In terms of value, MCC is unbeaten as you get access to multiple masterpieces both in terms of campaigns and multiplayers. The problem is MCC takes away many features from the individual games and adds problems (mostly multiplayer orientated). For example, the aim assist is way too strong in MCC which lowers the skill gap tremendously and can lead to a lot of trades and unfair gunfights when its controller vs mnk. Another issue is the MCC progression system, the level system is so boring it hurts and gives you no incentive to level up besides a slightly different icon instead of having unique levels like reach and 3 which help you to unlock new armor and stand out. Also, the way to unlock armor is as boring as it gets with a battle pass style system where you just unlock things in a set order pretty much instead of the reach style where you save up credits and level up so when people have rare items they are unique but in mcc everyone has these items. 343 Also decided to get rid of map voting/veto which ****. Overall, for me at least multiplayer is not as fun as it was back in the day. Another HUGE problem is co-op campaign, if you dont host you will have a lot of input lag and delay for some reason which makes it very annoying to play, this is the worst on halo 2 where the lobby will crash all of the time forcing you to restart the mission. The original games didnt have these problems. I love the Halo franchise and MCC is great for allowing people to play all of the older games but the multiplayer is a huge downgrade from the original and the campaigns can be unplayable in co-op. :(
Halo CE is a masterpiece and aged like fine wine. Firstly, the gameplay for 2001 was incredible, such a diverse sandbox in terms of vehicles, weapons and power ups. Each weapon is viable on every difficulty and for the first game to implement the 2 weapon system it worked perfectly as each weapon had a role for example plasma will burn shields faster while bullets do more damage to flesh. Furthermore the AI is far superior to most new FPS games as they are fair but smart and you learn to exploit their weaknesses as you pay through the game, there is very little bs even on legendary and most of the times you die it will be your fault not unfair AI. The balancing is perfect. As for the story, its good but quite slow as its setting up the rest of the franchise but conveys the theme of mystery extremely well and the introduction of the flood on 343 Guilty spark is perfect. Bungie did a great way at creating a mysterious atmosphere and you are always left with questions in each mission making you want to learn more. The characters are good, particularly Chief, Cortana and Keyes. My personal favourite missions are Silent Cartographer, Two Betrayals and The Maw. Only problem with the campaign is some of the levels are too repetitive and enclosed but this can be forgiven as it came out in 2001. I havent played too much of the multiplayer but from what i have played the maps are great and extremely unique and it's a lot of fun.
The story/plot of the campaign is near perfection, not on the level of Halo 2 or Reach but close. The characters are good but a downgrade to Halo 2's incredibly written cast and the campaign is not as in depth. Where the campaign really shines is in terms of its sandbox and gameplay. The sandbox is incredible with the introduction of equipment and multiple new weapons like the grav hammer and spartan laser. Equipment really makes each encounter more dynamic and fun as it adds another level of thought behind what you do so it feels more rewarding when you utilise equipment well. The guns are the most balanced they have been since CE so each weapon feels viable even on higher difficulties. The first few missions are quite standard and slow but still a good introduction to the game, however the game really begins to pick up after Tsavo Highway with The Storm, Floodgate, The Ark and The Convenant. These 4 missions are 11/10 each being so unique and influencial in terms of story but also fun af. The scale of Halo 3 is portrayed perfectly in these missions ranging from 2 scarabs at once, a flood infestation, and the all out war on the ark. The Ending to the campaign is the best yet with another warthog run but on an astronomical scale compared to CE and much more intense. There is also plenty of Easter eggs and collectibles throughout the campaign like skulls and terminals which add to the lore and also gameplay. The only complaint that i have is that heroic and legendary difficulty is way too unfair while in vehicles and being shot by vehicles. In terms of multiplayer this is peak arena shooters, the maps are great, sandbox perfect as well as game modes like griffball on top of the huge amount of custom games. Forge is brilliant allowing for you to make your own game modes and mess around with sandbox Theatre was a nice addition to the game so you can go back and watch replays
Genuinely one of the most incredible games of all time. The campaign is one of the best FPS campaigns ever with a great sandbox, range of enemies but also the most diverse collection of missions. Each mission is completely unique and utilises differently parts of the sandbox perfectly making every mission enjoyable. The characters are good for the short amount of screen time they have and the cutscenes are brilliant. The overall story is 10/10 and adds a lot to the halo lore in a completely unique and unexpected way, the final mission "lone wolf" diverts the stereotypes of usual campaign endings in a great way and conveys the ongoing feel of hopelessness portrayed throughout the entire game. As for the Multiplayer, armor abilities make it slightly worse than 3's imo, as they are annoying and dont mix well as sprint is one for some reason. However the sandbox is arguably the best and BTB is incredible as well as infected. Standard slayer is ok but there is no reason not to use the DMR as it even outguns the AR at close range. The main problem is the bloom on guns like the DMR which makes shooting enemies painful at times. Forge is the best in the franchise apart from 5 and gives you a huge world to explore and build on, plenty of objects and custom games to create which is why Reach has such an incredible range of customs. Firefight is good, im personally not the biggest fan of firefight in general but it is enjoyable although too easy at times but there are plenty of options to change to adjust the difficulty and the maps are great although ripped straight from the campaign most of the time.
