Halo 4 Spartan Ops: Episode 3 Review

Through Halsey and high water

We weren't going to review the third episode of Halo 4's Spartan Ops campaign, because (a) slapping a separate score on content that seldom outlasts an hour seems a little contrived, and (b) there's only so many times you can read the words "not as good as Firefight" without reaching through the screen, seizing me firmly by the ears and banging my head against my keyboard.

I was planning to write some kind of feature instead, possibly reaffirming the hilarity of my ineptitude, but you know what? (a) I'm tired to the point that I'm itemising sentences rather than constructing them properly, and (b) Episode 3's worth reviewing. A little over-dependent on sheer volume, mind, but given the slightness of the first two episodes, the volume's rather welcome.

Click to view larger image
Once again, 343 has managed to construct five whole missions out of mostly second-hand parts. Two take place on a not-so-subtly altered Ragnorak, with goofier props like the mancannons swapped for downed Pelicans, Forerunner terminals, and an excess of tank barriers. Another mission sees Crimson tearing around Land Grab, which now sports a full-blown Covenant base at the far end. You'll also revisit the Gate in search of a particularly troublesome Elite, and shoot up a version of Complex that's lousy with screaming marines. Sorry marines. It's not my fault you don't know how to bunny-hop.

The Farce is once again strong with Microsoft's claim that all this amounts to a full-blown separate campaign, but you'll be too busy getting the sherbet blown out of you by Grunts, Elites, Hunters and Jackals to complain at length. Halo's traditional bad guys are back in strength for Episode 3, hammering down relentlessly from the heavens along with a regular travelling roadshow of Ghosts, Wraiths and Banshees. There is but the one way to survive their attentions, and that's via the free and unstinting exercise of firepower.

The periodic weapon drops are almost exclusively limited to big, bad, explosive items like Rail Guns, Spartan Lasers and Rocket Launchers, and practically every Covenant with a fancy hat is holding a Fuel Rod Gun. The action's at its fiercest on Ragnorak, where you're required to first rescue another squad, then defend the area against aerial insertion from all sides. At times the pyrotechnics come close to flattening all tactical thought - towards the close of the fourth mission, you're handed a bunch of Mantis mechs and basically ordered to incinerate the entire Covenant fleet. Any chance of a performance bonus, Commander?

Click to view larger image
But however brain-dead things get, Episode 3 thrills in a way the first two never managed. It feels like 343 has finally mustered the confidence to really challenge players, obliging them to nail down their loadouts and actually, you know, cooperate. Things are heating up in the CGI narrative too, which still has little in common with the missions themselves. Dr Catherine Halsey, founder of the Spartan programme, has been brought on board the Infinity, and is engaged in a fierce struggle with Sarah Palmer for the title of Least Sympathetic Authority Figure. Who will prevail? And what's going on with the big orange slab in the basement?

I hope Episode 4 keeps Episode 3's bulk, while restoring a little of the science. I also hope 343 finds a way to fatten up the associated leaderboards, introducing more in the way of awards and medals - "Best Sniper", "Most Supportive", etc. Breaking down the match stats this way would give players more incentive to revisit maps that, while increasingly entertaining, lack the volatility of outcomes we associate with the best co-op-centric shooters. Still not as good as Firefight, then, but getting closer...

The OXM verdict

The score

The Covenant stop pulling their punches

8
Format
Xbox 360
Developer
343 Industries
Publisher
Microsoft
Genre
First Person Shooter

Comments

10 comments so far...

  1. Waffles2541 on 20 Nov '12 said:
    Report this post Reply with quote

    Considering that a lot of these maps are remakes of either campaign or multiplayer maps, wouldn't it be awesome if you could use forge to set up your own Spartan Ops missions. Using the forge maps to create what is effectively your own custom missions would be great. They already have all the tools in place to do this. Use respawn zones to set spawn points, including initial and soft spawn points. Set weapons drops that appear when certain objectives are complete. Maybe add in a feature that allows you to set enemy spawn locations, choosing whether they come in via dropship or drop-pod etc. You could even set up your own starting cutscenes using the camera, i.e. a recording option like in theater. Those good enough could even set up their own campaigns. That would really put it on par with firefight then.

  2. Metalrodent on 20 Nov '12 said:
    Report this post Reply with quote

    I have to say I enjoyed this lot of missions a lot more than the second part.

  3. Zombie Trooper on 20 Nov '12 said:
    Report this post Reply with quote

    Considering that a lot of these maps are remakes of either campaign or multiplayer maps, wouldn't it be awesome if you could use forge to set up your own Spartan Ops missions. Using the forge maps to create what is effectively your own custom missions would be great. They already have all the tools in place to do this. Use respawn zones to set spawn points, including initial and soft spawn points. Set weapons drops that appear when certain objectives are complete. Maybe add in a feature that allows you to set enemy spawn locations, choosing whether they come in via dropship or drop-pod etc. You could even set up your own starting cutscenes using the camera, i.e. a recording option like in theater. Those good enough could even set up their own campaigns. That would really put it on par with firefight then.

    This is genius, we must get in contact with 343i ASAP, and Rooster Teeth, because we all would like to play in a Red Vs Blue Campaign, with objectives like, 'Shoot Grif in the back of the Head with my Shotgun' being yelled at us by Sarge.GODDAMN IT. I WANT THIS RVB CAMPAIGN NOWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  4. MasterChiefJ117 on 20 Nov '12 said:
    Report this post Reply with quote

    What I would like to see in Halo 5? :roll:
    1.Objective games in Big Team Battle, capture the flag, assault, territories not just SLAYER, SLAYER, SLAYER and sometimes even SLAYER.
    2.Full range of Covenant and UNSC vehicles: Falcons, Revenants etc.
    3.A red ‘X’ showing when and where a team mate has died, “there are 3 on my X”.
    4.Real ‘Ranks’ showing progression rather than just a number.(For me Ranks for experience and a level for skill is the Best system).
    5.Un-nerf-ed Ghost, Banshee and Sticky grenades (Halo 4 ones do no damage to warthogs).
    6. Vehicles whose speed isn’t limited to support the frame rate that a 7 year old console struggles with. (Ruining the multiplayer for experienced pilots). Hence the creation of the ‘Mantis’ a SLOW Mech to hide the struggling frame rate.
    7.A campaign that takes longer than 8 hours.
    8.Spartan ops mission that have something remotely to do with the amazing CGI cut scene not a map I already played in an earlier Spartan ops mission.
    9.Fire-Fight no more to say!
    Halo 4 Campaign and Graphics are amazing 10/10 (Especially when completed solo on legendary) :D , but multiplayer is terrible 6/10 :cry: as stated above I so wanted to love this game but despite the hours and hours of hard work almost unlimited resources given to 343i they have managed to FAIL the Halo fans unless of course you love playing, SLAYER, SLAYER,SLAYER or sometimes even SLAYER.

  5. Fionarei on 20 Nov '12 said:
    Report this post Reply with quote

    First we taught them how to be silent.
    Then we taught them how to be Spartans.


    I personally think that Spartans personality should be like 2nd Gen. Not 4th Gen.

  6. Metalrodent on 20 Nov '12 said:
    Report this post Reply with quote

    What I would like to see in Halo 5?

    wrong page :lol:

  7. Alaric14 on 20 Nov '12 said:
    Report this post Reply with quote

    What I would like to see in Halo 5? :roll:
    1.Objective games in Big Team Battle, capture the flag, assault, territories not just SLAYER, SLAYER, SLAYER and sometimes even SLAYER.
    2.Full range of Covenant and UNSC vehicles: Falcons, Revenants etc.
    3.A red ‘X’ showing when and where a team mate has died, “there are 3 on my X”.
    4.Real ‘Ranks’ showing progression rather than just a number.(For me Ranks for experience and a level for skill is the Best system).
    5.Un-nerf-ed Ghost, Banshee and Sticky grenades (Halo 4 ones do no damage to warthogs).
    6. Vehicles whose speed isn’t limited to support the frame rate that a 7 year old console struggles with. (Ruining the multiplayer for experienced pilots). Hence the creation of the ‘Mantis’ a SLOW Mech to hide the struggling frame rate.
    7.A campaign that takes longer than 8 hours.
    8.Spartan ops mission that have something remotely to do with the amazing CGI cut scene not a map I already played in an earlier Spartan ops mission.
    9.Fire-Fight no more to say!
    Halo 4 Campaign and Graphics are amazing 10/10 (Especially when completed solo on legendary) :D , but multiplayer is terrible 6/10 :cry: as stated above I so wanted to love this game but despite the hours and hours of hard work almost unlimited resources given to 343i they have managed to FAIL the Halo fans unless of course you love playing, SLAYER, SLAYER,SLAYER or sometimes even SLAYER.

    You know what's interesting about HALO 4's multiplayer? Most of the work put into it was done by a little team called Certain Affinity, who have also worked on the multiplayer modes of Call of Duty Black Ops, HALO: Reach, and HALO: Combat Evolved Anniversary. Certain Affinity was formed in 2006 by a gentleman called Max Hoberman, a veteran developer whose previous post was at...er, Bungie.

    Here's a link to their site if anyone's interested: http://www.certainaffinity.com/company/

    As far as reviewing this new episode of Spartan Ops goes, I think you summed it up quite nicely in the opening paragraph Mr. Evans-Thirwell. :D

  8. MasterChiefJ117 on 21 Nov '12 said:
    Report this post Reply with quote

    What I would like to see in Halo 5? :roll:
    1.Objective games in Big Team Battle, capture the flag, assault, territories not just SLAYER, SLAYER, SLAYER and sometimes even SLAYER.
    2.Full range of Covenant and UNSC vehicles: Falcons, Revenants etc.
    3.A red ‘X’ showing when and where a team mate has died, “there are 3 on my X”.
    4.Real ‘Ranks’ showing progression rather than just a number.(For me Ranks for experience and a level for skill is the Best system).
    5.Un-nerf-ed Ghost, Banshee and Sticky grenades (Halo 4 ones do no damage to warthogs).
    6. Vehicles whose speed isn’t limited to support the frame rate that a 7 year old console struggles with. (Ruining the multiplayer for experienced pilots). Hence the creation of the ‘Mantis’ a SLOW Mech to hide the struggling frame rate.
    7.A campaign that takes longer than 8 hours.
    8.Spartan ops mission that have something remotely to do with the amazing CGI cut scene not a map I already player
    in an earlier Spartan ops mission.
    9.Fire-Fight no more to say!
    Halo 4 Campaign and Graphics are amazing 10/10 (Especially when completed solo on legendary) :D , but multiplayer is
    terrible 6/10 :cry: as stated above I so wanted to love this game but despite the hours and hours of hard work almost unlimited resources given to 343i they have managed to FAIL the Halo fans unless of course you love playing, SLAYER, SLAYER,SLAYER or sometimes even SLAYER.

    You know what's interesting about HALO 4's multiplayer? Most of the work put into it was done by a little team called Certain Affinity, who have also worked on the multiplayer modes of Call of Duty Black Ops, HALO: Reach, and HALO: Combat Evolved Anniversary. Certain Affinity was formed in 2006 by a gentleman called Max Hoberman, a veteran developer whose previous post was at...er, Bungie.

    With such a proven track record it is all the more a pity that the multiplayer portion of the game is as broken and substandard as it is, at least we have Spartan ops look forward too each week for seven more weeks :roll:

    Here's a link to their site if anyone's interested: http://www.certainaffinity.com/company/

    As far as reviewing this new episode of Spartan Ops goes, I think you summed it up quite nicely in the opening paragraph Mr. Evans-Thirwell. :D

  9. Spartan Edge on 26 Nov '12 said:
    Report this post Reply with quote

    "Not as good as Firefight" OXM? Spartan Ops is 1000% better than firefight! Firefight was ok,it was fun in very short goes at first,but soon got repetitive with no real goal to it.
    Spartan Ops is so much better.At least it has a goal to it & an ongoing narrative.You can still re-play them,much as you would Firefight,for enjoyment & grinding.I don't miss Firefight at all i'll be honest.

    I cant believe you'd prefer something that doesn't have a narrative or purpose,over something that doesn't OXM. :?

  10. Lancer Armstrong on 28 Nov '12 said:
    Report this post Reply with quote

    I can absolutely understand why everyone misses Firefight. Hell, I miss it.

    If you want narrative, play the campaign. If you want to survive wave after wave of increasingly difficult enemies with some buddies, play Firefight.

    I really hope it makes a return for Halo 5. And if they're smart and learn from Gears of War and Black Ops 2, they'll even add some bots. Wouldn't that be a treat.