The Halo universe is one of the largest in all of gaming. With more than a dozen games and books written about it, the franchise has established itself at the forefront of Xbox consoles. In short, Halo 5 has improved upon things that other Halo games have left out; unfortunately, the campaign of Halo 5 is dry and fails to allow for empathy with the characters.

Hands down, the combat system in Halo 5 is great. This game features new armor abilities that give players the ability to climb walls and evade oncoming fire. Also, the creators of the series included new game modes such as “War Zone” in which twenty players are thrown against each other in head-to-head combat situations. Not only are the twenty fighting with a plethora of new, highly polished gadgets, but there are enemies from the campaign incorporated into the new game mode. If a team is able to defeat those computer enemies, the team gains points, which may be used to purchase strong vehicles, and/or greater firepower.

The setting of Halo 5 is nothing short of beautiful. It flows smoothly with few glitches in multiplayer and launches the player directly into the action. There exist a few moments in the multiplayer setting where Halo outdoes itself in that regard.

Despite the visible beauty, the campaign in Halo would benefit from revision. The developers decided to incorporate two main characters in the campaign. The two are after each other, and, in a sense, both act as anti-heroes. I failed to attach myself to Agent Locke, the other protagonist of Halo 5 after Master Chief. There is little to no background given about Agent Locke unless you have watched the Netflix series titled “Nightfall.”

In addition to the failed incorporation of two main characters, the story is dry for a Halo script and lacks direction. Sure, the developers created a great game to play, but it does not have as much substance as its preceding tales. In Halo 4, the creators made a game with a compelling story, and a great multiplayer that is fast-paced and fun to play. Halo 5 fails to match, let alone exceed, the previous installment. At no point in the campaign was I as interested in the past campaigns. The entire campaign of Halo 5 clocks in at eight hours with only forty-five minutes of cut-scenes. Compared to the other Halo campaigns, it is much too short and unrealized. The game also features artificial teammates who accompany you throughout. At many points in the campaign, I found myself frustrated with the bots due to irrational (and dangerous) decisions. 

Overall, I would give Halo 5: Guardians a rating of an 8/1o. The multiplayer setting is enjoyable, and I became fully engaged in the new, polished mode called “Warzone.” However, I could not overcome other disappointments and glaring inadequacies. I highly recommend players of the Halo franchise to disregard the campaign in favor of the multiplayer option. If a decision must be made, stay with Halo 4 — it is the more rewarding experience.