The Making Of Halo Illuminated

Thanks to Gamesradar for their Edge-reprinted feature on the making of Bungie's seminal Xbox FPS, Halo. According to a Bungie producer, the team "...decided they wanted to go back to the roots of a game like Marathon, combining it with some of the things we learnt from Myth." Other topics include the originally impossible tutorial level ("I actually had several play testers decide they wanted to quit playing the game and go home, rather than go through the opening level"), and the relative disappointment of The Library level ("A lot of the little things like that added up to make the Library a lot less than what we wanted it to be.")

Comments

2 YEARS!!!

[Acidic_Diarrhea]

2 years later and we're still discussing the making of it and it's still being sold for $50 on the XBox? Come on...

Sure, it's a good game. But there are other good games that have been made in the two years since. How about a little interview with someone who's working on Halo 2? I'm sure people are a lot more interested in how that production is coming than how the creation of Halo has gone.

Re:2 YEARS!!!

[bigman2003]

True, it has been a long time. But people still buy it, and people still play it. It's good enough that they are still interested about how it was made. Another interesting thing- Halo sold about 10-20 times the number of most other Xbox games. But when you go into your used game store, it is rare to find used copies of Halo for sale. Is it the best game ever? Who knows...that changes all the time- but it really is a good game.

Re:2 YEARS!!!

[Lemental]

I work in a used game store..

We have new and used copies.

Halo does rock though. I played it on the PC on easy and was reacting to things jumping at me on the screen. Something I havent done since Quake. Its a challenging game.

I am sure once Halo2 is out we will see a Myth type game for the Xbox. Maybe even another Myth.

I sit here waiting.

Sellout?

[Quixotic Raindrop]

Someone should do an article on how, when Bungie sold out to M$, Alex and Jason were quoted as saying that M$ wouldn't tell them what games to make, or what platforms to make them for.

So, after two years, Halo is the only thing Bungie made, and it was only available for the XBox. That sure is a big choice in platforms, and demonstrates how Bungie could tell M$ what games they were going to make. Sell Out indeed.

Re:Sellout?

[swat_r2]

As long as they continue to make amazing games who gives a shit?

Re:Sellout?

[gumpish]

As long as they continue to make amazing games who gives a shit?

Yeah, you're right... after all, who doesn't own an X-Box?

Re:Sellout?

[swat_r2]

I don't know, at these prices it's hard to see why not :)

Re:Sellout?

[Quobobo]

Well... how about fans who don't wat to support Microsoft by buying an Xbox? Trust me, the Mac community is not overjoyed by the loss of the company that was once their best game developer.

Re:Sellout?

[Mike Mentalist]

Well... how about fans who don't wat to support Microsoft by buying an Xbox?

Then, um, you don't get to play the game. It's that simple, and if you are going to let some sad little principle get in the way of playing a game that you really like then that is your problem.

If you want to play Monkey Ball, you buy a GC. If you want to play GT3, you buy a PS2. If you want to play Halo, you buy an Xbox.


Trust me, the Mac community is not overjoyed by the loss of the company that was once their best game developer.

Oh please. Are we supposed to be sympathetic about this?
The consoles makers get developers and games to be exclusive on their platforms all the time.

Re:Sellout?

[Anonymous Coward]

shill #1

Re:Sellout?

[Anonymous Coward]

"....some sad little principle...."

MS Apologist. Where has Microsoft let you go today?

Fact #1: Bungie started as a Mac-only developer.
Fact #2: Halo 2 was developed as a multi-platform game (Mac & PC, console ports to follow inevitably).
Fact #3: Bungie founders made public announcements that Microsoft would have little influence over the availability of their titles.
Fact #4: Halo, Bungie's sole product since the sellout, is now a Microsoft exclusive.

Your comparisons to Super Monkey Ball and Gran Turismo are misleading and irrelevant, since the above sequence of events does not apply to either game series. And if you can't see why people have reason to be angered over the Bungie sellout, surely your thinking is tainted by bias (as would mine be, from the opposite - and correct, mind you - standpoint).

Fact #5: Microsoft is still evil.
Fact #6: I will never purchase a Microsoft product.
Fact #7: I'm not pissed off about Halo, I'm pissed off that more people aren't pissed off about Halo, and that some people don't know why others could possibly be pissed off about Halo.

Re:Sellout?

[Anonymous Coward]

shill #1's officemate at Redmond.

a.k.a. shill #2

Re:Sellout?

[Anonymous Coward]

Fact #5: Microsoft is still evil.
Fact #6: I will never purchase a Microsoft product.

The scary thing is that I was almost as zealous about "MICROSOFT IS EVIL, ILL NEVER BUY AN XBOX!" as this guy was. Then I actually bit the bullet, put my anti-Microsoft feelings aside and bought one (namely because some of the titles like Mechassault intrigued me).

Is it normal for me to be laughing my ass off at this clown at this moment in time? I now have more games for my Xbox than for any other system. Your platfrom is old, an evil corperation can still produce a worthwhile console.

Re:Sellout?

[Mike Mentalist]

MS Apologist. Where has Microsoft let you go today?

I am not an 'MS Apologist', I am a realist. This stuff happens all the time.


Fact #1: Bungie started as a Mac-only developer.

Yes, and...? Developers changing platforms is hardly new.


Fact #2: Halo 2 was developed as a multi-platform game (Mac & PC, console ports to follow inevitably).

Who says that the console ports would inevitably follow...?
And again, this is not a new occurence. GTA3 was going to be multiplatform, but ended up being a PS2 exclusive for ages when Sony threw some cash at the developers. Halo is now out for the PC, and there may well be a Mac conversion at some point - so what is your problem?


Fact #3: Bungie founders made public announcements that Microsoft would have little influence over the availability of their titles.

Again, so what? Things change in the world of business, and the console business is BIG.


Fact #4: Halo, Bungie's sole product since the sellout, is now a Microsoft exclusive.

Erm, and since when is something like this a new occurence? Do you actually follow the games industry at all...?


Your comparisons to Super Monkey Ball and Gran Turismo are misleading and irrelevant, since the above sequence of events does not apply to either game series.

That is a totally and utterly irrelevant point. The point is that consoles are sold based on what games are available for them, and exclusive games are as old as the industry itself.


And if you can't see why people have reason to be angered over the Bungie sellout, surely your thinking is tainted by bias (as would mine be, from the opposite - and correct, mind you - standpoint)

Biased?!? How the hell am I biased if I see this 'sell out' as no different to what has been going on for years...?!?


Fact #5: Microsoft is still evil.

Oh please. Name me one multi national company that isn't 'evil'.


Fact #6: I will never purchase a Microsoft product.

Heh, how pathetic. You are like the people who still hold a grudge against Sony for killing the Dreamcast.


Fact #7: I'm not pissed off about Halo, I'm pissed off that more people aren't pissed off about Halo, and that some people don't know why others could possibly be pissed off about Halo.

The only reason anyone would be pissed off about Halo is because they are blinded by their own delusions and ignorance. If you refuse to play Halo because it is an MS product then that is your fault and your fault alone. You cannot pin the blame on MS unless you are a petulant child.

Re:Sellout?

[Anonymous Coward]

I am the clown above.

Like all clowns, I am not receptive to laughter, so check yourself.

MS is evil, KTHXBYE.

Re:Sellout?

[antin]

Is there any evidence at all that Bungie are being constrained? Conspiracy theories are fun and all, but before writing the article someone would need to find some facts supporting it...

Re:Sellout?

[YOU LIKEWISE FAIL IT]

At least it will be out, apparently, on December 3. Better late than never.

I have it for XBox. I'll buy it again for Mac. Same as I bought UT2K3 for Mac after buying it for my Linux machines.

If they want to develop for XBox, that's their decision, Bungee is a company, not a charity. I am greatful in the extreme that we got a Mac port at all - its not exactly a platform famous for its gaming.

YLFI

Re:Sellout?

[YOU LIKEWISE FAIL IT]

Halo is now out for the PC, and there may well be a Mac conversion at some point - so what is your problem?

I mentioned this above, but I have a citation for it now: Macsoft press release, on InsideMacGames - Halo for Mac to ship December 3rd.

I agree, parent should cease their complaining.

YLFI

What's the fuss about, though?

[Txiasaeia]

As a PC-only gamer (okay, okay, I have a GBA SP, but that doesn't count right now), I really don't understand what all the fuss was about Halo. The opening level was impressive, I'll give you that, but the majority of the game was fairly bland. The Library level was the worst level of *any* video game I've ever played (all the way back to some of the later levels on Jumpman... were those ever freaking impossible!), the weapons were mediocre, the enemies were laughable (aliens speaking English, saying, "Oh no, here he comes, help!"), and the plot wasn't compelling.

Perhaps I'm missing something, but I thought that Quake I was much, much better than Halo, and that's even counting the visuals in both games. Of course, I didn't play it when it came out for the X-Box, I never played it in co-op, and I played it three years after it was released. Understandably, my view might be a bit skewered, but Deus Ex came out around the same time (as well as Max Payne), and I'd much rather play either of those two games right now than Halo.

Re:What's the fuss about, though?

[tf98]

Halo is worth the fuss.
There's so many good things about Halo but if I was to name the best I would say it was the vehicles. When you get in a vehicle the view moves from 1st person to 3rd person and the feel of the game totally changes increasing variety and pace. Other AI players on your side can hop onto a vehicle that your piloting and fight along side you.
Enemy AI is the 2nd excellent feature making combat so much fun. Each enemy offers a challenge which you have to tackle in unique ways.
The storyline is week, classic sci-fi. But it is full of twists and there's enough atmosphere in the game so that the storyline is able to be quite scary in places.

Re:What's the fuss about, though?

[Anonymous Coward]

I like Halo because I used to play Marathon. That's about it.

Poor PC gamers. You never knew what you were missing...

Re:What's the fuss about, though?

[Elwood P Dowd]

We PC gamer types don't get Halo because we want mouselook & a keyboard, and it's slow like molasses.

These are not disadvantages for console gamers.

Imagine Quake I with a console controller and no running. Now Halo seems rad in comparison.

Re:What's the fuss about, though?

[Txiasaeia]

So, are you an X-Box player or PC? Did you play the game two years ago or last month? More importantly, have you played Deus Ex or Max Payne?

As far as the PC goes, BF1942 did vehicles first and better. A souped up Humvee, a hovercraft and a tank don't make the game better.

As for "classic sci-fi" -- the reason that such works are called "classic" is because their plots were unique and groundbreaking. Perhaps you meant to say "overwrought and overdone"?

I hate to keep harping on the point, but Deus Ex does everything Halo does (minus the vehicles) better and with more class. RPG elements, fantastic story, RPG-like upgrades, more than two weapons at a time (with an RPG-like inventory), and aliens that freaked the hell out of me (and still do). System Shock 2 is another example of an FPS done right. And no, the muppets in Halo didn't count.

Re:What's the fuss about, though?

[bigman2003]

You might want to check your dates on the Battlefield 1942 release date. To say that it did vehicles 'first and better' might not be completely true.

Deus Ex is a great game. One of the best. I truly loved that game. Once...

I can barely get through the first level now, because it is a story based game. And now I know the whole story. But yes, it was fantastic.

Re:What's the fuss about, though?

[Reapy]

I play both consols and pc games, though I've been playing pc games for much longer and more frequently then the consols. Halo was great. It should have come out on the pc first though as was oringally planned, those bastards.

In any event, I didn't play halo until a few months ago. I loved it, and I don't know why. Level design was so so, graphics weren't that good, most of the time you were going to one end of a level then fighting back out of it, yawn?

But, wow, I loved killing aliens. I would say the best feature of halo was not the vehicles, those bored me, but the grenades. I don't know how much fun I'd have giggling when a plasma grenade stuck to an alien and he ran around screaming "get it off get it off" then would blow up and fly into the air and send his buddies with him. Even better was when it would ignite a pile of grenades laying on the ground near by, I could do that all day.

I love the sound and feel of the pistol and the marine machine gun, they are just so fun to light aliens up with. I also love clubbing them on the head with it, it was just very cool.

And that's where it sold me, It was just very cool. My roomate was playing it the other day on the pc (we were disapoitned with the debacle, no co op, wtf?) but he said "i'm halfway through the game already and I dont even know why I'm playing it, it doesnt look good, I've already played through it 3 times, but I just cant put it down".

To me, that's what makes a good game. I dont care about theme, I dont care about story, I dont care about level design (unless its really bad), hell, I even had a pretty easy time with the xbox controler. I care about the gameplay, and halo's was great, and thats why I couldn't put it down, and that's why it deserves the attention it gets. It's just one of those rare games where everything clicks, and it plays like the developers intended, and is just FUN to be playing.

Re:What's the fuss about, though?

[TwistedSquare]

I have to say I agree. Having looked at Halo, I don't see why anyone who has ever played a decent FPS would be so amazed by it. Was it solely the fact of it being a good FPS for a console?

Re:What's the fuss about, though?

[Txiasaeia]

I said "as far as the PC goes." As in, first major game to include both on-foot and vehicle combat.

I know what you mean about Deus Ex, tho... I just skip past the dialogue to get to the action.

Re:What's the fuss about, though?

[bigman2003]

Halo sound-

I thought the little alien sayings were totally cool. It took a little bit before I realized it was in english, but once I did, I thought it was pretty funny.

As far as the controls go-

Halo was the first first person shooter I played that was NOT on a PC. In fact, I was at a friends house, and he showed me Halo- I played it for a while and thought two things:

#1- controlling an FPS with a console controller was horrible.

#2- the 'auto-aim' or 'aim-assist' or whatever they call it when you just have to get 'close enough' was stupid.

Well- after I actually played the game, I realized that both of these thoughts were WRONG. The console controller DOES work, and mostly because of the auto-aim. Either one of them alone would probably not work, but together, it is excellent.

I'm playing Ghost Recon: Island Thunder right now- and it seems like some weapons are auto-aim, and some are not. When the auto-aim is on, it's fun. When it isn't on, it is very frustrating. But- GRIT is one of the few Xbox titles where the graphics have actually made me not like the game, so I don't play it too much anyway.

Gotta plug the game I'm currently playing though- Crimson Skies. Great game, if you don't mind the cheesey background story.

Re:What's the fuss about, though?

[nicky_d]

I think you're missing the point with the 'more than two weapons' claim in Deus Ex's favour. The two-weapon limitation is one of Halo's core advantages; your choice of weapons greatly affects your strategy options, and the weapons are very well balanced - there's a good reason for using every weapon. I'm not looking to slate Deus Ex, though; it was and is a great game. But it's a *different* game - as you state several times, it's a first-person RPG - Halo isn't. It's Halo's strategic depth and emergent gameplay elements that keep me coming back to it - every time I play a level, I notice or achieve something new, even if it's just a particularly funny or rewarding explosion. I don't play Deus Ex any more because I've seen everything it's got to offer (and I enjoyed seeing it). Deus Ex is explicitly the more complex title, with its assorted character development paths and equipment options. But Halo offers far more gameplay compexity, IMO - it can't be seen on the surface, but after playing a level through two or three times in Legendary, the brilliance starts to emerge. You can't take any battle for granted, no matter how many times you've fought it before. In fact, having written this, I might just head over to Silent Cartographer for a quick scrap...

Re:What's the fuss about, though?

[bigman2003]

At the risk of posting too much on this story-

No- it wasn't just because Halo was a good CONSOLE game.

I've played:

Half-Life (Opposing Forces/Blue Shift/Counterstrike)
Unreal Tournament
UT2K3
Medal of Honor (+ expansion)
Deus Ex
Quake (I/II/III)
Soldier of Fortune
Return to Castle Wolfenstein
No One Lives Forever (I/II)
America's Army
Golden Eye
Serious Sam/SE

Etc. Etc....I've played tons.

I would say that Halo was the most FUN I've had in any of them.

(Okay, sorry about the stupid list, but just wanted to point out that I have a reasonable point of reference)

Re:What's the fuss about, though?

[Anonymous Coward]

I have not played Deus Ex, though I've seen it on a friend's PC. Possibly his machine was woefully underpowered at the time, but I would say that one think Halo does better than Deus Ex is graphical presentation. Maybe Deus Ex kills it with high detail, 4xAA and high resolution, but in my experience Halo is a noticably better-looking game.

I kind of agree with you about the plot - it certainly was not the groundbreaking science fiction that some people talked about, but it did an effective job of creating a broader framework for you to operate in. Alien attacks are overdone, and the ring concept is not particularly original (too bad Halo is on such a smaller scale than Ringworld - could have had fantastically varied terrain). But I don't thinke the plot hurts the game. I'd say it gets the job done.

I completely disagree about Deus Ex's ability to carry more weapons being 'better.' The ability to carry only two weapons forced you to be much smarter in Halo than would have otherwise been the case. You had to work with what you had instead of just defaulting to whatever you happen to favor. 'Do I take the sniper rifle with low ammo or the plasma pistol that's full?' I thought - and I doubt I'm alone - that being forced to think about the weapons was one of the best features of the game. And it definitely made the Flood section more challenging, since the best weapons to use against them were rarely the same as the best to use against the Covenant.

You also said that Deus Ex had aliens that 'freaked the hell out of me.' How is that relevant? I never thought that the Covenant soldiers were supposed to be particulary freaky; being non-human and impressively smart was fine. They weren't aiming for an Alien vs. Predator experience.

I'll readily admit that the Library and many of the interior levels of the game are boring, and that the plot is highly generic. But the game did a lot of things right and some of your criticsms read more like you refuse to like the game than you looked at it with some objectivity.

Re:What's the fuss about, though?

[Mike Mentalist]

So, are you an X-Box player or PC? Did you play the game two years ago or last month? More importantly, have you played Deus Ex or Max Payne?

I am both a console gamer and a PC gamer, and I think that Halo is fantastic stuff. I will admit that at first I didn't see what the fuss was about, but by the time I first came out in the open on Attack on the Control Room to be confronted by a huge battle going on, I was hooked.
At the same time, I think that Max Payne 2 and Deus Ex are great. You can add the likes of System Shock 2, Medal of Honor, Unreal Tourny, Doom, Duke Nukem 3D, Return to Wolfy to the list as well.


As far as the PC goes, BF1942 did vehicles first and better. A souped up Humvee, a hovercraft and a tank don't make the game better.

I am pretty sure that Tribes did the vehicles before BF1942, but that is besides the point. I think the vehicles in Halo are great, and the same goes for BF1942. I would not say that one does it 'better', because the two games do it very differently.


As for "classic sci-fi" -- the reason that such works are called "classic" is because their plots were unique and groundbreaking. Perhaps you meant to say "overwrought and overdone"?

Well, Deus Ex is hardly original in that respect.


I hate to keep harping on the point, but Deus Ex does everything Halo does (minus the vehicles) better and with more class. RPG elements, fantastic story, RPG-like upgrades, more than two weapons at a time (with an RPG-like inventory), and aliens that freaked the hell out of me (and still do). System Shock 2 is another example of an FPS done right. And no, the muppets in Halo didn't count.

Deus Ex doesn't do anything better than Halo, because they are two totally different games. I find it incredible that you even make the comparison.

Re:What's the fuss about, though?

[Mike Mentalist]

I have to say I agree. Having looked at Halo, I don't see why anyone who has ever played a decent FPS would be so amazed by it. Was it solely the fact of it being a good FPS for a console?

No, it is because Halo is a good FPS regardless of platform.
I have played all the major PC FPS games, but I was still amazed by Halo because it is pure quality.
I have played Halo over and over again, which is more than can be said for any PC single player FPS game. To me, Halo is the best single player FPS currently available.

Re:What's the fuss about, though?

[pforhan]

Side note: While Halo may have been the first to limit people to exactly two weapons, it is not the first to limit weapon carrying. Anyone here ever play Tribes? The scout (light) armor only allowed three weapons. Other armors allowed holding more, but you still could never hold all of them. And each armor could only carry one backpack...

It was the first game I'd played where I had to throw stuff away...

Pat.

Re:What's the fuss about, though?

[nicky_d]

Yeah, I wouldn't claim Halo invented the inventory limitation - I can recall many happy hours of Laser Squad back on the Spectrum, trying to work out the best set of kit to carry. But I think Halo evolved the concept by combining the two-slot limit with the ability (and often requirement) to quickly swap weapons, and the careful balancing of the weapons. In the end, as its full title suggests, I think Halo is all about evolution; it doesn't present anything that's really original, but it develops its various elements beautifully...

Re:What's the fuss about, though?

[YOU LIKEWISE FAIL IT]

The Library level was the worst level of *any* video game I've ever played

Huh. A friend and I were playing through that level on co-op just the other night, and we enjoyed it immensely. Just like everyone else, I can't tell you *why* I enjoyed it, but I did. Trying to keep up with Guilty Spark 343 ( cute little fella ) was pretty enjoyable. And there's a real visceral thrill to cutting through the flood with a shotgun and rifle butt.

I also enjoyed the little things that GS343 was saying about 'recognition', 'class 12 battlesuits', etc etc. It added a little bit of background mystery to exactly who the ringbuilders were. Not sure if everyone got a chance to catch it over the sound and fury of the firefights though.

YLFI

P.S. The manual states that the grunts don't speak english, but that the grunts are the only covenant race for which we've developed automatic translation. Not a great excuse, but I found the understandable language to be a nice touch.

gamesradar.msn.co.uk

[Asprin]

Uhhh, with a gushing background piece like that, did anyone else notice that GamesRadar is an MSN-UK hosted site?

Just thought I'd ask.

Re:gamesradar.msn.co.uk

[sebi]

Since the piece originated in Edge magazine I suppose that little factoid is meaningless. In case you have never read it: Edge is by far the best computer and video gaming magazine in existence. They writers are not always objective--they are fans after all--but they are independent. They might praise one system and condemn another, but it feels like they are doing it because they believe and not because someone paid them off. It also is, as far as I know, the only one you can safely read in public because of the fantastic art-direction.

Their web-presence is not really representative so I urge you to check it out on a news-stand if you ever have the chance. In the recent tenth anniversary issue they had a story on the origins of the magazine. According to official gospel it was not launched to make money, but to simply be the best gaming mag in existence. I cannot judge whether or not this is true, but it certainly feels that way. And yes, I am a fanboy, but a truly well done magazine is such a rare thing that I simply have to cherish it.

Re:gamesradar.msn.co.uk

[Anonymous Coward]

How would you compare it to (now defunct) NextGen (if you've ever read it)? I've been looking for a game mag since NextGen died that doesn't cater to an audience of 12 year olds.

Re:gamesradar.msn.co.uk

[Anonymous Coward]

It's such a shame that a huge chunk of the editorial team just left and the magazine is teetering on the verge of implosion.

Re:gamesradar.msn.co.uk

[Black Hitler]

Next Generation was the U.S. version of Edge. A lot of content (articles, previews, and even some reviews) was shared between the two. Personally I hated both of them but if you liked Next Generation and you're stinking rich a subscription to Edge wouldn't be a terrible idea.

Re:gamesradar.msn.co.uk

[GrassMunk]

I hate to say it but i agree. As i read this article i started thinking the author must have slept with his copy of halo. I mean he was almost spraying seminal fluid over the game. Yea it was an entertaining game, but it wasnt THAT good. I didnt play and think "This game has just revolutionized consoles", i thought "Didnt i just play this level". It just seemed to me that Microsoft was stroking their own wang with this article to drum up support for the lacking Xbox. Just a thought.

The Library... *shudder*

[herko_cl]

I played all the way through Halo and I really, really loved it... except for the Library. I got lost so many times inside, and found it so utterly incomprehensible, that I almost gave up on the game. I'm glad I trundled on, but I have to agree with other posts: even though Halo is a great game, the Library is one of the worst levels I've ever played in any game.

Seminal? My bass!

[E1v!$]

Halo wasn't original, it was a 'slightly' modified Larry Niven set with a terrible storyline and repetative, boring, levels. If it's seminal because they stole Niven's (admittedly cool) idea, or because they wrote a graphics engine that delivers lower fps at lower effects levels than more modern games on hardware that didn't even exist back then!

If it had come out 3 years ago I would have been impressed with the graphics, but even then... 'eh'.

Half Life was a better game. More variety, better action. I don't think the bots were as good (they seemed indecisive at times), but overall it was a much more enjoyable experience.

Yes, I was dissapointed with Halo. Maybe that's an appropriate name. You get everything at the edge, NOTHING in the core.

Re:Seminal? My bass!

[Anonymous Coward]

Right, but one thing it had going for it was that REALLY COOL CONTROLLER VIBRATION. I'm sorry, but of all the vibration controllers out there, that feeling you get when firing a machine gun in Halo is just unbeatable. It's probably what kept everyone playing...

Re:Seminal? My bass!

[swat_r2]

My thoughts exactly, going to the PC version I really missed the vibration of the Assault Rifle and the "thwack" of a melee attack.

Re:Seminal? My bass!

[li99sh79]

Halo wasn't original, it was a 'slightly' modified Larry Niven set with a terrible storyline and repetative, boring, levels. If it's seminal because they stole Niven's (admittedly cool) idea, or because they wrote a graphics engine that delivers lower fps at lower effects levels than more modern games on hardware that didn't even exist back then!

Hell, Bungie was biting on it's own style with a lot of Halo. Cyborg super-soldiers, egotistical AIs, SPNKR rockets (still one of the coolest names for a weapon in any game), etc. the whole thing had quite the "Marathon 3" feel to it. Which I loved. Plus the Space Marines were straight outa Aliens.

If it had come out 3 years ago I would have been impressed with the graphics, but even then... 'eh'.

You're not too far off there; Jobs demo'ed Halo three years ago at MWNY...then Microsoft bought out Bungie...yadda yadda yadda.

And yes, I also thought that the Library was an exruciating level. I also wasn't fond of the last level either, I hate timed levels.

Does anyone else think that Bungie was going for some sort of circular symbolism with the game ending where it started and taking place on a giant ring?

-sam

Re:Seminal? My bass!

[antin]

Why isn't the parent modded troll? WTF is up with mods these days. Halo was a great game, and anyone who says otherwise is either a troll, or in the minority. Don't mod things merely because they complain about what is popular or successful, and certainly don't do it just because it is associated with Microsoft.

Apart from anything else the sales speak for themselves. The people have spoken and they don't agree with the parent. In fact apart from a record number of sales, Halo kept the xbox alive nearly single-handidly, and Halo 2 is currently one of the most anticipated games...

Have you actually played the game or own an xbox? Halo is still graphically one of the most impressive games on the system - so I am not entirely sure what your gripe with the graphics is. As to the framerate, it keeps around 30 most of the time - although it does dip a lot in co-op (a feature more games do not have).

Speaking of co-op, has any other game delivered it in such a full and fun manner? Co-op really is double the people, double the fun in Halo.

Lets see about the other innovations - oh maybe a regenerating shield which really does rock. No more searching for health packs, or shield kits or whatever. And no more stupidly esay enemies just so your health doesn't run out. Halo provides a challenging experience and has tough enemies that will thrash you unless you properlly manage your shield. It is a much more elegant solution to a myriad of health packs, and I think it provides substantially more fun in the gameplay - you actually feel that you are up against a decent foe.

The 2 weapon idea worked very well - especially as you can switch at any time. Halo really isn't a game like other FPSs where the bigger the weapon the more useful it is. In every situation there are especially well suited guns in Halo and you will select them for that purpose - rather than lug along whatever the newest thing you have unlocked as in other games.

Oh should we mention the AI? Yeah seems that it was nothing special... back-up marines that are actually a help not a hindrance (as in all other 'team' games). Enemies that actually duck for cover, outflank your, or react to changing situations. Half-life really shone there didn't it... bring on the Doom style enemies any day.

The controls are perfect - up until Halo no FPS on a console played quite right. Sure everyone raves about Goldeneye, but play it today and you feel constrained. Halo really shone in this regard - in fact if this was the only thing it did right, it would still be a game deserving respect. Nearly every console FPS has copied Halo's control style.

Another feature that doesn't get mentioned much is a button dedicated to grenades... It actually makes them a useable weapon, rather than something that will get you killed while you try to scroll to them in your inventory.

Finally the vehicles. Other games have put in cars etc... but they always feel out of place. They don't control well, they aren't resposnive and they get you killed. Halo demonstrated how to integrate vehicles into your game.

I won't bother mentioning the physics (which is amongst the best in any game), or the story - which you might whinge about, but which was delivered through a great use of cut-scenes, terrific voice-acting and provided a lot of suspense and enticement to continue playing.

You sir, are a troll. In fact I think you are a PC playing troll - because nobody who owned the game on the xbox would agree with you. And BTW it did release nearly 3 years ago... (well 2 but who is counting).

Re:Seminal? My bass!

[Anonymous Coward]

Sigh... another fanboy who can't see past the copy of Halo his mommy bought him. Every single one of those features comes from other games. It's only innovative because you're ignorant...as usual. Why won't your kind go back to the IGN forums and leave the adults alone? Please??

Re:Seminal? My bass!

[kisrael]

Why isn't the parent modded troll? WTF is up with mods these days
I have moderator points, and I'm half tempted to mod you down. Not because of your pro- or anti-Halo viewpoints (which, frankly, are well expressed) but simply because you're encouraging people to abuse the mod system.

Look, to troll is to try to provoke discussion. A subtle "troll" is actually useful in a thread. Only really blatant, obvious trolls (usually using one of the FP or other cliches like "natalie portman) should be modded as such.

I haven't played Halo yet, but I really want to...just not enough to buy an Xbox, yet.

Re:Seminal? My bass!

[antin]

Sigh... Please list to me the other games that included those features?

Sure Halo was not the first FPS, nor was it the first console FPS, nor was it even the first good FPS. However it brought together a lot of elements and turned them into a really good game. The things I listed were unique to Halo, and though none of them revolutionary in themselves, they are all improvements over the norm.

At least in my ignorance I provided a basis for my views - where is your reasoning?

Re:Seminal? My bass!

[antin]

Fair enough - you make good sense. However my issue isn't that the guy didn't get modded down, but rather that he got modded to 5. In fact he was the first (and only?) post to make it that high.

It just bugs me that inflamatory, and ill-informed posts get modded up before others more deserving.

Re:Seminal? My bass!

[kisrael]

Ok, fair enough. You're right that it probably wasn't a "5" post.

I guess I'm more sensitive to people who mod down, however. I hate when I get a -1 Offtopic, -1 Troll, or -1 Overrated...sometimes I can see I deserved it, but usually it strikes me as someone who has gone a little power drunk...

I agree

[swat_r2]

I completely agree, I'm pissed as hell that Final Fantasy 10, Fatal Frame 2, Silent Hill 3 and numerous others aren't for the Xbox, my solution? I've decided to buy a PS2 after a few years of holding it off. Am I mad, not really - I've accepted the nature of the game, and instead of bitching and whining about it and not playing the games I want, I purchase the hardware for a small fee. Voila. Instant fun! And seriously, a $~200 console is not much compared to the fuckload of money I just spent upgrading my PC to run games "decently".

One word...

[AlexMax2742]

Multiplayer.

For some reason, it doesn't seem to translate well over to the PC as well (You can't exactly punch someone in the arm if they are a few hundred or thousand miles away), but tha mount of fun you have with three other (or fifteen if you're at a LAN party) people is some of the most fun you'll ever have on a console. The multiplayer game has a surprising amount of depth, with the two weapon limit, the vehicles, easy access to grenades, and the melee attack.

The better the players you are playing with, the more one begins to realize this. Not only this, the game is an easy pick for LAN parties because face it, who has an Xbox but doesn't have halo?