Once upon a time, Halo was king. Before the Call of Duty explosion, back when gaming consoles were just gaming consoles, no franchise was as massive as Halo. Thanks to Bungie’s stellar game design, memorable multiplayer, and expansive universe, even non-gamers knew the series by name and recognized its hero Master Chief. But nearly 15 years after its emergence, Halo 5: Guardians is trying to reinvent the franchise in some dramatic ways. Most additions might fly over the heads of newcomers, but anyone that spent their high school or college years throwing plasma grenades and flipping warthogs will see how much this entry is going to change what we know about Halo. 

Master Chief Must Be Stopped 

While both Microsoft and 343 Industries are holding their cards close to their collective vest, early story teasers are perfectly clear: something is up with Master Chief. Players will control two characters, although that's not a first in the series, as Halo 2 did as much back in 2004. In that game, The Covenant Arbiter was a friend to Halo’s hero, but the narrative seems drastically different this time around, as the Chief is on the run from fellow Spartan, Locke. If you watched the live action Halo series (which, let’s be honest, you definitely did not), you might know a little bit more than the average gamer as to why these two men are at odds. Still, putting arguably Microsoft’s biggest mascot in the crosshairs is a dramatic turn for this series and one that deserves your attention. 

Warzone 

Any long-time Halo player that watches this Warzone trailer might instantly salivate, as the idea of mixing both the campaign enemies with the classic Red vs Blue multiplayer is mind-boggling. 343 has stated that you’ll have plenty of room for the mayhem, as these maps are four times larger than any previous Halo map. Throwing in every type of character model, vehicle and weapon is a recipe for both success and disaster, which will probably play itself out in one of the most fun and unique multiplayer modes in years. Fans that have become bored with the standard deathmatch and objective playlists might find something magical in Warzone.

More Maps Than You Can Handle

In a world full of season passes, pre-order bonuses and drip campaigns aimed at milking you for all of your money, Halo 5’s DLC plans are more than refreshing. For the first time ever, not only will the game ship with 20 maps on the disc, but another 15 will be added for free over time. Those 35 maps are more than some franchises ever receive throughout their entire lifespan, and the sheer variety should make for plenty of unique experiences over the next year or so. The initial 20 is more than you’ll find in any modern shooter, and given this new Warzone mode’s awesome potential, some favorites are sure to be formed very quickly.

The Power Of Next Gen 

There is a lot of technical jargon that will get gamers interested in a product. 1080p and 60 frames per second have started to inch their way into mainstream conversations about games, but something as multiplayer focused as Halo 5 needs one term to be special: Dedicated Servers. For most games, the person of the group who has the fastest Internet hosts multiplayer sessions. This keeps the developers/publishers from paying for massive servers that have to run 24/7. It also leads to advantages for the hosts of these games, giving them the split-second timing advantage that might sway a match one way or another. Luckily, Halo 5 is sticking to dedicated servers, even in the case of custom matches and the co-op campaign. This allows for more stable matchmaking, a fair & competitive landscape, and the potential to find matches at any hour of the day. 

Forget About It

While most Halo players enjoy the nuts and bolts of the franchise, for some, the true joy comes from building your own level. The Forge mode, ushered in with Halo 3, allows players to use every object, model, and “piece” of the game to create a new multiplayer map. As with most user-created content toolsets, people made some absurd and amazing things, but Halo 5’s Forge looks to push the creativity to new heights. A redesigned control scheme is first and foremost, letting non-Forge folks actually feel comfortable with the tools. You can now select multiple objects at once, position the camera anywhere while building, and group, duplicate, and paste entire swaths of your battlefield across the landscape. With over 1,600 objects to play with, no two levels will look or play the same.