Microsoft Shares More Halo 5 Guardians REQ Details

There’s less than a month left until the Halo 5 Guardians release date and 343 Industries is using that time to educate Xbox One owners about the different abilities that’ll be available in the game’s new REQ system.

343 Industries, the developer in charge of modernizing the Halo experience with Halo 5 Guardians, first announced the Halo 5 REQ system this summer. The REQ system lets players earn credits for completing matches of all types. That’s not all, gamers earn more credit for the things they do during a match too. Credit can be spent on better weapons and new looks plus one-time use REQ Cards. It was only last week that the studio broke down the different types of cards and add-ons that users can expect.

The Halo 5 Guardians release date is October 27th.

Read: New Halo 5 Gameplay Videos & Details Arrive

This week’s post from 343 Industries breaks those REQ Cards down and provides examples of what they do. REQ Cards can only be used in the Halo 5’s arena and Warzone multiplayer. At the top of the REQ card heap is going to be the Oathsworn. It’s described as a “mythic power weapon” and will be incredibly hard to earn in the game as it’s intended to be rare. “Oathsworn is one example of these personalized implements of death and destruction. The current Oathsworn was not the first, nor will it be the last. Many Oathsworn’s have been abandoned on various battlefields over the years, only to be rebuilt for another battle – another mission,” the developer says.

The REQ Card sneak peek included with this week’s post reveals some of the changes Halo 5 Guardians buyers can make to their character through the REQ system. Stance REQ Cards allow players to change how their characters position their weapons when not moving. Assassination REQ Cards are for changing what a character does when they’re able to sneak behind an enemy in kill them in the most brutal way possible. Weapon Skin REQ Cards let gamers change how their weapon of choice looks. 343 Industries provides an orange Battle Rifle as an example of what’s possible with Weapon Skin REQ Cards. Armor REQ Cards let players change the body of their Spartan. There are also different Helmet REQ Cards for more flair.

Users who prefer a specific weapon can acquire a REQ Card that lets them include their favorite weapon with their default loadout. There are vehicle REQ Cards too.

REQ Cards and the REQ System are just one of the major additions 343 Industries has made to the Halo experience. The studio announced Warzone, one of the places in the game where players can use the REQ System, this past June at E3 2015. Warzone lets players band together and battle the covenant, plus another team in a huge, open sandbox. 24 different Xbox One owners can participate in a Warzone match, with the game and Microsoft’s servers adding in Covenant forces to fight against both teams. As a Warzone mission progresses, players unlock higher-tier rewards and free-up more REQ equipment.

343 Industries has introduced some new ideas to the game’s campaign experience too. The game’s protagonists John 117 and Jameson Locke both have a team of Spartans travelling with them on their mission. Players can dish out orders to their team whenever they want or invite friends to take control of those team members and complete the story with them.

Read: New Halo 5 Videos Reveal Warzone & More Story

Microsoft hopes that Halo 5 Guardians will convince millions to upgrade to its Xbox One entertainment console instead of purchasing a PS4 this holiday season. Other Xbox exclusives include Rise of the Tomb Raider and Forza 6. Microsoft also announced that it’ll be the only console with Fallout 4 available with the purchase of a 1TB Xbox One.