An early look at Halo 5: Guardians multiplayer

At this week's PAX East gaming expo in Boston, Microsoft lifted the curtain on Halo 5: Guardians' multiplayer mode, making it available for all attendees to play. This isn't the first time the multiplayer mode has been spotted in the wild — buyers of the Halo: Master Chief Collection box set got a three-week preview in January — but it's the first chance we've had to get into the game.

Halo revolutionized the first-person shooter genre — on consoles, anyway — and breathed new life into a market dominated by Call of Duty and Battlefield clones. Its intuitive control scheme and engaging science fiction setting helped it become a staple of tournaments around the world.

That familiar feel hasn't changed much through a slew of sequels, but Halo 5: Guardians is set to usher in the most radical changes to the Halo multiplayer experience since the original.

Following recent trends in the genre, Halo 5 includes a suite of new abilities that increase your character's mobility and give you a new way to compete for map control.

With your thruster pack, you can quick dash in any direction, hover in place, perform a "ground pound," and rush opponents for a melee attack. Halo 5 also introduces a new clambering mechanic that lets you quickly reach ledges that have been added to the multiplayer maps.

For longtime fans, these new moves may feel like a radical departure from the core Halo experience, but they add valuable tactical options. I found myself employing quick dash most of all the new moves, using it to get out of firefights and duck behind cover. In contrast, I hardly used the hover ability at all.

The new rush mechanic is a highly situational tool, but when paired with the SMG or an energy-sword it makes you an unstoppable force. You can quickly close the gap to an opponent and unleash huge damage as your opponent struggles to respond.

The ground pound feature has a similar effect, though you can only activate the maneuver while airborne. It damages a relatively small area, but has the potential to one-hit-kill anyone in the effective radius.

Along with the new moves comes a significant improvement to how you interact with your weapon. Each gun now has a unique display when you look down the sights. This new "Smart Scope" gives you access to important info like remaining ammo, as well as a futuristic targeting reticle.

Be careful, though: While you get a zoomed-in view of the enemy, taking any damage kicks you back to a normal view and leaves you temporarily disoriented. In competitive matches, that could be the difference between life and death against an opponent who can push the advantage.

While you can pre-order Halo 5: Guardians right now, there's no definite release date. Microsoft and 343 Industries can only promise it'll hit store shelves before 2016, but if what we saw at PAX is any indication, it should be a title worth waiting for.