What was already a pretty promising game is shaping up to be even better. The feedback from the Halo 5: Guardians beta testing period helped the team tweak the weapons and abilities available in-game. Developer 343 Industries’ Josh Holmes has commented that “[t]his has been improved since beta. All weapons have gone through substantial tuning as a result of feedback and data.” YouTuber RedGamingTech elaborates on the changes being made:
It would seem that a notable number of beta testers have complained about the Smart-Link system, and the sniper rifle was a bit of a troublemaker, meriting the most changes. All weapons have been adjusted accordingly, and should be faster to zoom in or out to allow for undisrupted combat.
Holmes also touches a bit on the Spartan Charge ability, commenting that it is done from a third-person point of view to allow the player to see their Spartan perform it. Attempts at executing it through a first-person POV were considered unsuccessful, as it was “impossible to get it to read clearly without extending the range beyond what makes sense for balance.”
Lastly, he also talks about the Ground Pound ability, saying that it’s still a risky move that should be used situationally, though execution feels more fluid and intuitive now.
343 Industries is taking the beta testing period quite seriously, and they’re rolling with the punches. Some beta testers haven’t been too kind in their criticisms of the game, but many understood that this is an experimental phase still. So far, it looks like they’ve provided valid feedback and have helped improve the Halo 5 experience. It’s possible that more changes will be made as more feedback is given or if any problems arise in the near future, but there’s been noteworthy progress already.
Halo 5: Guardians is slated for release on October 27 for Xbox One.
