Posted by: Evil Johnny
Posted by: gamedude234
While CE had the best campaign, it had by far the worst level design, as the last 3 levels were all backtracking previous levels, fortunately the flood spiced things up so
that it wasn't too repetitive, but it was too familiar. Halo 2 was the most linear of all, as was Halo 3(though both had good campaigns). ODST brought back the huge open worlds, and Reach brought it to a whole new level. I don't see how the level design is bad and linear when it has the biggest levels in the Halo franchise.
Personally, I loved the backtracking missions for several reasons. First, it helps give purpose to the places you've been. The Halo control room, the Pillar of Autumn are important places, and returning to them only helps giving the campaign more structure, coherence and meaning. Plus, they all play very differently and features different areas than the original missions. In Two Betrayals, you don't even do real backtracking, ignoring plenty of areas you've been through. Instead of being a UNSC assault on the Covenant, you desperately need to stop 343 destroying pulse generators at night against covenant, flood and sentinels. It feels, it plays very differently.
I love taking time in each environment, because it makes the game more immersive, rather than taking you from one place to another all the time. In that regard, I think Bungie did well into making a coherent level that had purpose in Reach with ONI Sword Base. Although it was a bit small, and the ONI base itself was teasingly short.
ODST had "open worlds" but has much as the design itself wasn't that bad, the real missions were as formulatic as ever. I don't see how Reach has the biggest levels of the Halo franchise, it certainly has the shortests if you ignore ODST.
Winter Contingency is short and only teases of open level design, kind of a mini-tease of the Halo mission in the original game; shorter, less open. ONI Swordbase albeit being good, was quite small. Nightfall was medium and very linear, Tip of the Spear was also medium and very linear with a succession of corridors and semi-open spaces. Long Night of Solace has one of the briefest, most short sections of the whole Halo franchise with the beach attack up to the sabre. The space combat spices things up, but it's basically the same thing as on ground fighting; take shields off, then headshot, hide after taking some shots. Rinse and repeat. The ship part albeit very short, was actually well made, but a short portion of the whole game. Take off the space section, and the mission is by far the shortest.
Exodus, has one small section that actually plays differently, but again, only a tease, the level design not giving justice to the jetpack, they didn't do much more than tried incorporating it for exciting gameplay and level design. The mission itself isn't that big compared to past Halo games, certainly not Halo CE. I've been through every Reach mission more than once, and it has only been more evident to me how they can be short. New Alexandria is the most unique Reach mission, but again, I feel they could've done more. The moment you got inside a building, there was nothing special at all. Instead of linking those places by a walk-able, corridor area, you do so by flying. And in which case, that type of level design was already done in Halo 2 in a more exciting way. The Package? Nothing special. Pillar of Autumn is probably the worst offender is you forget the Boneyard part, which wasn't impressive enough.
Halo 2 was the most linear game, but among being only the second entry, the level design itself was good enough for me to not be too irritated. Halo 3, ODST and Reach on the other hand, offers little less than a bit less linearity. While Halo 2 is my favourite campaign after CE, I must admit the level design is overall better Halo 3 and Reach. But still, would you seriously keep buying Halo games if the only thing they did is rehashing the very same gameplay and type of level design, only slightly better overall? I would not. Reach's level design to me was far too all over the place and only showing potential, while seemingly showing how the Halo engine didn't age well at all (graphics are the last thing I'm talking about). Reach feels like Bungie tried little new things just for the sake of it so people wouldn't say they released the same game as Halo 3. Hell, they didn't even bother giving the scarab a decent appearance, while Halo 3 did so successfully and differently THREE times.
I agree on the CE backtracking, and how it was well done. However, there is no denying that:
2 betrayals is assault on the control room backwards. Yes, you skip some parts, but 90% of the indoor fights were identical to AOTCR, save for the flood and sentinels, granted, it had a bigger emphasis on banshee gameplay.
Keyes, save for the first part, is Truth and reconciliation(the same Exact thing), again, save for the fact that you're alone and that there's the flood.
The Maw is, again Pillar of Autumn, except for the part when you need to destroy the reactors, and the warthog run. Again, Flood and sentinels.
They could have made new areas i think, for example, place Keyes somewhere else apart from the control room.
Now, I do more or less agree on your Reach campaign observations. BUT:
Winter Contingency has multiple ways to approach the enemy, and it actually has multiple ways to progress, for example when you're on the car, also, the Spirits actually appear in different locations as you play, making each time different. It is though, a short mission.
ONI also had multiple ways to progress. Which AA guns to activate first? Warthog or highjack a Ghost, or even a Wraith? Go on the left or right ramps at the beginning, or straight on in? Then, after all that outdoor shooting, it brings you inside for some close quarters combat, to add variety. It was a medium length level I would say. It does also have fantastic skyboxes though.
Nightfall was designed to bring back memories from Truth and reconciliation, which it unfortunately failed at doing. T&R had marines, and it felt like a true assault. However, Nightfall has a more unique feel to it. I believe it has the only Active cam in the campaign, and couple with the sniper, make for some intense sleuth experiences. It is quite linear though, but there are still multiple ways to approach a fight at some points. Around Medium length.
Tip of the Spear was....odd. Its introduced as a huge battle, but in the end is actually a "destroy AA guns with your warthog" which is OK, but you shouldn't introduce a level as something, then have it as something else. Also, we already did some warthog combat in ONI swordbase. I think TOTS would have been perfect for a scorpion. All in All an enjoyable level.
Long Night of Solace is actually the Longest Level in Reach, and I would say its 5th in series after Attack On the Control room, The Covenant(halo 3), Gravemind(Halo 2) and The Ark(Halo 3). The beach assault was fun, but it should have been extended, i agree with you on that, same with Space Combat, though Low-Gee, Interior combat, coupled with Space and Open combat, makes it one of the most varied level in any halo game.
Exodus would have been a great level if the Brutes had berserk. If the had that one thing, Exodus would have been a great level. but alas, no. It did give that feeling of losing the war and of hopelessness. It also had varied combat throughout the level.
New Alexandria was also a huge, varied nonlinear level. Its the level that puts the most focus on air combat since, well, The Oracle, and even then it was short. Yes, the indoor combat is a bit stale, though it does provide something different, On the bridge thing you suggested? IMO, thats a horrible idea that would have killed the level. Its also packed with easter eggs, which are always fun. However, this would have been a perfect opportunity to finally drive a pelican legibly, but unfortunately, no.
The Package was an ok mission. Since a lot is backtracking, didn't really like the beginning, though the defend Halsey's lad was really fun, that was it. The Scorpion was finally introduced.
Pillar of Autumn was great from the boneyard part and onwards. The boneyard part was when i really felt like it was a losing battle and it had lots of AI on screen at once, and not 1 framerate drop. You could approach the conflict in different ways, and the Marines were actually kinda helpful:O.
Lone wolf is Epic. FACT=P
Final conclusion: To me all pro-Reach campaigns had mostly great levels, but then 2-3 horrible ones. While Reach maintains an average between ZOMG EPIC! and downright horrible and frustrating. So to me, all Halo campaigns are good in their own ways.
Whew, that took a while. Its just that i never understand the absurd amount of hate Reach gets around here.