Halo 5: Guardians

[Turo602]

Okay, so today 343i has just shared with us an image, release window, and name of the next major installment in the Halo franchise. As you already know from the title of the thread, the game is subtitled "Guardians" and it's scheduled for a fall 2015 release, with more Halo related plans coming this year. This wouldn't be the first subtitled entry in the main series, as we've had Combat Evolved, which was more of statement about the game than it was about the lore. But we've been used to the numerical order and I'm quite curious as to what sparked this change. As for these plans, I think it's painfully obvious at this point that those plans are in fact, Halo 2: Anniversary.

Halo 5: Guardians first official image.

So what do you guys think about the new subtitle? Who do you think is the character in the art? An enemy? A friend? Co-op partner? Does any of this news excite you? No? Then get out.

Source

 

[Triforce Hermit]

Hopefully this is going to be like Halo 2 where there is a side-by-side storyline shared by two characters.

The top figure is male, confirmed by 343 just for clarification. A lot of people on Waypoint assumed it was a female and went off in wild speculation (myself included).

 

[Mercedes]

So excited! Love the Halo lore and story and can't wait to see it continue! Great game series.

Also turns out rumours were right, and it's a good day to be a Halo Fan! MS just announced The Master Chief Collection, HD remasters of Halo 1, 2, 3, and 4 coming to Xbox One sometime before Halo 5, to refresh everyone's memory. Halo games without Master Chief, Reach and ODST, won't be in the collection, and we don't know a single thing about it bar that it is coming. So whether or not Halo 1 is the Anniversary edition, a remastered original or no, we don't know.

Day 1!

 

[A Link In Time]

I can't wait for this game to release. No Xbox console can be complete without Halo. The released concept art is perplexing, however. The most plausible theory I've encountered is that the character depicted is a new female Spartan. It certainly looks so.

At first I thought (s)he would be a supporting character to replace Cortana after the events of Halo 4, but Triforce Hermit's theory that this could be a secondary protagonist like The Arbiter from Halo 2 doesn't sound too far-fetched.

 

[Mido]

So excited! Love the Halo lore and story and can't wait to see it continue! Great game series.

Also turns out rumours were right, and it's a good day to be a Halo Fan! MS just announced The Master Chief Collection, HD remasters of Halo 1, 2, 3, and 4 coming to Xbox One sometime before Halo 5, to refresh everyone's memory. Halo games without Master Chief, Reach and ODST, won't be in the collection, and we don't know a single thing about it bar that it is coming. So whether or not Halo 1 is the Anniversary edition, a remastered original or no, we don't know.

Day 1!

Yeah, I just saw the news for that! Honestly, I'm actually most intrigued by what 343 will do in remastering the 3rd installment! I can only wonder!


As for the Halo 5 news, I am intrigued to say the least. Given I never finished Halo 4, and I am admittedly on the more casual spectrum of Halo's fanbase, I'm not entirely sure what to make of our cover above. Reiterating on what Triforce Hermit and ALIT said, a secondary protagonist seems plausible, and perhaps likely. I'll continue to ponder over what will be in store for us next.

 

[Turo602]

Honestly, if this character is implemented into the campaign the same way the Arbiter was in Halo 2, I'll be quite disappointed. I didn't care too much for that element in Halo 2 as I felt it took away from Master Chief's journey. The character is said to be an Oni Spartan, as the emblem on the chest suggests, and is rumored to be part of a new Spartan program used to hunt Master Chief who seems to have gone his separate ways since Halo 4. If this is indeed true, I think I can get down with this idea. It adds a totally different dynamic to the game, now that his own are after him.

I think it'll be quite interesting for Master Chief to have an antagonist of his own caliber. Let's face it, Master Chief is quite the superhero, and having him face off in a one on one battle and struggle is refreshing. I'd like for 343 to do right by this concept after the failure that was the Didact by having him square off against an alpha Spartan. Think Snake vs Liquid or Samus vs Dark Samus. I know it sounds a bit much for an FPS, but it could work like a simple matchmaking game. Encounter this character in claustrophobic environments and have yourselves a shootout that leads into first-person QTE. We got a taste of this in Halo 4 so I say go all out with it.

Also, how does the character above resemble a woman?... Looks like a typical male Spartan.

 

[Ronin]

I remember the trailer being a main highlight from last year's E3, and the desert setting looked pretty awesome. It'll be quite some time before I get to play the game myself (after its release), but I'm mostly intrigued by what sort of events would land Master Chief in the middle of a wilderness.

I can't wait for this game to release. No Xbox console can be complete without Halo. The released concept art is perplexing, however. The most plausible theory I've encountered is that the character depicted is a new female Spartan. It certainly looks so.

But don't forget, Microsoft's flagship franchises are Halo and... Wait, what else do they have? ;P

 

[A Link In Time]

Honestly, if this character is implemented into the campaign the same way the Arbiter was in Halo 2, I'll be quite disappointed. I didn't care too much for that element in Halo 2 as I felt it took away from Master Chief's journey. The character is said to be an Oni Spartan, as the emblem on the chest suggests, and is rumored to be part of a new Spartan program used to hunt Master Chief who seems to have gone his separate ways since Halo 4. If this is indeed true, I think I can get down with this idea. It adds a totally different dynamic to the game, now that his own are after him.

I think it'll be quite interesting for Master Chief to have an antagonist of his own caliber. Let's face it, Master Chief is quite the superhero, and having him face off in a one on one battle and struggle is refreshing. I'd like for 343 to do right by this concept after the failure that was the Didact by having him square off against an alpha Spartan. Think Snake vs Liquid or Samus vs Dark Samus. I know it sounds a bit much for an FPS, but it could work like a simple matchmaking game. Encounter this character in claustrophobic environments and have yourselves a shootout that leads into first-person QTE. We got a taste of this in Halo 4 so I say go all out with it.

Also, how does the character above resemble a woman?... Looks like a typical male Spartan.

Bungie did a pretty good job balancing Halo 2's story between Master Chief and The Arbiter. The game had a longer campaign, chapter wise, so the number of levels played as Master Chief was about equal to that of the other Halo installments. I see your point since the story would be less centered on developing one character, but this two-pronged plot would be effective since players wouldn't expect it.

The idea of this other Spartan as a hunter is something that never crossed my mind. Bungie and, more recently, 343 have experimented with making Master Chief more vulnerable and relatable. Considering he's able to topple enormous alien empires single handed, weakness and perhaps initial defeat at the hands of a solo Spartan would be a stark juxtaposition to Master Chief's usual character. Or maybe it's not another Spartan, but a shape shifter like the SA-X from Metroid Fusion.

Also, regarding the female Spartan thought, it seems you were right, Turo. 343 confirmed on Twitter that this is indeed a male character.

 

[Mercedes]

The idea of this other Spartan as a hunter is something that never crossed my mind. Bungie and, more recently, 343 have experimented with making Master Chief more vulnerable and relatable. Considering he's able to topple enormous alien empires single handed, weakness and perhaps initial defeat at the hands of a solo Spartan would be a stark juxtaposition to Master Chief's usual character. Or maybe it's not another Spartan, but a shape shifter like the SA-X from Metroid Fusion.

I like him being the tough, unstoppable Spartan. Master Chief doesn't have much personality but he's so loved because he's just such a badass. The other Spartan being a hunter could be true, but, if we look at the title, it's 'Guardian'. Maybe that other Spartan has been ordered to protect and guard something that Master Chief wants/needs, and so they'll butt heads because of it? I could see him being some kind of very resourceful and tough enemy for Chief to over-come, which would be cool to see.

 

[Turo602]

Bungie did a pretty good job balancing Halo 2's story between Master Chief and The Arbiter. The game had a longer campaign, chapter wise, so the number of levels played as Master Chief was about equal to that of the other Halo installments. I see your point since the story would be less centered on developing one character, but this two-pronged plot would be effective since players wouldn't expect it.

Yeah, I completely agree. I think it's just a personal preference. I just don't really care to switch to another character in this series. I'd rather that sort of stuff be kept in spin-offs. Not that it wouldn't or couldn't work.

The idea of this other Spartan as a hunter is something that never crossed my mind. Bungie and, more recently, 343 have experimented with making Master Chief more vulnerable and relatable. Considering he's able to topple enormous alien empires single handed, weakness and perhaps initial defeat at the hands of a solo Spartan would be a stark juxtaposition to Master Chief's usual character. Or maybe it's not another Spartan, but a shape shifter like the SA-X from Metroid Fusion.

I think shape shifting sounds a little too supernatural for Halo. Also, just think about the possible cutscenes if Chief were to face off against an enemy like this. Seriously, I think 343 needs to step it up with Halo and create some really cool situations within the games. Something that helps breathe fresh air into an otherwise untouched formula. The scarab in Halo 3 was a fine example of this. It changed the the tune of the game while it lasted. I have this vision, and it's so great... that if we don't end up with similar ideas, I can honestly say a part of me would be disappointed.

Also, regarding the female Spartan thought, it seems you were right, Turo. 343 confirmed on Twitter that this is indeed a male character.

Yeah, I mean, his physique looks no different from any of the spartan IVs from Halo 4.

I like him being the tough, unstoppable Spartan. Master Chief doesn't have much personality but he's so loved because he's just such a badass. The other Spartan being a hunter could be true, but, if we look at the title, it's 'Guardian'. Maybe that other Spartan has been ordered to protect and guard something that Master Chief wants/needs, and so they'll butt heads because of it? I could see him being some kind of very resourceful and tough enemy for Chief to over-come, which would be cool to see.

Same here, and I don't think that has to change. I mean, I don't think Chief has ever been as badass as he was in Halo 4. The only difference between him then and now is independence. He's finally operating on his own terms and through that, we get a deeper look into John's psyche. What makes him tick, what decisions does he make, etc.

 

[Mercedes]

Same here, and I don't think that has to change. I mean, I don't think Chief has ever been as badass as he was in Halo 4. The only difference between him then and now is independence. He's finally operating on his own terms and through that, we get a deeper look into John's psyche. What makes him tick, what decisions does he make, etc.

I agree entirely! A lot of shows tend to have the tough character show some emotion and vulnerability as an easy way to develop the character a bit more, to deepen him, but I'd hate to see that happen to Chief. I feel it cheapens the character a bit. I mean at the end of Halo 2 I ran around looking for someone to high five just because of how awesome Chief was! Don't change that 343, plskthx

One thing I think is interesting about the box art is the whole reflection thing. So this Spartan is somehow a reflection of Chief, but, Chief's on the bottom. Usually the bad one is on the bottom. So maybe what Chief wants to do is bad, and he'll have to make some kind of decision whether or not to do the right thing or to do the thing he wants. Maybe that's looking too deep into it, but, is just what I think the box art might say.