Back in the 2000s, there was no more fun that children could have with their friends than booting up a first-gen Xbox and jumping into the Halo franchise to battle against aliens, the Flood, or Brutes in attempt to prevent the end of humanity. For most of the series, players take on the role of Master Chief Petty Officer John-117 as he joins his fellow human Marines across the galaxy wherever he be needed. Although, more often than not, Master Chief will be the only one standing after a mission.
Not because the Marines weren't good soldiers, but Master Chief is of another breed. The Spartans, of which Master Chief belongs, are an genetically-engineered humans in Halo that tower over standard people and are trained for combat from childhood. Master Chief survives each dangerous encounter with a combination of dumb luck and the skill he's carried with him since he was young. One of those skills he uses is the ability to dual-wield, but how this manifests in each game differs.
Dual-Wielding in Original Halo Trilogy
Even in the blockbuster first entry, dual-wielding wouldn't be a feature. It wouldn't be until the well-received sequel that developer Bungie decided to include the ability to hold more than one weapon at once. This feature would prove so popular that it would then be carried over into Halo 3. While it would continue to show up in part in later entries, it would never be with the freedom that players had access to in Halo 2Â & Halo 3. In its most free iteration, Halo's dual-wielding mechanics allowed players to carry up to two of the following weapons: M7, Magnum Pistol, Plasma Pistol, Plasma Rifle, Brute Plasma Rifle, and Needler. Halo 3 added main weapons, the T-25 Spiker and the T-52 Mauler.
Dual wielding in the Halo franchise would provide obvious advantages, while also trying to keep players from becoming too powerful. While holding more than one weapon, players have access to enhanced firepower and versatility in shooting style. A pistol and rifle combo, for instance, would help Master Chief take out medium range enemies while also being ready for any close range Grunts that might sneak up on his flank. This also translates into higher rates of firepower and increased ammunition. As good as that may sound, it also came with a cost for players.
When dual-wielding, players are unable to melee, throw grenades, or use their equipment. This can provide an issue while reloading too, because there is nothing a player can do in that window of time. Some other hindrances include a decrease in accuracy, damage, and an increase in the amount of ammo that the Chief uses.
Later Entries
After Halo 3, developer Bungie parted ways with Microsoft and thus with the Halo franchise. When Halo 4 was released by its new developer 343 Industries, some mechanics had been changed and improved upon, with others had been removed completely. One of the mechanics that was removed was the ability to dual-wield weapons, with one exception being in the Capture the Flag multiplayer mode where players can hold a flag in one hand and their Magnum pistol in the other. This continues in the following sequels, with no proper dual wielding in any of the 343 Industries original titles.
This seems to be because 343 Industries viewed the ability to have one than one weapon at a time as hard to balance. A single SMG would have to be too weak to keep from being overpowered when dual-wielded. Because of this, it's likely that the upcoming entry, Halo Infinite, won't have dual-wielding either, as hinted at by 343.
While some people may speak the praises of dual-wielding guns in the Halo franchise, it wasn't without its issues. The SMGs in Halo 2 and Halo 3 feel completely unbalanced when compared to the similar guns developed by 343 Industries. The automated gun felt like it couldn't even stand up against the Plasma Pistols, the universally known worst weapon in Halo. Overall, it makes sense why 343 Industries would abandon the dual-wielding mechanic, as it led to more entertaining gunplay overall.
Halo Infinite releases fall 2021 for PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.