Pros and Cons: Halo 5 MP Beta (Updated 14/1/15)

G'day there guys and gals!

Generally when I review a game, I write down pros and cons under my specific guidelines; storyline, voice acting, gameplay ect ect. However here you'll be getting my notes on the beta fresh and impromptu with very little edits. The only bits edited to this list will be any updates (Like today's new content) added until beta's end and the small technical terms so that you can all understand them (such as; OP - Overpowered, PvP - Player vs Player ect).

Any additional comments will be added regularly. Enjoy!

Update: in case anyone returning simply wishes to know the updated ratios, they sit as follow.
Pro: 13
Con: 29

Update:
CURRENT GAME IMPRESSIONS
In the final days of the beta, I have come to this saddening conclusion: I will not be buying Halo 5 on launch, and perhaps maybe not at all at this point of time. With the amount of issues, bugs and problems the beta is having (Most continuing for the majority outside NA), especially so with more appearing with each update, my hopes for Halo 5 are little to none. My only hope now is that these issues are being resolved for the full release itself; I am excited for the campaign but this multiplayer beta has proven to be nothing but soul diminishing.
Never before has a game caused this type of hatred in me as a gamer and this is something I do not want to continue.

343, if you're reading this, please don't get me wrong; this game is fantastic, fresh and breathes new life to the Halo franchise but these issues must be addressed before release.

MAPS
-Trench
-Crossfire
-Regret
-Eden
-Pegasus
-Orion

MODES
Breakout - new game type - 4 players (Red vs Blue), 1 life, weakened shields, 5 rounds to win

Slayer - standard PvP TDM (Player vs Player Team Deathmatch) - maps feature powered weapon(s) to give player more deadly edge

Stronghold - King Of The Hill X3 - Three capture zone, teams need two to begin scoring, first to 100 points win

PROS

* Gameplay is fluid and moves quickly
* Weapons have been updated, upgraded and now vary much, much differently
* Customisation is good, more is definitely needed/wanted/rewarded post-match
* Character armor distinctive and fresh looking, much more detail
* Map design is well fleshed out, the two supports long to short range equally, ditto for two new ones.
* Assassination animations REALLY satisfying
* Graphics/frame rate is definitely pretty
* Spartan thruster pack makes maneuverability much more agile and quick to avoid danger, same with Clamber, Spartan Charge, Slide, Ground Pound (yes that is the official name) and finally Sprint.
* Breakout much faster than standard TDM, lowered shields make hiding and attacking decisions more challenging.
* Rewards, while very very infrequent, are very satisfying when unlocked.
* The new maps, while spins on the original ones, are greatly changed and much more dynamic and fluid.
* Breakout's maps are almost paintball like, which suits the ending animation.
* Stronghold is a classic twist on an old fashioned mode. Kudos.

CONS

* Death music becomes annoying too fast; loses all dramatic effect after your third death
* Kill cam is too quick, shows off enemy more than the death itself. Recommend renaming it "Murderer Cam" or something less cliche at least.
* SMG is WAAAAAAAY OP (overpowered); SMGs of the past had huge recoil - barely recoil and murderous close-mid range, even at long in bursts. Primarily used in Breakout too - not wise.
* After death fades to black much too, makes exiting to ingame camera take too long to see anything from team members.
* Classic Halo controls replaced with standard FPS (First Person Shooter) controls, pretty much why many regard it as "Call of Halo". Suggest offering a "classic" control option.
* Settings in Beta VERY limited; No subtitles, no brightness option, no screen setting ect
1 * Past menu screen, no music and no audio other than quiet talking. Suggest even play menu music to vibe up the boring load times.
* Power-weapons in Slayer don't really rely on the weapons itself. First thought in game was to "Score with weapons", not just kills. Suggest making a mode with only marked weaponry scoring for the team, or make weapons more needed by team.
* Ending scene repeats every time with the animation, the only change being team size, which rarely happens. Even one more animation post match would be an improvement.
2 * Game matches don't begin unless entire team full, this causes the wait to be 5+ minutes in a silent lobby only to be KTD (Kicked To Dashboard) or the menu screen. Primary reason why the game menu is torture.
* No map layout bar minimap, exploration/memorise absolutely necessary, including for weaponry.
* Too many deaths in a match/multiple defeats in battle = progression loss? People don't get dumber if they fail at something. Suggest removal, progression is limited to roughly 1-20 points per match, already slow/hard enough.
* UPDATE: progression loss is also team defeat related. So bad teams = personal loss even after positive K/D? (Kill/Death Ratio)
No. Just...no. 
* UPDATE 2: Even despite a positive K/D does not reduce reduce status. From what I can tell, it comes down to the distance of team scores. The worse the difference, the worse you're demoted.
* Connectivity isn't shown, only know delay issues when attacking, players can be killed but still be alive via their connection and kill you. Possibly a Beta issue but still an issue nonetheless.
* Although more likely Beta related, finding players/matches can be incredibly slow, in regards to "1, 2", this is absolutely needed, or even a small  animation like the main menu
* Breakout round limits 2 minutes; it keeps the flow dynamic but called as "tie", even if one team have more alive players than the other. Suggest making end of rounds sudden death or handing the win to the team with more player.

* Players have already figured out spawn points and tend to camp those areas. Most spawns in the maps provided are usually around the edges. Suggest few more towards the center after the round's began.
* New troll move is to join games, quit and leave as the round begins, making the game 1v4. Suggest creating a penalty to those who leave the game early (Such as Reach's which bars them from joining matches for 10-20 mins)
* UPDATE: This is still happening and team balancing would be beneficial. 
* Rewards seem to only unlock during level progression, unnecessarily slowing customisation. Suggest letting achievements/in game kills also be linked to them (example; 10 assassinations = new visor)
* NO TEAM BALANCING: A full team of Gold Vs brand new players seems a little unfair, not to mention how 1v4 is still an issue.
* At least 1 out of 10 games are character/screen/action lagged. Kill cam shows players performing kills unseen on player's screen. This issue is mostly outside the North America area.
* Grenades EXPLODE ON IMPACT. Not sure if this was some mega-glitch or the grenade was shot mid air. 
* Latest update does not allow players to leave match setup after the intermission. My current record is 32 minutes before finding a full match. Only option is to go back to Dashboard and cancel game.
* Melee Range is waaaaaaaaay too close; often times enemies will bounce back with an invisible wall and make melee impossible to hit.
* Due to being a beta, many gamers have already figured out wall glitches and can kill from within walls. PLEASE ADDRESS THIS IMMEDIATELY.
* Players can be shot through the terminal while capturing an area in stronghold.
* I have been killed before spawning while sitting on the spectating screen. Not sure if due to lag or too early character respawn.