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Halo’s local split-screen multiplayer is returning for good this time

By Garrett Hulfish Published June 15, 2022

halo split screen — Image used with permission by copyright holder

It used to be that if a first-person shooter had multiplayer, it probably had a split-screen option as well. This was back before the internet was so readily available and you had to go to a friend’s house to play a game with them. These days, multiplayer has moved from the couch and onto the internet.

Despite this move, the Halo series has always served as a pillar of local split-screen play. That is, until this mode was oddly missing from the latest entry

Halo 5: Guardians

. On Thursday, during a speech at the annual DICE Summit, Microsoft confirmed the Halo series will be bringing back split-screen modes in all future titles.

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“We will always have split-screen support going forward,” 343 Industries chief Bonnie Ross told the crowd. What has yet to be confirmed is whether this statement applies to cooperative or competitive modes. Additionally, there was no clarification on how split-screen modes might work with the Xbox Play Anywhere model. Will Windows 10 users be able to play with others on a console?

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When Halo 5 was released, fans were vocal about the absence of any local multiplayer options. Both the versus modes and the main campaign features four-player battling, yet this feature was strictly available online. What made this omission even more surprising was that 343 developers told fans during development that Halo 5 would include split-screen modes. It wasn’t until later in development that they walked back on that statement.

During Ross’ speech, she admitted that fan outcry was significant. “It was incredibly painful for the community and for us.” She event went as far to say the removal of split-screen “eroded trust” with their fanbase.

While Halo 6 has yet to be formally announced, it’s not surprising that 343 Industries is hard at work on another entry. The franchise stands as one of the biggest properties owned by Microsoft.

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Garrett Hulfish

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Garrett is the kind of guy who tells you about all the tech you haven't heard of yet. He also knows too much about other…

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Halo Infinite’s co-op test didn’t launch yesterday, but it’s still coming soon

A team of Spartans gear up for battle in Halo Infinite.

Halo Infinite's co-op insider flight build didn't launch on July 11 as some players anticipated, but the test is still on track to launch soon. According to 343 Industries Community Director Brian Jarrard, the team is still looking to launch the test this week, though it could come a bit later than planned

https://twitter.com/ske7ch/status/1546533711818006528

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Soul Hackers 2 splits the difference between Persona 5 and Shin Megami Tensei V

Ringo, Arrow, and other party members stare at something in the distance in Soul Hackers 2.

Atlus has perfected the JRPG and is now reveling in it. Persona 5 is one of the best games of the 2010s, thanks to its endearing cast of characters and impeccably stylish presentation. Meanwhile, Shin Megami Tensei V was no slouch in 2021 as it provided a dark and hardcore demon-driven RPG experience. After demoing the game at Summer Game Fest Play Days, t’s clear that Atlus has found a clear sci-fi middle ground with Soul Hackers 2.
Souls Hackers 2 is a tried-and-true Atlus JRPG with dungeon crawling, casual friend hangouts and conversations, and polished weakness-driven JRPG combat. It hits many of the same notes as Persona 5 and Shin Megami Tensei V, so it won’t change what you think about the genre. Still, if Persona 5 or Shin Megami Tensei V had won you over to this new era of Atlus JRPGs, then Souls Hackers 2 will give you dozens of more hours of JRPG enjoyment.

What’s here for Persona fans?
My demo of Soul Hackers 2 began in the Hangout, where protagonist Ringo and her party can hang out and heal between dungeon-crawling escapades. Then, I proceeded to go into the futuristic sci-fi city, buy some weapons, gear, and healing items from eccentric shopkeepers, and get a drink with my party members named Arrow.
After Ringo and Arrow got to know each other better by discussing what they liked to drink, they gained Soul Levels to make them stronger. Right off the bat, this was all very reminiscent of Persona with the expectation of the futuristic sci-fi setting. The UI in and out of battles takes a cue from Persona 5 by trying to look very stylish, though Soul Hackers 2 leans more into a digitized style than Persona 5’s luscious anime-style menus.
I didn’t spend enough time with this part of the game or the small character moments within it to get a feeling of whether or not its narrative will come together as well as Persona 5. Still, that game got me to fall in love with an eccentric cast of high-school cliche characters, so Soul Hackers 2 has the potential to do the same with a cast that leans into sci-fi stereotypes.

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The best multiplayer Xbox One games

e3 2019 gears 5 escape mode modernizes the microsoft franchise screenshot

Nearing the end of the Xbox One's life cycle, one thing is clear: Although there are some excellent single-player Xbox One games, the console is defined by its multiplayer titles. Games like Halo 5 and Sea of Thieves cement Xbox One as the place to play with friends. Including the two previously mentioned games, here are the best multiplayer games currently available on Xbox One.

For this list, we looked for multiplayer games that are best experienced on Xbox One. That includes Xbox One exclusives, of course, but also games that are enhanced for Xbox One X. Most of the best multiplayer Xbox One games are available on Game Pass, too. If you want a few more options, make sure to check out our guide on the best multiplayer games on PC.