • Grand Admiral Chief SpaceNinja

            October 26, 2015 at 11:08

            Lolwut?????

    • Grand Admiral Chief SpaceNinja

      October 26, 2015 at 09:58

      So basically what you are saying….only those with friends give it higher marks?….huehuehue

      Reply

  4. Alien Emperor Trevor

    October 26, 2015 at 09:53

    How can the reviews still be in progress? Did they only get their copies a few hours ago?

    Reply

    • Grand Admiral Chief SpaceNinja

      October 26, 2015 at 09:58

      Indeed, the ADD kicked in

      Reply

    • Alessandro Barbosa

      October 26, 2015 at 10:09

      Mostly because multiplayer servers haven’t been tested in public with full stress yet. Don’t want another Master Chief Collection scenario

      Reply

    • Hammersteyn

      October 26, 2015 at 10:12

      Bwahahahahaha!

      Reply

  5. 40 Insane Frogs

    October 26, 2015 at 10:27

    Of course loligon is going with the 9/10; they’re so predictable. As for the other reviews, it’s all over the place. That piques my interest, and I’m starting to think that I might just need to get this Halo.

    Reply

  6. 40 Insane Frogs

    October 26, 2015 at 10:29

    Speaking of loligon, is Tauriq Whasisballs still writing for loligon? I need an article to laugh at and he’s been consistent in producing lolworthy chicken-scratch.

    Reply

    • Grand Admiral Chief SpaceNinja

      October 26, 2015 at 11:08

      Check MWEB…

      Reply

      • 40 Insane Frogs

        October 26, 2015 at 13:36

        Hahaha? No! 😛

        Reply

        • Grand Admiral Chief SpaceNinja

          October 26, 2015 at 14:41

          Well, I’ve heard he frolics there

          Reply

  7. iusedtobe(a)regular

    October 26, 2015 at 12:16

    Some mixed reviews here, I am surprised with Lazygamers review though, I expected them to give it an 11/10.

    Reply

    • 40 Insane Frogs

      October 26, 2015 at 13:36

      lans is that you?

      Reply

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