Xbox Series S/X: Thread 03

[nonny]

https://www.forbes.com/sites/paultassi/2021/09/26/halo-infinites-multiplayer-technical-flight-lives-up-to-the-hype/?sh=5d7ee96b2a79

Pretty much sums up how I feel after the session I had last night. I've missed out on the BTB stuff but matchmaking and playing against real player this just feels like it's going to hit the spot for me.

At first I felt the grapple and repulser equipment was a bit over powered, especially in the hands of some skilled players... But I'd missed that they were limited use (5 uses max for grapple as an example).

The weapons also feel about right to me. Punchy enough and fitting with muscle memory... That battle rifle, magnum, melee is still on point. Yeah the audio could be a bit beefier? But some weapons are better than others there and that is something that might be unfinished in this test build, or they improve closer to launch.

It all just feels polished at its core, where it matters. Yes there's plenty of bugs if YouTube is anything to go by, but that's the point of this test and if they get all of the bugs quashed by launch this is going to be a significant entry. It's already miles better than Halo 5, and if the campaign can hit similar levels it would easily be 343's best effort yet.

I think the biggest thing where multiplayer is concerned is COD Vanguard looks pants right now... Really it looks terrible compared to Modern Warfare and Cold War. Then BF2042 send to have its own problems but equally I think it's different enough that it won't matter. In short I think Halo has a really good chance of being the best FPS title in the big end of year line up.

[wheelaa]

Not just the audio. More beef all round please.

Weapons aren't beefy enough when firing.

There isn't enough visual / aural / feedback beef when you are getting hit, not enough visual / aural beef when you are hitting enemies.

Melee..more beef please.

More beef in the jumping. More beef in the running. Grapple hook cross map shenanigans should be beef city with extra beef and a side of beef dripping.

BEEEEF.

[nonny]

I've got a Sunday roast suggestion for you Wheelaa

[Lebowski]

Seeing all the Halo multiplayer impressions over the weekend was a strange one half of me is excited for a new Halo while the other half cant help but feel like It's like a game stuck in time. You'd be hard pressed to differentiate it from any of the older games too, things like the lack of iron sites on most weapons and the instantly recognizable weapons game me a warm nostalgia buzz but also had me asking why would i go back to a game that plays almost identically to any other game in the series.

Bungie have moved on and evolved a lot of the game-play that went into Halo multiplayer via Destiny's crucible, where as 343 Industries are kind of stuck in a rut with this same weapons same gameplay and the same maps, adding in Titan-falls grappling hook isn't enough really, im not saying throw out all the old weapons but at least try and bring something new instead of trying to emulate the old.

[fishbowlhead]

Hopefully the Campaign is nocked out the park in a spectacular way, anything less will basically kill the franchise.

The pvp side looks completely stale, which they can’t really change up that much as fans will moan its not halo etc, so rock and a hard place on that front.

[nonny]

I really do hope the campaign comes in as good as this multiplayer is because I honestly had a tonne of fun over the weekend playing this.

Yes it's leaning on old school nostalgia but I disagree that its stale. The depth of tactics added by the new equipment is staggering and whilst it naturally fits into the main gameplay it's totally new stuff that's been added.

For me it's more than enough new stuff added to some established game mechanics. That's just my opinion and others won't get as much from it... But really I would say it's looking great right now.

[wheelaa]

Played some more.

Overall, I quite like it. It's honest Halo fun. Nothing too radical - I'm not yet seeing / feeling the staggering depth of tactics in the new equipment - like an old pal you haven't seen for a while, but still gel with in the main.

In the same breath however, I feel it is a little poor as well. Lack of beef aside, AR is a little OP, the audio around enemy steps / discerning direction of enemy gunfire as you're being blasted from behind is pretty much non-existent, aiming (at least on console) just seems a little off. And so on, quite a few minor gripes really. Nostalgia is fine, but it's like an old pal you haven't seen for a while, those awkward moments haha.

Overall, I just can't shake this feeling that it should be better. A LOT better really for the amount of work hours put into it. If this is meant to be a system seller and a generaton defining game, it needs a HUGE amount of work. Fortunately for MS, the MT dress train will likely make big bucks.

Me personally, I'll play it at launch (which is more than I did for 5, given how thoroughly poor 4 was I ditched 343i Halo for a good few years), but unless there are some big improvements, better maps, a fun Swat mode, a fun Living Dead mode etc, then it won't be a game I play too often, or grind out like I do / did Destiny / Gears etc.

I'm also 99.9999% certain that when I fire up MCC tonight, I will have more fun.

Perhaps not love / hate, more like / dislike right now, with scope for either to increase.

[Neon Ignition]

I'd definitely err on the overall stance that Halo is stale but it's that staleness now that kind of marks it out from other FPS rivals. It's almost unique by leaning toward still being somewhat 90's/Early 00's era in its design. It's genuinely impressive its retained the level of popularity it has as it's arguably as much to do with MS's failure to create a replacement brand it can use to have a genre leading exclusive as it is the fanbase carrying forward. Much like Gears, the new installments are like increasingly shiny retro games.

[nonny]

The things I like with the equipment kind of read like those mythbuster videos.

You can knock vehicles off the map with the repulser.
You can use the grapple to pull yourself onto vehicles for a mount.
You can use the grapple to grab the flag in CTF.
Etc...

The more videos I watch the more I realise that potential tactics that can be employed in certain situations.

With the general gunplay I like the hit detection overlay in enemies so you can see visual cues to where you're hitting them not just when their shield drops.

I love that all weapons have a decent ADS view now, though the purist in me still doesn't tend to use it too much.

The AI companion is actually really useful, in particular when using headphones the chatter you can get from them is cool. It's like having cortana in your head whilst playing multiplayer.

The map design is great. I really want to see what other maps are in the final release as the ones shown right now are all bangers.

[nonny]

https://youtu.be/gn8LqGCSxSo

The new Edge browser opens up more options for emulation via JavaScript. Some pretty impressive results here. Bit frustrating to setup and search without using mouse and keyboard though...

[Lebowski]

I'd definitely err on the overall stance that Halo is stale but it's that staleness now that kind of marks it out from other FPS rivals. It's almost unique by leaning toward still being somewhat 90's/Early 00's era in its design. It's genuinely impressive its retained the level of popularity it has as it's arguably as much to do with MS's failure to create a replacement brand it can use to have a genre leading exclusive as it is the fanbase carrying forward. Much like Gears, the new installments are like increasingly shiny retro games.

I think the issue comes from that 343 are more caretakers than actual innovators, they didn't make the original game and if anything since Bungie walked away from the series it has seen a real lack of innovation, that has seen a decline in sales and review scores as well. I see 343 as the game developer equivalent of the Modern day band Queen peddling out the same old hits and trading off past glory's with a prosseion of singers trying their hardest to emulate Freddy Mercury. No doubt Microsoft is right their making sure 343 they don't deviate to much as well so its not really their fault , just like say gears or Forza its a tricky one to say what they should do next.

[nonny]

I think the issue comes from that 343 are more caretakers than actual innovators, they didn't make the original game and if anything since Bungie walked away from the series it has seen a real lack of innovation, that has seen a decline in sales and review scores as well. I see 343 as the game developer equivalent of the Modern day band Queen peddling out the same old hits and trading off past glory's with a prosseion of singers trying their hardest to emulate Freddy Mercury. No doubt Microsoft is right their making sure 343 they don't deviate to much as well so its not really their fault , just like say gears or Forza its a tricky one to say what they should do next.

I dunno... I think 343 innovated a bit too much and lost the fanbase in the process. At least where Halo 4-5 were concerned the introduction of armour abilities in the multiplayer really divided the community. Plus of course with Halo 5: Guardians the campaign proved to be a huge mistake swapping out Master Chief in favour of a campaign where he takes mostly a back seat.

I guess it depends on what you deem as innovation in an established franchise. It's very hard break the mould when it is precisely that mould that the majority of fans expect from a sequel. Where Bungie is concerned I would even argue they made mistakes along the way (maybe it's just me but I hated dual-wielding in Halo 2) and have only managed to get more creative in Destiny because they are writing new lore and structure.

At least with Halo Infinite I think 343 are making the right cuts. Where multiplayer is concerned the core is very much business as usual and the art-style is clearly leaning towards the Halo 3 and earlier designs... and though we've yet to see precisely how it plays out the campaign is now mostly open world (at least to the extent its all inter-connected with wider areas) instead of being very linear in design.

That part alone could prove to be transformative and the reason why it's proving so tricky to balance out co-op... maybe that is the wrong decision or it could be the leap forward Halo needs. I just think with this one if it ain't broke they're not changing it but they are expanding it in different ways.

The flight feedback is overwhelmingly positive this far which is good to see... I would still really love to see some campaign footage though.

[Cassius_Smoke]

I think the campaign is going to be good. I'd like to play through it, from what I've seen it graphically looks very solid and plays solid. It's a different market then the likes of Fortnite and Overwatch and its likely aiming for a more 'grown up' player base, the kind that have a better feel for the classic style FPS.
I also think that those grey and green colour tones don't do it any favours. Overwatch is bright and colourful, like an acid trip, and Halo looks like 70s man in a kipper tie in comparison. So while I think it'll sell well, it's going to struggle to keep up with the big boys out there for multiplayer. Which it's a problem for a 10 year game.

[Lebowski]

I dunno... I think 343 innovated a bit too much and lost the fanbase in the process. At least where Halo 4-5 were concerned the introduction of armour abilities in the multiplayer really divided the community. Plus of course with Halo 5: Guardians the campaign proved to be a huge mistake swapping out Master Chief in favour of a campaign where he takes mostly a back seat.

I guess it depends on what you deem as innovation in an established franchise. It's very hard break the mould when it is precisely that mould that the majority of fans expect from a sequel. Where Bungie is concerned I would even argue they made mistakes along the way (maybe it's just me but I hated dual-wielding in Halo 2) and have only managed to get more creative in Destiny because they are writing new lore and structure.

At least with Halo Infinite I think 343 are making the right cuts. Where multiplayer is concerned the core is very much business as usual and the art-style is clearly leaning towards the Halo 3 and earlier designs... and though we've yet to see precisely how it plays out the campaign is now mostly open world (at least to the extent its all inter-connected with wider areas) instead of being very linear in design.

That part alone could prove to be transformative and the reason why it's proving so tricky to balance out co-op... maybe that is the wrong decision or it could be the leap forward Halo needs. I just think with this one if it ain't broke they're not changing it but they are expanding it in different ways.

The flight feedback is overwhelmingly positive this far which is good to see... I would still really love to see some campaign footage though.

If they don't innovate they risk loosing the point of creating a new version of the game though thats where i am with it why come back if its the same thing i played all thise years ago on the 360. One area they have added that's not been very well received is its battle pass system, they have gone for a mission based progression rather than the slow tick of XP based on how well you do in multiplayer. This is troublesome as your forced into playing a certain way if you want to progress and you can end up going multiple matches with zero progress, it's why a lot of games will let you do both missons/ (bounties in destiny) but also give you XP so you know your progressing.

[nonny]

Yeah I'm not sold on the progression either but it sounds like they're listening to community feedback so there's still hope they'll change it before release.