Grappling also introduces excellent combat dynamics, with players able to grapple towards baddies for a swift melee finish, or pull in a powerful weapon from across the room. Here Chief is able to quickly scale cliffsides and flank enemies by zipping across the battlefield. Anyone who’s played the multiplayer beta will know how enjoyable and disruptive this mechanic can be, but in single-player it makes even more sense. “The environments are sprawling, naturalistic and hugely reminiscent of the classic Xbox games, which will please those who found 343’s previous playgrounds to be cramped and artistically disconnected from the series’ roots”Īnother wonderful evolution is the introduction of the Grappleshot. The setup also means that the narrative is less intrusive, relying more on radio chatter and audio logs than 5’s occasionally overbearing cut-scenes (although the cinematic sequences that are here are excellent, with some brilliant performances from Jen Taylor in particular, as Master Chief’s new AI assistant). The environments – of course – are sprawling, naturalistic and hugely reminiscent of the classic Xbox games, which will please those who found 343’s previous playgrounds to be cramped and artistically disconnected from the series’ roots.

The scale of Zeta Halo solves many issues players had with 343’s previous games, Halo 4 and Halo 5: Guardians. This is a great way of encouraging players into the wilderness to improve their equipment, even if it feels like Chief’s powers could’ve benefited from a bit more depth. For the first time, Master Chief also has a skill tree, with various upgrades able to be unlocked using collectable Spartan Cores hidden around the world. The more of this resource you collect, the more weapons and vehicles you’ll unlock to spawn from the various Forward Operating Bases (FOBs) around Zeta Halo. The format works well, and it means that you never really feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of things to do on the map, as in other big-world shooters.īy completing side activities, players are rewarded with Valor points. Although players are free to take on side activities and explore the wilderness of Zeta Halo, there’s always subtle guidance keeping you within a manageable space, until you’re ready to take on the nearby mega-fortress and progress the story further.

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