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. Doktor_Vehicl3
    Oct 29, 2015
    6
    Halo 5 is all in a polarizing experience. One the one hand you have a finely enhanced formula that allows for spectacular feats of gameplay, and on the other hand you have a by-the-numbers single player experience and a multiplayer component that takes a step back for every step forward. While Halo 5 continues where Halo 4 left off and expands on it in a number of ways, the final productHalo 5 is all in a polarizing experience. One the one hand you have a finely enhanced formula that allows for spectacular feats of gameplay, and on the other hand you have a by-the-numbers single player experience and a multiplayer component that takes a step back for every step forward. While Halo 5 continues where Halo 4 left off and expands on it in a number of ways, the final product never escapes a level of being simply passable, failing to transcend itself to greatness.

    The single player begins by cruelly cauterizing the open plot threads left by Halo 4's single player and Spartan Ops modes. The state of the Covenant leadership, the situation with Halsey and ONI, Cortana's death, Master Chief's newfound augmentations from the Librarian - all of these elements see an abrupt halt to their existence with one exception that I won't spoil, which has been re-purposed here. It should be noted that the marketing campaign for the single player, hinting towards conspiracy, political intrigue, and confrontation between the game's two pivotal characters Locke and the Master Chief, sees the most minimal development and feels the most shoehorned-in aspect of the single player. The plot is largely forgettable, and squanders the potential the rich Halo universe could have provided here. In place of mystery, intrigue, and the nature of an evolving humankind is a predictable, by the numbers affair filled with one dimensional characters, banal dialogue, and a villain so disappointingly superficial and evil as to evoke the Sith characters from George Lucas' Star Wars prequels. While the game manages to pack in quite a bit of lore from Halo materials far and wide, the result is rather soulless as 343 is in pandering mode almost the whole way through.

    It is surprising, then, that the Master Chief and Blue Team see the least development. Rather than assigning compelling personalities to the most decorated and fearsome soldiers humanity has ever seen, Blue Team simply exists to uphold the co-operative mechanics (for providing real friends different bodies) in place, while Locke's team sees the most screen time and dialogue, with just as little personality. Fred in particular exists almost as a ghost - this Spartan, who is in his skill set the most similar to Chief, doesn't have a moment in my memory where I even remember him speaking.

    Where the story may not be able to keep your interests, the gameplay will probably suffice. Halo 5 makes some fairly well implemented changes to the formula, which results in a more mobile brand of Halo's kinetic action. Level design in the single player works best in the game's "corridor" sequences, which put players at the top of a sloped, wide corridor filled with platforms and corridors of varying elevations, goodies to pilfer, and collectibles to unlock. The artificial intelligence across the board seems to have been simplified, probably to create for a more freely flowing experience whose pace is dictated by the player themselves. While the addition of collectibles into the missions is a nice touch, the developers could have used some restraint to avoid crippling the pacing of the game more than the mission structure does so already.

    Of the fifteen missions in the single player, there are a number of fairly short intermission sequences that allow the player to explore a small environment and get their healthy dose of exposition and worldbuilding. The unfortunate result is a product that is no more effective than the environmental storytelling and ambient worldbuilding found in the preceding Halo titles. I feel that 343 wanted so badly to cement its universe by packing it so densely with lore that it overused this liberty and vacated any sense of mystery or intrigue in its world. While there is some cool lore to chew on from time to time, these sections could have been foregone in favor of a better traditional experience. Instead, the single player never feels like it leaves its first act, simply dumping the player off of a cliff the moment their intrigue is sparked.

    The multiplayer component is similarly hit or miss. While the new 12v12 Warzone mode can provide some tense moments and exciting action, the scoring system in the AI infused mode is easily exploitable, and the lack of variety in maps sorely hurts the experience. In regular modes, social playlists are lacking entirely, leaving a roster of small team competitive modes and a currently broken free-for-all mode. The map designs in Arena are fitting of the mode's name, but feature visually bland designs and not many of them. While 343 plans to add free DLC content, the custom map editor forge is missing from launch, and a number of the total maps promised for Halo 5 will be created using said tool. I believe maps generated in forge are no substitute for in-house content - whether the content is free is no excuse.

    In the end, Halo 5 plays it safe and expects its fans to wait patiently for things to improve. I feel many won't.    … Expand
  2. Lumpy999
    Oct 30, 2015
    6
    Halo 5 is solid game but is the most disappointing entry in the series. The multiplayer has improved from past games but the multiplayer is the only thing that this game has improved on in any way.

    Halo is about its universe and this game has the worst story in the entire series. 343 has put so much focus on the multiplayer they have forgotten what made Halo so great in the first place.    Halo 5 is solid game but is the most disappointing entry in the series. The multiplayer has improved from past games but the multiplayer is the only thing that this game has improved on in any way.

    Halo is about its universe and this game has the worst story in the entire series. 343 has put so much focus on the multiplayer they have forgotten what made Halo so great in the first place.

    I still feel this game is worth a play but it is recommended you not buy the game just rent it.

    Somehow Halo 5 manages to make Halo 4 seem like a masterpiece. Despite this games many flaws it does still have some neat moments but very little makes this game worthy of the Halo franchise.    … Expand
  3. llMasterBetall
    Oct 29, 2015
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. TL;DR Campaign 4/10 | Mutiplayer 7/10 - - Overall 5.5/10

    Review (Campaign) The Halo 5 Campaign had a very good start especially when 343i showed Hunt The Truth. The idea of having all of these intertwining problems (Civil War, Promethean Threat, the Return of the Flood, etc.) sped up the hype train very much. It was also cool to see 343i go back to the roots of Halo 2 by having a second main character in the campaign. Unfortunately at release, it all fell apart. The problems with Halo 5's campaign fall under two categories, the gameplay and the story, with the latter being the worse of the two.

    In Halo 5 Guardians, you have access to squad commands, this is where the person playing as Locke or Chief can command his AI allies to move to position, to attack a target, pick up a weapon, or to revive a fallen teammate. The problem with this though is that the AI do not respond to threats and only follow the specific orders. For example, if you get downed, you can call an ally to revive you. Most of the time, they won't sprint towards you and they won't avoid hostile fire. They're very slow and very very stupid but this can avoided if you do coop. Humans > AI always.

    There are a number of problems however with the story itself. The first is that the Master Chief is not a main character of Halo 5 Guardians. If we consider Locke and Chief as main characters, they should both have an equal amount of game time. Out of the 12 actual gameplay misssions (15 total but 3 are just walk around cutscenes for Osiris), only a 4th of the game has Blue Team involved. I feel like 343i wanted to replace the Master Chief which is very hard to do. Bungie did a very good job at making the Arbiter a main character by giving him good dialogue, good background, and good story revolving around the covenant. Locke on the other hand is a very bland ONI agent that doesn't really get me to have any emotional attachment whatsoever. Campaign is pretty short for a Halo game but it's really the reveal of the villain which sucks the most. A lot of people wanted the flood, mendicant bias, and/or insurrectionists in this Halo and all we get is more prometheans, this time with Cortana as their leader. Most people were tired of the cheesy love story between Chief and Cortana. To top it all off, they end the game in a cliffhanger that doesn't really get the feeling of a good (But annoying) cliffhanger like Halo 2 "Sir, Finish this Fight.". In short, Characters are bland, the story is bland, and the cliffhanger is disappointing. I guess 343i is really related to Bungie (See Destiny).

    Final Score: 4/10

    Review (Multiplayer)

    Unlike the abysmall launch of Halo: Master Chief Collection, Halo 5: Guardians had a very solid launch with little to no server issues (EAST US). As a person who bought MCC day one, I felt that 343i didn't do a satisfactory job at fixing the game (With coop not even having a stable frame rate above 10). I was really concerned that the same may happen with Halo 5 but luckily I was wrong. With that being said, the game doesn't really innovate beyond Warzones which is the redeeming factor of the game.

    Almost all the spartan abilities (Thruster Packs, Ground Pound) were either already in the game or are just gimmicky and unnecessary. There is no real use for Ground Pound and for Spartan Charge whatsoever and yet people claim that these changes are innovative. It feels as if that 343i couldn't add in anything new to improve the game but tried to balance what features were already in Halo 4 (Thruster Pack [AA] and Sprint). Due to this, grenades are much more powerful and you die much faster than in other Halo which is disappointing. Despite these changes, Warzone is without a doubt the most innovative addition to the Halo franchise and I love it a lot.

    Warzone is a 12v12 game mode that pits 1 team vs 1 team vs neutral enemies. This forces players to not only kill the enemy team and secure bases, but to work with others at taking out AI enemies that spawn in. There is a problem with this which whoever gets the last hit takes all the points (Someone can snipe an enemy from a mile away and take all the points) but it is a really cool idea. I loved it the moment I saw the game mode at E3. If 343i can fix some of the balance issues in the game and make more warzone maps (Or even allow us to make them in forge), they've got a really good game ahead of them.

    Final Verdict 7/10

    Conclusion: Halo 5 is another divisive game just like Halo 4. There are the fanboys on Metacritic who give the game 9's and 10's blindly buying whatever 343i gives them and the haters who give this game a 0. I don't think either of them should be allowed to review games because Halo 5 needs criticism but not hatred. 343i is improving Halo but I do not believe that this is the game that will turn the franchise around after Halo 4/MCC. Hopefully they'll get it right next time with Halo 6. Good luck Spartans!

    Final Verdict 5.5/10 - Better luck next time!    … Expand
  4. bennibop
    Oct 29, 2015
    6
    The worst Halo for me and cannot understand any publication giving this game 9/10 as this game is definitely not nearly perfect. I play Halo for the story and its rich universe and this is the weakest entry yet. The plot is convoluted and you spend little time as the main character which is just bizarre. Graphics are just OK, as game contain low res textures, poor lighting and have seenThe worst Halo for me and cannot understand any publication giving this game 9/10 as this game is definitely not nearly perfect. I play Halo for the story and its rich universe and this is the weakest entry yet. The plot is convoluted and you spend little time as the main character which is just bizarre. Graphics are just OK, as game contain low res textures, poor lighting and have seen lots of pop-in. Multiplayer is the games saving grace but warning to any new Halo players it is very competitive. The lack of local co-op is also very annoying as it has been a staple of my Halo experience for years. IF you buying Halo 5 for the campaign AVOID, if you are buying for multiplayer it maybe worth your time if you are very good at fps.… Expand
  5. Falleax
    Oct 27, 2015
    7
    General game play:
    -Movement feels decently fast and fluid.
    -Almost every gun is viable and worth using in a variety of encounters, yet lack the "oomph" that makes firing a gun fun. -Vehicles are durable and easy to control, with the exception of the Scorpion tank, which has awkward turning. -The HUD is very clean and informative, but some of the HUD's sound elements are annoying. Too    General game play:
    -Movement feels decently fast and fluid.
    -Almost every gun is viable and worth using in a variety of encounters, yet lack the "oomph" that makes firing a gun fun.
    -Vehicles are durable and easy to control, with the exception of the Scorpion tank, which has awkward turning.
    -The HUD is very clean and informative, but some of the HUD's sound elements are annoying. Too many bleeps and bloops for dealing and receiving damage.

    Performance:
    -You will need to download a 9 GP patch on day one.
    -The game runs at a consistent 60 frames per second for the most part. Unfortunately it sacrifices resolution, texture quality and animation to achieve this.
    -The textures themselves are pretty bad, texture popping is everywhere and things in the distance are blurry.
    -Load times are surprisingly fast.

    Audio:
    -Halo 5's music has no identity. Most songs are either poorly made remixes of older Halo music, or just wander aimlessly until they end.
    -Voice acting is poor. This is not the fault of the voice actors, they clearly have talent, but whoever directed them did a poor job to capture my attention.
    -Grunt voices are annoyingly high pitched and try too hard to copy the humor of the grunts from the original trilogy. Jackals sound like cartoon birds.
    -General sound effects are pretty good.

    Campaign:
    -Halo 5's story is a confusing mess. It relies far too heavily on the assumption that the player is familiar with the expanded universe from the novels.
    If you haven't read any of the books, you wont have a clue who half the characters are. It just meanders along until it ends abruptly, almost as if a final level was cut.
    -The characters in the story are boring and lifeless, they never have anything clever or memorable to say and provide little reason to care about them.
    -Level design is mediocre. Most environments consist of hallways that lead into large open hallways with platforms to climb on.
    -There is a very good amount of enemy variety. The Forerunner enemies are especially improved since Halo 4, as are their weapons.
    -Enemy AI is nothing particularly impressive, yet some mechanics are very welcome. For example, a Hunter will now go berserk when their bond brother dies, becoming much more aggressive and powerful.
    -The 3 AI teammates are incredibly stupid and basically worthless.
    -You only play as Master Chief for 3 levels out of 15.

    Mutliplayer:
    -Most maps are too small and have poor map flow.
    -Spawning needs some work, especially for FFA. Too often have I spawned right next to an enemy player, or even in the middle of a gunfight and gotten killed.
    -Warzone is very fun. The maps for this gametype are very large and have a variety of paths to choose from to reach the objective.
    Fighting NPCs along with enemy players is a refreshing experience and very tense. Teamwork is especially important in this mode, though almost nobody every uses a mic to communicate with their teammates.
    -The matchmaking lobby is awful. When you join a lobby, nobody's name is visible, only their emblem. It's impossible to mute players in the lobby as well, so if someone is eating their mic, you have to wait for the game to start to mute them.
    -Matchmaking is pretty fast and runs on dedicated servers, so game ruining lag is rare.
    -Forge will not be in the game until December.

    Overall, Halo 5 is an alright game by itself, but a poor addition to the Halo series.
    It lacks the love and care that was put into the original trilogy and suffers from 343 Industries' attempts to make their version of Halo unique to the original Halo.    … Expand
  6. diehard-gamer
    Oct 28, 2015
    6
    Its graphically very pretty, but the maps feel close and confined not open and epic. The audio is good and the voice acting is good, but the characters spout a lot of gungho militaryish jargon one liners. The game plays fast and smooth.

    Unfortunately for me, I play games for the stories and characters not the AV bling or multiplayer bragging rights and, several missions in, I'm yet to    Its graphically very pretty, but the maps feel close and confined not open and epic. The audio is good and the voice acting is good, but the characters spout a lot of gungho militaryish jargon one liners. The game plays fast and smooth.

    Unfortunately for me, I play games for the stories and characters not the AV bling or multiplayer bragging rights and, several missions in, I'm yet to be hooked by HALO 5.

    I'm playing on for 'the Chief''s sake because we go back a long way and I want him to look good to inspire his squad. Locke, well he just feels like just another generic supersoldier and I don't really care how many times the aliens shoot him down and he squeals for his bros to save him.    … Expand
  7. Andre_Antunes
    Oct 28, 2015
    6
    Worst campaign in the series, poor resolution and texture quality (Sub 1080p). No Split Screen...Good Multiplayer and performance (60Fps all the time).
  8. 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.
  9. EasyTab
    Oct 27, 2015
    5
    Really? Really? This is what i have been hyping up for? Jesus. Never have i been this disappointed in a game. Im a big Halo fan, i absolutely adored all the Halo's up to reach, i even liked Halo 4 to an extent. Then along came Halo 5. The story is stale, flat and mediocre, the characters are weak, the multiplayer feels boring, heck the split screen co-op is gone too! This game just doesn'tReally? Really? This is what i have been hyping up for? Jesus. Never have i been this disappointed in a game. Im a big Halo fan, i absolutely adored all the Halo's up to reach, i even liked Halo 4 to an extent. Then along came Halo 5. The story is stale, flat and mediocre, the characters are weak, the multiplayer feels boring, heck the split screen co-op is gone too! This game just doesn't make you wanna play it. Man, if i had to some up this game in 1 word it would be "pretentious". Just because it sticks itself with the "Halo brand" doesn't indicate that it is anything special, well atleast this game doesn't.… Expand
  10. ExecutionDHG
    Feb 29, 2016
    5
    This is the most frustrating halo game ever.I had hopes for this aspecialy for campaign.But 343i disaipointed me once again.Lets start with campaign.Hunt the truth made me hype for this game.There was a conspiracy going on about oni and how they hide the truth about master chief and spartan II project from public.And Live action trailers showing rivaly between chief and locke and unscThis is the most frustrating halo game ever.I had hopes for this aspecialy for campaign.But 343i disaipointed me once again.Lets start with campaign.Hunt the truth made me hype for this game.There was a conspiracy going on about oni and how they hide the truth about master chief and spartan II project from public.And Live action trailers showing rivaly between chief and locke and unsc announcing chief's dead.Made me hype for H5's campaign then its mutliplayer.But guess what we didnt see any of these in campaign.No rivaly,no conspiracy nothing.Not to mention levels are too short.All of the levels are feels rushed and two levels are hub levels where you just talk to 2 people.I expected a bigger campaign but it was slightly bigger then halo4.Although level design is 2x better then halo4.And art direction was amazing I personaly enjoyed the campaign but it was too short and story was disappointing.Soundtrack is amazing.Kazuma Jinnouchi did a great job by bringing classic halo theme back and making new ones even better.Remember when 343i first revealed main menu of the game?And they said they worked hard for it?Guess what they f***ing lied.It feels like menu of a f"""ing arcade game.Remember when they said they made it halo 5 for hardcore halo fans they f"""ing lied agian.This game is made for newcomers.343i seriously doesnt know what "if ain't broke don't fix it" means.Beta's aim system was awsome but they f"""ed up in final game.Now because of their f"""ed up aim system i cant aim properly and now they bring up this stupid aim acceleration.I know old halo's had it too but it wast f"""ked up like this.And i noticed even with this f"""ed up aim system i can get one shoot sniper kills and it not suprising because everybody can aim in this game.Arena maps are garbage they are basicly like cod maps .There are just too many covers to people hide and avoid getting killed.Also who ever tells you that thuster adding new strategies to the game they either 343i fans or they are just keep escaping from battles.Thrusts are free ticket to get out of bad choices.When my oponent is one shot he/she just thursts away and escapes.Whic its doesnt awards skilled players that took good positioning.Now they are showing where the power weapon spawns whic help noobs to know and rush to the power weapons.I know power ups and shotguns or hydra are not shown but most sinces maps are too s"""ty and small everybody can know where power weapons are know.And since maps are too small and s""ty you cant doge grenade's.And now because of this everybody just smaping grenades and getting kill free kills just like cod and now since ttk is low and maps are small and s""t like cod maps when somebody shoots you first you are done.There is like low chance of you getting that reversal kill just like in cod.That was not the case with previous halo's.When somebody shoot you first you had chance of reversal.Warzone had potential but there were like 2 f"""ing maps at launch.And both of those maps are garbage feels like they just mixed bunch of maps.Speaking of maps Halo 5 has the lowest content of any halo game whic explains the free dlc and its just funny those free dlc maps are just remakes of maps.And they removed the split-screen.Split f"""ing screen.Splitscreen is the must feature for any halo game.And they just **** removed it so that we can buy more console to play this game.But guess what.Halo 5 is not worth geting xbox one.instead of buying this garbage buy mcc or black ops 3.Or continue playing halo reach.Even 3arc would have done better job then stupid 343i… Expand
  11. Crussh
    Oct 28, 2015
    6
    Halo 5 is what any Halo fan will need this winter. I'll split up my review in 2 parts.

    Single Player The single player is nice. It plays well from the beginning. The storyline is somehow simple, but keeps you on your feet. I really liked what they did with both teams and the fact that Osiris is looking for Chief was interesting. The only sour note, is we don't see as much of    Halo 5 is what any Halo fan will need this winter. I'll split up my review in 2 parts.

    Single Player

    The single player is nice. It plays well from the beginning. The storyline is somehow simple, but keeps you on your feet.
    I really liked what they did with both teams and the fact that Osiris is looking for Chief was interesting.
    The only sour note, is we don't see as much of masterchief. Locke is taking much space, but I quickly come to like
    his character. I would have liked more missions with Masterchief. Also, note that the campaign is short, but legendary mode
    is super difficult. So if you're like me and want to enjoy the story without getting too much trouble, play on normal. Give it
    a second hardcore pass on legendary to make sure you satisfy your needs afterward. I won't give any spoilers, but the ending
    will give alot of avenues to explore on Halo 6.

    Multiplayer

    What a surprise. After Halo 4 and MCC, I wasn't looking for something great to be honest. Halo 4 had too many power weapons
    and I really didn't appreciate the multiplayer experience in a whole. Anyone who has bought MCC knows that it was broken for
    a long time after the release. Halo 5 however is a gem. The gameplay is so smooth. It plays very well. They purified the
    weapons (there's some power weapon left, but they take less space then in Halo 4). The navigation will seems complexe at the
    beginning, but as soon you play a few time, it will come second nature and really enjoyable. The ranks are giving a competitive¸
    side I had never seen before on a Halo game. I must say, being placed in a league after 10 games is better then a simple number
    next to your name. Your rank will go up really fast when you win. The maps are beautiful and really fun to play in. But there's
    a mode that will take alot of your time once you'll buy the game; Warzone. This mode is just addictive.
    You play against NPC and players alike while you must complete objectives on both side. I don't want to take much time explaining
    it, but it is really, really, really incredible.

    Overall, the game is a success. It does change course from other Halo games, but I don't mind at all. It will be a nice winter,
    with new Halo memories.    … Expand
  12. 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
  13. Deather2012
    Oct 29, 2015
    10
    The game is simply amazing, it's the next gen Halo I was expected, very smooth with 60fps, awesome graphics and a very fluid system combat, excellent storytelling and see the arbiter and buck back was very very nice! It's a 9/10 for me because the campaign is a little short (16 hrs in legendary) and no splitscreen, but when forge come out (and others game modes) it's going to be an 10/10,The game is simply amazing, it's the next gen Halo I was expected, very smooth with 60fps, awesome graphics and a very fluid system combat, excellent storytelling and see the arbiter and buck back was very very nice! It's a 9/10 for me because the campaign is a little short (16 hrs in legendary) and no splitscreen, but when forge come out (and others game modes) it's going to be an 10/10, the game feels like Halo again (Not like Halo 4) and I feel the same emotions like when I play Halo 1-3 almost 10 years ago, best Halo game so far!… Expand
  14. arpe
    Oct 28, 2015
    10
    Lives up to the Halo name, Story might be bit difficulty to understand at first but its not bad. The game play is great and it looks beautiful, really beautiful, one of best looking games I have seen ever.
  15. el92dudo
    Oct 28, 2015
    10
    In my opinion Halo 5 is a great game. The req system seems to be pretty balanced as of now. I haven't seen anybody abuse the microtransaction function of Halo 5.

    The campaign is challenging and a lot of fun overall. I never died in any unfair way and the new mechanics tie in very well with the verticality and openess of the level design. Story telling is done well and the game really    In my opinion Halo 5 is a great game. The req system seems to be pretty balanced as of now. I haven't seen anybody abuse the microtransaction function of Halo 5.

    The campaign is challenging and a lot of fun overall. I never died in any unfair way and the new mechanics tie in very well with the verticality and openess of the level design. Story telling is done well and the game really transfers a sense of epicness on your TV. Though I have to say that the story itself is a little confusing. Another con is that there are some maps which seem to be straight from Halo forge (especially the ones in SWAT playlist), with some very uninspired assets.

    I was really impressed from the technical side. The game runs flawless and loading times are minimal. Another thing they really improved is the matchmaking. In Halo MCC you got kicked out of matchmacking many times after finishing a match, this problem does not seem to be present anymore.

    I do not understand how some people give the game 0s. I think some of them did not even play the game, as some of them only mention generic cons which have been presented in reviews on youtube.

    To compensate for the haters I am going to give this game a 10.

    Cheers!    … Expand
  16. Archaicc
    Oct 28, 2015
    10
    It's really intresting that pretty much all the negative reviews are clearly from Sony fanboys. If you click on their names, they pretty much have scores of 0 for two Xbox games, and actual reviews for the PS4 games.

    I digress. This game is excellent, and imho the best MP experience in Halo to date, or at least in a tie with Halo 2. I haven't really gotten through the whole campaign    It's really intresting that pretty much all the negative reviews are clearly from Sony fanboys. If you click on their names, they pretty much have scores of 0 for two Xbox games, and actual reviews for the PS4 games.

    I digress. This game is excellent, and imho the best MP experience in Halo to date, or at least in a tie with Halo 2. I haven't really gotten through the whole campaign yet, but it certainly isn't a flop as some are saying. The new modes for MP are refreshing from the same old Slayer/Objective modes, and really add to the game.

    If you love MP FPS, it doesn't get much better then this.    … Expand
  17. cryinghavoc
    Oct 28, 2015
    10
    Pros:
    - Beautiful game play at 60 FPS with no studder or drop.
    - The most balanced multiplayer I have played in a shooter in years. - Fun and engaging story that is very repayable. With so many different guns and enemy's its always different Cons -Split screen was removed to keep 60 FPS -Story has a halo 2 feel, It is unresolved at the finish, but that is to be expected as it is    Pros:
    - Beautiful game play at 60 FPS with no studder or drop.
    - The most balanced multiplayer I have played in a shooter in years.
    - Fun and engaging story that is very repayable. With so many different guns and enemy's its always different

    Cons
    -Split screen was removed to keep 60 FPS
    -Story has a halo 2 feel, It is unresolved at the finish, but that is to be expected as it is number 2 in a trilogy.    … Expand
  18. Diknak
    Oct 29, 2015
    10
    Amazing entry of the Halo series. The multiplayer is top notch and the arena gameplay feels simply amazing and satisfying. The warzone mode adds a unique MOBA twist to it and it just feels satisfying pulling a come from behind victory. It really is a game mode for everyone. Attack bases, defend bases, go after AI, vehicles, on foot . . a game mode with everything.
  19. EVELMAN
    Oct 28, 2015
    10
    game is really fun, sharp, fast paced and interesting. very smooth and tight controls. the gameplay tweaks are interesting and take a little to get used to but fun once you do. the campaign is interesting and may require replays if you're not a buff on the lore. multiplayer is smooth and trouble free. love warzone modes. reminds me of a futuristic battlefield game in a way.
  20. 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.
  21. vgmkyle
    Oct 28, 2015
    6
    I know some still love the series, but I find each new installment more boring than the last. The Halo 5 campaign is the worst yet. It's one of the most linear games I've played, and with no split-screen offering I can forget popcorn and dew with my homie on the couch next to me. The new multiplayer experience is okay... War Zone is by far the best element of this game. Even with thatI know some still love the series, but I find each new installment more boring than the last. The Halo 5 campaign is the worst yet. It's one of the most linear games I've played, and with no split-screen offering I can forget popcorn and dew with my homie on the couch next to me. The new multiplayer experience is okay... War Zone is by far the best element of this game. Even with that said, there are actually way better games to choose from on the Xbox… Expand
  22. sepehrpro
    Oct 28, 2015
    10
    graphic and music is excellent, best in the series. the story coherency and consistency is the best in the series. multiplayer mode is the best in the series. enemies are also more fun to kill. no more flood semi-zombies. enemies move fast. my only complaint is that some missions are ridiculously short, there are few but luckily there are 15 missions and there are some missions that aregraphic and music is excellent, best in the series. the story coherency and consistency is the best in the series. multiplayer mode is the best in the series. enemies are also more fun to kill. no more flood semi-zombies. enemies move fast. my only complaint is that some missions are ridiculously short, there are few but luckily there are 15 missions and there are some missions that are absolute joy. excellent work… Expand
  23. Prezident
    Oct 28, 2015
    9
    343 смогли подняться до уровня второй части франшизы от банжи. В игре хороший сюжет с отличными сюжетными поворотами, хорошая картинка с великолепным арт и левл-дизайном, самый умный ИИ в серии и ещё много-много геймплейных нововведений. Здесь просторные и продуманные локации, подразумевающие использование скооперированных действий с применением спецвозможностей спартанцев, а так же с343 смогли подняться до уровня второй части франшизы от банжи. В игре хороший сюжет с отличными сюжетными поворотами, хорошая картинка с великолепным арт и левл-дизайном, самый умный ИИ в серии и ещё много-много геймплейных нововведений. Здесь просторные и продуманные локации, подразумевающие использование скооперированных действий с применением спецвозможностей спартанцев, а так же с напиханным в труднодоступных местах оружием и техникой, которое сильно помогает на данном участке карты. Так же в игре просто прекрасный мультиплеер, лучше я ещё нигде не видел: идеальный баланс и сведение автоприцеливания к минимуму делают своё. Ну и новый режим зона конфикта выше всяких похвал, очень масштабно, очень эффектно, очень круто. Теперь с нетерпением жду следующую часть франшизы и надеюсь, что на третий раз 343 сделают ещё лучше, в 5 раз, того и гляди, reach зппилят свой)… Expand
  24. JoshLuck1995
    Oct 28, 2015
    7
    Finished Halo 5 on Saturday. Here is my thoughts -- don't worry no spoilers.
    ill give my thoughts on the story. Its good but does not live up to its potential and I believe the ending will be quite divisive.
    Positives - + Nice graphics & beautiful cinematics. + Beautiful audio + Locke + Super fast loading times + Fireteams add a new feel to the game Negatives - - Not enough play    Finished Halo 5 on Saturday. Here is my thoughts -- don't worry no spoilers.
    ill give my thoughts on the story. Its good but does not live up to its potential and I believe the ending will be quite divisive.
    Positives -
    + Nice graphics & beautiful cinematics.
    + Beautiful audio
    + Locke
    + Super fast loading times
    + Fireteams add a new feel to the game
    Negatives -
    - Not enough play time as Chief
    - Parts of the game feel VERY repetitive
    - No STAND OUT enemies/ enemy fight. (Not saying there isn't one)
    - Fireteams can be very dumb at times
    - Misleading trailers prior to release

    Multiplayer aspect for me isnt a positive or negative, its OK but it doesn't stand out in my opinion.

    Overall the score I would give the game is a 7.5/10.    … Expand
  25. FoeHammerLives
    Oct 28, 2015
    9
    Overall this game is a great addition to Halo. However, the story, while having important and universe changing moments, felt a bit underwhelming. And there were moments when the plot felt forced. But the campaigns mostly awesome level designs, weapons, and enemies combined with the new spartan abilities made the campaign a blast! As for the multiplayer, I have no qualms about it. WarzoneOverall this game is a great addition to Halo. However, the story, while having important and universe changing moments, felt a bit underwhelming. And there were moments when the plot felt forced. But the campaigns mostly awesome level designs, weapons, and enemies combined with the new spartan abilities made the campaign a blast! As for the multiplayer, I have no qualms about it. Warzone is an awesome addition, and arena has gone back to its roots.… Expand
  26. HamishT
    Oct 28, 2015
    9
    Absolutely amazing!! Yes im a massive halo fan have been since the CE but this halo feels fresh. It takes all the right steps forward with new mechanics and graphics. I should give this a 10 to xounter the people giving 0s. Serious wtf no game gets a 0 grop up. But im giving a 9 the only place it drops the ball is no split screen and i would of liked to play chief a bit more.
  27. DJ-Clazzi
    Jul 22, 2020
    6
    The gunplay is absolutely amazing, pretty much one of the best fps experiences on console, fantastic work 343, can't wait to get more time into th fnatastic MP mode this weekend

    The campaign is absolutely embarassing tho
  28. GuNNeRs_MX
    Oct 28, 2015
    10
    The new game is with new mechanics, sights reformulated and new generation chart. the best of the saga so far. the game makes the diference compare with other of the actuality.
  29. StonedMagician
    Oct 29, 2015
    10
    +Looks INCREDIBLE, with awesome art direction and formidable technical prowess
    +Great sound design and score
    +Most satisfying, tight gameplay and controls the series has yet seen +Warzone and Breakout=BRILLIANT +Very balanced multiplayer maps +Excellent enemy A.I. in campaign +Campaign levels are very well thought-out +Epic storyline... -That occasionally feels rushed -Mostly    +Looks INCREDIBLE, with awesome art direction and formidable technical prowess
    +Great sound design and score
    +Most satisfying, tight gameplay and controls the series has yet seen
    +Warzone and Breakout=BRILLIANT
    +Very balanced multiplayer maps
    +Excellent enemy A.I. in campaign
    +Campaign levels are very well thought-out
    +Epic storyline...

    -That occasionally feels rushed
    -Mostly one-note characters
    -Some of the new weapons aren't as good as they should be
    -No split-screen
    -Having to wait for Halo 6 to get the next chapter of the story

    Overall score: 10.0/10.0. Quite possibly the best game in the series so far. Well done, 343.    … Expand
  30. polishwonder
    Oct 28, 2015
    10
    Game is really good not a 10 but 9 just for the multiplayer which is the best in the series. Matacritic is not what used to be all these sony fanboys making dummy accounts to give this game a 0. Please grow up. While the single player is good and can be awesome with friends the multiplayer is god. The game is really good and the graphics at times are just amazing to look at. This holeGame is really good not a 10 but 9 just for the multiplayer which is the best in the series. Matacritic is not what used to be all these sony fanboys making dummy accounts to give this game a 0. Please grow up. While the single player is good and can be awesome with friends the multiplayer is god. The game is really good and the graphics at times are just amazing to look at. This hole generation has been measure buy the amount of P's a game has but frame rate in this game is butter smooth like no other shooter. And the controls and gun play are top notch.… Expand
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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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