Screenshots & trailers
How this score was computed
The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.
| Component | Positive | Quality (0-100) | Weight (pseudo-reviews) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Press reviews (Metacritic) | – | 84 | 20 |
| Creator reviews (4 tracked) | – | 78 | 4 |
| All-time Steam reviews | – | – | 0 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | 65 | 750 |
| Backloggd ratings | – | 46 | 750 |
| Xbox store ratings | – | 67 | 750 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | – | – | 0 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 0 reviews sampled · 0 total reviews in window · weighted 0 up / 0 down · computed 1h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (101)
Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.
- 65
“Halo 5: Guardians is okay. Its campaign is rubbish, but the multiplayer is solid thanks to the foundation it’s built upon. Warzone is a really enjoyable experience, and while combat is still mostly about tossing grenades and hitting the melee button, the whole Requisition gimmick adds some much-needed flavor to proceedings.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“The ultimate irony here is that what gets our species in trouble in the campaign's narrative is ultimately the kind of needless combat that the game excels at.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Halo 5 has a run-of-the-mill campaign that isn't as interesting or exciting as the one from Halo 4. Of course, that doesn't make the game weak - you can play with pleasure and impatiently wait for the final chapter of the new trilogy. But Guardians shines in a different aspect: the multiplayer portion of the game is phenomenal and will keep you glued to the screen for hundreds of hours.”
read full review ↗ - 60
- 80
“While the multiplayer components are the best since Halo 3, the campaign disappoints in a few key areas. It's still enjoyable and exciting on the whole, but it lacks the narrative concentration and the memorable gameplay scenarios to stand neck and neck with the best entries in the series. Halo 5: Guardians still gets a massive recommendation from us for many reasons, though there's certainly room for 343 Industries to improve and evolve the campaign formula next time around.”
read full review ↗ - 89
“Halo 5 has a short, albeit dramatic campaign, full of action and huge, visually striking environments that will leave you wanting for more, literally, because its ending is a little bit anticlimactic too. But, despite all of this, fans of the Halo Universe will have a great time playing through it, especially if they've got a team of friends at hand. And the multiplayer component might well be the best we've seen in all the series. Warzone will soon place itself among the most memorable and beloved game modes in the story of Halo.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Halo 5: Guardians is a fantastic step for the series. 343 Industries proves it knows the series, and this being the first official game on the Xbox One”
read full review ↗ - 89
“Halo 5's single-player campaign is fun, but the game is at its best when you're coordinating with others and attacking objectives as a team.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“It's a shame that Halo 5's story is disappointing, because nearly everything else surrounding it is fantastic. The friendly AI definitely needs work, and there are a few too many enemy types that need to be attacked from behind in order to damage, but the level design is some of the best the series has ever seen, and the new abilities the player can use dramatically improve both the campaign and multiplayer. Throw in the robust Breakout and Warzone multiplayer modes and I think it's safe to say that you could find yourself wrapped in Halo 5 for quite some time.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Halo 5 lacks something fresh and surprising, a breath of new life. The campaign is interrupted in the wrong moment and the lack of split-screen is disappointing, but these cons are balanced out by addictive and satisfying multiplayer. The game is not without certain defects, but it's still worth recommending.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“In some ways, Halo 5 is the boldest Halo yet. The franchise's multiplayer is at its peak, with a mode I'm sure I'll return to several times over. But then there's the campaign, which introduces fluid new movement and open level design, yet can't tell a coherent story to match. There are signs of a phenomenal shooter here, but certain narrative aspects feel underdeveloped, holding the franchise's newest sequel back from true excellence.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“It’s not the best Halo game I’ve ever played, but it is good, delivering most of the Halo essentials without compromise.”
read full review ↗
The Jimquisition
Slant Magazine
GRYOnline.pl
The Angry Joe Show
Pure Xbox
LevelUp
ZTGD
Worth Playing
The Escapist
Eurogamer
GameSpot
TheSixthAxis…and 89 more tracked reviews.