Road to E3 – Speculating Halo 5: Guardians

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E3 is around the corner and 343 Industries told us they would be announcing a Halo game during the event.  This November, Halo 2  will be turning 10, meaning an anniversary edition is not that far-fetched.  However, the big question on everyone’s mind is: what is Halo 5: Guardians  going to be like?

 

Ever since the release of the box art, millions of questions have been popping up.  Who is the second spartan? Why the blue visor? Why is Master Chief (the main character thus far) on the underside/reflection?  Given the teaser we saw of a frayed Chief wandering the desert, could the blue visor be Cortana in a suit? How come we’ve had Halo  2, 3, 4 with no sub-titles (Halo: Combat Evolved, Halo: Reach, Halo: ODST, Halo: Spartan Assault), but here we have “Guardians”? Who are the guardians and what are they guarding?  Well, we brought in our resident Halo  experts, Brian O’Donnell and Chris Vellucci, to share their speculations on what to expect in Halo 5.  Let’s begin.

 

 

Who are the guardians?

CV: Without spoiling anything, I’m going to say the title Guardians  refers to some Forerunner technology that was set in place to protect the library.  My belief is that the guardians are the defenses surrounding the Forerunner Library, which I feel is also going to be the main setting for the fifth game.

BO:  I don’t mean to sound like I’m referencing Marvel, but it could be a reference to the guardians of the galaxy: the Forerunner.  The Forerunner provided protection from the Flood. I would love it if in the fifth game Master Chief delves deeper into Forerunner history.

 

Who is that second spartan?

BO:  Given that the frame looks to be a little more slender, I think we have ourselves a female lead. 343 has already confirmed that this is a new character, so that rules out Palmer from Halo 4. I’m speculating so many things, but what I’ve really come to think is that this Spartan is either part of a strike team for Dr. Halsey, or it’s a Promethean replication of the Master Chief after watching him take out so many of their forces. I also believe that having two lead Spartans will play out much like in Halo 2  with the Arbiter.  Also, and this was in the back of my mind, but we never officially saw Jun, from Halo: Reach, die.

CV:  Just for the sake of matching up, I’m hoping that new spartan is part of the Spartan V program (Halo 5, Spartan V) that would be a satisfying “click” if you will.  We had Dr. Halsey being interrogated in Halo 4  for her methods regarding the successful Spartan II program where she postulates, “You want to replace him” to the interrogator in reference to John being successful for being “at his core, broken”.  I’m betting he or she (as Brian pointed out) is said replacement.

You both mentioned Dr Halsey. Who is she and why do you think she’s so pivotal?

BO:  GET OUT!

CV: WHO HIRED YOU?!

BO:  Halsey, the woman responsible for the whole Spartan program and why the Master Chief is who he is. She is also Master Chief’s only chance at getting Cortana back. In the teaser trailer we saw a battered chief clutching the chip that housed Cortana. So we know he’s searching for Halsey since she is the key to getting Cortana back, having made Cortana from her own DNA.

CV:  Last we saw Halsey she was in the Forerunner Library; I’m really trying not to spoil too much if you haven’t played all the Spartan Ops.  In the teaser we saw a giant, Promethean-esque bird arise in front of Master Chief.  I think Chief is going into the Library to find Halsey and these Promethean guardians are his obstacle.

 

Cortana’s AI chip

 

So without Cortana, whom will Master Chief journey with?

CV: The other spartan.

BO: Spartan Baby-Blue Eyes.

 

What is something you would personally like to see in Halo 5?

BO: FLOOD!

CV: (laughed uncontrollably)

 

What about Halo 5  multiplayer?

BO: Stop taking out game types.  So many times I’ll find myself enjoying Griff Ball, Oddball, or Regicide only to sign in the next day and find that all three game types are gone.  I get that if you have too many types you spread your installment too thin, but come on—at least cycle them or something.

CV:  I’ve actually always been happy with Halo’s multiplayer.  My biggest complaint is consistency.  Brute Choppers, Revenant, Spectre, Brute Prowler, needle rifle, mauler, incendiary grenades, the list goes on.  I just hate the inconsistency of the weapons and vehicles that appear in one game but not the next. I’m OK with additions being made, but taking out vehicles just doesn’t make sense to me.

BO: Oh, and dual-wielding.

CV: YES!

Final thoughts?

BO: Since its coming to the Xbox One, we can expect this to be the biggest and most epic Halo  yet. I cant wait.

CV: Nova-sized explosions.