Halo 5: Guardians

 Xbox One
User Score
6.4

Mixed or average reviews- based on 3713 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,945 out of 3713
  2. Mixed: 747 out of 3713
  3. Negative: 1,021 out of 3713
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  1. gfc_3000
    Jun 22, 2020
    9
    Literally everything in this game except the story is phenomenal. The multi-player, game play, music and graphics are all excellent
  2. xxxxxxyyxxxxx
    Jun 23, 2020
    9
    Very fun single player campaign. Great graphics if played on the Xbox One X. HDR implementation and a better story would have given it a 10.
  3. MKY9741
    Jun 26, 2020
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Mi problema es el spartan locke la causa de la mala campaña, todos sabemos que hay cambios y son inevitables, pero hacer la mayor parte de la campaña con un personaje con quien no nos identificamos no ayuda a meternos en el papel para el juego, y dos niveles para hablar con pnj eso no ayudo.
    De ahi en mas puedes disfrutar las campañas y multijugador bastante bien.    … Expand
  4. Ghost3276
    Jul 7, 2020
    9
    Tbh I really liked the game, especially the multiplayer. The singleplayer story was not bad but a bit forgettable and kinda underwhelming, but still offered some really fun gameplay. Speaking of the gameplay Halo 5 changed it up in many ways while returning to some more traditional element. I really like how fast the gameplay feels, and the multiplayer is probably my favorite of the entireTbh I really liked the game, especially the multiplayer. The singleplayer story was not bad but a bit forgettable and kinda underwhelming, but still offered some really fun gameplay. Speaking of the gameplay Halo 5 changed it up in many ways while returning to some more traditional element. I really like how fast the gameplay feels, and the multiplayer is probably my favorite of the entire franchise.… Expand
  5. sebastiansau
    Jul 14, 2020
    9
    Me gustó la campaña y el multijugador es muy entretenido, es diverso y la jugabilidad es perfecta
  6. superkapitan82
    Jan 29, 2023
    9
    Excellent shooter in fantastic sci fi environment. Never played Halo before.
  7. kin9louie
    Aug 18, 2020
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Halo 5 is another great entry into the halo franchise. The campaign is a bit short, and it's not that you don't play as the Master Chief for what feels like most of the campaign, but overall it's a blast, the story is rich, and the graphics look good. I love the hidden dialogue between NPCs and the hidden intel. My only real complaint with the campaign is there are a few cutscenes that I think should have been playable experiences. Killing Jul Mdama should have been something the player could do, and I think it would have been great to fight Master Chief when Spartan Locke finds him. How cool would that have been to fight the Master Chief?

    The multiplayer is fantastic. I love the armor abilities and the sprint function. They add so much more to the multiplayer experience that the original three games lacked. I've been playing halo since CE, and I know some of these new mechanics are not well received, but in my opinion they bring Halo to a modern audience who is looking for a more fast paced and exciting multiplayer experience.    … Expand
  8. OldAndCynical
    Dec 5, 2020
    9
    Note: I've only played thru the single player campaign, as I do not have that online pass thingy.
    But for me, the single player campaign in Halo 5 was brilliant. Great storyline, great locations, for the most part, and some really atmospheric and haunting settings and scenes.
    The new Spartans? -Loved them! The newcomers added some well needed new blood, and humor, to the stuffy old    Note: I've only played thru the single player campaign, as I do not have that online pass thingy.
    But for me, the single player campaign in Halo 5 was brilliant. Great storyline, great locations, for the most part, and some really atmospheric and haunting settings and scenes.
    The new Spartans? -Loved them! The newcomers added some well needed new blood, and humor, to the stuffy old Spartan(s). And the interaction between new and old Spartans worked really well in the story.
    Visually, some locations were rather barren, but overall I liked it. Exploring is fun too, and pays off, as you can find some uber special weps hidden away at certain levels. Hunters, taste this! Boom!
    Some levels were way too tiny, tho, and the end levels were dull, so that takes it down from perfect ten. Still, for anyone looking for a ace single player shooter experience, you cannot go wrong with Halo 5.    … Expand
  9. Helby91
    Dec 28, 2020
    9
    No es el mejor juego de halo pero la historia con cortana como villana es buena , la jugabilidad es perfecta y el multijugador muy entretenido
  10. Loutisu
    Jan 13, 2021
    9
    Bad story for a casual unless you know about the Halo lore and if you do then it's actually good. Gameplay is good, multiplayer is good. Don't like the engine they used to make Halo 5. The old modified blame engine is one of the best. Graphics are good but bad at the same time. Looks like HD plastic.
  11. SteinZero
    May 19, 2023
    9
    A história de Halo 5: Guardians apresenta uma trama mais complexa e ambiciosa, com uma abordagem centrada em múltiplos personagens, incluindo o Master Chief e o agente Spartan Locke. Infelizmente, a narrativa não conseguiu alcançar a profundidade e a emoção dos jogos anteriores da série. As motivações dos personagens e os acontecimentos da trama podem parecer confusos e poucoA história de Halo 5: Guardians apresenta uma trama mais complexa e ambiciosa, com uma abordagem centrada em múltiplos personagens, incluindo o Master Chief e o agente Spartan Locke. Infelizmente, a narrativa não conseguiu alcançar a profundidade e a emoção dos jogos anteriores da série. As motivações dos personagens e os acontecimentos da trama podem parecer confusos e pouco satisfatórios, deixando uma sensação de desconexão e falta de impacto.

    A jogabilidade de Halo 5: Guardians é onde o jogo realmente brilha. Os controles são responsivos e precisos, oferecendo uma experiência de tiro em primeira pessoa suave e agradável. A adição do sistema de sprint e dos ataques corpo a corpo aprimorados trazem novas opções táticas ao combate. Além disso, o jogo introduz a capacidade de mirar e atirar enquanto está em movimento, o que adiciona um elemento de dinamismo aos confrontos.

    O design dos níveis em Halo 5: Guardians é visualmente impressionante, com ambientes variados e detalhados. No entanto, assim como na história, a progressão linear dos níveis pode ser decepcionante para aqueles que esperavam uma experiência mais aberta e exploratória. Ainda assim, o jogo oferece momentos de ação intensa e desafiadora, com a possibilidade de enfrentar inimigos poderosos e utilizar uma variedade de armas e veículos.

    A trilha sonora, novamente composta por Neil Davidge, é competente, mas não consegue alcançar o mesmo impacto emocional e memorável das trilhas sonoras anteriores da série. As músicas se encaixam bem nas cenas de ação, mas não deixam uma marca duradoura na experiência geral do jogo.

    O multiplayer de Halo 5: Guardians é um dos pontos altos do jogo. O modo multiplayer oferece uma variedade de opções, desde partidas competitivas até modos cooperativos, permitindo aos jogadores enfrentarem desafios e competirem com outros jogadores online. A jogabilidade balanceada e os mapas bem projetados proporcionam confrontos empolgantes e estratégicos.    … Expand
  12. anfeherle89
    Apr 9, 2022
    9
    The history continues very good, we have a new enemy, (the eternal warden), a enemy worthy of the master chief, a lot of plot twist very good, a short game if you play in the normal difficulty you can end it in 1 day, but is an amazing game
  13. m0renomatico
    Nov 11, 2021
    9
    Me encantó el juego hace poco más de dos semanas fue que lo jugué ya que decidí acabar todas los títulos de la saga para tener una visión completa para halo infinite. La campaña lo único que le puedo criticar es que la consideré un poco corta, aunque quizás eso sea relativo porque el tiempo voló cuando jugaba. Ahora bien, la mecánica del juego tuvo un salto abismal con relación a la haloMe encantó el juego hace poco más de dos semanas fue que lo jugué ya que decidí acabar todas los títulos de la saga para tener una visión completa para halo infinite. La campaña lo único que le puedo criticar es que la consideré un poco corta, aunque quizás eso sea relativo porque el tiempo voló cuando jugaba. Ahora bien, la mecánica del juego tuvo un salto abismal con relación a la halo 4, me encanto la implementación del dash, la libertad para escalar, poder apuntar con todas las armas.

    La historia entre el jefe y Cortana me encantó, los diálogos del Warden eterno para Cortana aconsejándole que no confiará en el jefe maestro.    … Expand
  14. ElCosmoXD
    Nov 25, 2021
    9
    Has a really great story and also good characters that make you enjoy the history of the game.
  15. Arush-KS
    Dec 6, 2021
    9
    A great return to form for 343i, they improved on what was great in 4 and added to 5. The addition of new game modes like breakout are great.
  16. Osbraikeet
    Dec 13, 2021
    9
    The multiplayer is good
    But the story isn’t I didn’t like it much because chief isn’t the main character
  17. MayconAlex
    Jan 28, 2023
    9
    Jogo muito mais muito bom, recomendo pra quem gosta do gênero..............
  18. thegrave
    Dec 4, 2015
    8
    Campaign is lacking. Very solid online play though with good gunplay & very rare lag. Great team play game if you can find people that actually use microphones. Main FPS I've been playing. Beat out the others.
  19. SchroederRock
    Nov 15, 2015
    8
    After initially feeling a bit underwhelmed by Halo 5: Guardians, I think I appreciate it more now than ever. The campaign is actually quite good but stumbles a bit due to the narrative being gargled for the first 1/3 of the game. The feud between Master Chief and Locke (under the orders of ONI) is the huge buildup to this game, which makes it curious why it was so quickly solved in theAfter initially feeling a bit underwhelmed by Halo 5: Guardians, I think I appreciate it more now than ever. The campaign is actually quite good but stumbles a bit due to the narrative being gargled for the first 1/3 of the game. The feud between Master Chief and Locke (under the orders of ONI) is the huge buildup to this game, which makes it curious why it was so quickly solved in the campaign. The rest of the story ends up being a gem and, without spoiling it, sets up Halo 6 to be the most epic Halo ever (very similarly to the way Mass Effect 2 setup Mass Effect 3). I can't help but like how thing ended up on this end, especially with a great feature in 4-player online co-op (though there's no split-screen). The campaign is a bit short (7.5 hrs on Heroic for me, solo), which is a negative. Had the marketed focal point of this Halo game been explored more, this would have been hands-down the best Halo ever made. As for the multiplayer, it's good. Compared to the campaign, you can feel a bit of drag in the movement systems. They're seemingly slowed a bit, so it might take you a little while to adjust. Once you've spent enough time on this side of the game you will feel more adjusted. Speaking of adjustments, 343 definitely tweaked the aiming system of the game. It doesn't have that nice gliding snap-to aiming of Call of Duty nor does it have the more precise feeling of earlier Halo games. 343 have apparently made the ADS (aim down sight) function require practice before mastering. That's fine, but it took me a week to really get the hang of it. Now I do fairly well in MP. The new REQ system acts like Titanfall's burn cards, earned through all multiplayer and awarded through card packs that are earned through achievements on the battlefield. It's a cool system. Someone that doesn't go all-out on their best cards at a moments notice will can store up quite the arsenal and change the battlefield single-handedly in some cases. But the REQ level system put into play during the games themselves prevents rare cards that are clearly more powerful than 95% of what's available on the battlefield from being abused. So there's balance. There's also a small micro-transaction option to quickly attain more REQ packs, but this only ups the number of cards you can pick up. They don't change the game landscape as everything is random (so you could spend $25 and only pick up a few really good items/vehicles to work with). These micro-transactions are probably a big part of why the DLC for Halo 5 is all free. That's right, not a single dime will be spent getting new maps, game modes, etc. Speaking of those things, the map rotation is a little light @ launch, but amazingly 343 Industries has already readied a map pack for rollout 3 weeks after launch. These kind of regular DLC packs are fully expected and are partially community-based through Forge creations. The first DLC pack is bringing in the Big Team Battle on top of a few new maps. Warzone is where you play the REQ cards, a 12v12 battleground that mixes in some computer enemies that can help a losing team rally when getting tossed around player-to-player. It always keeps a team in the game until the very last point needed is scored. Arena is your 4v4 variant and, surprisingly, isn't the strong suit of this game anymore. Heavy competitors will still lean toward the smaller player sets, but Warzone commands the most attention as you can take up to 11 of your friends along with you. In the end, Halo 5 is a good game that missed a few marks from making it an amazing game. Critics averaged around an ~85 metascore, and I think that's where this game belongs. It stands out in a season of big-name shooters (Fallout 4, Black Ops 3, SW Battlefront) as one of the better options (obviously, Fallout 4 is going to edge out Halo). I really had to hang with the game for a bit, but once I got a fireteam of 5 other friends together to hit up Warzone, I was glad I purchased this game. It won't keep me from thinking "what if", but there's still one more Halo game to prove that 343 Industries have always been capable of carrying the Halo mantle. Perhaps the greatest mystery and the biggest opportunities is thinking about what comes next for Halo once this story is settled?… Expand
  20. xabbott
    Nov 6, 2015
    8
    I played the entire campaign on heroic co-op. It was very enjoyable but it is short. The story is just ok but I've never been crazy about Halo's story to begin with. I would say the campaign is the low point of the entire game and if you have no interest in multiplayer then this wouldn't be worth the price.

    The multiplayer has been awesome and this is coming from someone who rarely    I played the entire campaign on heroic co-op. It was very enjoyable but it is short. The story is just ok but I've never been crazy about Halo's story to begin with. I would say the campaign is the low point of the entire game and if you have no interest in multiplayer then this wouldn't be worth the price.

    The multiplayer has been awesome and this is coming from someone who rarely plays multiplayer modes. Arena is very balanced (aside from FFA), fun, and fast paced. Warzone is a very welcomed new mode of multiplayer. You have objectives, bosses, and points. It reminds me of a WoW battleground. Its been a very refreshing new mode that I hope other FPS games look into as well.    … Expand
  21. morventhus
    Oct 29, 2015
    8
    the game itself is pretty solid. The multiplayer great.
    However dropping splitscreen for a game FOCUSED on CO-OP in its campaign is beyond ridiculous.
    that and the mediocre story and short campaign really hurt the game in my honest opinion. If the story could have kept up with the quality of other halo media like hunt the truth or some of the books. and if this game had splitscreen and    the game itself is pretty solid. The multiplayer great.
    However dropping splitscreen for a game FOCUSED on CO-OP in its campaign is beyond ridiculous.
    that and the mediocre story and short campaign really hurt the game in my honest opinion.
    If the story could have kept up with the quality of other halo media like hunt the truth or some of the books. and if this game had splitscreen and had some of the things like emblems not in microtransactions (armor and weapon skins and the like im fine ok with i guess though i rather hate microtransactions). This game could have easily scored way higher in my book.

    I would have given the game a 7.5 but we cant do fractions here on Metacritic    … Expand
  22. Rumic
    Apr 20, 2016
    8
    343i knows what they are doing with this saga, after the end of Halo 3 it was a bad end, to continue the history, but the certain thing is that they make a good history introducing a new plot arch and making Jhon117 more human and less soldier.

    They introduce new game mechanics and the verticality of Titanfall for the campaing, making it more fun, sadly the IA suffers and isn't as good    343i knows what they are doing with this saga, after the end of Halo 3 it was a bad end, to continue the history, but the certain thing is that they make a good history introducing a new plot arch and making Jhon117 more human and less soldier.

    They introduce new game mechanics and the verticality of Titanfall for the campaing, making it more fun, sadly the IA suffers and isn't as good as Bungie gets in Reach.

    Another positive point of this game is that 343i bet for free maps and new modes, implanting micropayment for decorative skins, and using the income they got for this micropayments for the esports and make new maps.    … Expand
  23. Skarwind
    Nov 6, 2015
    8
    Halo 5: Guardians is neither amazing or a colossal failure. Where it does not excel in any particular way it does improve on many things that people did not like about Halo 4. The addition of the thruster pack adds a new style of fluid movement for players and the new game mode Warzone is very fun to play, assuming you have friends to tag along for the ride or other players are usingHalo 5: Guardians is neither amazing or a colossal failure. Where it does not excel in any particular way it does improve on many things that people did not like about Halo 4. The addition of the thruster pack adds a new style of fluid movement for players and the new game mode Warzone is very fun to play, assuming you have friends to tag along for the ride or other players are using headsets. Arena is fun but the map rotations feel off and could use some tweaking. The campaign is nothing amazing but it does offer four to seven hours of game play depending on the difficulty you choose.

    Multiplayer:

    The thruster pack makes the game seem similar, as far as movement is concerned, to games like Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare or in a smaller aspect, TitanFall. Fans of Unreal Tournament will also enjoy the addition of the new movement style for Halo as it allows players to have the ability to dodge attacks, move quickly around the map, and even allow for some flashy vehicle kills. Destiny players will feel at home if they play as a Titan as well as the ground pound, and dash melee are replicas of the Titans arc super and shoulder smash ability.

    Warzone is very fun and a great addition to the series. Similar to Big team Battle as far as map size and the idea of two large teams going head to head, it adds objectives around the map as well as bases to capture and a larger home base to destroy for each team. Players can also choose to play in the other version of Warzone which just pits the teams together without the AI changing things up. The new Req system, although obnoxious as it is to add microtransactions in a AAA title, are not overbearing and are subtle at best. They add a new element to multiplayer and the system allows for players to experiment with different play styles while enjoying Warzone. Thankfully, they are on a tier system, similar to MOBA upgrades, so you can't just unlock a scorpion or a banshee right away or use an energy sword from the get go.

    Arena feels very balanced and well designed and although I spend most of my time in Warzone, have enjoyed it for the relatively small amount of time that I have spent in it, about 8 hours or so. The power weapons are displayed on your HUD alongside their timers, allowing players to spot them easily and contest them for map domination. Teamwork is essential, as it has always been in the series and lone wolves should steer clear of their habits as the health system is punishing, should you decide to go alone against the entire enemy team. Shields replenish only when moving at normal speed. Any kind of boosting, sprinting, or even charging the thrusters for a ground pound will hold the yellow bar in place until you cease these actions and allow your shields to recharge. For me personally, this system is great because it encourages players to stick with their team and play intelligently.

    Campaign:

    The campaign is lackluster. The marketing campaign did a very good job of making players think one thing and the developers delivered another. The hunt for truth by itself was an amazing idea but the game gives a different experience. I won't go into too much detail about the campaign's story but the gameplay is what saves this game for the most part. You will forget the characters, your play time with Chief will be short, and Locke is not a note worthy character in my opinion. He feels very shallow and the voice actor did not go to great lengths to deliver an outstanding performance, however, Halo is an FPS first, and a great sci fi epic second and I do not expect to be given a novel worthy story in this style of video game, but it is appreciated when developers do deliver a great story experience because not every gamer is in it for the multiplayer.

    The story will also require some reading and back story searching to fully understand who the characters are and why certain events have happened. The animated series, The Fall of Reach is helpful in this aspect, as well as having read the Forerunner saga of novels. One can also simply google the characters and read their small biographies that players have posted online.

    The game is beautiful and extremely fun to play online. The campaign will last you a day at most depending on your schedule and is something that is best played with friends, sadly there is no couch co-op so players should be warned before buying if that is a feature they expect to have. The story isn't great but it is also not terrible but the multiplayer has re-earned my faith in this series and I look forward to playing it for a long time.    … Expand
  24. Falstad007
    Nov 2, 2015
    8
    While Halo 5’s campaign may suffer from being a lackluster bridge installment of the Reclaimer saga, the chaotic multiplayer and new Warzone gametype is enough to warrant a purchase if you’re a fan of the series or multiplayer in general. Otherwise, it’s much easier to recommend waiting for a sale or pick up a used copy, when the additional multiplayer content has been patched in.
  25. Rifter
    Oct 28, 2015
    8
    Very solid game. I've mainly played the single player with a buddy and a little multiplayer arena. One of the best co-op games out there. Would love to see a 4 player version. Very cool levels.

    AI is kind of bad. This really is a team-based game, at least, really feels like it, but the AI kind of messes that up a lot. The game is a lot better if you have read some of the    Very solid game. I've mainly played the single player with a buddy and a little multiplayer arena. One of the best co-op games out there. Would love to see a 4 player version. Very cool levels.

    AI is kind of bad. This really is a team-based game, at least, really feels like it, but the AI kind of messes that up a lot.

    The game is a lot better if you have read some of the surrounding lore. Understand where Locke is coming from (Nightfall)

    The VERY low reviews I don't understand. I'd say this game is easily a 75-85 point game depending on where you fall. It does have some weirdness to it, but you have to stay with the Halo style gameplay to at least some extent. Though, the vehicles DO feel far too "floaty", worse than previous ones.    … Expand
  26. Cazanator
    Nov 15, 2015
    8
    I must admit I'll be one of the biggest Halo fans you'll ever meet, I know what I'm talking about when it comes to Halo. Halo 5: Guardians is a great game, I had a lot of fun playing it. But I do feel it had the potential be up there on par with Bungies trilogy. Its seems once again 343 have focussed more on the Multiplayer instead of the campaign which is a shame. The whole LockeI must admit I'll be one of the biggest Halo fans you'll ever meet, I know what I'm talking about when it comes to Halo. Halo 5: Guardians is a great game, I had a lot of fun playing it. But I do feel it had the potential be up there on par with Bungies trilogy. Its seems once again 343 have focussed more on the Multiplayer instead of the campaign which is a shame. The whole Locke hunting Master Chief was such an interesting concept but they did fail to deliver. Also the levels do not seem as expansive/large as previous Halos.

    There is no denying Halo 5 is a great game, you will have a lot of fun playing the game, the missions are great and the ending sequence is fantastic, and the cliffhanger is incredible by setting Halo 6 for a massive finale. Online multiplayer is also much better than Halo 4 which is a plus.

    8.5/10    … Expand
  27. Lilbutter
    Nov 5, 2015
    8
    My god, the multiplayer here is the most fun I've had with Halo in forever. The single player is really fun too, but the story is really bad! Its all a big setup for the inevitable Halo 6, nothing big happens and it feels like filler. But when the multiplayer is as fun as it is, its hard not to recommend Halo 5.
  28. Vampero
    Nov 6, 2015
    8
    Greatest Halo MP in the series so far ! Graphics and gameplay is at a smooth 1080p/60FPS.I did not care for the story at all. It had a very weak story line. I will enjoy playing this game for a long time.
  29. StUnNeR_H2K
    Nov 6, 2015
    8
    Story is a disappointment, but the game-play & multi-player are some of the best in the Halo series. Highly recommend this for anyone who has loved Halo game-play, and more specifically the Halo 2 multi-player days. With a plan to support the game with free DLC maps Halo 5 will have some legs!
  30. azgoodaz
    Aug 15, 2016
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Note: For those who haven't played this game for the campaign. This review contains spoilers.

    I have been a Halo fan since Halo 2 it was my first Halo game, but how does it stack up against Halo 5? Does Halo 5 feel like a regular Halo game or does it not? Is that good or bad?

    Let's start with the good things about Halo 5 within the story mode. Firstly, the game has truly outstanding visuals and movie like cut scenes. If you need to watch how 343 made the game, you should check out their video series called 'The Sprint' where 343 shows off how the game was made from story mode, online, and the cut scenes. Secondly, the game is locked in at stable 60 fps and 1080p resolution, but it will downgrade if needed. The game will downgrade in resolution "when we want to get really crazy with vehicles, visual effects and combat we can trade some of the resolution in order to maintain the crucial 60fps" as stated by Chris Haluke from 343. Third, before you start a level you can choose which character you would like to be within the Spartan team of Blue Team or Fireteam Osiris that you are playing in that level. Its a neat feature and it allows everyone to play different characters for every mission you play... it gives a bit of variety. Fourth, the revives! AI and or your co-op buddies can now revive you when you go down. Basically another alternative to complete the level and not restart the checkpoint because one person died. Something that should stay in future titles.

    Now the bad things within the Halo 5 story mode. First off, the campaign sucked... I mean to the point where it was only a 4 hour storyline (on Heroic difficulty) with 15 Missions (3 missions with Master Chief team, and 12 missions with Locke team) and the worst part is that the game ends with a horrible cliffhanger that leads to Halo 6. Second, in Halo 5 it makes Master Chief look like a traitor because he started to look for Cortana because he had a vision of her calling him. 343 makes him look like he is AWOL but, hes not a traitor towards the Spartans or anyone. And then, 343 makes this new character named 'Locke' look like a hero because he is trying to "save him/rescue him." Third, the boss battles are kinda lame to be completely honest. You fight Cortana's guardian named 'Warden Eternal' around 6 times throughout the game, which makes it very repetitive. It was shown in trailers that Master Chief and Locke are enemies, but not one non-cinematic battle between them happened. Only one battle happened and it was a cinematic between Master Chief and Locke... and Locke lost the fight.

    Finally, let's talk multiplayer. Mostly the only game modes I'm interested in are Breakout (one life CTF game mode kinda like SnD from Call of Duty), SWAT, and Warzone (a huge 12 vs 12 game mode w/ AI and boss battles) to be completely honest. 343 has stated that all DLC for the game will be free and Forge will come out in December (in 2015) so that is a plus for everyone. The game does have microtransactions the items are called 'Requisitions' in which you can use most of these items in the new game mode Warzone. But mostly the reason why people buy the packs it because they include character gear in which you can customize your Spartan with a new helmet, body armor, etc. The packs range from $24.99 to $1.99 per pack/bundle and they are NOT mandatory to play Warzone. You can earn 'Requisitions' in game within game modes you play and finish. Lastly, finding players for games is fast (better than the release of Halo: MCC) and it was needed for both the game and 343.

    In conclusion, the horrible storyline within Halo 5 brought down the score and that is why I gave it a 8/10. Its a 4 hour storyline with a horrible cliffhanger that leads to Halo 6, very little and not good boss battles, limited story missions with Master Chief (that is one of the reasons why people buy Halo) and the game is mostly focused on the new character (Locke) and his team. Halo 5 does feel like a regular Halo but more fast pace and more competitive in that sense. Sorry 343, but you can do better or even a better job at starting a story for Halo 6. It doesn't feel like a $60 dollar game.    … Expand
  31. Sergio2008
    Jan 3, 2016
    8
    I've put 50 hours into Halo 5: Guardians, and the game is the best FPS of the year. Halo 5 plays smoothly and the multiplayer is challenging, but balanced. The campaign was a blast to play. The game designs were beautiful and immerse, and the team gameplay is a new dynamic way to play Halo.

    However, the way the story in Halo 5 was told felt rushed and lazy. You play as Spartan Locke and    I've put 50 hours into Halo 5: Guardians, and the game is the best FPS of the year. Halo 5 plays smoothly and the multiplayer is challenging, but balanced. The campaign was a blast to play. The game designs were beautiful and immerse, and the team gameplay is a new dynamic way to play Halo.

    However, the way the story in Halo 5 was told felt rushed and lazy. You play as Spartan Locke and Team Osiris for 12 out of the 15 missions, and still feel like you do not know Locke or his team. Chief's Blue Team does not get the proper introduction into the gaming world, and Chief's development takes a step back from Halo 4.

    The ending was a great twist, and I definitely feel compelled to buy the next installment, but please 343, take your time and pace the story better.    … Expand
  32. yourfavcomedion
    Nov 15, 2015
    8
    Now let me say this, this is probably the best FPS to come out in years. Definitely beats Call of Duty and Battlefield. Now there are a lot of good things going for this game, but everything has it's pros and cons. Like I said this is probably the best FPS to come out in years.
    +The game play can feature a lot more then just point and shoot (Unlike Call of Duty)
    +Game play offers a lot    Now let me say this, this is probably the best FPS to come out in years. Definitely beats Call of Duty and Battlefield. Now there are a lot of good things going for this game, but everything has it's pros and cons. Like I said this is probably the best FPS to come out in years.
    +The game play can feature a lot more then just point and shoot (Unlike Call of Duty)
    +Game play offers a lot more variety then the earlier games, Ex: Ground pound, Spartan Charge etc.
    +The co-op with friends is a lot of fun.
    +The game can be challenging at times and makes it all the better when you beat the level.
    +Online offers a lot of more game modes, Breakout, War zone and a little more.
    ~The campaign was good, but didn't offer what I thought it would.
    ~The main source of game play is still basically still point and shoot, and duck behind cover when you are injured. The game does offer more then it did before, but still points to point and shoot.
    -The advertising focused WAY to much on Locke hunting Chief which the campaign did not really offer that much on it.
    -Where the heck are the Halo's?
    -The campaign was way to short.
    -The game doesn't offer much other then the campaign and multi player which could be a make or break for you.
    -The multi player can be like banging your head against the wall.
    Now like I said this is the best FPS I have played in years. But I will look past my nostalgia and say that if you liked Halo or want to try it out, this game would be a good sequel or a good place to start. But if you don't like FPS that much, or don't like Halo this game will probably not carry it for you, wait for Halo 6, if you want a game that will offer a lot more then this.    … Expand
  33. Vyrotix
    Oct 28, 2015
    8
    Halo 5 is a really great game. Thought the story is very disappointing, the multiplayer and warzone are spot on. The combat system is awesome, and the game itself looks beautiful.

    If you're buying Halo 5 for the story, I'd just watch a walkthrough of it. The story is nothing like what the ads were saying it was. Locke and Chief never had their long awaited showdown, instead Locke was    Halo 5 is a really great game. Thought the story is very disappointing, the multiplayer and warzone are spot on. The combat system is awesome, and the game itself looks beautiful.

    If you're buying Halo 5 for the story, I'd just watch a walkthrough of it. The story is nothing like what the ads were saying it was. Locke and Chief never had their long awaited showdown, instead Locke was trying to save chief for more than half the game. All in all, the campaign was nothing like what people thought it was going to be.

    Now for the multiplayer. The multiplayer is spot on, with the new Smart Aim feature on weapons, which adds something new to the game. Arena is fun, and even more fun with friends, especially breakout, which is the new elimination mode, where you either wipe out the entire enemy team to win a round, or you take the flag and bring it to the other side of the map, similar to Capture the Flag. I found myself having a wonderful time in the multiplayer.

    Now, warzone is the most hyped mode for what it promised, which was the cross between PvE and PvP on a huge map with you being able to purchase weapons, armor abilities, and huge vehicles ranging from the scorpion tank, the mantis or a banshee.

    Though it is unfortunate that there is only one map for Warzone, that is expected since it's such a huge map. Even though there's only one, you still have loads of fun.

    So from the disappointing campaign, to the spot on Arena mode, to the excellent Warzone mode, to the combat system and visuals, Halo 5: Guardians gets a 8/10 from me.    … Expand
  34. JahAaroneSp
    Aug 20, 2020
    8
    Para MÍ un Halo innolvidable, me enganchó mucho + que los anteriores y cuando terminé la historia solo quería +, cosa que no me pasó con el 4 y demás. Su online es de lo + completo, exigente y variado de la generación, recomendadísimo.
  35. Neno300
    Nov 17, 2015
    8
    Awesome game, the campaign sucks but the multiplayer is awesome and the graphics are really good too. However many people are mad because of there is no split screen, which is fine with me since i dont use it BUT i know theres a lot of people that loves it so thats why the game is a solid 8 for me.
  36. iSimon420
    Mar 25, 2017
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. In short, this campaign falls flat on its ass, but the multiplayer is incredible and addictive. The lack of split screen= horrendous blunder. PS never will become more important than gameplay. If the gameplay is a boring chore or utter **** we don't care how good your game looks or runs worth a dam. Then to add insult to injury, Master Chief and Blue Team are the minority players, as your stuck playing Locke the majority of the time, just to get a slap in the face **** cliffhanger ending for Halo 6. Get the PC version Halo 5 Forge, a superior version with better multiplayer features and give this sordid campaign a pass, with high expectations for Halo 6, now featuring split screen again, to reclaim Halo's status as the king of FPS shooters.… Expand
  37. commando41
    Oct 29, 2015
    8
    Obviously the Hype train took it to a whole new level and if you were expecting what they were promoting...well you'll be a bit disappointed...but I quit paying attention to the marketing campaigns after one to many disappointments. That said HALO 5 is solid, it's no 10/10 or a game changing experience but all in all both the SP and MP are all around fun. The gun play is ok..some guns areObviously the Hype train took it to a whole new level and if you were expecting what they were promoting...well you'll be a bit disappointed...but I quit paying attention to the marketing campaigns after one to many disappointments. That said HALO 5 is solid, it's no 10/10 or a game changing experience but all in all both the SP and MP are all around fun. The gun play is ok..some guns are pretty amazing but it's no Destiny when comparing how the shooting mechanics work...the Prometheans are boring as hell...I hate them, can't stand them...they are simply not fun to kill...thankfully the Covenant make up for the promethean blandness and are pretty dam cool to watch and kill :). All in all I enjoyed the game and felt I got my monies worth. Played on Heroic at first, and will play another run through on normal to look for skulls and get mission intel. If you're a fan of the HALO series this is definitely a must have and 343 really made up for the debacle that was MCC and HALO 4.… Expand
  38. EPiiCx5587
    Oct 28, 2015
    8
    Has a few problems here and there, but ultimately it's still a great Halo game. Campaign falls a little short, but it was still a blast to play. Multiplayer respects the originals while still pushing the series forward giving a good balance of old and new.
  39. Voodoo123
    Mar 11, 2020
    8
    Another solid halo from 343. The gameplay feels like a noticable upgrade from halo4 and there it looks fantastic in 4k on the one x. Soundtrack was great and the cast and cutscenes were excellent. Negatives for me were the 'cartoon badguy' moments throughout the plot and the emphasis on fighting promethan enemy types (just not as fun as covenant imo). Can't wait to see what they do with infinity!!
  40. parenter
    Oct 28, 2015
    8
    In my opinion Halo 5 come so late... These mecanics could have been perfectly in the generation Xbox 360 ... Well, better late than never and that makes it not bad. Not the worst Halo is better than Halo 4 but worse than other major Halo ...
  41. splitpolygon
    Nov 2, 2015
    8
    Amazing game play, smooth and visually spectacular! Campaign was a lil short and not enough chief, but with the knowledge of a grander scale with the story line i feel forgiving.
  42. xl33tgamerx
    Jan 11, 2016
    8
    What's to say? Halo 5 has stunning graphics, large array of weapons from 3 different races (Human, Covenant and Protean), cool vehicles to drive and pilot, new and old aggressive enemies to kill, fluid and action-packed combat, breathtaking scenery and constant edge of your seat action, and lastly (but not least) our old hero Master Chief (John-117), his team and the new friendly-to-rivalWhat's to say? Halo 5 has stunning graphics, large array of weapons from 3 different races (Human, Covenant and Protean), cool vehicles to drive and pilot, new and old aggressive enemies to kill, fluid and action-packed combat, breathtaking scenery and constant edge of your seat action, and lastly (but not least) our old hero Master Chief (John-117), his team and the new friendly-to-rival Fireteam "Osiris" constantly involved in an edge-of-your-seat gripping and twisting plot. In summary, since Halo 4, 343 Studios has taken the aging Halo series and shown us they can do, and have done a better job than Bungie ever did or would do with it. Thanks for breathing new life into an old favorite guys!… Expand
  43. Negolash
    Oct 29, 2015
    8
    Game is good, but ending almost as bad as Halo 2. And try not to play it solo on high difficulties, bots are insanely stupid and useless. And why only 3 missions for Master Chief of 15 total?
  44. ThemBakerBoys
    Oct 28, 2015
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I have only played through 10 of 15 missions so far but I am mystified by the reactions I am seeing here.
    SPOILER ALERT:
    The story is both easy to follow and has depth and mystery for those who take the time to think about it. Master Chief has gone rogue because he is receiving mysterious transmissions from someone claiming to be Cortana. He investigates even though it means going AWOL. His loyal team of spartans support his decision with no proof at all--demonstrating their absolute loyalty to his cause. Spartan Lock and his blue team are sent to track them down and bring them in. Master Chief's efforts to find Cortana takes him on a trip across the galaxy to different planetary outposts and even into the middle of a covenant civil war with the elites (why no brutes?). The mysterious giant guardians, Cortana's true intentions, Locke's unquestioning obedience to orders, the return of the Arbiter--there's a ton of story here. It may not all have the nuance that we would want but it smacks of Halo and takes us places we have never been in the games before. The Elite homeworld is truly a sight to behold.
    Point being, 343 Industries did let us down with Master Chief Collection and I haven't even really scratched the surface on Halo 5 multiplayer yet, but if you are on the fence, don't let these critics sway you against buying the game. The campaign so far has been compelling and a blast to play. Fits nice and easy into the Halo series while being a 2015 game in terms of graphics and gameplay.    … Expand
  45. rrafemi
    Oct 28, 2015
    8
    De momento voy a hablar del modo historia pues no he tocado el modo multijugador aún.

    Este es mi primer HALO y sinceramente, no me parece mucho mejor que otros shooters. Todo el mundo dice que este el mejor shooter de consola.... pues no lo veo por niguna parte. Es todo muy genérico (aunque con buenos momentos) y unos enemigos estúpidos que se repiten hasta la saciedad. En lo personal    De momento voy a hablar del modo historia pues no he tocado el modo multijugador aún.

    Este es mi primer HALO y sinceramente, no me parece mucho mejor que otros shooters. Todo el mundo dice que este el mejor shooter de consola.... pues no lo veo por niguna parte. Es todo muy genérico (aunque con buenos momentos) y unos enemigos estúpidos que se repiten hasta la saciedad. En lo personal Battlefield 4 me dejó mucho mejor sabor de boca pese a ser también muy genérico, pero me puso en muchos más aprietos que HALO

    sobre los gráficos, pues se agradecen los 60 frames y mucho, pero eso lastra el resto de apartado grafíco. Todo parece estar hecho de cartón piedra, unas texturas lisas que ni tienen relieve. De las luces y sombras mejor ni hablamos (porque no tiene)

    En lo personal le doy como mucho y siendo generosos un 8 (al modo historia). No es mal juego, esta muy bien, pero dista mucho de ser el mejor shooter que haya probado.    … Expand
  46. pmart4
    Nov 4, 2015
    8
    A lot of the User Reviews on here are very harsh. Voting 0 because there is no co-op doesn't really help anyone or giving a 2 because the campaign. Yes, Halo 5 is not perfect, but it's still the best FPS on the XBone by a mile.

    Yes, no co-op and a short campaign (with a weak story line in comparison to its predecessors) sucks. It does, but the multi-player makes up for it in bunches!    A lot of the User Reviews on here are very harsh. Voting 0 because there is no co-op doesn't really help anyone or giving a 2 because the campaign. Yes, Halo 5 is not perfect, but it's still the best FPS on the XBone by a mile.

    Yes, no co-op and a short campaign (with a weak story line in comparison to its predecessors) sucks. It does, but the multi-player makes up for it in bunches!

    In particular, the Warzone & Breakout modes in multi-player are incredible. The map sizes are just right, the graphics are great, the frame-rate is stable, the length of each game is perfect and the action is exciting from start to finish. Currently there are only three Warzone maps (despite us being promised 6 - 8) BUT 343 have promised 15 'free' DLC over the coming months, where I'm sure we will see more. This DLC could bump the game from an 8/10 to a 9 out of 10.

    It's a shame about the story - especially as we waited so long for it, but if (like me) you're Halo experiences and expectations are geared around multi-player then you will not be disappointed.

    No ragrets and definately worth a buy!    … Expand
  47. MolecularBird06
    Oct 30, 2015
    8
    The multiplayer is quite fun, and feels like Halo, but the game lost points with its story. The story really just feels like a set up for Halo 6, kind of like how Halo 2's ending was a cliff hanger for Halo 3, like how they set up the ark. Another problem is that the characters are pretty boring with Locke just being every other protagonist who just wants to be good. Also the campaign isThe multiplayer is quite fun, and feels like Halo, but the game lost points with its story. The story really just feels like a set up for Halo 6, kind of like how Halo 2's ending was a cliff hanger for Halo 3, like how they set up the ark. Another problem is that the characters are pretty boring with Locke just being every other protagonist who just wants to be good. Also the campaign is about 5 hours long, and about 2/15 missions you actually play as the chief. The multiplayer is a lot more like traditional Halo, with out the load out **** and perks, giving everyone a fair start. Map control also has a bigger sway,as I lost a few games because one team held the fuel rod.… Expand
  48. Yun1t0
    Sep 10, 2019
    8
    Halo is tied as my favorite franchise ever with Mass Effect, but make no mistake about this, you might think 8 is a high score but considering all the other games its the lowest point on the halo franchise. The game looks and plays great and its fun. The problem is, for some reason someone at 343 thought that it would be a great idea to move away from the Chief and Cortana story and focusHalo is tied as my favorite franchise ever with Mass Effect, but make no mistake about this, you might think 8 is a high score but considering all the other games its the lowest point on the halo franchise. The game looks and plays great and its fun. The problem is, for some reason someone at 343 thought that it would be a great idea to move away from the Chief and Cortana story and focus the game on some new spartans. Other than Nathan Fillion, none of the new spartans are interesting or worth your attention. The story was average at best, the best parts being the Chief parts. That said as always the Multiplayer section (which is what saves this review) is as good multiplayer as Halo has seen if not the best. The new Warzone mode is GREAT coop fun (they added some vs to it later) and all the other MP is great. The fact that there is no paying for new maps or season pass is also a plus. The update to 4k 60fps later is also a plus. This is a really good game for any other franchise but for halo, its just ok. Still, its pretty cheap now so give it a chance if you can.… Expand
  49. jelikey
    Dec 16, 2019
    8
    I cannot explain how horrendous this game is I finished the Story in 4 hours 4 HOURS no split screen makes it even worse! I bought an Xbox one ONLY for this game and they give me this crap? The multiplayer is fun at times. this is not the "Best Halo" its just a rushed out game. Thanks for ruining Halo, 343.
  50. Visualdarter
    Sep 19, 2016
    8
    I can't believe this game gets such low scores. The only down side is the removal of split screen co-op. Yes it's a big down but the only one.

    Great graphics, controls and story. This game feels amazing to be part of and can be challenging on the harder difficulties. Halo 5 keeps the best FPS franchise alive and if it was splitscreen I would give a 10 but because of this terrible    I can't believe this game gets such low scores. The only down side is the removal of split screen co-op. Yes it's a big down but the only one.

    Great graphics, controls and story. This game feels amazing to be part of and can be challenging on the harder difficulties. Halo 5 keeps the best FPS franchise alive and if it was splitscreen I would give a 10 but because of this terrible mistake it gets an 8. If you have an Xbox One you have to buy this game    … Expand
  51. ElPolloLoco82
    Oct 28, 2015
    8
    I've played through most of the campaign and multi-player, and I think the game is really good. However, it has some balancing issues with the campaign and the partner AI needs a lot of work. I'm also not crazy about some of the Arena maps, and they have some spawning issues. I'm going to go in more detail in a bit.

    The game, itself, looks amazing and has some of the best gameplay    I've played through most of the campaign and multi-player, and I think the game is really good. However, it has some balancing issues with the campaign and the partner AI needs a lot of work. I'm also not crazy about some of the Arena maps, and they have some spawning issues. I'm going to go in more detail in a bit.

    The game, itself, looks amazing and has some of the best gameplay mechanics that you'll experience in any 1st person shooter. When in the campaign, everything looks so real. Some of the levels look absolutely gorgeous. The cutscenes will absolutely blow you away. I'm not finished with the campaign, so I can't comment on the total quality of the story; but half way through I find myself pushing through to find out what happens next.

    About the issues I had with partner AI and why the campaign needs some rebalancing. You'll feel the re-balancing issue more so on Legendary difficulties. Partner AI rarely ever follow the orders given to them, and they take their merry time getting into position. They also don't have a way to give a command to a specific AI partner. This gets you killed quite often in Legendary mode. You can spend 5 minutes trying to get them to man turrets, or attempt to split the group in half so you can operate 2 warthogs. Sometimes all 3 will go to the same warthog, and sometimes one comes with you and only one will go to the directed warthog. You will feel this on the "Glass" mission, especially when trying to push through to get the skull on the map (it's the only skull that requires the mission be played on "Legendary" difficulty). The lack of coordination makes it even more difficult than it needs to be to try and beat harder difficulties. Moving on to balancing, Legendary difficulty is "stupid" hard. You could unload a couple clips into a regular enemy before they finally fall; not to mention that all enemies seem to aggro to the user character and tend to lay off AI controlled players. They also are ridiculously accurate, and deal a ton of damage. It's so bad, that in areas that require the use of a vehicle you're better off having AI work a turret. If you man the turret, you'll be dead within a few seconds of running into hostiles. You'll be lucky to kill anything. If using the machine gun turret, you have to lay down and hit for a a continuous 5 seconds to take out enemies right above the grunt level. Being they're lax in targeting AI partners, they'll focus on you as the driver and usually hit the vehicle which will shield while you whip around (AI drivers typically drive like they are trying to parallel park every 50 ft). Because of this, co-op may actually be harder on Legendary than single player in some parts. I actually had a Scorpion get blown up 100 ft from the garage I pulled it out of by a knight, a regular mob, and a couple slow shooting anti-vehicle turrets. The turrets and knight took multiple shells to knock out; when I finally got to a checkpoint, I was stuck in the scorpion and was continuously getting it blown up within 5 secs of checkpoint reloading. Barely enough time to abandon ship, and my partner operating the turret usually dies because they don't abandon the vehicle before it explodes. I was dying within a few seconds because they could are ridiculously accurate. If you're flying around and they have a 1/4" of room to hit you on the fly, you best believe they'll get you. There is hardly any type of cover, to make it remotely fair. It's beyond Dark Souls difficulty, and feels cheap at times. They either need to spread the aggro more evenly and make the partner AI as smart as enemy AI, or decrease enemy health/weapon dam/accuracy.

    As for multiplayer, Warzone is awesome. However, there are spawning issues in Arena, and some in Warzone. You often spawn in and immediately get head shot before you can even move. Sometimes you spawn two feet from where you were killed so whomever killed you gets an easy double kill. They need to address that, because that will cause some people to rage quit. It felt like "Battlefront Beta Light" with the spawning. I also am not crazy about some of the maps in Arena, some just look like modern art and are ugly as sin. They're easy to get lost in or turned around in, and with that ugly architecture in some levels it just makes your head hurt. Most of these issues can get fixed in updates, so I'm not going to destroy this game over some pet peeves. If you loved Halo before, you'll love this one. It is improved upon; but it does require some fine tuning.    … Expand
  52. Jeebus117
    Jan 25, 2021
    8
    Good game, not amazing. The campaign is one of the least compelling. But the multiplayer really shines. Crispy, smooth, and ready for tournament play, it's one of the best Halo multiplayer experiences, in a long time.
  53. funk_alux
    Jun 5, 2022
    8
    Campaign may be a little short and end up a little anti-climactic, but it's still good enough to keep you interested and looking forward to the sequel.

    Multiplayer is awesome, tons of quality content here, a lot of game modes that are just fun to play, Warzone is a great idea very well executed and forge is a great way to expand the experience yourself keep playing new stuff everyday.    Campaign may be a little short and end up a little anti-climactic, but it's still good enough to keep you interested and looking forward to the sequel.

    Multiplayer is awesome, tons of quality content here, a lot of game modes that are just fun to play, Warzone is a great idea very well executed and forge is a great way to expand the experience yourself keep playing new stuff everyday.

    The major problem for me here is just how slow and random the progression system is because of the annoying loot boxes    … Expand
  54. banda89
    Feb 12, 2016
    8
    Wow! Never seen such divided opinions for a Halo game! Let's talk about the campaign first, while not the best of all the series it sets the mood for the final game in this trilogy and it does an acceptable job doing so. I give this game an 8.5, or I would if you could in Metacritic.
    First of, the campaign:
    It makes the good girl cortana into a bad girl cortana. It makes the Chief a    Wow! Never seen such divided opinions for a Halo game! Let's talk about the campaign first, while not the best of all the series it sets the mood for the final game in this trilogy and it does an acceptable job doing so. I give this game an 8.5, or I would if you could in Metacritic.
    First of, the campaign:
    It makes the good girl cortana into a bad girl cortana. It makes the Chief a little bit more human a task 343 has been doing in their games.
    Both Spartan teams have their moments, didn't really care that much for Osiris Team, Locke is mediocre at best, the 2 girl spartans are OK, Buck is awesome always crack me up.
    Blue Team is BA! Loved that fight scene between Locke and the Chief.
    Loved the fact that they modified Halo and made it a little bit different, but they still maintained that halo essence. You can now aim with all your guns!!!!

    Lastly, the Multiplayer:
    I've been a halo player since halo 2, hell it's the reason i didn't buy a ps4. But I also complained and always dreamed of that day when they would make halo mp a little bit more faster, more customizable, and more challenging. And well, they took a step in the right direction. It's faster and the ranking system keeps the mp interesting, you try and have a greater ranking every time. package system ala Battlefield or CS:GO which works fine, you can either pay to win or play to win. Customizable spartans, and weapon skins, with more armor and skins with every update.They even included different versions of the same weapon, stronger and faster plasma cannon or a faster shooting shotgun.
    While it's not perfect, it's a very good game that shows that 343 are making the right choices and listening to their fans. They're taking a Bungie franchise and slowly giving it the 343 touch.    … Expand
  55. Brendon6446
    Nov 14, 2015
    8
    Couple of complaints like how 343 lied and made you think the story was gonna be like the trailers, the story itself had a good plot but weak overall (probably worst story out of the halos) now its graphics are solid and the gameplay itself is funny fun. Multiplayer gameplay is AMAZING its just the lack of content and story drops it a few points.
  56. Sir_Pantyson
    Jun 5, 2016
    8
    Don't listen to the negative reviews, as most of them just cry and moan about "No split-screen!". Of course this game having no split-screen is a complete mistake, and I was quite disappointed as well. But looking past that flaw, Halo 5 has introduced more than enough to outweigh missing split-screen. It's introduced two of my personal favorite multiplayer modes: Warzone and Breakout. TheDon't listen to the negative reviews, as most of them just cry and moan about "No split-screen!". Of course this game having no split-screen is a complete mistake, and I was quite disappointed as well. But looking past that flaw, Halo 5 has introduced more than enough to outweigh missing split-screen. It's introduced two of my personal favorite multiplayer modes: Warzone and Breakout. The forge is now more complex than it was before, there are MANY more helmets, armors, visors and emblems to get which makes up for less armor customization, and they've also added REQ packs. People who say REQ packs are "pay to win" are also idiots, as you can easily get REQ packs from multiplayer matches. The only reason they call it "pay to win" is because they're too lazy to actually work for legendary/ultra rare items.… Expand
  57. takoDGO
    Oct 30, 2015
    8
    acabo de comprar mi xbox one a raiz de la salida del tomb rider y compre el halo 5 y aparte el gears of war definitive edition y para ser cinser es el primer halo que juego en mi vida y me gusto pero no como para darle mas de 8 la verdad es buen juego pero solo eso!!!
  58. lwnewton
    Nov 11, 2015
    8
    343 is riding on the coat tails of this Halo franchise and they knew that no matter how crappy this game was people would buy it. This game feels cheap and uninspired. The voice acting sounds like they just read from a piece of paper, no emotion at all. The alien's and their weapons even look stupid, their limbs aren't even connected to their body.

    343 is a waste of my time and I will    343 is riding on the coat tails of this Halo franchise and they knew that no matter how crappy this game was people would buy it. This game feels cheap and uninspired. The voice acting sounds like they just read from a piece of paper, no emotion at all. The alien's and their weapons even look stupid, their limbs aren't even connected to their body.

    343 is a waste of my time and I will never support them again for making such a piece of crap. I'm so disappointed that my money was wasted.    … Expand
  59. GamingPoptartTV
    Mar 28, 2016
    8
    Halo 5: Guardians is a great game sense it will have you the player putting endless hours into the grind that is its amazing multiplayer. This game has such a fluid combat, with the edition of spartan abilities. You as a player are much more versatile. The only thing that keeps this from being a 10 really is its poor story. Most missions will have you going with the lack luster FireteamHalo 5: Guardians is a great game sense it will have you the player putting endless hours into the grind that is its amazing multiplayer. This game has such a fluid combat, with the edition of spartan abilities. You as a player are much more versatile. The only thing that keeps this from being a 10 really is its poor story. Most missions will have you going with the lack luster Fireteam Osiris. I wish this game had some more investment to the family that is blue team. Story will only be about 4 hours on normal, long at legendary difficulty. Overall this game is a great game just lacking some departments.… Expand
  60. Gruntygrunt
    Nov 30, 2015
    8
    I cannot explain how horrendous this game is I finished the Story in 4 hours 4 HOURS no split screen makes it even worse! I bought an Xbox one ONLY for this game and they give me this crap? The multiplayer is fun at times. this is not the "Best Halo" its just a rushed out game. Thanks for ruining Halo, 343.
  61. Molloy12
    Nov 6, 2015
    8
    Halo 5 marks the first instalment of the popular franchise on the xbox one. The series which has captivated players with its continuing story and its competitive multiplayer doesn't stop short this time, but it may not be so great for all player styles.

    The story tells a new, different story but with the same game play, many of our favorite past enemies, and a few new ones. Game play on    Halo 5 marks the first instalment of the popular franchise on the xbox one. The series which has captivated players with its continuing story and its competitive multiplayer doesn't stop short this time, but it may not be so great for all player styles.

    The story tells a new, different story but with the same game play, many of our favorite past enemies, and a few new ones. Game play on single player has the player controlling a single character with a back up team of 3, allowing for simple seamless exchange into the multiplayer campaign where you can team up with up to 3 buddies for a 4 way co-op play. Without ruining the story, some serious Halo fans may be unhappy with the way it plays out. But never the less, the story is great, fun, and has all you would normally expect from a Halo game.

    The online multiplayer, one of the more popular modes among most players, and the main selling point of the series features our standard modes along with a few new ones. The lobby menus are bland, lacking even in design and information. The rotation of maps is random, and can make for the same map being played twice, three even four times in a row. The maps them self, although nice in design, feel small and cluttered, allowing for easy spawn killing, and overtaking of an opposing team, specially in the SWAT game mode. Some of the weapons seem mildly over powered. Some games you will notice most players running around wielding their secondary weapon over the assault riffle, and even some power weapons. But in the end, as usual, your success will come down to how familiar you are with the area, your ability to move, and how accurate you are with whatever gun you use.

    Add those 2 features in, with the expected forge mode, spartan customization, game customization, req packs and theatre, and this game should satisfy any Halo fan.

    Story Mode: 9/10
    Multiplayer: 7/10
    Forge: N/A at this time
    Other Features: 9/10

    Total: 25/30 (8.3 on 10)    … Expand
  62. Aky03gamer
    Apr 3, 2016
    8
    Estamos frente a un gran juego, el cual recomiendo para todo poseedor de una xbox one, que a pesar de tener algunos fallos, es muy bueno, sin embargo, vamos a analizarlo de forma breve: JUGABILIDAD: El aspecto jugable es excelente, apostando a unos 60 fps y un aumento de velocidad en el ritmo en que se juega, con una campaña buena, pero muy corta y que podría dar para más, con ciertosEstamos frente a un gran juego, el cual recomiendo para todo poseedor de una xbox one, que a pesar de tener algunos fallos, es muy bueno, sin embargo, vamos a analizarlo de forma breve: JUGABILIDAD: El aspecto jugable es excelente, apostando a unos 60 fps y un aumento de velocidad en el ritmo en que se juega, con una campaña buena, pero muy corta y que podría dar para más, con ciertos personajes poco memorables (especialmente al equipo Osiris) y una campaña que me pase en 5 horas en dificultad normal. El multijugador esta muy bien, apostando por el modo Warzone, el cual ofrece una entrada fresca e interesante en la cual 2 equipos pelean por la victoria en donde hay que dominar puntos y defenderlos, a la par de jefes controlados por la maquina que al matarlos abonan puntos hasta ganar, con un sistema de cartas que esta bien, pero con microtransacciones, que a pesar de no desbalancear el juego, su presencia es algo molesta, el modo arena consiste en los modos tradicionales del multijugador de Halo con algunas cosas adicionales. GRÁFICOS: ofrece resolución dinámica y unos 60 fps sólidos, aunque con unos gráficos un poco feos si los comparamos con otros juegos, pero siguen siendo altos. SONIDO: a mi parecer excelente INNOVACIÓN: Halo 5 innova principalmente por sus características jugables y su modo de Warzone, los cuales hacen que sea una buena compra este título y lo recomiendo tanto para los fans como para la gente que aun no ha jugado algún título de la franquicia.… Expand
  63. Krazylegs75
    Oct 30, 2015
    8
    Great Graphics and Game play. Multiplayer is a little frustrating. Warzone is a little broken in my opinion. There seems to be only 2 or 3 maps to play on. Arena is my preferred style and maps are great and tricky. Req packs are a great addition to Multiplayer.
  64. tobinISawesome
    Mar 24, 2016
    8
    now before I start I would like to give everybody an idea how much I love halo. I traded my PlayStation 3 for an xbox 360 just so that I could get halo 3 I loved halo 3 its hands down one of the best games I have ever played no game will ever bring that level of fun ever again I remember it like it was just yesterday sitting around with my friends cracking out on halo 3 making gameplaynow before I start I would like to give everybody an idea how much I love halo. I traded my PlayStation 3 for an xbox 360 just so that I could get halo 3 I loved halo 3 its hands down one of the best games I have ever played no game will ever bring that level of fun ever again I remember it like it was just yesterday sitting around with my friends cracking out on halo 3 making gameplay videos and creating new game types and maps with forge and finishing the epic fight in the campaign! and then when reach came out dude life was gone I swere to god I didn't see daylight for at least 2 years! and then later we got halo 4 and I HATED IT! I thought the halo fun was only a memory but halo 5 looked promising as they wanted to make it feel like the older games and make some serious additions to multiplayer so I jumped back in for this halo. now first things first story mode. ok listen its not that halo 5 story mode is bad because its not its a solid shooter campaign with fun fast paced action. well its a little to fast as the game is only about 4 to 5 hours on average wtf! and also the games marketing crew wanted us to think that there was some fight against an old crazy master chief it sounded badass but there is nothing like that in the game instead without any reason they say chief is nuts and you playing as locke your mission is to capture chief and bring him back to a generic tron space looking building. the story is lame and it makes no sense at all. but playing the game co-op style with a friend should be more fun and the game is intended to be like that because Microsoft wants more money so they took out split screen multiplayer so that people have to buy multiple copys of the game along with multiple xbox one units this business decision is dirty and its strait wallet rape nobody should have to pay 1000$ to play halo 5 with there **** friends halo is a community expirence its always been about having a beer or smoking a bowl and playing halo with your best friends this is criminal and takes away any way for sentimental value with halo 5 like we had with halo 1 2 3 reach and even 4! so any ways single player has mixed reviews some people like some people don't so what about multiplayer. well multiplayer is a completely different story listen up people this just might be the best halo multiplayer ever its split up into 2 main modes arena and warzone now arena is all of the base modes halo is known for gamemodes like slayer, team snipers, big team battle, swat, capture the flag, assault and grifball all of witch play well and are super fun and it all comes with a great leveling system for every player I mostly play arena but if you want something really new and interesting warzone is the way to go its like a cross between strongholds and big team battle only it can go up to 30 players and you can spawn weapons vehicles and more you will have to work with your team to take over each massive map. now what I really like about halo 5 is the style of gameplay there are so many ways to get kills its gonna make your head spin you can Spartan charge into an enemy causing them to black out and die you can use one of the many guns including new ones like the plasma caster witch launches plasma grenades or the new overpowerd magnum or you can use ground slamming or you can throw a grenade in a mosh pit of people fighting and get a cluster luck kill were a bunch of people die at once from your 1 grenade these things are so satisfying and it makes halo fresh again making it a far superior shooter to most of the games on the market. another thing they did was bring forge back and its better then ever people have literally recreated classic maps like last resort and they look good you can build change and warp anything you want however you want I love the freedom this game offers! in conclusion halo 5 is dope the single player is sometimes good sometimes bad but its still cool for 1 playthrough just make sure you have xbox live gold so that you can play the multiplayer thos game will never hold up to the first 3 games but its the best halo sense halo 3 and that makes me happy I cant wait to see what they bring for halo 5 in the next few years until halo 6 comes out the final score is a very heavy 8 out of 10 its not perfect but its really fun and in the end that's why we play video games if you have an xbox one pick this one up.… Expand
  65. HTFCLUKE
    Oct 29, 2015
    8
    After playing the master chief collection I have to admit this is one of my favorite Halos, the campaign is a must play with friends. The multiplayer is very entertaining the new modes are a joy to play, it has options for people who like both small arenas and open large combat. highly recommended.
  66. Elitist1945
    Nov 2, 2015
    8
    To make it brief, Halo 5 has perhaps the weakest story/campaign in the mainline series (that being Halo: CE, 2, 3 and 4), as well as being a very short ride (in my experience). The multiplayer, however, is perhaps the best Halo multiplayer in quite some time with Warzone.
  67. cish
    Jan 5, 2016
    8
    This was a very new Halo game. Halo has been around for such a long time that in order for it to still be a worthwhile shooter, it would have to undergo some big changes and that's just what 343 did. The story is just what one would expect from a Halo game. Overall there were a few things that really stuck out to me when playing Halo 5. The first one is the 343 did a fantastic job inThis was a very new Halo game. Halo has been around for such a long time that in order for it to still be a worthwhile shooter, it would have to undergo some big changes and that's just what 343 did. The story is just what one would expect from a Halo game. Overall there were a few things that really stuck out to me when playing Halo 5. The first one is the 343 did a fantastic job in balancing the guns. In past Halos I wouldn't even touch a gun because others were clearly better, but in guardians I pick up every gun because they actually are worth using now. Also some OP guns were nerfed a bit such as the spartan laser. Vehicles were also nerfed a tad making it more easy t combat them in the absence of a power weapon, but they were also made much more interesting in that they have more variation, examples being rocket mongoose and differing warthogs. The sound in this game was unrivaled by any I have played before. Whether it is shooting the BR or picking up grenades or zooming in or out, everything sounded so fantastic. The last thing that stood out to me was aiming in. In order to evolve and compete with the likes of COD, Halo needed to ditch the hip-fire only gameplay that has been its focus in previous games. I was unsure how this would change things but they were able to put it off. Whenever you get shot you are forced to unzoom which makes it fair and exciting. The story was what you would expect fro a halo game, pretty good and a medium length with some collectibles scattered throughout. I did appreciate the noticeable difference in fighting the covenant and the forerunner.The online featured a new and exciting gametype, war zone which was a good addition to the standard game modes we are accustomed to. My major complaint is the REQ system. While the REQs fund the DLC so we get that for free, I don't like the idea of getting random loot and such. While it does well for rewarding people with vehicles and such, I don't like the fact that most of the helmets, armor, and skins (or lack thereof) are up to chance. I liked reach's way of doing things, save up enough credits and buy whatever you want. There are a few things done wrong in this game including poorly designed squad member AI, boring talk to people missions, and a lack of blue team. I gave this game an 8 rather than a 9 due to the fact that I do not know how long this game will be able to keep my interest. I would recommend this game.… Expand
  68. drysky05
    Oct 28, 2015
    8
    Halo 5 Guardians is somewhat of a side step. While the multiplayer is simply the best I have played to date...its story lacks so much what made the original games so amazing. Its not a bad campaign by any means. They way its told...just bluntly sucks. It really makes you wonder what the writers were really thinking. Everything to shallow characters, forced developments, the story notHalo 5 Guardians is somewhat of a side step. While the multiplayer is simply the best I have played to date...its story lacks so much what made the original games so amazing. Its not a bad campaign by any means. They way its told...just bluntly sucks. It really makes you wonder what the writers were really thinking. Everything to shallow characters, forced developments, the story not making an sense at times...the list goes on. Locke is gun for hire and you really just feel like that the entire story line. And you really don't care for Locke...which is kinda sad because he seems like an interesting guy.

    However, despite its many criticisms...the story does one good thing...it actually gets you hyped for halo 6! Its just really bad story telling. It feels too much like Cod which made me upset because the difference between Halo and Cod for me was the lore/story. I used to replay halo campaigns soo many times because I loved its world. Its characters. Sadly..halo 5 guardians will be the first campaign i won't play again. No replay value. Zero and don't even get me started on how short it was. 5 hours it took me to beat on normal. Halo 4 took me 12 hours. False advertising by microsoft's end.

    Halo used to suspenseful and mysterious in its story telling. Halo 5 has none of those. Its fast. Quick. Each mission feels like a distraction...to prolong the finale. The last 3 missions were great..really. They felt like old halo games. But the first 12...they felt like spartan ops missions. Just distractions so at the end..they can finally tell you what the freak is going on. Actually I take that back...spartan ops had better story telling. Halo 2 is no longer the worst campaign in the series. Actually...halo 5 makes halo 2 actually seem really good. That's how bad it is. And for those who say halo 5 is another halo 2...where halo 6 will make you like halo 5 are delusional fanboys. Because in all seriousness...halo 5's campaign isn't really needed. The last 3 missions could have been a dlc campaign...that's how pointless the story was.

    But one thing I will say...get halo 5 for its multiplayer. Its mechanics feel fresh and natural. its really amazing and great game to play with friends. I really can't praise it enough. I love warzone. Warzone is really a blast and its amazing how fast the momentum of the battlefield can change by just a few boss kills. And have no fear about people loading up on the req packs. Just because I purchase a rocket launcher at a req station...doesn't mean another player, boss, or what not is going to kill me before I get to use it. And if you die before you use it...tough luck. Gotta wait to build up more req points to buy another one.

    Team arena and slayer also feel like the old halo games, but spiced up. The new mechanics make it feel fresh. Spartan charging and pounding people are very effective and help a great deal. Assassinations are also back. One thing I do enjoy about slayer and team arena are how the map announces when a power weapon is going to be thrown into the battlefield. The maps turn into a power struggle to gain these weapons to control the battlefield. Very well thought out. I have not played breakout but what i can see of it...looks very much like search and destroy.

    Bottom line: If you are a halo fan like me...its worth the 60 dollars. Even if the campaign is not the best and not even close to being solid in my book...the multiplayer is worth the 60. That much I can tell you.    … Expand
  69. brunogoncalves
    Nov 5, 2015
    8
    My previous experience of Halo goes back to Halo 3, in the Xbox 360. I played only for about 2 hours because I didn't appreciate it very much. (low strategy options, no stealth and no human enemies).

    With Halo 5, I decided to give halo another opportunity. The game is very well built, it's extremely smooth and there's no lag in multiplayer modes. Warzone maps are huge and beautiful.    My previous experience of Halo goes back to Halo 3, in the Xbox 360. I played only for about 2 hours because I didn't appreciate it very much. (low strategy options, no stealth and no human enemies).

    With Halo 5, I decided to give halo another opportunity. The game is very well built, it's extremely smooth and there's no lag in multiplayer modes. Warzone maps are huge and beautiful.

    However, it's still not my type of game. There's something about the aiming system that makes me miss Titanfall (zooming has no apparent effect), takes too much time to recover the shields when you survive a shootout (and there's no place to hide), Arena maps are too small and uninteresting.

    Contrary to many reviews I read online, the story is ok but the campaign mode is repetitive, always against the same type of enemies, in similar scenarios.

    So, why a 8 ? Because if I ignore my personal preferences and biases, I have to acknowledge that Halo 5 is a great shooter, extremely smooth. Warzone is hugely entertaining if you adapt to the aiming system and enjoy an on-line experience without any strategy or stealth options.    … Expand
  70. Karasu416
    Oct 28, 2015
    8
    Gameplay is smooth as butter, the story is decent, however they leave you with a Halo 2 style ending taste in your mouth. Multiplayer is super addictive, and there are many new maps coming in the near future as well as forge next month! Only reason I'm giving an 8 however is for 3 reasons. #1 The immersion is killed often in campaign when you CANNOT walk back to previously cleared areas toGameplay is smooth as butter, the story is decent, however they leave you with a Halo 2 style ending taste in your mouth. Multiplayer is super addictive, and there are many new maps coming in the near future as well as forge next month! Only reason I'm giving an 8 however is for 3 reasons. #1 The immersion is killed often in campaign when you CANNOT walk back to previously cleared areas to regroup that are clearly open or you get a return to the battlefield message and get killed. Very forced linearity. #2 No clip saving in theatre mode, for those that don't have a kinect like myself to say Xbox Record That, is a disappointing thing #3 CLANS MADE A RETURN AS SPARTAN COMPANIES! BUT, they have ZERO INTEGRATION in the game so far except for saying it by your name, all clan integration is on the Halo Waypoint website. Dissappointing. Other than those, the game is phenomenal and 343 has done a good job!… Expand
  71. OOSponce
    Oct 28, 2015
    8
    I just finished the game and have put a few hours into multiplayer and I feel an 8-8.5 out of 10 seems about right. I think people defending this game's problems and giving it 10 out of 10 scores are doing so in light of the xbox vs ps4 debate and not because of the game itself. Plain and simple; Halo 5 is a great game on the whole with a disappointing story and the same greatI just finished the game and have put a few hours into multiplayer and I feel an 8-8.5 out of 10 seems about right. I think people defending this game's problems and giving it 10 out of 10 scores are doing so in light of the xbox vs ps4 debate and not because of the game itself. Plain and simple; Halo 5 is a great game on the whole with a disappointing story and the same great multiplayer we have come to expect from the franchise. It does not have the same addictive "it" factor that halo 2, 3 and even reach had, but it is still one of the best on the market atm.

    Graphics are okay, quite a bit of low texture resolution that becomes noticeable on my 60 inch flat screen. But I much prefer the consistent 60 fps compromise. Sound design and music are fantastic. The gameplay is top notch as usual but is more akin to halo 4 than the original trilogy for better or worse.

    The sad truth though is that halo is no longer the perennial shooter of our generation now that bungie has passed the torch. Story DOES matter in a halo game. It might have never been the best or deepest, but it was always gripping and made the player feel like a real super soldier and the only one capable of saving the galaxy and human race from overwhelming odds against the covenant, flood and halo rings. The direction of this new trilogy and galactic threat just does not grip me the same way.

    Once upon a time a new halo game meant a slam dunk 9.3-9.8 and a new king to crown on the fps market. Frankly an 8.5 on metacritic is a slap to the face of the original trilogy and 343 needs to step it up for halo 6. I am a huge fan and I don't mean to sound overly critical as I enjoy the game enough to keep playing but I also know how much better this franchise can be.    … Expand
  72. metadubrev2
    Nov 20, 2015
    8
    best campaign since halo 1. big wide open huge combats though a bit too much long range shooting and not alot of mid and close range. a.i. fights well but lacks the personality and humor of halo 1. LOVE the modernization of gameplay with sprint and mantling. multiplayer is much improved due to this but 4v4 matches have way too many grenades. multiplayer is mostly close up assaultbest campaign since halo 1. big wide open huge combats though a bit too much long range shooting and not alot of mid and close range. a.i. fights well but lacks the personality and humor of halo 1. LOVE the modernization of gameplay with sprint and mantling. multiplayer is much improved due to this but 4v4 matches have way too many grenades. multiplayer is mostly close up assault rifle, 'nade and melee more. sadly warzone is not as fun as i'd hoped as noone plays with a mic so doing anything cooperatively is impossible. where is forge!!!!… Expand
  73. Krade
    Nov 3, 2015
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I'll start with this: I'm a huge Halo fan. I've been playing since Halo: Combat Evolved back in 2001.
    That being said, I'm going to break my review down into categories:

    CAMPAIGN: I think this campaign deserves a commendation as the worst in the entire series - which is saying a lot 343, because Bungie sucks at story-telling - #Destiny. Halo 5's marketing campaign advertised this game with a pretense that Locke and Chief would be in a feud the entire game while Chief finds a way to save Cortana, leading up to some kind of final showdown...

    ...But that never actually happens.

    Instead, Chief and Locke have only a brief 60-second fist fight, and Cortana becomes the main antagonist. I suppose we have to give 343 some effort on the plot twist. However, the story is a chaotic and confusing mess, leaving much to be desired and even more unexplained - unless maybe you are familiar with the novels. Locke is a monotone military dog, making him forgettable and unrelatable (I wish there was a bit more back story to him) and his "fireteam" doesn't add much to that equation. On top of this, we only get to play as Chief 3/15 missions, the fewest times in the series (referencing Halo 2, mostly). And where/when the hell did John 117 reunite with his long lost "Blue Team?" Are we just supposed to assume that while he was out saving the world/universe the past few years that they were simply on vacation? The story ignores this major question among many others.

    The Halo series has very little to do now with the Halo rings, and more to do now with the Forerunners and their influence in the galaxy. I playfully suggest that the series should be renamed "Forerunner" - or something of that nature - before we hit a Halo 9, or some ridiculous number, and are continuously being let down because these games fail to live up to their predecessors. Many AAA titles are suffering that fate already. But at least this campaign ended with a cliffhanger, leaving 343 an opportunity to do better next time around. Also, come on, Halo is known for its stellar multiplayer, not its campaign. So let's move on.

    Final Score: 4/10

    GRAPHICS: Players running in the distance (in multiplayer) look like 2-D characters from the SNES era. Backgrounds and environments just seem stale and not very immersive. Seems like 343 had to sacrifice a lot of detail to keep the game running at 60 frames-per-second. However, the CGI cutscenes are totally stunning. Nicely done.

    Final Score: 8/10

    SOUNDS: I feel 343 tried too hard to make the game sound futuristic when they should have kept it simple and memorable. #classicbattlerifle

    Final Score: 7/10

    MUSIC: Wait, there was music? Bring Back Martin O'Donnell!

    Final Score: 6/10

    MULTIPLAYER: First of all, I view gameplay and multiplayer as two sides to the same coin. 343 had said numerous times that making this game a great multiplayer experience was the #1 goal when building the game, and that meant getting down to the mechanics and gameplay. They wanted to bring Halo back to its roots while still making it progressive in gameplay, and they did this without flaw. They did away (mostly) with armor abilites, which just brought unneeded variables and imbalance to the games. They did away with reticle bloom, which frustrated most players. Weapon swapping is now nearly instantaneous. They kept sprint, added ledge grabbing, and added thrusting for engaging/disengaging in combat - all of which add speed and flow to Halo's already iconic gameplay. 60 frames-per-second is where it's at for shooters now, and it makes Halo feel like a totally different experience as a shooter. There are more symmetrical maps, which is a necessity for balance and fair competitive play for the hardcore player. Not to mention: this is by far the best game in the series in terms of weapon balance. Literally any weapon is viable at most ranges and engagements. There is not really a clear superior weapon in the game, which is an incredibly hard thing to accomplish in a FPS. Shooters need less variables and more balance to be great. Not the opposite. Also, Warzone is just ridiculous, chaotic, wicked fun. A blast every time.

    HOWEVER: I must say that the controls are clunky to me and a little sloppy for a Halo game. Perhaps because I've been playing too much Destiny? - which has stellar mechanics. Anyway, it takes some getting used to. A steady connection helps vastly, which is much easier now because of dedicated servers. Overall, the multiplayer is a huge improvement from Halo 4, and I would say that it is about on par with Halo 3 in terms of gameplay quality and multiplayer experience.

    Final Score: 9/10

    How I rank the Halo titles (in terms in multiplayer):

    1. Halo 2 / H2A
    2. Halo 3 / Halo 5:Guardians
    3. Halo: CE(A)
    4. Halo: Reach
    5. Halo 4

    Not counting "Halo: ODST"

    Overall, I give Halo 5: Guardians a 8/10. I put most of the weight from my rating into the multiplayer alone, making this game a definite buy for any Xbox One owner.    … Expand
  74. Exocraze
    Nov 2, 2015
    8
    DISCLAIMER: My review is solely for those looking for input about Halo 5 from a competitive multiplayer standpoint.

    I've never written a review on Metacritic before, but I figured I would do so as someone that only plays Halo for multiplayer purposes. Most of the negative reviews on here (if not all) are people that complain about lack of split-screen or a poor story. For someone like    DISCLAIMER: My review is solely for those looking for input about Halo 5 from a competitive multiplayer standpoint.

    I've never written a review on Metacritic before, but I figured I would do so as someone that only plays Halo for multiplayer purposes. Most of the negative reviews on here (if not all) are people that complain about lack of split-screen or a poor story. For someone like me, those have no effect at all. The gameplay in the multiplayer is really quite great, and the movement is quite smooth, even with clamber. Sprinting is balanced by not allowing shields to regenerate while sprinting, and ground pound is hard to pull off.

    From a pure multiplayer standpoint (especially if you're like me and focus more on competitive multiplayer), Halo 5 is actually surprisingly great, in my opinion. I could not care less about Big Team Battle or the lack of split screen because that's not why I play Halo. If you play Halo for these reasons, I feel bad for you guys because it's a real shame considering those definitely are core aspects of Halo in the past. However, I am writing this for those that really only play FPS games for the competitive multiplayer.

    Gametypes and Maps:
    The classics are still there, minus oddball (this will probably change). King of the hill has been replaced with strongholds (sort of like domination from cod or three plots, but you have to hold two plots to gain points), and the new Breakout mode is really hit or miss for some people. I personally don't like it much, but I may as I learn the maps and weapon placements more. It's quite competitive though. The maps are alright, and that's always a pretty subjective thing. I personally think coliseum is the great map for this game, but others are great as well.

    TL;DR: Halo 5 is a great game from the competitive multiplayer standpoint. The ranking system is a nice compromise (and it's decently fun), the gameplay and movement are smooth, and the shot registration is great. Breakout is really hit or miss for some people, and the maps are DECENT, but we'll see what the new maps bring. It's a nice change of pace, and it's a great shooter to own for any FPS gamer on Xbox One that wants a competitive game to play.    … Expand
  75. njoshi03
    Nov 2, 2015
    8
    As a long time Halo fan, it hurts to give a Halo game a score this low but the truth is that the story was simply too boring. It felt like they were setting up for some major events in the campaign but for most of the game, there weren't really any major events. My biggest issue with the campaign is that there were only three missions in which you actually played as the Master Chief. OnAs a long time Halo fan, it hurts to give a Halo game a score this low but the truth is that the story was simply too boring. It felt like they were setting up for some major events in the campaign but for most of the game, there weren't really any major events. My biggest issue with the campaign is that there were only three missions in which you actually played as the Master Chief. On the bright side, the soundtrack is brilliant, as you'd expect from any Halo game.
    There were parts of the campaign that were great, but overall, I would give it a 7/10.
    Multiplayer: This is what saves the game. In Arena, the game is very competitive and mobile, which makes it very intense in every match. My only complaint is the lack of BR/DMR starts, but the Magnum is very effective and like the previous games, there are plenty of BR/DMR spawns on very quick spawn timers, which keeps me content. Another great thing about this MP is that nearly every weapon is actually effective. The new armor abilities also change up the combat in a very interesting way. The gametypes include classics like Slayer (deathmatch) and capture the flag) while also including new gametypes like breakout and strongholds.The multiplayer also includes Warzone, a 12v12 multiplayer gametype that features AI enemies and bosses.    … Expand
  76. lVlunk
    Nov 4, 2015
    8
    Halo 5 is a worthy entry into the Halo franchise, but a lack of a few components, especially in the campaign, that bring the score down a bit,. All in all, this is a great game and I will continue to play it for a long time.

    SINGLE PLAYER +Variety of environments and ways to go about finishing a mission +Xbox LIVE Co-Op is very fun with friends +Interesting twists and narrative    Halo 5 is a worthy entry into the Halo franchise, but a lack of a few components, especially in the campaign, that bring the score down a bit,. All in all, this is a great game and I will continue to play it for a long time.

    SINGLE PLAYER
    +Variety of environments and ways to go about finishing a mission
    +Xbox LIVE Co-Op is very fun with friends
    +Interesting twists and narrative
    +Extra content like intel and skulls to find

    -Campaign is about 4.5 hours long
    -No split-screen co-op
    -Some cutscenes feel like they end when they shouldn't
    -Only 3 Master Chief (Blue Team) missions, 12 Osiris missions
    -Locke is a shallow protagonist and therefore is hard to connect with emotionally like we do with the MC
    -Almost all of the other spartans have no character development unless you have read the books

    MULTIPLAYER
    +Variety of good maps, with free DLC on the way
    +Weapons have a good balance; no one is too dominant
    +Aiming is harder, which creates a bigger skill gap
    +Ranks are back and allow each match to be as competitive as possible relative to the players' skill
    +Warzone is a fun and welcome addition and is a good placeholder for BTB until that playlist is live
    +Spartan abilities add new depth to multiplayer, and they are balanced extremely well
    +/-Few playlists are live as of now, but more could go live as the game just launched

    -343 butchered emblem customization. I don't know what they were thinking. It's awful
    -You can't see your teammates' and enemies' ranks or gamertags in the pregame lobby, only their emblems
    -Spartan Appearance customization is dumbed down to only four pieces. I was hoping for something like Reach with a wide variety of armor pieces, making every spartan extremely unique
    -You unlock emblems and armor from REQ packs. You can pay for these with in-game currency or actual money (most expensive is $3). This money partly goes to a prize pool for the Halo World Championship. This is, as far as I know, the only way to unlock armor pieces. It's a tedious grind as the packs are all RNG. You won't always get the piece you want. I think this is a stupid way to unlock gear.

    All in all, Halo 5 is a good game, but it is, in no way, perfect. It has some flaws, but the competitiveness of the multiplayer is a breath of fresh air that hearkens back to the days of Halo 3. Multiplayer gameplay itself is very smooth and crisp and a blast to play. The only problem with multiplayer is the customization side of it.

    8/10 would recommend and play for a long time, but not perfect/masterpiece.    … Expand
  77. darrenb1988
    Nov 7, 2015
    8
    Campaign was great, but shorter than id like, game play is brilliant, Multiplayer is fantastic, the only problem i have is the ending, it felt like a Halo 2 style ending, didnt really enjoy the cliffhanger ending, other than that, its a great game
  78. Sir_Harris
    Nov 7, 2015
    8
    THIS REVIEW COMES FROM AN EXPERIENCED HALO FRANCHISE PLAYER

    Advantages: - Beautiful graphics and level designs - Amazing amounts of armor customization in multiplayer - New game modes that may entertain some - Entertaining to play (regardless of the poor story) - Cool cut scenes Disadvantages: - MICRO-TRANSACTION IN MULTIPLAYER WTF 343. THE **** YOU DOING - Poor story - You    THIS REVIEW COMES FROM AN EXPERIENCED HALO FRANCHISE PLAYER

    Advantages:
    - Beautiful graphics and level designs
    - Amazing amounts of armor customization in multiplayer
    - New game modes that may entertain some
    - Entertaining to play (regardless of the poor story)
    - Cool cut scenes

    Disadvantages:
    - MICRO-TRANSACTION IN MULTIPLAYER WTF 343. THE **** YOU DOING
    - Poor story
    - You play more Locke then the main protagonist himself
    - From where you are with a set of 3 other characters in the campaign, you get lower health thus get taken down easier, and when the other Spartans AI are as poor as the grunts suicidal run it is abysmal.
    - Small story, think it was around 16 missions? (I did not check for specific)

    Overall, I would say the game is a good buy if you are in it for the multiplayer, as, like all Halos, it is fun and entertaining to play. However, if you want to play the single player only avid Halo fans should find it interesting (like myself) as it is quite dull and I think new members to the franchise should defiantly start their halo experience with a different Halo campaign.    … Expand
  79. MAMUTE
    Nov 9, 2015
    8
    Gráficos sem paralelos, jogabilidade inovadora porem estória totalmente pífia. totalmente desconexa dos trailers. Na há caçada ao Spartan 117, simples assim.
  80. Bad_Wolf
    Nov 10, 2015
    8
    GOOD:
    -fluid gameplay & responsive controls
    - improved weapons -Vehicles handle great -Great new multiplayer modes (Especially Warzone) BAD: -Confusing story that draws too much backstory from Halo's Expanded Universe. -Jarring and unsatisfying conclusion to campaign -Multiplayer's Arena mode has less game modes to choose from 343 did a lot of things right in their new addition    GOOD:
    -fluid gameplay & responsive controls
    - improved weapons
    -Vehicles handle great
    -Great new multiplayer modes (Especially Warzone)
    BAD:
    -Confusing story that draws too much backstory from Halo's Expanded Universe.
    -Jarring and unsatisfying conclusion to campaign
    -Multiplayer's Arena mode has less game modes to choose from

    343 did a lot of things right in their new addition to the Halo saga. The gameplay has never been this refreshing. The action and pacing is much faster and the game doesn't suffer for it. It has been by far some of the most fun Halo I've played in a long while. While Halo 5 did a lot of things right, the biggest disappointment was the Campaign's story. It made the mistake of drawing to much information from Halo's Expanded Universe, a lot of it being from the books, comics, and series.    … Expand
  81. DeltaStrike7
    Nov 10, 2015
    8
    The story is disappointing and completely different to what we were sold on. But the gameplay and level design make me replay the campaign.
    The multiplayer saves this game. The lack of launch content may hurt it but, I will still stick around for BTB and beyond.
  82. RageGamer
    Nov 11, 2015
    8
    Amazing game, The multiplayer is a fresh new experience, with at the same time a return to the Halo 2 style multiplayer. The ranking system is also a nice change. Its new feature war zone is also an amazing multiplayer feature, and definitely one of the highlights of the game. The Campaign was also a very great experience, and the ending was a great setup to Halo 6. Overall, the mechanicsAmazing game, The multiplayer is a fresh new experience, with at the same time a return to the Halo 2 style multiplayer. The ranking system is also a nice change. Its new feature war zone is also an amazing multiplayer feature, and definitely one of the highlights of the game. The Campaign was also a very great experience, and the ending was a great setup to Halo 6. Overall, the mechanics and game play are very fluid. The only downside for me is the use of micro transactions… Expand
  83. DeathsMainMan
    Nov 12, 2015
    8
    HALO FREAKING 5!!!!!!!! The wait is over..... but now we get to wait again. I liked the story even though it was kind of short. People who know nothing about the extended universe are going to be a little confused. The multiplayer is fantastic (breakout is the best game mode) and really tests your skill.The gun play and movements are almost perfect. Compared to other Halo's it is decent,HALO FREAKING 5!!!!!!!! The wait is over..... but now we get to wait again. I liked the story even though it was kind of short. People who know nothing about the extended universe are going to be a little confused. The multiplayer is fantastic (breakout is the best game mode) and really tests your skill.The gun play and movements are almost perfect. Compared to other Halo's it is decent, but I really enjoyed it.… Expand
  84. Overcomejdog
    Nov 12, 2015
    8
    Love almost everything about it especially the pvp, even though it is not normally what I think of when I hear halo it definitely keeps the fun competitive aspect of it. The only things I have to complain about are the power weapons and the radar, Power weapons are now easy to find because the game marks them and with the small map sizes you are always in range of them; then there is theLove almost everything about it especially the pvp, even though it is not normally what I think of when I hear halo it definitely keeps the fun competitive aspect of it. The only things I have to complain about are the power weapons and the radar, Power weapons are now easy to find because the game marks them and with the small map sizes you are always in range of them; then there is the radar I loved old halo radars where you could see people who are somewhat far from you so you could plan your strategy on how you want to kill them or run away, but in halo 5 that is taken away the radar is VERY short range to the point where I could barely see people who are a little farther than punching range on the radar making me have a lot more deaths because I either can't see that there whole team is around the corner or they have a BR and just kill me without me know where they were. The campaign was crap though, a lot like halo 4 and felt short and did not have much of a overall plot.… Expand
  85. MauricioL778812
    Nov 15, 2015
    8
    Graphical simply gorgeous new total generation, not too complex history as the halo 4,3,2,1, optimal gameplay, good expressions yet but is slain by LA Noire, the online of this game or falls every time someone comes or with gold pack to up, one thing encomodou me in the game was the fight against the Master Chief loki lasted barely two minutes and did not fight a fight completely unsaltedGraphical simply gorgeous new total generation, not too complex history as the halo 4,3,2,1, optimal gameplay, good expressions yet but is slain by LA Noire, the online of this game or falls every time someone comes or with gold pack to up, one thing encomodou me in the game was the fight against the Master Chief loki lasted barely two minutes and did not fight a fight completely unsalted and bland.
    Final note: 8.4    … Expand
  86. Crocsx
    Nov 17, 2015
    8
    This game is what I expected from an new gen Halo.

    Gameplay 8/10: The gameplay is the perfect mix between an old Halo and a more recent FPS like Titanfall/Cod... The thruster make the movement very dynamic, smooth and skilled. The weapons are mostly balanced and the bullet magnetism is very discrete and don't disturb during the gameplay (and in multiplayer). Add to that the HUDs that    This game is what I expected from an new gen Halo.

    Gameplay 8/10:
    The gameplay is the perfect mix between an old Halo and a more recent FPS like Titanfall/Cod... The thruster make the movement very dynamic, smooth and skilled.
    The weapons are mostly balanced and the bullet magnetism is very discrete and don't disturb during the gameplay (and in multiplayer). Add to that the HUDs that are different but still
    very well made based on the character you play. The result is a very good new Generation Halo Gameplay.

    Audio: 8/10
    Well, the soundtrack isn't amazing as the old Halos. 1/2 song are very great (like "Blue Team"), but nothing is like "Never Forget" or the classic Halo theme. Nothing will be a "masterpiece" that everyone will remember.
    The sound effects of weapons and campaign are well made. It took me a bit of time to adapt at the "shield down" sound, I found it very irritating at first.

    Graphics : 7/10
    Well, Grapichs are good. Noways toh, many game do much better than Halo. 343i said the game would show all the performances of the Xbox One, and to be honest, isn't by far the most good looking game.
    Anyway, it's still beautiful ^^ just not as much as they said.

    Campaign: 6/10
    Well, I'm a big fan of Halo, i read the books, and played all campaigns, listen to the #HuntTheTruth... The campaigns is somewhat frustrating. It's a bit of a mess, and very short.
    I mean, It go from A to B without a big plot twist, the missions are not memorable, expect the wardens fight (ctrl+c / ctrl+v) many missions are the sames.
    "The Greatest Hunt" was very little, the contact between Blue Team and Osiris were rushed. If you haven't read the book, you will find 0 personality on Linda/Fred/Kelly or the Buck/Vale/Tanaka
    Basically if you want a good Halo plot, the #HuntTheTruth serie is by far better. Playing that campaign made me feel like it is the part 1 of something, and it's shouldn't...
    Now if we talk gameplay in the campaign... personally was very very tired (in legendary) to play forerunner all the time and having 3 kind of enemies over and over for like 7/8 levels...
    There are mission that are 2 minutes longs (2 I think) where you jsut talk to a guy or go to a waypoint and it's finished...
    The friendly AI are retard, they get stuck, can't revive you sometimes, if you give them order like "kill him" they rush in the middle and die, they are useless asf, and sometimes they made me so mad...
    Play the campaign with 4 mates if you want a good experience

    Multiplayer 9/10:
    Arena : This is the big and best part of Halo 5. The game is now clean like the olds one. No perks, No special guns, everyone start the same way with the same load-outs and have to build their advantages.
    The maps are great, not amazing but great, the guns balanced (pistol maybe a bit op), the gameplay nice and the game very skill based. You have the ranked playlist with the new ranking system,
    that I found good, and the new Breakout mode is very nice with symmetrical arena map. I very enjoyed Arena.
    Warzone : A very fun gamemode to play when you have some time and don't wan't to play Arena. The Req system is perfect, the better you do the stronger you become. The map are not that big, but I thinks are perfect for the 12v12.
    The score system makes the game very opens until the last boss spawn, you can make awesome comeback.
    XP/REQ : Well, they did the best choice with that, you play and win req point => after 3/4 game you can buy a gold pack with cosmetic/guns/perks items. You can everything on Warzone but only Cosmetic in Arena which is the good choice.
    You can also buy req pack, and this will finance all the free DLC. The best economic system you can do.

    Conclusion :

    I love what 343 is doing with Halo, even if I think they put to much investment in the marketing campaign (with Hunt The Truth, The Sprints, the new books...) and not enough in the game to make it THE BEST HALO EVER.
    With a longer campaign with a better built story I think it would have been. On the Multiplayer side, I think this is my favorite Halo so far (and I didn't loved Halo 4 that much.)    … Expand
  87. NotAHumanoid
    Nov 17, 2015
    8
    I've played halo since the xbox days with Halo CE, and this game is a great fun multiplayer. The campaign was kind of disappointing, it had its fun part every now and then, but it was way too short, and you only played as the chief for 3 or so missions, out 15, plus 3 or 4 missions were all you do is walk around and "talk" to people. Overall, I was not impressed with the campaign, and haloI've played halo since the xbox days with Halo CE, and this game is a great fun multiplayer. The campaign was kind of disappointing, it had its fun part every now and then, but it was way too short, and you only played as the chief for 3 or so missions, out 15, plus 3 or 4 missions were all you do is walk around and "talk" to people. Overall, I was not impressed with the campaign, and halo has always been primarily about single player story for me. I didn't see much of a problem with having a cliffhanger ending, there is nothing wrong really with having a cliffhanger in the middle of a trilogy.

    The removal of Co-Op was something that I didn't really like either, but I wasn't surprised really. People claiming 343 just blindsided them by removing Co-Op "with out any warning" are just lying. 343 said like 1 or a bit over 1 month before the game released that the game would not feature Co-Op, because they were more interested in locking the game in 60 FPS, and it would be impossible to allow that and add Co-Op. 1 month is more than enough time to decide if the removal of Co-Op would be a deciding factor when buying this. If you decided to not do any sort of research before spending $60, well, whose fault is that?

    That said, the multiplayer is where this game really shines. I don't think I've had this much fun in a halo MP since the halo 2 days. It's fast and fluid, and the new spartan abilities (not to be confused with those god awful armor abilities reach added and 4 "tried" to fix) give the game a new layer of overall strategy.

    Sure, they added some features, like ADS and kept sprint there, but this game is nothing like CoD like many people seem to enjoy screaming every time this game is brought up. If you play this game like CoD, you will die, a lot. You still need to be fast moving and skillful when shooting people, and one-on-one battle don't end with the person that fist shot the other person (like CoD), the kill goes to the one with the most skill.

    Warzone is a little fun addition, thought not a big fan of the micro transactions they decided to add, and the overall feeling of pay-to-win (people argue it isn't, but it is, it's not that hard to level up REQ levels when playing a match, before long, people with the biggest wallet will be easily noticeable when they get 4 or 5 tanks in a row) thought if I have to choose between optional Micro Transactions that only affect one game type, over free DLC maps, I say keep the micro transactions, specially with the addition of Big Team battle soon.

    Overall, this game only really shines with its MP. Single player alone is not worth the $60 price tag, which I would have said differently for Halo 1, 2, 3, or even Reach and 4. And the fact that some of the more fun features (forge and community made gametypes/maps) are coming in December, you may be better off waiting this one out.    … Expand
  88. jskpk
    Nov 17, 2015
    8
    Multiplayer mode is at least great. But the story....was really a mess.
    The multiplayer is actually really good, just even my girlfriend could tell the maps are quite similar...
    When it comes to the story...343!! R U kidding!? Is this stupid twisted story ur best? U guys just destroyed the history of HALO rather than altered it.....
  89. Jak10
    Nov 18, 2015
    8
    A solid entry in the Halo franchise and a sign that 343 is moving back in the right direction. Arena is much closer to the classic halo multiplayer than recent games and the addition of spartan abilities really helps mix things up. Warzone is big and innovative and really is very teamwork based. The campaign also plays very nicely and has great level design. Gameplay is smooth and crispA solid entry in the Halo franchise and a sign that 343 is moving back in the right direction. Arena is much closer to the classic halo multiplayer than recent games and the addition of spartan abilities really helps mix things up. Warzone is big and innovative and really is very teamwork based. The campaign also plays very nicely and has great level design. Gameplay is smooth and crisp and graphics are amazing. All that said it still lacks in a few areas. The biggest flaw is the story and lack of map variety. The story has always been captivating and original, but this latest campaign feels like something out of a mediocre sci-fi movie. The lack of chief is also disappointing. The maps are all very well designed but since only a few maps were given to warzone and then a few more were breakout specific there is not a ton of map variety while playing. There is also a lack of game modes. Though the free content updates coming such battle of shadow and light bringing btb and four maps are sure to negate this over time. Overall amazing gameplay and visuals but lacks a bit of variety and story.… Expand
  90. shawnnorris
    Dec 1, 2015
    8
    Technically, this game is very impressive as I never have encountered any frame rate drops. It stays locked at a rock solid 60 fps the whole time. The single player campaign isnt as long as I would've liked but it told a good story, and the twist at the end was great. Multiplayer is amazing in this installment, with warzone being my new favorite.
  91. NickEatsCookiez
    Dec 2, 2015
    8
    Halo......Halo everywhere.....

    To give a small back story to my Halo experience, I've been playing since Combat Evolved released on the OG Xbox. And remember kids bringing in the Halo 2 edition Xbox when it first released into school. So when I hear Halo, it brings back a familiar nostalgia that I absolutely love. And Halo 5 Guardians has done a MUCH better job than Halo 4.    Halo......Halo everywhere.....

    To give a small back story to my Halo experience, I've been playing since Combat Evolved released on the OG Xbox. And remember kids bringing in the Halo 2 edition Xbox when it first released into school. So when I hear Halo, it brings back a familiar nostalgia that I absolutely love. And Halo 5 Guardians has done a MUCH better job than Halo 4.

    Performance: 1080p / 60fps, Hell yes. What most console owners have been waiting for, and it looks absolutely stunning, from heavy firefights, to quiet moments to observe the scenery. And one thing Halo has always accomplished since Combat Evolved, is the little attention to detail, that if you notice it, makes you appreciate the little things. When participating in multiple matches online, I found that the playlist felt to little, but just right if that makes sense. All online games ran smooth and I did not experience the matchmaking problem that the Master Chief collection had experienced at launch. Excellent in my opinion.

    Graphics: At 1080p / 60fps, I noticed zero screen tear or frame rate drop. A breath of fresh air honestly with newer First Person Shooters having small issues like this. Like I stated before, its the attention to detail that I love that 343 and Bungi have done with the series, that makes this series seem personal to the fans and developers. All in all a knock out of the park!

    Story: Now this is something that I struggled with wrapping my head around. This series is about the Master Chief, now I know that there is deeper Lore to the series that probably follows different people, but when I played mostly as Spartan Locke and not the chief, I was disappointed. And even more disappointed in the marketing for this game. I was under the impression that Locke and the Chief were going to have an epic battle royal, the hunter is now the hunted, super "hush hush" sneaking around whilst battling the covenant missions. But this did not happen. AT ALL. Fairly disappointed.

    Campaign: Now I played on Legendary difficulty on my first play through, and it took me roughly 15 Hours. Making me pleased with the length. But I know that if I played on Easy or Normal that the length of the Campaign would only be around 3-6 hours. A big No-No in my book. Since when did developers start slacking on the story length department? Now the last thing I was displeased with was the AI. Not the enemy AI, but the friendly AI. Now Halo games aren't known for the best AI, but when forced to play with 3 other characters that are apart of your "team" its crap. Literally the STUPIDEST part of the game. If I went down under heavy fire, EVERY team mate ran to pick me up, getting themselves killed, instead of 1 reviving me, and the other two providing heavy fire towards the enemy to keep their heads down to leave me ALONE. Not a reason to not buy the game, but definitely a frustration. And there's a enemy wave system incorporated here. No advancing the story unless wave after wave is killed. Disappointing and lazy in my opinion.

    Multiplayer: Did I mention 1080p / 60fps? The multiplayer looks just as good as the campaign. The game modes are well balanced too. You have five modes with more to come. Arena (mixed game modes) Slayer (classic) Swat (another classic) Free for all (keeping it classy) and a new mode Breakout. Breakout is a 4v4 death match set up in rounds. Won either by capturing the one flag on the map, or killing everyone. Absolutely a blast with immense pressure when you're the only one left alive and your entire team is watching. Then there's Warzone. A mode in itself. 12v12 with NPC's, mini objectives of domination/slayer/ and score 1000points. Not something Ive played to much, but its well balanced. Now there's the REQ packs. Remember Titanfall? Remember the booster packs with perks? Its essentially the same thing. Now you earn req points through matches, or you can pay actual money. Your choice. The packs contain Skins for weapons, new armor, xp boosts, and weapons/vehicles for warzone.

    Overall this is a good game and the multiplayer is well balanced with a long campaign if played on higher difficulties. Something that I will be coming back to later on.    … Expand
  92. DausenMoore
    Nov 18, 2020
    8
    The campaign is okay at best but the multiplayer is pretty solid. Warzone is a mess, the progression is disappointing, and the customization is a huge step backwards but Arena is very good, it easily has the best gameplay and weapon balance in the series, forge is great, and overall I really like it.
  93. ImBatman2
    Dec 14, 2015
    8
    It's worth buying just for the multiplayer. The campaign is ok, but the biggest flaw in his game is not being able to play as Master Chief much. You're Locke for 12 of the 15 missions. They could have at least split it 50/50. Anyway the multiplayer is fantastic (easily the best in the series) and the new warzone game mode is awesome.
  94. Jose12
    Dec 30, 2015
    8
    First of all many did the review without testing forge and big team battle, after doing all of this stuff I gotta say the multiplayer is awesome, Warzone is definetively the greatest add to online features, but please no more forged maps in BTB, I would like to see bigger maps in BTB, I miss maps such as Valhalla/Ragnarok and no!, Basin doesnt count, also the campaign is too short, andFirst of all many did the review without testing forge and big team battle, after doing all of this stuff I gotta say the multiplayer is awesome, Warzone is definetively the greatest add to online features, but please no more forged maps in BTB, I would like to see bigger maps in BTB, I miss maps such as Valhalla/Ragnarok and no!, Basin doesnt count, also the campaign is too short, and taking out split screen was a failure, but anyway, the Req points system is very nice, Warzone is awesome, and server is working very well, and of course Forge is far more bigger than expected, I recommend to explore every feature of the game to fall in love with it, my score is 8,… Expand
  95. JTJSGamer
    Jan 25, 2016
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Being a huge Halo fan since the day's of the original Xbox, it pain's me to only give this game a 7. Let me explain why it has received this score.

    Let's talk about the pros.

    First off this game has the best graphics of any other game in the Halo series, it really shows off the next gen technology. This game has a complete lack of glitches, bugs, and frame drops. Also the addition of new weapons, vehicles, and armour sets is another one of the things that make this game fun.

    But the one thing that always brings me back to this game is the new Warzone multiplayer game mode. Let me explain Warzone to you in the simplest way possible. Warzone is a MOBA style first-person shooter game mode that may as well be the greatest addition to the whole Halo series. Warzone also has some of the biggest maps in Halo history can hold 24 people in a server.

    The new REQ cards are a new addictive feature. REQ cards are bought with REQ points which are earned through playing online games. Each time you open a REQ card you can earn new weapons that can be used in Warzone, new armour, new skins, and much more. That is why it is always fun to see what you earn next.

    Now let's talk about the cons.

    This game has a thing wrong with it that people though would of been fixed after Halo 4 but sadly the developers didn't take any notice of what people wanted.

    One of the worst problems with this game is the lack of split screen, which is pretty much what made the other Halo games fun to begin with. The only way you can play the campaign with a friend is if you have two Xbox One consoles and two televisions together.

    Another problem is the lack of game modes. This game has a lower amount of multiplayer game modes compared to the other Halo games, and most of them only compelling of 4 v 4.

    The last thing I would like to talk about is the campaign.

    Now I have mixed feelings about the campaign. I like the idea of bringing back some of the old characters from the Halo series, but I don't like the idea of having three other AI teammates helping you. Sometimes they can get in your way or get killed trying to revive you. But I like the design of the campaign levels with beautiful environments and tons of weapons, and enemies to kill. But one thing that annoyed me is the lack of Master Chief and the too much attention to Locke. And I feel like the story could have had a bit more effort put into it.

    Well that's my review, hope you enjoyed reading.    … Expand
  96. sonny2dap
    Feb 9, 2016
    8
    First things first the campaign, it is a departure from the usual Halo story telling and whether you enjoy that or not will be a matter of personal preference some will love it some will hate it.

    Multi player is where Halo shines (with the exception of 4) the PVE/PVP warzone mode is very nice addition to the pantheon of Halo multiplayer and offers a nice change of pace to the    First things first the campaign, it is a departure from the usual Halo story telling and whether you enjoy that or not will be a matter of personal preference some will love it some will hate it.

    Multi player is where Halo shines (with the exception of 4) the PVE/PVP warzone mode is very nice addition to the pantheon of Halo multiplayer and offers a nice change of pace to the competitive style of play you will find in Arena, the addition of dedicated servers has done wonders in mitigating latency, (not cured it) but easily the smoothest online experience on current gen consoles to date, and the effort 343 have gone through to create a balanced competitive online Arena should be applauded.

    The inclusion of micro transactions was somewhat controversial but so far has not been an overly negative experience and the dual system with req points mitigates this real money intrusion somewhat.

    Overall if you are buying Halo 5 for an offline or local multiplayer experience you may left feeling disappointed with series staples such as split screen being missing, however if like the majority you are looking for a finely balanced Arena shooter then look no further Halo 5 represents a return to form for the franchises multiplayer after a lacklustre outing in the fourth installment.    … Expand
  97. ElementPT78
    May 18, 2016
    8
    So it's been around 7 months after Halo 5's release and I must say the game has improved drastically. Yes, it's not the best Halo game and it does do a lot wrong, but it also does a lot right. At launch I probably would've said this game is not worth the full 80 dollars, maybe a solid 6.5 or 7/10 which is ok but I wouldn't consider that good enough for the price it was being sold as andSo it's been around 7 months after Halo 5's release and I must say the game has improved drastically. Yes, it's not the best Halo game and it does do a lot wrong, but it also does a lot right. At launch I probably would've said this game is not worth the full 80 dollars, maybe a solid 6.5 or 7/10 which is ok but I wouldn't consider that good enough for the price it was being sold as and the fact it's a triple A game means that to be worth a purchase it must be a very good game, not just above average.

    Halo 5 improved upon many mistakes 343i made in the past. They got gameplay down and they sure as hell made sure the game was not broken. The issue I have is the content. Ok, let's be honest here, there is a content crisis among modern shooters and games. This is most likely due to a lack of time and the cost required to make triple A games at a satisfactory quality. The solution is that everything that Halo 5 should of launched with is being paved out in monthly updates. "Free DLC" is not "Free DLC", it's content that was unfinished for the launch of the game. If Halo 5 would have launched with all the content it has now, I have no doubt the games reputation wouldn't have as much of a stain on it, including 343i's reputation. IMO 343i should have delayed Halo 5 a year, but of course Microsoft wants the new Halo game to give Xbox 1 a edge over the PS4 on the holidays instead of giving us a quality game worth our money.

    In it's current state Halo 5's gameplay and Multiplayer have surged and are what I belive the best in the current gen industry for now. The only current gen game I can really say has better Multiplayer than Halo 5 is Overwatch. Also the Forge is the best in the series, the amount of work that has been put into Forge is insane.

    The only issues I can see in Halo 5 right now are few, but big ones.
    ISSUE 1: Microtransactions
    ISSUE 2: No Splitscreen
    ISSUE 3: Lack Lustre Campaign

    When 343i originally announced microtransactions I wasn't too mad, I mean we were getting free dlc, right? I quickly turned against this when I learned we really weren't getting extra content. Why this is in the game I have no idea, but it's clearly for corporate benefit. I hope Halo 6 does not have this!

    As for Splitscreen.. I can understand why it was removed but I think for the best of the franchise I think they should return it in Halo 6 and upcoming Halo titles.

    There's not much to say about the campaign that hasn't been said. Why did 343i make Brian Reed the main writer? That's my only question. Also props to the musical department, they did a great job!

    I believe Halo 5 is very under appreciated and those giving Halo 5 a 0-3 are ridiculous but those that say Halo 5 is "Perfect" or the best Halo game ever are equally ridiculous. For me it currently stands a 8/10, coming from a Halo fan. We will all have different opinions, but one thing I want people to note down is to be respectful! Not only to other people but the devs. It's our job to critique the game so 343i can make sure Halo 6 is a great game, not hate them, I mean at that point they're just going to ignore you.    … Expand
  98. grammarian
    Mar 10, 2016
    8
    Stunning multiplayer. It runs silky smooth. Huge improvement over Halo 4 in that regard. Campaign mode feels like one step backwards though. The new villain was probably the most disappointing part of the story. It was just too lame.
  99. LinkTriforce
    Apr 22, 2016
    8
    muy buen juego, exlente calidad, fue exelente pero quisas no sea el mejor para calificar ya que no soy un veterano de la saga aunque e jugado todos los halo, y me enamore, practicamente ya le perdi el interes al punto de que se olvido practicamente toda la historia pero al comprarme esta quinta entrega debo admitir que me encanto
  100. Johny22
    Apr 5, 2016
    8
    Наконец то исправлены ошибки в геймплее, наконец то это снова Halo, хотя бы в плане геймплея. Сюжет очень слаб, но качественный геймплей и проработанный мультиплеер не дадут вам заскучать очень долго.
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Awards & Rankings

17
#17 Best Xbox One Game of 2015
1
#1 Most Discussed Xbox One Game of 2015
1
#1 Most Shared Xbox One Game of 2015

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
84

Generally favorable reviews - based on 101 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 89 out of 101
  2. Mixed: 12 out of 101
  3. Negative: 0 out of 101
  1. The Jimquisition
    Jan 20, 2016
    65
    Halo 5: Guardians is okay. Its campaign is rubbish, but the multiplayer is solid thanks to the foundation it’s built upon. Warzone is a really enjoyable experience, and while combat is still mostly about tossing grenades and hitting the melee button, the whole Requisition gimmick adds some much-needed flavor to proceedings.
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  2. CD-Action
    Jan 12, 2016
    75
    The latest Halo is a big deal only for hardcore Halo fans. For me the single player campaign was unbearably pompous and despite 1080p and 60 fps the visuals are not as breathtaking as they once were in Halo 4. The game builds a solid foundation for Halo 6, but it’s not one of those games you absolutely have to play. [13/2015, p.48]
  3. Pelit (Finland)
    Jan 4, 2016
    91
    With a more accessible and engaging story and solid new designs for the Prometheans, Halo 5 is a major improvement over Halo 4. Warzone is a great addition to the multiplayer, though the mode seems to have some game balance issues. [Nov 2015]
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