Halo was never “too slow,” but it’s not meant to be fast-paced either

With the constant changes 343 Industries have been making to Halo over the last decade — changes that fans never asked for, nor were embraced by them — there have arisen numerous arguments between those who prefer the original Halo games by Bungie and those who prefer the Halo games by 343.

One argument that’s frequently put forth by 343 fans and which has gained prevalence in recent years, is that classic Halo is too slow and boring. This isn’t how most of them express their opinion, though. It’s almost always said with disdain and worded in a particular way to mock and insult the original games and the people who enjoy them.

The reality, however, is that the original Halo games were never too slow, rather, they were intended to possess a deliberate pacing for methodical strategy. Halo does not seek to emulate the frenetic pace of Quake or the frenzied gameplay of Unreal Tournament. It possesses its own distinct set of rules and characteristics that define its gameplay and identity. Halo is Halo.

One of the reasons why the critics of classic Halo feel it’s too slow is because they’re ignorant of the fact that FOV greatly impacts our perception of speed. On their initial release on Xbox, both Halo 2 and Halo 3 ran at 30 fps and had a FOV of around 70 degrees. That’s quite low, and a low FOV results in a slower perceived speed of gameplay. Furthermore, a game played at 30 fps also tends to be perceived as slower compared to playing it at 60 fps.

The video above shows side-by-side gameplay footage of both Halo 2 and Halo 3 running at a resolution of 1920×1080, 60 fps, but with different FOV. It demonstrates that a higher FOV contributes to a heightened sense of speed, despite that the base player movement speed is the same.

During the 2000s, game devs would often set a FOV of around 60-70 for console games and a higher FOV of around 90-100 for PC games. The inclusion of an option for players to customize their FOV in console games gained popularity after 2007. Most games today run at 60 fps, have a default FOV of 90 or higher, and allow players to adjust their FOV within a range of 70-120. Gamers have become accustomed to 60 fps games with a high FOV and as a result, when they play a game with a low FOV, some perceive the game as being too slow.

Consider also the fact that many modern shooters are fast-paced due to their inclusion of advanced mobility mechanics. This, which is accentuated by a high FOV and frame rates above 30 fps, makes some people feel that the classic Halo games are “too slow” and “boring.” This sentiment, which is subjective and not accurate, is primarily shared by the younger generation who’ve not experienced shooters that were prevalent during or prior to the 2007 era. The enduring success and widespread admiration for the original Halo games dispel the notion that they were too slow. Evidently, the classic formula proved effective and continues to be cherished by millions even today.

It’s worth mentioning that sprint or other advanced mobility mechanics don’t necessarily make a game fast-paced. In fact, in some cases, sprint slows gameplay down. What truly matters and what truly determines the perceived speed of a game is the intensity of the experience.

A good example of how FOV impacts our perception of speed is this incredible optical illusion by Akiyoshi Kitaoka, a Professor of Psychology at Ritsumeikan University, Japan, which demonstrates that removing objects from your peripheral vision tricks the brain into thinking it is moving slower than it is.

This optical illusion below is another great example. Cover up the center of the image with your hand and you’ll see that the dots around it will appear to speed up. Cover up the edges and the dots will appear to have slowed down.

I had originally posted this on Twitter and was surprised by the level of engagement it received. Thousands of people found it interesting which was nice. It’s a subject not widely known but deserves attention. It’s especially important for gamers to be aware of how FOV impacts their gaming experience since it can affect both the immersion and the performance of the game.