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 What is Halo? |
Halo is a title being released by Bungie
Studios, creators of past great games such as the Marathon and Myth
series. Bungie, now part of Microsoft's gaming division, has been known
to make games that revolutionize and change genre's. The Marathon series
set a new standard of science fiction with it's enthralling plot, while
the Myth series of games brought a whole new level of class based strategy
games. Halo certainly is a big, stunning addition to this already stellar
track record.
Halo is mainly a first-person action game, however vehicles are operated
in a third-person perspective and add a new depth to combat. Players can
use a total of twelve weapons and four vehicles that each serve a vital
role during the player's meetings with the Covenant, a consortium of alien
races bent on human destruction. The story spans nine chapters with stunningly
cinematic cutscences and four different difficulties to choose from. A
more in depth look at the story, and the events leading up to the game,
can be found on our very own story page.
Features and Innovations
Graphics and Physics
By harnessing the power of the Xbox and new innovations in graphics
hardware, Bungie was able to craft environments that are both expansive
and highly detailed. Unprecendented texture quality with bump-mapping and
an advanced lighting system and define a new level of realism and beauty
for the action genre. Sparks fly, plasma shots boil out and disapate upon
impact, and tracer rounds flash brilliantly through dark corridors thanks
to particle system that was implemented. Inverse Kinematics allow physics
to complement the eyecandy as the player sees breath-takingly fluid animations
in characters and vehicles realistically reacting to the brutal terrain
by bouncing, spinning and often flipping violently.
Combat
Halo is truly "Combat Evolved." Major strides in artificial intelligence
allow enemies to dodge fire, flank their opponents, take cover, and work
as a cohesive unit on the battlefield. Marine comrades react in a similar
fashion and often provide the player with some much needed assistance when
you find yourself grossely outnumbered. Advances in technology give Bungie
the power to create battles on an epic scale. Scores of Covenant patrols
advance on human forces with vehicle support both on the ground and in
the air. The humans provide a hefty resistance thanks to their lethal arsenal
of weapons, tanks, and jeeps. When human technology falls short, the player
has the option to make use of Covenant weapons and vehicles, adding another
facet to this already robust combat system.
Sound and Music
Few can argue against Halo's technical achievements in the field of
sound. A great deal of effort was put into allowing player to hear all
the unique sounds present on a battlefield. The sheer number of sounds
one will encounter during the game, ranging from the crisp crackling of
gravel under your feet to the jarring thud of a rifle butt impacting upon
stone, truly add to the immersion. Xbox hardware gives players with 5.1
Dolby Digital setups an even better experiance. This technology will give
the perception, for example, that a hissing shot of plasma is actually
jetting through your room. Besides gunfire and ambient sounds, combat dialogue
is quite prevalent throughout the game. Marines will yell out in terror,
acknowledge your skills, and taunt the enemy. The Covenant Elites let out
gutteral growls and the Grunts, a humorously high pitched chatter. The
brilliantly composed soundtrack is quite unique when compared to other
games thanks to its mature and cinematic sound.
Multiplayer
Bungie recognized that a vital part of a game's longevity lies in it's
multiplayer which is divided up into two parts. The first part is cooperative
mode whichl allows you and a friend to blast your way through the singleplayer
campaign with a split-screen view. The second part builds off the traditional
multiplayer gameplay, but takes it to a whole new level of customizability.
There are 26 game modes offered with the game, each is based off of one
five different base modes which are capture the flag, slayer (deathmatch),
race, king of the hill, and oddball. If you wear out the preset 26 game
modes, then you can create your own using the myriad of options available.
More information regarding multiplayer can be found here.
PC/Mac Version?
Despite all the rumors and conjecture rampant on the internet, Bungie
has confirmed that Halo will definitely be released for the PC and Mac
platforms. Unfortunately, very little is known about the status of these
versions because Bungie has yet to hammer out the details. System requirements
and what extra features it'll include are still up in the air, but online
play is a sure bet. More information regarding Halo's presence on these
platforms will be made in the coming months. |
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