The Halo franchise is in something of a precarious position right now, but it’s also poised to be more exciting than ever. 343 Industries, recently rebranded as Halo Studios, seems to be learning from the shortcomings of previous entries, especially Halo Infinite, which many expected to set the series back on track. But with this pivot in studio identity, even if it’s mostly symbolic, Halo might just have a chance to rise again.
That said, it seems clear that Halo Studios won’t simply be able to continue doing what it’s always done—something has to give. The heart and soul of Halo probably won’t change, of course: future mainline games are likely to remain action-heavy first-person shooters. But just because Microsoft is shackled to audience expectations and genre conventions doesn’t mean that it can’t branch out with more inventive and off-the-wall spin-off titles, and looking toward other franchises could be the best way to get the ball rolling. Helldivers is an IP that shares more than a bit of DNA with Halo, and although its sophomore release has garnered a lot of buzz, its inaugural outing is worth learning from as well.
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Halo Studios Could Take Notes from Helldivers’ Top-Down Arcade Gameplay
Halo: Spartan Strike and Halo: Spartan Assault Never Got the Attention They Deserved
In 2013, Microsoft let loose Halo: Spartan Assault, a top-down, twin-stick shooter set between the events of Halo 3 and Halo 4. Two years later came Halo: Spartan Strike, which doubled down on the arcade-style gameplay of its predecessor. Although this duology is far from perfect, it’s hard to deny that the concept of an arcade twin-stick shooter in the Halo universe has potential, and this potential should be realized in future spin-offs.
Halo is an FPS first and foremost, but its more particular moment-to-moment gameplay elements work within the Spartan Assault formula, at least in theory. Many traditional Halo missions task players with controlling space on a large battlefield, moving swiftly in and out of danger to dispatch enemies in the most efficient manner possible. This is rather different from the more linear and progressive nature of other FPS games, such as Call of Duty, which are more about constant forward movement and momentum. These foundational gameplay elements translate well to the arcade formula of Spartan Assault and Strike, and they would translate even better with an injection of Helldivers design.
The First Helldivers Would Make a Strong Base for a Spartan Assault/Strike Revival
Though it attracted something of a cult following, a lot of players slept on Helldivers back in 2015, which is a crying shame: the series’ first outing may appear quaint and rudimentary in comparison to its younger AAA sibling, but it is just as expressive, bombastic, and relentlessly addictive. Now-iconic gameplay systems like Stratagems function in much the same way in this first game, and the satisfying blend of long-term planning and real-time reaction, not to mention terrific co-op functionality, are just as strong in Helldivers 1 as they are in Helldivers 2.
Since Halo has already established a precedent for twin-stick shooters, it would make sense to borrow some of Helldivers 1‘s design sensibilities for a Halo: Spartan threequel. Indeed, adapting Helldivers‘ multiplayer features, and creative implementation of tools, unique weapons, and power-ups, could be a boon for Halo‘s spin-off lineup down the road, which in turn would benefit the broader series. The fact is, Halo is in need of some more allure, something that can attract the widest possible audience, and by leaning into multiplayer, sci-fi wackiness, and overwhelming alien vs. human combat, it has a better chance at reestablishing its cultural prestige and relevance.
