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[Twin Tails]

OpenCritic
Metacritic - 84


GamingTrend 100/100

Halo 5: Guardians is a masterpiece, and quite possibly the best Halo game so far. The campaign is top-notch, even as Master Chief shares the spotlight, and the multiplayer is largely a return to everything that has made the franchise so beloved to begin with.

Gaming Age 100

It’s a well-crafted Halo experience with enough new bells and whistles to turn around even the most jaded Halo fan, and feels exactly like what you’d want a next-gen Halo game to be. There’s a hefty amount of content to explore here across the campaign and multiplayer modes, with a large map variety at launch and an enjoyable story to uncover. And it all looks and sounds absolutely gorgeous, with fantastic enemy and map designs on top of the excellent technical groundwork behind it all.

BestGamerEver 5/5

In short, Halo 5: Guardians is in my opinion at least, a real return to form for a franchise that felt like it had lost its way ever since Call of Duty took the multiplayer crown on Xbox Live. This is a game that now proudly wears its roots on its sleeve, and plays to its greatest strengths. The multiplayer is fresh and exciting with the new movement options and feels like a true evolution for the series. The campaign is a confident, well told, galaxy spanning adventure with a huge amount of replayability on a scale we’ve never seen.

Saving Content 5/5

If you have an Xbox One, chances are you had Halo in your sights to begin with. You came to this review either to confirm that your money is being well spent in your decision to buy Halo 5 or you have a genuine curiosity about this new Halo after the mess the Master Chief Collection left in your mouth. Well dear reader, feel safe knowing that for that $60 price tag, you’re getting a hell of a game.

Game Over Online 95/100

Halo 5 is an outstanding game and one of the finest first-person shooters ever made. Its design is versatile, and it’s the best-playing entry in the series so far.

Arcade Sushi 9.5/100

Though the story is a draw for longtime fans, most people will be stopping in to check out Halo 5's multiplayer, and it's there 343's direction really shines.

Multiplayer.it: 9.5

Italian Words

Reclaimed Hub 9/10

Everything is perfectly executed, be it Kazuma Jinnouchi’s masterful soundtrack, Sotaro Tojima’s outstanding sound design, the fun and witty banter between Locke, Tanaka, Buck, and Vale, or the fun of crushing kids in Arena multiplayer with your best friends, Halo 5 nails it all for me, making it my favorite overall Halo game to date.

EGM 9/10

The continuation of a new Master Chief saga, the refinement and additions to multiplayer for casual and pros alike, plus a gorgeous presentation made possible by current generation technology—all add up to the makings of a FPS worthy of the Halo series’ best iterations.

Gamer.no 9/10

What language is this?

GameTrailers 9 (Video) (Text)

Unfortunately, the campaign doesn’t earn the same level of praise. On one hand, it’s fantastic. There were roughly a dozen or so times we completely stopped whatever it was we were doing to take in a scene. Sometimes that meant gazing upward, where ships would be dogfighting all around us. During other moments, we were hesitant to push forward because of towering entities known as guardians.

Game Revolution 90/100

As a series, Halo has been the one triple-A shooter that has fans for the story as well as the multiplayer. Depending on where you are on the spectrum between story and gameplay, you can take my grade up or down a half point. If you’re looking for a frag-fest, plus all the enticements of the new Warzone mode, Halo 5 is a must-own.

IGN - 9/10

Developer 343 Industries has engineered the strongest combat Halo has ever seen, with tons of excellent weapons, varied maps, an expansive and intense new multiplayer mode joining a host of returning greats, and some game-changing new mobility. At the same time, Guardians repeats Halo 4’s mistake of telling a story that can’t stand on its own without Halo’s expanded universe. This hurts, but doesn’t ruin, its otherwise impressive cooperative campaign.

Polygon 9/10

Halo 5 feels like it knows its obligations. The campaign's narrative is likely to prove controversial, though its biggest sin may be its familiarity. Otherwise, Halo 5 excels under the pressure, providing one of the most welcoming, competitive, balanced and fun games of the year — and providing my personal favorite Halo multiplayer since the series began.

Metro GameCentral

The story campaign is a mild disappointment but the multiplayer is a bold reinvention of the Halo experience, that should keep the series fresh for years to come.

Xet.be (Dutch) 9/10

"Halo 5: Guardians offers so much content that it wel even keep the most seasoned players satisfied for months. The campaign is one of the best ever and offers enormous replayability. The multiplayer is one of the biggest ever with tho completely different modes that offer a completely different experience, from classic Halo to gigantic battles. Added, Halo 5 simply plays great. The mix of classic Halo gameplay and modern spartan abilities readies Halo for another decenium at the top. Halo 5: Guardians is not perfect, but 343 proves that it can make a damn good Halo game, and thus a fantastic shooter. As an Xbox One owner, you simply must purchase Halo 5: Guardians, period!"

Gadgets 360 9/10

As it stands, Halo 5 is near perfect. With slick gameplay, a fantastic campaign, and seemingly ambitious multiplayer, it gets little wrong. If you own an Xbox One or plan to buy it, this is why you're doing so.

Every Eye 8.8/10

Italian Words

Wegotthiscovered 4.5/5

Halo 5: Guardians, is, by all accounts, the total package. The gameplay is immensely satisfying and leaps and bounds ahead of previous entries, which is saying a lot. And while I wasn’t terribly engaged by the plot and felt that the campaign was slightly more underwhelming than some of the series’ other games, I’d be lying if I said that I didn’t have a blast playing it.

Spazio Games 8.5/10

Italian Words

Attack of The Fanboy 4.5/5

Any worry that Halo might be in the wrong hands with 343 Industries has been wiped out by Halo 5: Guardians. The campaign has some story issues, with Halo 6 promising to really deliver the goods, but the design is impeccable, and will certainly warrant multiple playthroughs.

Gaming Instinct 8.5/10

Overall, Halo 5: Guardians is a good Halo game that has the best gameplay in the series, and that is a bold thing to say for a franchise that’s been running for 14 straight years now. However, the technical sacrifices and image quality losses are a little too much this time around. It hurts me to say that Halo 5: Guardians is not a game of the year material because I know many people expected it to be.

Escapist 4.5/5

Multiplayer is really where 343 needed to prove themselves and regain some of that goodwill from Halo fans, which is fortunate, because multiplayer is where Halo 5 shines brightest. Forget everything you knew about Halo 4's multiplayer. 343 wisely went back to the drawing board and scrapped nearly everything about Halo 4's widely criticized multiplayer offerings.

Giant Bomb 4/5

There will certainly be some players who find that the specific omissions in Halo 5 are extremely disappointing, and you'll see a rough edge or two, but all in all there's a fantastic big-budget shooter in Halo 5 with lots to see and enough multiplayer options to keep you going for quite some time.

GameSpot 8/10

In some ways, Halo 5 is the boldest Halo yet. The franchise's multiplayer is at its peak, with a mode I'm sure I'll return to several times over. But then there's the campaign, which introduces fluid new movement and open level design, yet can't tell a coherent story to match. There are signs of a phenomenal shooter here, but certain narrative aspects feel underdeveloped, holding the franchise's newest sequel back from true excellence.

US Gamer 4/5

As a package, Halo 5: Guardians is a very solid offering. While the campaign mode has its ups and downs – and to be blunt, doesn't take particularly long to complete – it's nevertheless enjoyable, even if it can get a little relentless and repetitive at times. But its highs definitely outweigh its lows, and if you play it on the more challenging levels – and especially if you play it in co-op mode – it's entertaining enough.

Windows Central 8/10

A big part of the Halo feel is cutting edge graphics and sound. Halo 5 won't disappoint on either front. This one looks better than any Halo before it thanks to fantastic art direction and the clever dynamic resolution technology. When things get too hectic, the resolution drops slightly to maintain a constant 60 FPS frame rate. Thus it never chugs, and you're usually too busy fighting Prometheans and the Covenant to notice the shifts in resolution. The music impresses too, especially thanks to the return of the Halo theme that Halo 4 mysteriously lacked.

Hardcore Gamer: 4/5

Halo 5: Guardians is a fine-tuned machine. It has a robust and highly addictive competitive multiplayer component, a large variety of aesthetically pleasing customizations and some of the tightest controls to ever grace a Halo title. Unfortunately, the campaign leaves much to be desired. While it features four player cooperative play through the entirety of the experience, the plot is both poorly structured and awkwardly paced.

Progress Bar 8/10

While the story of Halo 5 – Guardians may not be as solid as hardcore fans would like to see, the gameplay covers for it with impressive captivation and usage throughout the entire campaign. For the first standalone Halo title for the Xbox One, it’s certainly a worthy addition to the franchise with a long multiplayer life ahead of itself.

Examiner 80/100

Halo 5 Guardians is a beautiful, challenging and entertaining step forward for the series both on the multiplayer and campaign front, even despite the decreased role of Master Chief. Trust in 343 Industries, Halo fans.

Lazygamer 7.9/10

A short, disappointing tale makes nearly no progress in 343’s trilogy, and offers nothing that lives up to the billing of a tense showdown between Halo 5’s two protagonists. Thankfully the improved gameplay and consistently great multiplayer shine in Halo's uneven debut on the Xbox One. The multiplayer is fantastic, and the co-op is magical. Bring friends.

Rocket Chain Saw 4/5

Halo 5 Guardians is a fantastic game brimming with content, though some parts feel better than others. The story fails to live up to the franchise’s standards, due to an underdeveloped narrative, samey level design and an unnecessary focus on Locke. Nevertheless, polished gameplay, challenging AI, the superb portal of Blue Team and a mesmerising soundtrack redeem the campaign.

Press Start Australia 8/10

Halo 5: Guardians isn’t the perfect chapter in the franchise when it comes to the story, as it’s one that doesn’t always keep its priorities where it should. But even then, it only stumbles rather than fall. When it comes to gameplay and presentation, Guardians is an excellent continuation that not only builds on the strengths of its predecessors, but isn’t afraid to throw in new and balanced features into the mix that renew the tried and tested formula, providing returning fans and newcomers alike some new things to play with.

Gameblog 4/5

Return to form.

Time 3.5/5

A Mediocre Story With Terrific Multiplayer

Destructoid - 7

If it weren't for Warzone, Halo 5: Guardians would probably be somewhere on the lower end of the franchise's spectrum for me. It's still a fantastic and well-oiled machine, but the story falls flat, and the shift in gameplay mechanics result in the loss of some elements that made the series so unique in the first place. Still, if you're looking to shoot some dudes online, Guardians is your huckleberry.

Paste Magazine 6/10

But at the end of the day, there just isn’t that much here for me, even as a casual-sometimes-hardcore Halo fan. If you think Destiny could scratch the itch you have for Halo, pick it up over this game. If not, buckle in for an underwhelming mechanical retread with a so-so story framing the whole experience.

Digital Spy

Halo 5: Guardians features an underwhelming, confusing and surprisingly banal campaign that's not actively bad, but equally not quite good enough to warrant a purchase on its own.

Kotaku - Impressions

Halo 5 is beautiful, at times a lot of fun, and at times disappointing. It’s also not yet officially released and is dependent on its multiplayer working well on a large scale. So we’re holding off on a review until well after the game’s October 27 launch. For now, some impressions of one of the Xbox One’s big fall exclusives.

Xboxygen Impressions

Besides being a great game, Halo 5 is a great Halo, quite simply. 343 industries has finally found the right formula to dust off the serie, while preserving the fundamentals that make Halo a cult series.

Guide Live - Campaign Review

Halo 5 changes just enough of the Halo formula to feel fresh while not feeling like it's morphed into something else entirely. Its final moments may frustrate those who want to "finish the fight" immediately and see this story's conclusion, but the plot puts a lot of exciting pieces in motion, and it's a blast to play through from beginning to end.

God is A Geek - Review In Progress

Halo 5 boasts the best campaign since Reach, mixing enormous, beautifully detailed environments with fast-paced, exciting combat across some of the most interesting and colourful locales 343 has ever produced. While the multiplayer needs to ferment a little to bring out its true flavours and the necessities of storytelling rob the campaign of some potentially stand-out set-pieces, this is still a huge, satisfying package that ticks every box on the list.

The Verge

Don’t play Halo 5 for its story, then. Play Halo 5 because it’s bursting with invention, an absolute masterclass in how to craft a first-person shooter, and the best reason yet to own an Xbox One. For all its technical quirks and plot deficiencies, Halo is once again the best time you can have shooting aliens in the face.

GAMERSYDE Verdict + Videos

Halo 5: Guardians is both the true descendant of its predecessors and a major step forward in terms of change in that 343 Industries managed to make Halo gameplay much more dynamic than it's ever been before. Everything the fans love about the series has been included: the vehicles (with a new one in the package), the more open environments (though not all of them are), the intense combat against multiple enemies (and English-speaking Grunts), the fantastic soundtrack, etc.

IBTIMES Review in Progress

343 will always have their work compared to the very best of Halo, and the very best of Bungie. The campaign in Halo 5: Guardians is proof that they are more than capable of matching the very best that the series has to offer. It took them the damp squib of Halo 4 and messy launch of The Master Chief Collection to get there – but it was worth it.

Eurogamer Benelux - Essential Badge

343 Industries heeft al een lange weg afgelegd sinds het in 2010 de sleutels van de Halo-reeks kreeg. Na enkele misstappen bewijst de studio nu dat het een echte Halo-campaign kan leveren. De ontwikkelaar laat af en toe nog eens een steek vallen, maar het resultaat spreekt voor zich. Halo 5: Guardians voelt fris aan, maar respecteert alles wat de reeks heeft groot gemaakt. Hail to the Chief.

Eurogamer Review in Progress (Campaign Up)

Perhaps the most important thing to say about Halo 5's campaign is it's a substantial improvement on Halo 4's campaign, which I've always maintained was a decent first effort from a new developer still finding its feet. Halo 5's missions do not revolutionise the FPS genre, or even the Halo series, but they are a welcome return to form. For me, that's good enough.

 

[Beck]

Hardcore Gamer: 4/5

 

[Mattenth]

37 reviews in here: http://opencritic.com/#!game/1513/halo-5-guardians

Feel free to take for OP. Always checkin' for more. Will update the infographic once we get more scores.



Click to see larger version

 

[ProvenDeadly]

I'm predicting a sub 90 Metascore for 343s third straight Halo game.

I think the lack of launch options really hurts the score.

 

[Hugstable]

Nice, game seems really fun. Hoping to play it at my buddies sometime next month.

 

[Speedy Blue Dude]

Calling a 95+ Metacritic average. Definitely gonna be the highest reviewed Xbox One/PS4 game to date. (Excluding GTA V, not sure if that counts. Since it's a late port of an incredible Xbox 360/PS3 game)

343 did the fanbase good. Incredible scores so far.

EDIT: I believed too hard.

 

[Ape]

OHH GOD ALL OVE ME

 

[rrc1594]

Oh hell no you put Locke in OT!

 

[Shancake]

Press Start Australia:
http://press-start.com.au/2015/10/26/review-halo-5-guardians/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bK6fg1eo6zk

 

[BigTnaples]

Hot damn. At worked, opened up neogaf to look for review thread. Nope. Refreshed. Boom.




Looking good so far. Never disliked a Halo yet, doubt 343i will let me down.

 

[grandwizard]

Surprise, Arthur Gies loved a Halo game.

 

[dc89]

Here we go

 

[el_Nikolinho]

giantbomb reviews are usually spot on for me, so sounds good!

 

[slackern1nja]

Gadgets 360: 9/10

"If quality is any indication, Halo 5 is going to do for the Xbox One what Halo: Combat Evolved did for the first Xbox - make people buy Microsoft's latest console."

 

[Xumbrega]

Nice scores so far

 

[Miles X]

Calling a 95+ Metacritic average. Definitely gonna be the highest reviewed Xbox One/PS4 exclusive to date.

343 did the fanbase good. Incredible scores so far.

That's not gonna happen dude, what are you talking about ...

 

[Sikamikanico]

My review: http://bestgameever.co.uk/2015/10/26/halo-5-guardians-hail-to-the-king/

 

[Aux717]

Press Start 8/10 - http://press-start.com.au/2015/10/26/review-halo-5-guardians/

Rocket Chainsaw 4/5 - http://www.rocketchainsaw.com.au/xbox-one/halo-5-guardains-review-34345

 

[Zalman]

Destructoid - 7

 

[Steverulez]

Calling a 95+ Metacritic average. Definitely gonna be the highest reviewed Xbox One/PS4 exclusive to date.

343 did the fanbase good. Incredible scores so far.

It'll be closer to 85 than 95 I bet

Surprise, Arthur Gies loved a Halo game.

Should they get someone who hates halo to review it or something?

 

[GarciaHotspur]

Destructoid - 7

ouch

 

[Captain Zyrain]

Can't believe it's almost here!

 

[Grim Patron]

God is a Geek - http://www.godisageek.com/reviews/halo-5-guardians-review/

Halo 5 boasts the best campaign since Reach, mixing enormous, beautifully detailed environments with fast-paced, exciting combat across some of the most interesting and colourful locales 343 has ever produced. While the multiplayer needs to ferment a little to bring out its true flavours and the necessities of storytelling rob the campaign of some potentially stand-out set-pieces, this is still a huge, satisfying package that ticks every box on the list.

No score as of now because of MP in master chief collection. Score will be added later.

 

[Evo X]

Calling a 95+ Metacritic average. Definitely gonna be the highest reviewed Xbox One/PS4 game to date. (Excluding GTA V)

As much as I hope that will be the case, it doesn't look like it from the reviews posted on that link. A lot of 8/10s. :/

 

[FireSol]

Our in-depth review at Gaming Instincts - Halo 5: Guardians Review

Don't be afraid to ask questions

 

[SlasherJPC]

Here is mine: overall I loved the campaign and new combat feel. MP discussion later and no spoilers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JT_VcARE4O8

 

[Alienous]

I'm predicting a sub 90 Metascore for 343s third straight Halo game.

I think the lack of launch options really hurts the score.

Nah, I expect 92, or 91.

If I don't know what you mean by launch options reviewers certainly won't.

 

[Ellite25]

Calling a 95+ Metacritic average. Definitely gonna be the highest reviewed Xbox One/PS4 game to date. (Excluding GTA V)

343 did the fanbase good. Incredible scores so far.

It probably will be lower than a 90. Lots of 8s already and some in the 7s.

 

[glassgannon]

prediction 85-87 MC

 

[WordsintheWater]

Calling a 95+ Metacritic average. Definitely gonna be the highest reviewed Xbox One/PS4 game to date. (Excluding GTA V)

343 did the fanbase good. Incredible scores so far.

Yeah, won't happen. Although it's getting good review scores it won't end up that high.

 

[Xumbrega]

Attack of the Fan Boy 4.5/5 - http://attackofthefanboy.com/reviews/halo-5-guardians-review/

 

[foxuzamaki]

IGN-RIP? did they change their scoring system again?

 

[Blastoise]

Is the single player really only 6-7 hours?

 

[ryan299]

Mediocre campaign - Kotaku

Mild spoiler.

Advertisements for the game have played up the drama of Locke hunting down a rogue Master Chief, but their rivalry is undercooked,

Spoiler

their confrontation anticlimactic

. The theme of a possibly rogue Master Chief was used far more effectively in the first season of the Halo 5 promotional podcast Hunt The Truth, which has a separate plot from the game.

 

[bananafactory]

IGN-RIP? did they change their scoring system again?

Review in progress

 

[Tashi]

Oh hell no you put Locke in OT!

 

[SlasherJPC]

Is the single player really only 6-7 hours?

On normal, yes.

 

[KainXVIII]

Calling a 95+ Metacritic average. Definitely gonna be the highest reviewed Xbox One/PS4 game to date. (Excluding GTA V, not sure if that counts. Since it's a late port of an incredible Xbox 360/PS3 game)

343 did the fanbase good. Incredible scores so far.

You are delusional, dude.
Destructoid - 7
herewego.gif

 

[Hugstable]

I think it's probably going to end up in the range of 88-91 or so. I'm a terrible guesser though

 

[ProvenDeadly]

Nah, I expect 92, or 91.

If I don't know what you mean by launch options reviewers certainly won't.

Well GB noted that the lack of multiplayer modes and Forge are obvious omissions that hurt the game.

 

[willbsn13]

herewego.gif

 

[Dmax3901]

Our review over at Progress Bar, not sure if we qualify for a review thread.

8/10

http://progressbar.com.au/2015/10/halo-5-guardians-review/

 

[Bsigg12]

IGN-RIP? did they change their scoring system again?

No, they're just waiting for launch the subsequent flood on the servers to see how everything goes.

 

[CyReN]

Can't wait to play.

 

[Deviousx]

I'm predicting 88-90 on metacritic. It's definitely going to review the same/a bit better than Halo 4, but probably not higher than Reach and definitely not H3.

 

[Bgamer90]

Calling a 95+ Metacritic average. Definitely gonna be the highest reviewed Xbox One/PS4 game to date. (Excluding GTA V, not sure if that counts. Since it's a late port of an incredible Xbox 360/PS3 game)

343 did the fanbase good. Incredible scores so far.

Nope. No way. Looking like high 80s -- possible 90 or 91 so far (which is still great).

 

[bananafactory]

From IGN

At the same time, Guardians repeats Halo 4’s mistake of telling a story that can’t stand on its own without Halo’s expanded universe. This hurts, but doesn’t ruin, its otherwise impressive cooperative campaign.

Really disappointing if true

I was thoroughly lost in that story

 

[RoslindaleOne]

I predict high 80's in mc. 88-89. Can't wait to play this beast of a game!

 

[Azax]

Gamereactor Swe gave it a 10 of course. Like they did to every other Halo games... Biggest Halo fans can be found there.

 

[Toki767]

So far reviews seem to say the campaign isn't great but Warzone is fun.