Halo 5 Angry Review
Release Date: October 27, 2015
Platform: Xbox One
Developer: 343 Industries
Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
Genre: FPS
Players: 1 Player Offline, 24 Players Online
MasterJoe & OtherJoeLocke Review Halo 5: Guardians, I revisit one of my most fond nostalgic video game franchises of all time! How is the series doing under 343’s care? Find out!
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58 thoughts on “Halo 5 Angry Review”
Very nice blog post. I definitely love this website.
Continue the good work!
Awesome review
JOE thank you! Your reviews are brutally honest and i love it. You have saved me alot of time and money that would have been wasted on these garbage games out there. My girlfriend and i think your hilarious as well. Keep it up!
I think he misses the point. Had his discussion been about the training differences between power lifters and bodybuilders, perhaps he might have been closer to the mark. But for the general public, it was largely an irrelevant argument.
http://www.cogniqtry.com/max-gain-xtreme/
i comeplty agree with you joe it is 6 / 10 cause it has good and bad things.. i really agree with you and i really want that shirt so bad
Hey, i gotta say. i enjoyed this game alot, even the story. for me the story was huge… maybe because i listen to what Joe said about the difficulty. 🙂 Since i chose Legendary and hadnt played Xbox for a long time. so it didnt take me some few hours to run through. i had to work for a decent amount of time to finish it. i even started to hope that i would reach the end of the game.
But the biggest problem i had, was my aweful AI team i had with me, they were completely retarded from time to time, they ran straight into a grav lift and was thrown away, every single one of them. Sometimes they stood in the middle of the war and just died. Hell sometimes they blocked your path when you tried to run.
So my advice for you is: CHOSE A HIGH DIFFICULTY, maybe you will be mad because you die, but you will have to think and really come up with new strategies through the game, instead of just running through the game like its nothing.
agreed dude :-/
Before we start getting angry with some of the minor issues like split screen and forge missing, big issues like REQ points and a weak story. I wanna say that Angry Joe kinda over reacted with split screen and forge missing at first. The reason why they removed spit screen and was giving forge away a month or months after the game, is simply if you look back on 343’s release of the Halo Master Chief Collection back in Nov 2014 what happened when 343 tried to release all 4 main halo games the first two being beautiful remastered versions of Halo Combat Evolved and Halo 2. So there you have the four main games with split screen,100 multiplayer maps, Forge, and Halo nightfall . But when they released it, it was broken worst than Battlefield 4’s release. So they gave us this all in one bundle with a lot of content for halo but like I said it was shipped broken back then in Nov 2014. And I think 343 knew about their mistakes after the release of Halo MCC so they had to do two things to ensure that Halo 5 had a more stable launch the first was to remove certain features like forge,big team battles ect and the second was to get rid of it entirely like split screen this was to ensure that this game would be a better release than MCC. I believed that after halo 4 343 was making both halo 5 and halo MCC side by side except one had more resources than the other. When you think about if 343 had to pull some resources for Halo 5 to halo MCC for a stable launch , that would make halo 5 be either have a lesser stable launch or lack in features more so I think 343 should have launched Halo MCC like 2015 and halo 5 3yrs after that rather than 343 rushing and releasing both titles one year after the other. This is something Joe failed to mention about the launch of MCC I know he did mentioned it in his review but failed to see reason in that launch of MCC which resulted in missing content for halo 5. And now let’s talk about the REQ points , yes they are kinda a bit annoying being both random drops and you can pay cash to like buy 1000 gold something like that to unlock the best gear in the game. But here is one thing Joe forgot to mention were a game’s multiplayer had a random loot stuffed in unlock box and you can pay just to get more gold or credits. It was encountered before in Mass Effect 3’s multiplayer were ever gun, specialist attachments, and abilities were too under like silver,bronze then Gold and was a complete random and you can pay just to get more credits just to unlock the Spectre pack or the Aramax Arsenal arena pack ect. My point is Mass Effect 3 had something like this but In Joe’s review of the game he didn’t mentioned that it was annoying and random for these loot drops in Mass Effect 3′ multiplayer but here he sees what he failed to mention or see in Mass Effect 3 ‘s Multiplayer . And to counter the REQ points are the REQ ranks which in halo 5’ s multiplayer it enables players to spawn in vehicles or weapons during matches in original halo back when Bungie was around it was hard for everyone to like try out a tank or ghost or be the sniper because their was always either one of these things at both sides of the map which means players won’t get to experience much of driving a scorpion tank because there was either only one or two of these things in maps this applies to all vichels and special weapons but here in halo 5 343 was able to make sure that these REQ ranks fixed that with each rank level you are you are able spawn in different vehicles for each rank or level you are and unlike call of duty and its kill streaks where you need to keep killing player in order to get like an ordinance drop or bombarded your enemies but with the REQ ranks once you hit the number of kills to reach the level that has a tank or a ghost in it or has like a sniper gun in it you don’t need to keep a constant amount of kills to always have the ability to spawn in a tank which for me is an improvement to the whole experience of being a gunner or tank driver something like that. Yes the REQ points Micro is shit out side the multiplayer matches and I am surprise Joe either failed in to notice annoyance in the multiplayer itself such as the whole thruster packs and sprints being a good and a bad thing. The good you can like make quick time escapes or fails added better verticality with the thruster packs etc something which call of duty advanced warfare failed to do. And the other was the bad the fact they added sprint and thruster packs means that enemies can easily dogged your grenades if you time it right and sprint making the maps bigger while also making it like today’s shooters for multi and we know that 343 took inspiration from classic maps likes lock out or beaver creak and made their own versions of them . A version that applies the whole sprint abs thruster packs making situations from the original maps be very different now like said before enemies can dogged grenades with timing on their thrusters. You might see me as a defender of halo 5 and some who loves this bullshit, me trying to persuade you guys in buying the REQ packs but no I am not like those guys. I just wanted to bring up some of the things I have learned that Joe didn’t study well from the missing content to the REQ points in halo 5.
What mean its hard for people to go to a house to play splitscreen? I usually have time to go to my friends before or after work to go play video games with. I know others do that as well, hell alot kids like hanging out at other friends house to do it. Yeah real hard 343, it takes alot effort to go over someones house to play some co-op or competive play. Also 4 hours of gameplay on normal! What happen to 8 hours? 9 hours? 10 or 12 hours? I guess halo and fos are just getting shorter these days and just want online play and dlc.
Split screen multiplayer. The best way to describe how the lack of split screen multiplayer hurts Halo 5 is to consider the military overseas. From my days in Iraq 2003 when one guy in a squad got an xbox we would play halo. Add to that the other squads in the building linked together on a LAN. This trend continued not only in Iraq, but in the barracks at home as well. Dozens of people on a LAN party in the barracks playing halo. Multiple deployments, multiple halo games over the years… fun for everyone. Tell me how in the hell service members overseas are supposed to enjoy a game that doesn’t have split screen, wants everyone to have their own xbox, xbox live, and halo game? I’m not saying bring back split screen just for them, but for all mankind. Everyone in existence utilized split screen, and not everyone has xbox live. Stop being so greedy, you have req points that are making you rich as this is typed anyway.
Joe, were you being nice giving this shitty sellout of a game 6/10.
I wonder if Master Chief could win against the Ing Emperor…
Wowzer! I wouldn’t call it a lame cliffhanger, a cliffhanger would be if chief hadn’t been rescued and we’d have to wait til Halo 6 to find out if he gets out. It’s simply an ending showing where Halo 6 is going.
With req points, I still don’t understand the hate? How does AJ know that reqs will be more of a shakedown for Halo 6? Seems weird to me to score down a game for what might happen in 3 years or so time. Also, there are no balance issues that I’ve experienced – I haven’t spent anything on req packs and I have a massive surplus of weapons and vehicles that keeps growing.
Also, why are we complaining about cosmetic items and how much it’ll cost to get them for cash or how long it’ll take to get them through req packs? They’re completely not necessary to be competitive and you really don’t need to unlock all of them.
Overall though, I would probably say 6 is a fair assessment for the campaign and plot, but I would absolutely give it a perfect 10 for the multiplayer – best online experience I’ve ever had on a console.
I won’t comment on the splitscreen though because I couldn’t care less about its exclusion and it doesn’t bother me one bit, but of course there are people out there who are missing it and are bummed out about it.
On a side note, perhaps it’s time to move on from the Xbox One bitterness Joe, Phil Spencer is turning around the ship and it’s on the right track now – so hows about more reviews for Xbox exclusives?
4/10 IGN, I was not paid to rate higher.
Solid review. Seems like games are so week out of the box today…
May switch to PS4 after this release. Halo was the only reason I went Xbox.
Halo 5’s multiplayer reminds me of my master’s thesis, “Insert Coins to Continue: Exploring the Realm of Freemium Games.” (Link below.) There -are- more humane ways to handle this.
http://www.gamasutra.com/blogs/GregoryCampbell/20150309/238340/Insert_Coins_to_Continue_Exploring_the_Realm_of_Freemium_Games.php
Have you played Halo 5 multiplayer? I certainly have not had an ‘insert coins to continue’ experience with it at all. I can play as much Slayer as I want and I have a massive surplus of Warzone weapons and vehicles and have spent nothing on req packs.
So no ‘freemium’ model here – have not been in a position where I have had to grind/buy req cards for Vehicles/weapons and there are no DLC costs in Halo 5 even!
Great marketing opportunity you took there posting your masters thesis link, though. Maybe I should post mine sometime. Then everybody can read about something equally as irrelevant to Halo 5 – the automotive industry in South Africa.
When you enter the reviews category you immediately learn the game’s rating! Not very clever webdesign…
It’s really mind blowing that their are people out their who would give this game a 9/10 (looking at you Brian Albert the guy who gave it a 9/10 on IGN) and completely look over the lack of honesty in the trailers, the lack of master chief in the campaign (the main character in the franchise), an extreamly short campaign, same boss is recycled 6 times, and very unsatisfying ending. But I will absolutely agree that the gameplay, the multiplayer (thou it has its faults which most of them are opinion based *cough microtransactions) is amazing and fun to play with friends (I don’t know which game is not fun to play with friends) the game as angry joe says is a slightly above average game with the multiplayer and gameplay being its saving grace with a hint of controversy.
I agree with joe and I say this to all halo fanboys who defend the game “the game is slightly above average because of the dull campaign that is short and lacks the main character that represents the franchise but the multiplayer saves the game from being a below average game even though the multiplayer has its own faults that everyone has their own opinions about.
Wow, Joe wasn’t kidding about the ridiculous mental gymnastics Halo fanboys will do to justify the rec system. They’re even right here, in these comments. So fucking sad.
so yea its the same thing every new halo game
same enemies same crap but weapons are balanced out more……………………… why are people not realizing they are paying full retail for BALANCING and a few pretty new maps and another 3 or 4 hour campaign
I dunno its just me but halo just disappoints with every new release.
Joe you doing a fallout 4 review yes?
343 apparently stands for 3 steps forward and 43 steps back.
Fortunately, Halo 5 can get better in time and it is getting better. The actual issues that can be fixed or patched right now (missing splitscreen, dumb squad A.I. in single player, map rotation being screwed, Warzone being region locked and lack of fan favorite modes like King of the Hill and Oddball) are getting fixed which I was a little worried that they might not fix it but thankfully they are fixing it, try getting Halo 5 in December since it will have everything better than at launch. Big Team Battle and Team Doubles are coming next monday. Also, they have improved the map rotation and also added two or three more maps for every mode in Arena plus Warzone no longer being region locked for South America and other countries, and unlike Destiny (which forces you to pay extra money to even fix and expand the game), Halo 5 definitely is getting better with time and I am doing my best to keep and eye on 343 so they can really fix the rest of these issues because I like Halo 5, but I definitely want it to get better and to be awesome for everyone, not just me.
Console games…through xbox live. Console…the whole point is that you game in the same room. If I wanted to play over the internet I’d use a PC. Ouch.
Wtf is this crap, Thank God For Reveiwers Like angry Joe for showing the true colors of this game and Fuck you 343 and microsoft for misleading loyal and die hard fans alike, to what seems like only half a game at best. I enjoy mulitplayer on halo as much as the next guy but when i want to take a break or tired of losing matches. I want to enjoy a fun interesting and detailed story and i feel like that is missing or scatterd into chunks spread through out the game, and hats off to micrsoft for the either semi accurate to bs advertisements hyping the game for realease we as fans got the short end of the stick.
Thank you microsoft for once again lying to us.
EFFFFFFINNNNNGGGGGG REQ System breaks the multiplayer, because vehicles, power weapons, etc…. are single use. You can save the up then a team of people can literally spawn vehicles over and over. Happened last night.
Tell it like it is Brother!!! I was SO disappointed that they took out split screen i nearly didn’t play the game. And the ending!!! Look i like being spit on as much as the next guy but Come On!!
Okay. First of all. They took out Split-Screen in order to give people a people a full 1080p 60fps game. Split-Screening drastically changes how you view the game, and they decided to take it out in order to give gamers a fully immersive experience. How the hell did you miss that? Next, they aren’t lying. People aren’t putting aside hours to play a single video game now. The chunks of time people are using to playing games are being cut down from 2-3 hours to like, half an hour chunks.
In a busy world like today, with so much more of us being online, and making friends online. They more than likely had the data to back up the decision that removing Split-Screening will only affect a small portion of the playerbase. Basing your complaints entirely on your own misgivings just comes across as immature and childish. I’m not saying you can’t complain about it as you don’t like it, but you took it way over the top.
I think you missed half of the point of the trailers of Locke and Chief facing one another down. After all, the Tag-Line was ‘Hunt The Truth’, and what better way to hide the truth, than to give you two scenarios which are both lies, and hold the truth in the palm of your hand? Admittedly, some actual Spartan vs Spartan battles in the campaign would of been great, but neither of them want to kill the other one, so would of been difficult to do so…
Now I do understand your grievances about the disparity of Locke and Chief missions, and I do readily agree that their should of been more for Chief, but I can understand why Locke has more, he’s the new guy, you need to tell his story more in order to get people engaged. They just did it a bit too much.
As for the Warden Eternal? Well, that is the point. He’s an AI with multiple bodies that he is able to control. I will admit, it looks like they overplayed him. But the idea behind it is sound, you fight against him so many times, because he IS Eternal. You cannot defeat him.
Finally. Stop treating microtransaction as the devil please. Its gone on long enough. Hell, even when you admit that the Rec system isn’t invasive at all, you STILL bitch about microtransactions. Please. Stop. There is NOTHING wrong with microtransactions. As long as the microtransactions doesn’t not hinder your gameplay, either though time gates or powerful items, then there is nothing wrong with it. Games are getting more and more expensive each year, and companies can’t just sell X amount of units and be successful, they need to keep players interested either with DLC or microtransactions… and if a company decides to have DLC like map-packs as free, and instead have non-intrusive microtransactions, then they should be SUPPORTED. You either have Map-Packs costing money, or non-intrusive microtransactions Joe, you can’t have both free DLC and no microtransactions for AAA games, it simply won’t be viable.
I mean seriously Joe. When you asked whenever or not they did it for the players, or for business… well. They are a business. If they don’t get revenue from a game. They won’t make it. Simple as that. And microtransactions are a GREAT way for a company to make income. So, shouldn’t we support them in making good microtransaction systems? Not to mention the card-pack system isn’t just ‘slot-machine money making’ Go look up Extra-Credits episode on it, they explain what the system can bring to a game. It has its flaws, yes, but it isn’t entirely anti-consumer. Also, what did you get for finding all the skulls and intel’s in the other games? Achievements? Halo 3 had the Recon Armour, but I don’t remember Reach or 4 having anything for you.
Overall, I’m honestly starting to think that I should just watch your Top Ten’s at the end of the year. Your penalizing companies for being a business. To have microtransactions in order to ensure they have sufficient income to support the money they sunk into the game. You penalizing companies for how the gaming industry has shifted. As its no longer just about selling X amount of copies at launch. Its about keeping X amount of players interested over several years. Which means that companies are more likely to have patches and new content. Cutting content to add later? That is a no-go. But for a game NOT to be perfect from the get-go? That’s fine.
You’re turning into Yatzhee Joe, and I don’t like it. I followed you because you were a young, fresh, optimistic mind, but didn’t hesitate to call out bullshit when you saw it. Now? You’re just coming across an old grumpy gamer who wants things to go back to the ‘good old days’ and criticizes everything and everything.
As screens get bigger, split-screen should be MORE popular – not less.
I can think of several points in AJ’s career where he has goofed (GamerGate being a glaring example). When he hits out at “corporate commander” shakedowns, though – he’s *not* goofed, not ever. AJ also has an excellent eye for functionalities: where they used to exist in earlier “chapters” or versions, and are now missing.
… What’s screen size got to do with anything I just said?
Split-screen was removed for legitimate reasons. To ensure that the game runs at high graphical and FPS settings, split-screens would require a lot more work to get the same results, effort that they decided wasn’t needed. Not to mention Halo 5 hasn’t had split-screening for AGES.
Thing is some people have something called friends, in real life, who we HANG OUT with, I know it’s a hard concept to wrap your mind around, but if my friend comes over, I don’t want him to have to bring another TV and Another Xbox and Another copy of halo 5, it costs 900$ to play halo with a friend, plus another TV. What BS
Eh, the microtransaction system, as he describes it, seems perfectly fine for a Free2Play game, but for a 60 dollar game? It’s not. And the balance issues make it even worse.
What balance issues? There isn’t any balance issues.
You seem confused about how splitscreen works, so let me enlighten you: just because a game *has* splitscreen mode doesn’t mean it’s always on. So if your bullshit claim of not getting a “fully immersive 1080p 60fps experience” is so important to you, just don’t use it.
*I’m* confused as to why you think that when Angry Joe makes claims about what gamers want, he’s speaking for himself, but when you make these same claims, you’re speaking for everyone. Maybe your opinion isn’t as important as you think it is.
And regarding microtransactions, well, I’m impressed at your ability to suck Microsoft’s dick while simultaneously writing comments, but again, I’m confused as to why you think we as consumers are going to be convinced by your reasons to have them when all of your reasons are from the game studio’s perspective. Games cost too much to make? Too fucking bad. If a game developer adds a bunch of content that makes the player more effective then locks that content behind a RNG paywall/grindwall, then I’m not buying their fucking game, and neither should any other self-respecting consumer.
Shit sorry I was using an iPhone so some of the grammar is a little weird
^WORD
Look instead of read you long reply (I did read through the whole thing even though it was extremely boring) the fact is that the new halo 5 game is slightly above average.
It’s a slightly above average game. The mutiplayer is dull and dissapointingly lacks the main character and he multiplayer has some faults but saves the game from being a below average game.
Fag
Thought the campaign was actually pretty decent, id give it an 8.
It’s a good thing I never bothered picking up an XB1. This was the only title to appeal to me, but decided to wait for the reviews. Even the books are only empty shells of what they used to be.
Sigh… another franchise with a deep and rich universe destroyed. Here’s hoping Fallout 4 doesn’t disappoint.
1) No split screen was posted to the community well before it’s debut. While it should still be in the game, non review people knew this before and still bitch.
2) Your math was off, there is a reddit link. A good match no bonus (1k for arena 2-4k warzone) It’s like 1,400 USD for all the unlocks to buy.
3) The rant about unlocking everything, however this is everything. Silvers are quicker to knockout over half the items. Let alone we talk about everything.
4) Personally I love the system, not that I have spent any money or plan to on the packs not worth it. I do think that achievements and intel should have granted unlocks.
Outside of that great Review as always
Splitscreen ? only losers have real life friends which to play games with, real gamers play online with each other from their mother’s basement ! (notice the heavy sarcasm)
Oh god… I didn’t whach the entire review yet but… seriously fuck Spencer, how can this man not choke with the bullshit that comes out of his mouth is beyond me, someone key this asshole’s car please.
I had my thoughts already about the games but checked out youtube on gameplay and a friend who bought it.
I say the verdic is legitimate.
I never liked when the remove a funktion that existed in earlier games. Becuase i think what add more to joy in the game is quality and quantity.
I completely agree with you Jo, although i thought you are very generous. i’d give it a 2/10.
I’ve played for a good 26 or 27 hours now and only a small fraction of it has been on campaign mostly due to its extremely dullness in relation to multiplayer. if i were rating just the multiplayer side of the game i’d give it a whopping 9/10. Ive really enjoyed the multiplayer and REQS aren’t so bad ive seen much worse microtransactions especially since earning the gold (best) only costs like 10 matches worth of work and it’s really just for customization and a few rare weapons.
The fact that the campaign has most of the faults is the reason it is a slightly above average game because the mutiplayer saves it from being a below average game.
Amen on the requisition system brother. This kind of bullshit is becoming standard in today’s generation of games. When the hell did it become acceptable to release half a game and have us pay out our asses for a fully polished version. This shit NEEDS to stop, but I know it won’t because fanboys will keep spending their money or their parents’ money or whatever and shit on everyone who sees a problem with it.
Respestfully, I do not own an XBoxOne but, I see the microtransaction point here. This is huge. its a smooooth brainwash!
Mannn angryJoe giving yall classics! yall should be rowdy up in here! Early!
I wasn’t that hyped for this game to began with and after watching Joe’s review I can say my lack of faith was completely justified. I have no desire to ever play this game or buy an Xbox1 for that matter. I’m officially done with the Halo franchise!
OMG AJ you actually bought another Xbox1 to play this game with other joe!?!? You fell right into their fucking trap dude shieeeeeeet
At least you knew the trap was set >.<
Great video Joe! Laughed my ass off the entire time. Now I was never the biggest Halo fan, but I was blown away by the first game like we all were back in the day, and I loved Halo 2 as well, but I’ve actually never played 3 and 4…but as a fan of at least the first half, I can say that this game seems like a huge disappointment. Split-screen is essential, this is THE multiplayer killer app on the Xbox for me and always has been, and I won’t buy it alone just for that. His statement was so fake and honestly I felt like I was being personally insulted as you read it, these people must think we’re all a bunch of morons. If this game included the missing features that you mentioned in the video and lived up to its potential, I might’ve actually bought an Xbox One finally with this game in the library, but as it is, I’ll just stick with my ps4…thanks for saving me the money Joe!
Talk dirty to em joe! Also im very inspired by the frog reference.
Talk dirty to em joe! Also im very inspired by the frog reference. it was pretty cool how you broke that down…..