hey all...

before you ask, no, this is not too soon.
the 720 may be out as early as holiday season 2013,
and you can be sure that the next halo title will soon follow.
while halo 4 was amazing, it failed in many respects, which i
have detailed here:
www.planetminecraft.com/blog/halo-4-the-good-and-the-bad/

but here today i intend to talk about what would make halo 5 one of
the most epic games ever to grace a console. i have separated
this blog into sections detailing the possible improvements
and additions to each aspect of the franchise. these are mainly
campaign and multiplayer,

campaign

halo 4's campaign was a mite short. in halo 5, there should be 10-12 good-sized missions, or even just 5-7 uber-long ones. the one thing that would make the campaign more entertaining is multiple-solution objectives in an open world. not open-world in the traditional sense, but rather some really big sandboxes. that doesn't mean we have to completely obliterate corridor-trawling, but bigger play-space would help a lot. another thing: multiple storylines.
mainly, being able to play a level with different objectives as another main character, who could be anyone from the classic Arbiter and Chief to a common footsoldier like an elite, brute, ODST, or marine. there could even be unique missions for each sub-protagonist. still, this doesn't mean there would have to be branching storylines, playing as the losinng side would eventually result in a noble 6-style last stand. i think this venue could introduce a few new/ updated mechanics, (VISR, flight, stealth, melee combos, etc.) and add some variety. which kinda leads me into my next point: reintroducing the brutes and drones. fighting a more diversified group of enemies is never a bad thing. as a personal opinion, players should be able to edit campaign missions and add objectives, enemies, and weapons.

multiplayer

the sheer awesomeness of customization in halo 4 can be taken to even greater heights in the next game. players should be able to play as spartans, elites, brutes, and promethean knights for the typical gametypes. in untraditional modes, (think reach's firefight with huge symmetrical battles) other species could be used. in addition to the cosmetic aspect of armor, it should also be able to change your traits ever-so-slightly to suit your play style. (think: EVA high jump, CQB melee boost, scout speed boost, etc.) obviously, the loadouts system should be kept, but maybe with permanent boosts that stay assigned to your main character. instead of just custom gametypes, players should be able to make their own, greatly increasing creative potential. an important customization option would be to choose if teammate waypoints are displayed, reticules turn red, and enemy names show up, allowing for more hardcore sniper games, etc. forge maps and custom types deserve their own playlist. in general, servers should be able to support larger maps and more players, which hopefully the 720 and new XBL server tech should be able to handle.

gameplay, weapons, and vehicles

gee, where do i start... i think a new system should be integrated for grenades. just pressing LT would throw, but holding it would draw a grenade and prime it. this would allow players to be ready to toss at a moment's notice, and be able to drop a nade if they're about to be killed. this could serve as a signal or suicide bomb. new grenades could be added altogether, like an EMP nade to immobilize your enemies, area-of-effect shield drainer, and a magnet field.
both fire and spike grenades should return. selective-fire should be able to be utilized, somehow involving the D-pad. automatic DMR, anyone? turrets should be added, like a forerunner laser beam or a brute explosive shell launcher. in general, the weapons count should increase, feature every previous gun, and maybe even some new ones. i, for one, would like a needle shotgun :) vehicles-wise, air vehicles like the falcon and hornet should be brought back on the scene. prometheans should have some wheels, too, like a motorcycle or a tank/ transport. in larger gametypes, maybe even pelicans, spirits, and phantoms. an important option would be being able to choose your exact favorite controller layout and to be able to save it for future use.

well, you who have read this, feel free to do whatever you like where diamonds, favs, and comments are concerned.
i will probably update this often, because i'm always getting ideas...