Halo 2 Anniversary:
In addition to showing off Delta Halo in all of H2A's next-gen glory, 343i also continued their trend of announcing another of the game's six remastered multiplayer maps at each gaming expo. This time, the map was Sanctuary as many had predicted. The map comes with the expected visual facelift, seeing the map take on a more rundown feel. There is also a lot of flowing water around the map which leads us to the biggest difference between the Sanctuary we remember and this new version. Certain Affinity have put an emphasis on bringing dynamic elements to these maps, and Sanctuary is no exception. Each base houses a switch which can be shot to bring down a waterfall over the base. This wall of water covers several of the entrances into the base. This will visually segment the base from the rest of the map which will be both a blessing and a curse for players taking refuge within. The new Sanc also has a darker feel thanks to H2A's lighting engine and, while it looks incredible, there is some concern over whether this will negatively affect playability. In other news, Halo The Master Chief Collection will feature a universal skill-based ranking system meant to be identical to Halo 2's skill rank. This rank will be active across the multiplayer component of all four games in the package.
Delta Halo in Halo 2 Anniversary's remastered campaign
Today's videos and screenshots also gave us a better look at H2A's HUD. Weapons now sport convenient HUD markers when players are near them, making weapons on maps noticeable without some of the clunkier aspects of Halo 4's ordnance system. The battle rifle's reticule, in this build at least, is also not what we're used to and looks more similar to the magnum's reticule from Halo 4. Lastly, the grenade counter on the HUD is not consistent between the game's campaign and multiplayer components. Frags appear on the left in multiplayer, but on the right in campaign. It is clear that the HUD in the H2A multiplayer engine (remember, this is an entirely separate engine from the campaign) is still a work in progress, however.
Fan-favorite multiplayer arena Sanctuary in H2A's multiplayer component
Halo The Master Chief Collection Discussion Thread
Halo 5: Guardians
343i has been surprisingly forthcoming with details regarding Halo 5's multiplayer beta, with a slew of new information being released at Gamescom. First off, the beta will be available to those who own the Master Chief Collection for three weeks between December 29th 2014 and January 18th 2015. The beta will feature 4v4 matches across seven multiplayer maps and three modes with eleven weapons and seven cosmetic armor configurations to make use of. The game's executive producer and multiplayer design lead made it very clear that they are focusing on returning to Halo's competitive roots with a focus on fair starts and map and weapon control. These mechanics have always been the foundation of Halo gameplay, so seeing the developers recognize their importance bodes very well indeed.
An as-of-yet unnamed map that will be appearing in Halo 5: Guardians
Returning Halo to its competitive foundations wouldn't have quite the same impact without bringing back some familiar playspaces, and 343 realized this as well. A reimagining of fan-favorite arena map Midship will be finding its way into Halo 5's multiplayer map lineup to make the return to true Halo gameplay that much more enticing. It is unclear exactly what changes will be made to the map's playable geometry, but Midship has clearly seen an impressive visual upgrade. Alongside the two Halo 5 maps shown, several (but not all) of the eleven weapons we'll have access to in the beta were shown including an assault rifle, battle rifle with a red dot sight, sub machine gun, designated marksman rifle, sniper rifle, energy sword, and a new RPG weapon. It is unclear why the BR is equipped with an RDS and what the role of the RPG will be. It has also been confirmed that dual-wielding will not be appearing in the game, suggesting that the AR and SMG will be separated into their respective niches in a different way. It is likely that the SMG will be to the AR as the BR is to the DMR.
Halo staple Midship reimagined in Halo 5
Halo 5: Guardians Discussion Thread
The Halo Channel:
With all of the Halo content on the horizon, 343i will need a way to keep things organized. Their answer is the creatively named Halo Channel. This Halo hub on the Xbox One will keep Halo news, stats, and other content in one place. It looks as if it will function like an improved version of the old Halo Waypoint Xbox 360 app.
That covers everything so far. If reading isn't your thing, feel free to have this news conveyed to you by my own dulcet tones in the video below. The spoiler below that contains a number of different links and videos containing a bit more information and additional video and image content. Stay tuned for more Halo news from Gamescom, as 343i will be holding a Halo panel tomorrow. Feel free to weigh in with your thoughts on the news either below or in one of the threads linked in this post!
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