Halo 5: Guardians Review. A Forerunner in Infinite Possibilities

If you’re a fan of the Halo universe, you have probably seen the transition of the game into a world of its own, a world where anything is possible. Halo is a big name in the gaming world, and Guardians has made it all that much bigger.

Graphics: 5.0

The high-octane graphics in Halo 5 are boosted by its own powerful game engine that makes sure you are fully immersed in the game. Xbox One does this perfectly, and you can feel like part of the Halo universe right in your living room. The in-game scenes are adrenaline-laced and explosive, and they mesh perfectly with the gameplay. The fights are epic and capture the true essence of what the Halo universe is really about.

Gameplay: 5.0

Guardians is set 4 months after the events of Halo 4. Master Chief leads the Blue Team into securing Argent Moon, an ONI space research station. Fireteam Osiris goes into Kamchatka to retrieve Dr. Halsey. Master Chief scuttles the station after an attack by a Covenant cavalry after which he receives a cryptic message from Cortana directing him to the Planet Meridian. The plot takes you from an epic fight in Sanghelios against the last of the Covenant forces to John’s meeting of the mighty Warden Eternal, a Promethean caretaker.

The game remains true to the Halo franchise and retains core aspects of the games. A key diversion from previous games is the upgrading of the Spartan armor, with the MJOLNIR suit handing the player more mobility in all directions through thrusters. Iron sights are also a major addition to all the weapons, a capability that was previously restricted to specific ones. NPC characters as part of Blue team can receive limited orders. There isn’t much change to the traditional gameplay, although the action in Halo 5 is really fast, and the graphics engine seems to maintain an optimal framerate for those really exciting scenes.

Controls: 5.0

Halo lets you map new controls depending on how you like your movement, although it retains much of its original attributes. This is an important feature because the action in Halo 5 moves quite fast, and the enemy AI is excellent at taking you down from all directions.

The maps are quite easy to follow, and it goes back to the traditional game that we were all used to. The game lets you jump, dunk, sprint instantaneously and do a whole bunch of other stuff that brings the impossible to life in 3D space.

Replay Value: 5.0

Guardians secures the highest rating, and even those who claim that the storyline is a little checkered have got it all wrong. The action blends perfectly with heavy CGI sequences that tell the story. The controls are fluid, and you will never see a frame drop in Halo. Though it lacks great online multiplayer, Halo still has a local co-op that makes any other game’s look bad. The story, though linear, is brought to life by the enthralling action sequences and brilliant acting in the in-game scenes.

Conclusion

Guardians is a beautiful game and brings the Halo universe as I’ve always imagined it to life in 8 brilliant hours. The campaign is epic, and you will feel like you just met a real Jul ‘Mdama or even better, stepped into the greatness of the Warden Eternal. I love 343 for what they did with this game, and it sets the bar for new game technology and artistic direction high for generations of Halo to come.