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SPOILER ALERT: Halo 5 (Spoiler) Spoiler Thread of Spoilers Spoiler
- Thread starter Shadow_Lord
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Poodlestrike
Banned
We have no idea why she's snagging the ring, though.
That's how you know you've got a well-rounded villain, when some people start rooting for them
(Unless they're rooting for the villain because they're sick and tired of the heroes, then you've just fucked up.)
Monocle
Member
She can be my evil space mistress anytime.
maybe her rampancy isnt cured after all.
CassidyIzABeast
Member
To save humanity from themselves she's using giant superweapons to keep them in check. Might as well add a Halo ring to the weapons cache as a fail safe.
I just need to see the end of the Master Chief and Cortana relationship with each other, because who knows what the hell it's defined as at this point, but it's certainly interesting. Hopefully they'll explore it some more like they did 4.That's how you know you've got a well-rounded villain, when some people start rooting for them
(Unless they're rooting for the villain because they're sick and tired of the heroes, then you've just fucked up.)
Master Chief's GAF account?
If I recall correctly the Halos seriously messed up the Domain the last time they were used, so she'd be grabbing them ASAP to stop them from being potentially used against her.
Killer Queen
Banned
My personal opinion is that rampancy isn't only about the mortality of an AI but is also somewhat of a mental illness to AI if that makes sense, but Cortana doesn't realize that and by "curing" her mortality she thinks she'd cured her rampancy but really its a bigger issue than just dying.
Just finished it. Really liked it, if I'm honest.
Locke felt shallow, and Arbiter felt shoehorned, but I didn't really have a problem with the overall arc, or how it ended.
The whole mantle of responsibility thing, and the Guardian idea, kind of screamed "Reapers" from Mass Effect. It's all kind of gotten a bit too complicated and muddled over the games, and I think that's the biggest frustration in that it just asked more and more questions, without necessarily answering that much. I enjoyed the ride though, and it has me anticipating where the story goes (job done from 343's point of view I guess?).
The Mantle was originally about maintaining biological diversity in the universe, right? And primarily driven by the need to combat the Flood. With 5, it seemed like through Cortana and the Prometheans, there was a revelation that AIs were the ones that should be given the title of Reclaimer, given the potential Cortana realizes. I suppose in reality, there's not much difference between an AI and the Prometheans, once they're tapped in the Forerunner network, or whatever it is.
What's the betting the Precursors show up in some capacity and are disappointed that the universe has become lost in fulfilling what they started? Now, my Halo lore knowledge isn't that great, I've only played the games and read a little bit on the wikia etc, but it seems to me that the original goal of the mantle, the title of reclaimed etc, has changed/evolved/been corrupted?
Edit: Did a bit more reading; so the Mantle for the Forerunners was their philosophy in acting as space shepherds for the Galaxy, protecting it and trying to guide it. They fucked up though by basically retarding the advancement of the races, leaving themselves the sole race able to combat the Flood.
Cortana, it seems, feels she's protecting the races from themselves, and to do that she's doing it by force. What's a few hundred million people that want to pick a fight, when she can oppress the rest into submission and "peace"? I guess her plan was to stabilize the Galaxy through force, and release Chief 10,000 years later with a "ta-da! Look what I did!". She kind of has a point; how many AI's in science fiction seem humanity the biggest threat? They can't all be wrong, though this is on a slightly bigger scale. I don't get the claiming of a Halo though, unless she's going to repurpose it some how.
Locke felt shallow, and Arbiter felt shoehorned, but I didn't really have a problem with the overall arc, or how it ended.
The whole mantle of responsibility thing, and the Guardian idea, kind of screamed "Reapers" from Mass Effect. It's all kind of gotten a bit too complicated and muddled over the games, and I think that's the biggest frustration in that it just asked more and more questions, without necessarily answering that much. I enjoyed the ride though, and it has me anticipating where the story goes (job done from 343's point of view I guess?).
The Mantle was originally about maintaining biological diversity in the universe, right? And primarily driven by the need to combat the Flood. With 5, it seemed like through Cortana and the Prometheans, there was a revelation that AIs were the ones that should be given the title of Reclaimer, given the potential Cortana realizes. I suppose in reality, there's not much difference between an AI and the Prometheans, once they're tapped in the Forerunner network, or whatever it is.
What's the betting the Precursors show up in some capacity and are disappointed that the universe has become lost in fulfilling what they started? Now, my Halo lore knowledge isn't that great, I've only played the games and read a little bit on the wikia etc, but it seems to me that the original goal of the mantle, the title of reclaimed etc, has changed/evolved/been corrupted?
Edit: Did a bit more reading; so the Mantle for the Forerunners was their philosophy in acting as space shepherds for the Galaxy, protecting it and trying to guide it. They fucked up though by basically retarding the advancement of the races, leaving themselves the sole race able to combat the Flood.
Cortana, it seems, feels she's protecting the races from themselves, and to do that she's doing it by force. What's a few hundred million people that want to pick a fight, when she can oppress the rest into submission and "peace"? I guess her plan was to stabilize the Galaxy through force, and release Chief 10,000 years later with a "ta-da! Look what I did!". She kind of has a point; how many AI's in science fiction seem humanity the biggest threat? They can't all be wrong, though this is on a slightly bigger scale. I don't get the claiming of a Halo though, unless she's going to repurpose it some how.
Not terribly pleased that I had to play as Locke for 80% of the game or that there were 3 "missions" were I just talked to people but good overall. The direction they're taking with Cortana is interesting. Perhaps a little too Mass Effect like but whatever. Throughout Mission 15 I kept thinking about her reaction to accessing Installation 04 for the first time, how overwhelming it was. The Legendary ending was spot on as well. Ties it all back together. This story should end on a Halo after all.
Ricky Ricardo
Member
Haha, for the second time in a row, an AI/Ancilla takes over the galaxy.
Didact is somewhere palpitating, nightmares of Mendicant Bias all over again
I can't stop laughing
Didact is somewhere palpitating, nightmares of Mendicant Bias all over again
I can't stop laughing
Poodlestrike
Banned
Oh, that could actually be it.
Guys, I just had a scary thought.
The Flood are ultimately revealed to be the Precursor's final revenge and ultimate test; whoever holds the Mantle must defeat the Flood, or else be utterly wiped from existence.
Cortana just seized the mantle.
Shit.
dragonelite
Member
The domain was one big data dump, and if im not mistaken rampancy takes places because an AI has to process all the data and think themselves to death.
With the domain they might dump the data and not think themselves to death.
Or use the domain to access information and not split off too many tasks and limit their
computation usage. That is what the forerunner used the domain for to store and retrieve
data of their specie.
LordOfChaos
Member
You know what would have pissed off Buck? Mocking his ODST squad. Instead she goes with "ur old". God Cortana, you have infinite processing power!
meanspartan
Member
The gameplay in the campaign is awesome, I love it!
The story is probably the worst though. WTF happened to the Didact? How did Chief get reunited and "get the band back together" with the other Blue Team members?
If the answer is that it's in a book or comic, then that is pretty lame. The EU should enrich the narrative of the mainline entries to a series, not supplant it. I've read fall of Reach and a couple other early Halo books and enjoyed them a lot, and that knowledge made playing games like Reach more enjoyable. But I would have still been clear on what was happening in the main plot of every Halo before this even if I had only played the games.
It's fine for there to be references and such to the EU, but Halo 5 went too far with it. Also ya, the whole Chief vs. Locke thing they marketed this as is laughable. It consisted of Chief making Locke look like a bitch in front his friends, and then later they predictably teamed up.
#huntthetruth lol
Still is a 9 out of 10 game for me, because it fucking plays super well and the online is glorious.
EDIT: Someone also please explain to me how this is "twice as big" as Halo 4 or whatever they were saying. If anything, this campaign is on the short side.
The story is probably the worst though. WTF happened to the Didact? How did Chief get reunited and "get the band back together" with the other Blue Team members?
If the answer is that it's in a book or comic, then that is pretty lame. The EU should enrich the narrative of the mainline entries to a series, not supplant it. I've read fall of Reach and a couple other early Halo books and enjoyed them a lot, and that knowledge made playing games like Reach more enjoyable. But I would have still been clear on what was happening in the main plot of every Halo before this even if I had only played the games.
It's fine for there to be references and such to the EU, but Halo 5 went too far with it. Also ya, the whole Chief vs. Locke thing they marketed this as is laughable. It consisted of Chief making Locke look like a bitch in front his friends, and then later they predictably teamed up.
#huntthetruth lol
Still is a 9 out of 10 game for me, because it fucking plays super well and the online is glorious.
EDIT: Someone also please explain to me how this is "twice as big" as Halo 4 or whatever they were saying. If anything, this campaign is on the short side.
I can already see the fanart.
NullPointer
Member
So did I.
What if the next Halo is always-online due to leveraging Crackdown's cloud-processed dynamic destruction tech for the Guardians?
Pretty much. Doing another run on heroic for fun and exploration and have been loving it the second time through. There are all kinds of extra nooks and crannies and alternative approaches, and the intel bits have been intriguing too.
Just had to crater expectations for story, background and any sense of resolution.
Killer Queen
Banned
Her change in personality just seems really odd to me, it made sense when she was rampant but now if she's really cured rampancy than there must be something else going on that's interfered with her thought process and morality. A mental illness for AI would make sense and would be an interesting way to take on the issue whether it be rampancy or something else.
The bolded would actually make me happy... But it would be too controversial for MS/343i to go that route.
meanspartan
Member
Halo 4 has its moments, but honestly I think to me the Halo Universe ends where Bungie left it, with Chief back in cryosleep and always ready for his next adventure. (I know Bungie made Reach too later, which I loved, but in the Halo timeline Halo 3 is the final chapter). They even made that nice Encyclopedia after Reach, so it makes it easy to just treat that as final lol.
This reclaimer stuff is just so different than what came before, it's just a bit too out there. I liked the forerunners being more mysterious and not fleshed out.
I'll of course keep playing the games though, they are awesome and tons of fun. No complaints to 343 on the gameplay side, I even liked Halo 4 a lot more than most people seemed to.
Hasn't she already passed that test with flying colors (mostly blue and purplish)?
She is based off Hasley who thrives on power and information. She also does anything to get the job done. I guess Cortana being so overwhelmed by the network, those traits are magnified considerably. I could imagine old Cortana slowly return as they weaken the network in Halo 6, limit the wealth of her new knowledge and power. The never fail plan to beat AI.
Poodlestrike
Banned
She wasn't claiming the Mantle back then, and the infestation in question was relatively minuscule.
An advanced alien race of religious fanatics. Jul's people aren't exactly the best and brightest.
ShinMaruku
Member
Master Chief put a Halo Ring on it. :E
Elites weren't an "advanced alien race". Not since joining the covenant. The prophets made sure that all they were good for in their caste system was being Warriors.
They had lost pretty much any other aspect of their society. Hence the amputation...
Solidsoul
Banned
I pretty much look at Halo the exact same way you do. With Halo 4 I felt pretty happy, and optimistic for more, but 5 sent me to a state where I just look at it as Halo 3 was the end. Chief is still just floating out in space.
We're not doing this.
It finally comes full circle.
I think it just feels more "space magicy" than the previous titles. Not saying Halo has been hard sci-fi or that it didn't have its moments like that. It's different in a YMMV kind of way. It doesn't feel like the same Halo that we fell in love with before. Is it a bad thing? Not necessarily, but a lot of ideas that Bungie laid before are now being extrapolated into something that I personally don't care for. The mystery is gone, and that's fine, but the answers aren't all that enthralling.
BizzyBum
Member
Just finished the campaign on Normal.
It was... not that good. Some of my pros and cons I jotted down:
+ Awesome opening and CGI cutscenes in general.
+ Vehicle segments were fun, but not used enough.
+ Sound design is top tier.
+ Multiplayer already seems much better than 4, haven't played a ton to make a solid conclusion.
+ Lots of unlockables.
- After an awesome opening, the actual intro level was lackluster.
- Graphics are underwhelming for a next-gen Halo game.
- Missions were way too linear. CE was more open. This of course goes with the design choice of the game, but I don't like it.
- I played more as Locke than MC. Awful.
- No variation in NPC's during in the Meridian town. Big pet peeve of mine. The area was not huge, would it kill them to make every NPC look unique?
- These areas were pointless, as well. Just give me a cutscene or if you have me walk around a town, make it way more interesting.
- Story is bordering nonsensical. I'm finding it hard to care about anything.
- Misleading trailers. MC and Locke live action trailers were hype and implied alternate timelines / point of views and impending death and made it look way more intriguing then what the game gave us in which that have a minor quarrel and end up being friends by the end. Lame.
Overall, I'd give it a 6/10. 343i is 0 for 2 when it comes to Halo. The Bungie games were much, much better.
It was... not that good. Some of my pros and cons I jotted down:
+ Awesome opening and CGI cutscenes in general.
+ Vehicle segments were fun, but not used enough.
+ Sound design is top tier.
+ Multiplayer already seems much better than 4, haven't played a ton to make a solid conclusion.
+ Lots of unlockables.
- After an awesome opening, the actual intro level was lackluster.
- Graphics are underwhelming for a next-gen Halo game.
- Missions were way too linear. CE was more open. This of course goes with the design choice of the game, but I don't like it.
- I played more as Locke than MC. Awful.
- No variation in NPC's during in the Meridian town. Big pet peeve of mine. The area was not huge, would it kill them to make every NPC look unique?
- These areas were pointless, as well. Just give me a cutscene or if you have me walk around a town, make it way more interesting.
- Story is bordering nonsensical. I'm finding it hard to care about anything.
- Misleading trailers. MC and Locke live action trailers were hype and implied alternate timelines / point of views and impending death and made it look way more intriguing then what the game gave us in which that have a minor quarrel and end up being friends by the end. Lame.
Overall, I'd give it a 6/10. 343i is 0 for 2 when it comes to Halo. The Bungie games were much, much better.
Nollemaster
Member
I really liked the campaign. It has rekindled my interest in the whole Forerunner story arc. I really didn't like the direction 343 took with the Forerunner novels and Halo 4 but I like this new direction.
I agree with some of the people though that Bungie Halo is something else entirely. Part of me also wished Halo ended with the Master Chief entering the cryopod. But who am I kidding, Halo can go on forever if you ask me.
I agree with some of the people though that Bungie Halo is something else entirely. Part of me also wished Halo ended with the Master Chief entering the cryopod. But who am I kidding, Halo can go on forever if you ask me.
alexbull_uk
Member
Just finished my Heroic solo run. Had a pretty good time with the game overall, and except for some sections of the final two missions (which were just full of dull, bullet-sponge enemies), I'm looking forward to playing through it again.
I'm not really sure about the story right now. It was good in the sense it was thought out, written and paced nicely. But I don't really like the direction it went in.
First off, I don't like Locke... at all. In fact, besides Buck, I don't like any of Fireteam Osiris - they all rub me the wrong way for whatever reason and I was really hoping that (at least) Locke would die at the end. Really, I don't even know why they were in the game. In the trailers, it was made to look as though there was a big conflict between Locke and Master Chief. It could have been really interesting, and something that built up throughout the entire game, giving different perspectives on the upcoming clash. Instead, it all came to a head about 5 missions in and basically ended with a weak fist fight.
That brings me to another thing: why is the Chief barely in Guardians? There's what... 3 missions as Blue Team out of 15? I'm not sure why. The story is basically entirely about the Chief, so why not tell it from his point-of-view? It didn't seem like there was anything gained by playing as someone new. In fact, one of the things I liked most about Halo 4 was the fact Chief (finally) spoke a decent amount and had some character buildup. Halo 5 was a step back in this regard, entirely because he wasn't in it enough.
Finally, the overall story... Cortana was always one of my favourite characters in Halo, and (aside from some rampancy related outbursts in Halo 4) it was always pretty clear what kind of 'person' she was. Halo 5 basically turned that on its head and redefined the character - which is not always a bad thing - but it did it waaaaay too fast. Assuming you've just played the five mainline Halo games and don't know about the extended lore, then Cortana does 3 games as your sidekick, 1 game as your dying sidekick, and then finally 1 game as the galaxy's (current) biggest villain. It's too big a jump. I don't like Cortana in the villain role at all, to be honest, but if 343i must go that route, at least give it some in-game buildup. Not just "Oh there's Cortana! She wasn't dead! Oh damn, she turned evil."
Overall, I'd rate the game highly. The story wasn't what I wanted, but it was good nevertheless. The gameplay is absolutely top-tier, and the muliplayer is solid so far. When Forge and BTB are in, it's going to be the best Halo game from a pure gameplay standpoint. I'm excited for Halo 6. I just hope we get the real Cortana back.
I'm not really sure about the story right now. It was good in the sense it was thought out, written and paced nicely. But I don't really like the direction it went in.
First off, I don't like Locke... at all. In fact, besides Buck, I don't like any of Fireteam Osiris - they all rub me the wrong way for whatever reason and I was really hoping that (at least) Locke would die at the end. Really, I don't even know why they were in the game. In the trailers, it was made to look as though there was a big conflict between Locke and Master Chief. It could have been really interesting, and something that built up throughout the entire game, giving different perspectives on the upcoming clash. Instead, it all came to a head about 5 missions in and basically ended with a weak fist fight.
That brings me to another thing: why is the Chief barely in Guardians? There's what... 3 missions as Blue Team out of 15? I'm not sure why. The story is basically entirely about the Chief, so why not tell it from his point-of-view? It didn't seem like there was anything gained by playing as someone new. In fact, one of the things I liked most about Halo 4 was the fact Chief (finally) spoke a decent amount and had some character buildup. Halo 5 was a step back in this regard, entirely because he wasn't in it enough.
Finally, the overall story... Cortana was always one of my favourite characters in Halo, and (aside from some rampancy related outbursts in Halo 4) it was always pretty clear what kind of 'person' she was. Halo 5 basically turned that on its head and redefined the character - which is not always a bad thing - but it did it waaaaay too fast. Assuming you've just played the five mainline Halo games and don't know about the extended lore, then Cortana does 3 games as your sidekick, 1 game as your dying sidekick, and then finally 1 game as the galaxy's (current) biggest villain. It's too big a jump. I don't like Cortana in the villain role at all, to be honest, but if 343i must go that route, at least give it some in-game buildup. Not just "Oh there's Cortana! She wasn't dead! Oh damn, she turned evil."
Oh, and what the hell happened to Cortana's face? Did the person designing it have some kind of severe brain injury halfway through and forget what she originally looked like?
Overall, I'd rate the game highly. The story wasn't what I wanted, but it was good nevertheless. The gameplay is absolutely top-tier, and the muliplayer is solid so far. When Forge and BTB are in, it's going to be the best Halo game from a pure gameplay standpoint. I'm excited for Halo 6. I just hope we get the real Cortana back.
Super Stardust
Member
I just finished the campaign and I honestly have no idea what was happpening in the story, and I played all the halo games. Why is cortana bad all of a sudden?
Kor of Memory
Member
Someone said it seems she was modeled after the voice actor, which I can kind of see.
alexbull_uk
Member
It's not necessarily even that the new model looks nothing like the Halo 4 one, because to be fair, the Halo 4 model is very different from the Halo 3 one, which was different from Halo 2's, etc.
It just looks weird. I can't explain exactly why, but it's the only facial model in the whole game that I don't think looks "right".
luckygodzilla
Member
Cortana did nothing wrong.
Vincent Alexander
Member
I don't think she blasted the planet and murdered everyone. She EMP'ed the planet, which I think we're supposed to assume she did at all the locations she had guardians. She named off every race in the galaxy, so my guess is she has one guardian at each race's home world.
But 343 assured us before launch that MC is still the main character!
I think it's a sure sign that Cortana is awful in Halo 5 with how much we're all having to try and figure out her motives and what it all means. And no---343 wasn't treating us like smart adults to figure it all out ourselves. I present the whole of Halo 5 as evidence to that point.
This is exactly how I feel.
She only wanted to give John a gift.
SaganIsGOAT
Junior Member
How much bandwidth does the Domain have? Their rampancy isn't cured, they simply have more room to operate, right?. My guess is all of these AIs are going to clog the domain and cause the ultimate Rampancy shit show.
Looks like the universe is gonna lag.
SaganIsGOAT
Junior Member
Thousands of AIs thought processes multiplying exponentially has to hit some kind of limit. I'm thinking like the slipspace budget getting clogged during the forerunner flood war.
DecepticonCora
Neo Member
By that logic then Mendicant Bias was doing nothing wrong by joining with the Flood and wanting to unite every sentient being in the galaxy as one. You say AIs are smarter than human beings, but I subscribe to the Lazarus Long idea of artificial intelligence, it is as human as we are, but with our flaws magnified. Nobody is entitled to judge any species with extermination.
spootime
Member
Good post, I agree with all of this.
meanspartan
Member
Ya, I liked the forerunners as mysterious, or maybe just very slightly fleshed out as they were in that great "Legends" animated Blu Ray release a few years back of 7 different short stories.
I never felt the urge to meet one, much less fight one of their leaders.
Roddslayer
Member
Just finished it and I loved the ending. Story is definitely a setup but a necessary one. Flipping Cortana from good to bad will hopefully be better fleshed out in 6 though. All around it was a fun ride minus the warden fights.
I kinda somewhat wish Cortana was able to keep Blue team in the Cryptum so she could wake them 10,000 years in the future and have that be the start of Halo 6.
I kinda somewhat wish Cortana was able to keep Blue team in the Cryptum so she could wake them 10,000 years in the future and have that be the start of Halo 6.
Monocle
Member
The Flood's nature is to destroy biodiversity and with it free will. That's in direct opposition to the noblest version of the Mantle, which the Librarian espoused: to preserve and protect life so that it can thrive in peace. Ideally, it's the responsibility of whoever holds the Mantle to tend the galaxy like a garden. Cortana, who may still be unstable, might have embraced a distorted version of that message. Mendicant Bias certainly did.
SmartWaffles
Member
Fairly sure the campaign went under some sorts of rewrite at this point, the E3 demo is completely different in the final game, the intermission talking/walking areas sound like remnants of the old kind of open route structure they talked about.
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