Could Halo Benefit From Going Third Person?

Halo has spent years convincing me that I am a super soldier more capable than anyone in an entire army of human soldiers. My genetic modifications make me faster, stronger, and more capable in combat than any human before me.

Given the number of shots I can take, how high I can jump, and the fact that I can flip a multi-ton Scorpion tank over, I’m inclined to believe them. After reading more into the game’s fiction, though, these things feel more like hints rather than full-on displays of power.

With the series having a decade to evolve, I think it is time to try something drastically different in the form of a new perspective, and I’m not talking about an isometric RTS, either. Halo could greatly benefit from moving into the realm of third-person perspective.

Having been around for over a decade, I understand how that idea may ruffle a few feathers, but if you’ve, for example, watched Halo Legends or read any of the Halo novels, you understand that Spartans are much more capable warriors than the games would lead you to believe.

Without going into too much detail that will cloud the core of my argument, the books paint pictures of limber, agile warriors who could make Bruce Lee look slow. Their bio-engineered enhancements make Olympic athletes look like nursing home fodder.

Reading about intense melees with Elites, stealthy engagements that saw Spartans wielding silenced weapons and knives, and the acrobatics they used on the battlefield really made me wonder if these were the same characters I was playing as in the video games.

Historically, first-person melee games have been a seriously mixed bag. Remember Breakdown on the Xbox? How about Hexen? While both of those games were brimming with ambition, neither exactly delivered in the gameplay department, and I honestly don’t think Halo would change that trend.

I don’t think the answer to Halo’s stagnation (in some, not all, areas) is adding in more multiplayer modes, adding new weapons and gadgets, or even building upon the story, as welcome as that may be. The answer is totally flipping the script on the gameplay we have come to know and love.

Imagine having genuine energy sword duels with Elites; not just waiting until your reticule turns red to swing, but actually blocking and parrying. I imagine gracefully diving between cover while advancing up the battlefield, striking enemies down in a carefully choreographed ballet of blood.

The great thing is that people don’t just buy Halo because of the gameplay at this point. They buy it because it’s Halo. 343 has a great chance to take a risk and try something new. If they want to separate their lineage in the Halo coda from Bungee, now is the time to take chances, not play it safe.

It wouldn’t be the first time that the underdog took a few risks, either. Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 added top-down RTS-lite properties and branching storylines to its narrative that helped refresh the aging franchise, if just a little bit. 343 now has the chance to do the same.

Granted, for as big of a change as a third-person perspective would be, it would make a lot more sense for this to be done as a side project first, ala ODST, before being something that was adopted as the norm. All in all, though, this is a risk that could pay great dividends should 343 be willing to take the leap.

What do you guys think? Could a more accurate and entertaining depiction of the Spartans be achieved from a third-person perspective? Could it be a much-needed shot in the arm for the series? Let us know in the comments below!