Halo is a monumental entry into the video game universe. It not only defined the blueprint for the console first person shooter genre, but it cemented the idea of a game made for grown ups - or more accurately, college dudes. While I didn't get any time with the multiplayer in my playthrough, the single player experience was about as beefy as you could ask for. It was an experience that promised high and delivered even higher.
Story
The First Person Shooter genre is usually known for it's sub-par story telling. Usually the only real "story" in these games is just in place to establish a motive for you to be OK with shooting everything in the world. Halo is different. From the very first level, you get the sense that there is a deep universe of races, characters, foes and allies that span centuries of a fictional timeline wrapped in mystery. It's not surprising that the Halo lore has expanded into comics and novels, and with the way the story is delivered, it's hard for me to believe that much of the expanded storyline wasn't at least mapped out before Halo was even released.
Your boss.
Within the game itself, I was pleased to find that the story not only gave me a motive to shoot things, but it surprised me. There were twists I didn't see coming. There was a lot of mystery at the outset as to what the heck this floating ring in space was, and why it seemed so important. There was suspense, excitement, tension, rage, joy, frustration...you couldn't ask for anything more.
Another thing that FPS games are guilty of is the overly macho, unrealistic cast of heroes. And while the faceless, stupidly named Master Chief isn't exactly a flawed human character, he, along with other key players in the story, has more heart than I expected and in fact more than many game characters today - in any genre. Your navi-like guide, Cortana is snarky, witty and believable. The military brass are appropriately gruff and demand the right amount of respect through their voice. Master Chief's fellow marines are believable in their fear and excitement in various situations.
The story as a whole is very well written by video game standards. There is a clear beginning, middle and satisfying end to the tale of the green clad space marine.
Gameplay
I beat the game last night, and as the credits finished I saw the copyright: 2001. "Holy crap."
Of course I knew how old the game was when I popped it in my 360's disc tray, but as I played through it, I had forgotten I was playing something that was nine years old - ancient in the game world. Games usually show their age around 2-3 years later, Halo felt as if it could have been released yesterday.
The controls are tight, the level design was clearly done by seasoned vets, the game remained exciting throughout, there were 3 or 4 different vehicles (which all handled differently), two completely different species of enemies, tons of weapons (all balanced perfectly) - in short: it's a blast to play.
Use it! Use the plasma grenade!
On top of all the FPS basics delivering strongly, it was the little extras that made Halo possibly one of the best games of the 00s. As the player, you often had to adjust your play style to match the challenge presented. You can't just go into every situation guns blazing and expect to beat it, nor should you expect to approach every situation carefully and slowly. You will need to balance these two methods of gameplay - and often a third or fourth method - to really get everything you can out of the experience. Couple that with a great story, and you have an unforgettable game.
Presentation
This is another area where I forgot I was playing a nine-year old game. Playing on an HDTV, the graphics were sharp at all times, character models were really well developed, frame rate was smooth (most of the time), and everything we very believable from a graphics perspective. In fact, if it weren't for the fact that the game only ran in 4:3, I could easily be convinced that this was a mid-range current gen game.
On top of the graphics, the sound design is unparalleled. Game music can be one of three things:
1) Annoying - Start, Options, Music: off.
2) Invisible - When music is just there. It doesn't offend, but it goes unnoticed.
3) Awesome - Music that you find yourself humming after you've shut the game off.
Halo's now iconic orchestral score is in the highest ranking of #3 and it set the tone perfectly for every situation in the game. From the "Tibetan Monk" opening theme to the rousing skirmish tune, the music is something that is, today, instantly recognizable. You've played the game, how many times have you found yourself singing this:
Stuff I Loved:
- Fun as hell
- Solid story with satisfying conclusion
- Barring a little drag in the middle, the game is tense and exciting throughout
- The awesome music
- Some parts, even on normal, are really freaking hard.
- No subtitles. I played this mostly while my wife was sleeping, so I had to keep the volume low. When I got to a cutscene, I missed all the exposition because I couldn't hear Cortana or the Chief.
- The mother-effing driving controls for the Warthog, and by extension, the final sequence where you're forced to drive the stupid thing to the end of the game. Press up for gas and rotate the camera to steer. Oh, and put butter all over the wheels and make the wheels out of floor wax, and then wax the floor and walls. Then pour water and lube all over everything. That sound like fun? No. It's not. It sucks.
Ten Words or Less Review:
Fully cinematic experience, tough as nails, awesome.
No comments:
Post a Comment