I think there are good and bad points about both systems.
Bungie does so much testing that it's obviously a very conscious decision - it changes the whole game dynamics. With rechargeable shields, you can basically run and gun (or simply run) through most of the latter levels in Halo 2 (SP). I've also found that my nephews (and friend's kids) who are under 10 years old can all get a grasp of Halo very fast but not the slightly slower paced, more tactical health pack oriented games. Whether or not these kids are supposed to be playing these "violent" shooters is one thing but you can bet Bungie is also counting on this part of the market to sell and play their games. They are the equivalent of casuals.
Of course, it's not all down to healthpacks since Halo plays a lot like Quake 2 (at least to me). Level design and enemy difficulty and speed also figure in.
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