: If you are evaluating it as an entry to the Halo franchise, it's anemic and
: direction less.

It's a solid game. They've got a great foundation. It's just that it has to live up to the larger-than-life Halos of the past.

Honestly, it would only take some subtle tweaks in directions (like Cody mentioned) to make me enjoy it much more. Some more medium tweaks and it could have been on the top shelf like the rest for me. For my own interest, the hardest task they have for the future is to make up for losing the Forerunner's mystery and allure and making them run-of-the-mill alien villains out to destroy the Earth. I don't know how they're going to do that, but it might be possible. Maybe the Forerunners should take a back seat for awhile. I don't know.

: So long as the same people who made Halo 4 work on Halo 5, the inadequacies
: will continue.

People can learn from their mistakes y'know - nobody starts out perfect, they have to work to get better. Now, the Halo 5 trailer didn't show me any changes in direction, but that doesn't mean a game a year and a half down the road couldn't show some real change. No reason to call it now.

I'm always ready to be pleasantly surprised. :)