Halo 5: Guardians Launch Trailer Revealed

Image Source: Polygon

Has the Master Chief ever faced a more dangerous mission than this? Possibly not.
Microsoft Game Studios and 343 Industries have today débuted the official launch trailer for their upcoming science-fiction first-person-shooter video game Halo 5: Guardians.

Like many of the much-discussed sequel to 2012's Halo 4's other promotional videos, this final CGI preview puts the Master Chief and Agent Locke, the Spartan soldier tasked with bringing Earth's ex-saviour to justice, front and centre, no doubt owing to the fact that players will switch between control of these two warring protagonists as Guardians' franchise-altering campaign develops, a neat homage to Halo 2's multiple lead characters if ever we spotted one.

The element which easily distinguishes the latest (and, might we say, most encouragingly dramatic) TV spot from its predecessors, however, is its emphasis on the lengths to which Locke will go so as to ensure that the Chief's abandonment of the United Nations Space Command (or UNSC for short, as if fans of the series didn't already know as much) doesn't go unpunished; whereas past trails have hinted at the aforementioned ruthless hunter's "shoot first, ask questions later" approach to potential combat situations, with just a few weeks to go until their second full Halo narrative enters its followers' hands and minds, 343 aren't shying away from broaching the possibility that the long-running saga's stalwart hero mightn't make it to the credits intact. Who knows? Perhaps this time around, the only fight that Sierra-117 will manage to finish will be none other than his own!

He's not the only one with a formidable challenge on his hands, either - we'll gladly admit that awarding 343's freshman voyage into Bungie's rich universe, Halo 4, with a 10/10 score three years back on account of its gripping storyline mightn't have been our finest hour in hindsight, especially given its repetitive level design, uninspired set-piece moments and above all its dreadfully mediocre enemy AI, but rest assured when we confirm that it's not a mistake we here at On-Screen intend to repeat in this case. Yes, Guardians might well have knocked every ball cast in its direction out of the park to date from a marketing perspective, yet that won't stop us or the numerous fans across the Earth who had bones to pick with 343 post-release in 2012 from scrutinising this much-anticipated sophomore effort in as intricate - albeit balanced - a manner as possible, meaning those series veterans expecting us to award full marks without question might be best served by taking a seat and not holding their collective breath between now and the fast-approaching day of our full review.

Halo 5: Guardians will plunge into orbit and exclusively onto Xbox One consoles - via high-street and digital video game retailers alike, naturally - on Tuesday, October 27th.