Halo: Combat Evolved Getting a Reboot
Unlike many other first-person shooters of the time, Halo didn’t have a rigid model of movement. This allowed for a more organic connection between the player and the character, while avoiding some grievous animation blunders like Cortana arching her eyebrows or syncing her mouth to her speech.
Halo allows players to move forward and backward, strafe left and right, and jump independently of their aiming, although fall damage is reduced by a well-timed crouch.
Release date: TBA
Ten years after its initial release, Halo: Combat Evolved is getting a reboot in the form of a re-mastered Anniversary version. It will feature the campaign and Xbox LIVE campaign co-op play, as well as re-mastered versions of seven multiplayer maps. 343 Industries will also be including a Classic mode that lets players switch between the original graphics and the new ones with the push of a button.
In the game, players take on the role of Master Chief, a cybernetically enhanced super-soldier and his artificial intelligence sidekick Cortana as they battle aliens on a ring-shaped artificial world called Halo. With the help of the UNSC Marines, Chief must uncover the secrets of this mysterious installation and fight the Covenant.
The weapon design in Halo was beautiful and simplistic. Unlike modern shooters, it didn’t focus on realism and only included the most important elements to make weapons functional. However, the later redesigns did away with this design philosophy and introduced unnecessary complexity to the system.
Futuristic for the time
Despite being a first-person shooter, Halo had several features that made it feel more advanced than the more stolid FPS games of its time. These included a complex artificial intelligence that could react to events in ways that felt more realistic than what had been seen before, the ability to control land and air vehicles from an third-person perspective (a first for a console game at the time), and the inclusion of a storyline that was delivered to players through gameplay and cut-scenes.
Unlike most shooters of its day, it also included several large outdoor spaces that were both visually impressive and functionally interesting. The fact that the game’s rocky, mountainous landscapes didn’t just feature a handful of flat and myopic stretches of flat ground but were in fact steeply sloped with real peaks and ridges meant that players had a much more dynamic relationship with the environment. This was enhanced by the fact that many of these areas were replete with natural set pieces like waterfalls and snow-capped mountains.
Streamlining of player abilities
The game’s controls were designed to be as easy to use as possible, letting players move forwards and backwards, as well as strafe left and right (including diagonally), independently of their aim. The player can also crouch, although jumping from a high ledge will often result in death, or at least major fall damage. This can be reduced or negated by periodically touching a wall as you jump, which resets the damage counter.
The gameplay is also very satisfying and sets Halo apart from less acclaimed first-person shooters at the time. For example, the movement is fluid and precise, and the ability to fire while moving is a great feature.
In addition, the weapons and vehicles in Halo are more powerful than those found in other games, making it more fun to play. It also features a sophisticated AI that is far more advanced than other first-person shooters of its era. This helps to make the game more enjoyable and immersive, and is one of the many reasons that Halo is regarded as a classic in video gaming.
Upsizing of environments
Unlike the Doom and Quake series which used rock music for their game themes, Halo opted for rousing orchestral sweeps overlaid with musical forms that have roots stretching far back in humanity’s history. From pseudo-Gregorian chanting to Qawwali, the game’s music adds an aura of solemnity that contrasts with its bone-snapping violence.
Another key aspect that separates Halo from contemporary FPS games is a decluttering of the weapon inventory. Instead of the typical slew of weapons that can be carried, players can only carry two at a time. This forces them to consider the strengths and weaknesses of each weapon and to choose wisely how to employ it in combat.
The game also features enemies that have different strategies and abilities. For example, Grunts are small and armed with poor weapons while Elites have powerful energy swords that can kill you in one or two hits. The fact that the Covenant and UNSC armies often fight among themselves makes for a more interesting and realistic environment.
