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If you’ve played video games in the past decade (or known anyone who has), you’ve heard of Halo. It requires little introduction. It’s the signature series of the XBox, and one of the most famous “bro games” ever produced (Halo, Call of Duty, Madden). You might also know that the series was a trilogy, the final episode of which was released in 2007. The big catch phrase in Halo 3‘s marketing campaign was “Finish the Fight.” And we did. I have probably played more hours of Halo 3 than I have of nearly any other game I own. It was also over the course of a single summer, during which my friends and I met every single night and played Halo 3‘s online multiplayer until dawn.
But, shockingly, Halo 3 was not the end of Halo. Microsoft refused to let their signature series die, so they published Halo 3: ODST, Halo Wars, and Halo: Reach in February 2009, September 2009, and September 2010, respectively. Both ODST and Reach are standard Halo first-person shooters, while Halo Wars is a real-time strategy game. But as well reviewed as these spinoff titles were, none of them piqued my interest. The fun that I had with the third Halo was all that I needed. I didn’t meet with my friends to play any of the other games: the next two summers were spent playing Nazi Zombies in Black Ops and getting perfect Starfox 64 scores rather than returning to the Halo-verse. I assumed that I was done with Halo, that the series had nothing left to offer me, and that I could spent my time playing better games. I felt further justified in this assertion when I felt no need to get the HD rerelease of the original Halo.
Then Halo 4 was announced. Halo 4 is first game of a new trilogy with its development headed by a new Microsoft internal division, 343 Industries. “Oh boy,” I thought, “more Halo and with a non-Bungie developer. I’m sure this will be spectacular (read: an awful reboot).” The press release, trailers, gameplay vids came out, and I watched them with slight interest, but I was more interested in keeping up with video game news in general than I was about getting Halo 4 information. But as the release date approaches, I’m getting more and more intrigued by the game. Now, after just reading initial reviews, I am so psyched to play Halo 4. Out of nowhere, my desire to Halo has been rekindled, and I’m surprised that I’m hoping that this new title brings back the fanaticism I had for Halo 3. On November 6th, I’m going to vote (AS SHOULD EVERYONE) and then play Halo 4 multiplayer for as long as I can. But I find myself wondering why? Why am I interested in Halo now, after all this time?
I’m sure that some of my desire for Halo 4 is simply because it’s the first core game in the series in five years. I’ve always been addicted to lists and collections, and while spinoff titles can escape my attention, a true Halo sequel is harder to ignore. I imagine that this factor will be drawing a lot of crowds to game stores around the country this Tuesday; Reach and ODST mean little on their own, but everyone understands that Halo 4 is the biggest deal since… well… Halo 3. Similarly, I imagine that Halo 4, as the next core game in the series, will have the greatest leaps in technology and gameplay; certainly, more so than the spinoffs of the last few years. And while the disappearance of Bungie might be a turn-off for fans of the original trilogy, at this point I’m far more excited than pessimistic to see the effect a new developer has on the series, both in gameplay and narrative tone. According to early reviews, 343i has taken Halo in a more personal, emotional direction while continuing to preserve the action-packed madness that’s made the series so popular. As someone who loves those qualities in a story, I’m intrigued to play through the campaign even though I’ve never paid attention to the Halo plot.
But, as regular visitors to the N3rd Dimension might expect, I’m most excited about a new, addictive multiplayer experience in which I can immerse myself. Maybe it was splitting up and going to college, maybe it was oversaturation, or maybe I just got bored, but I haven’t felt the need to play more Halo since my “Summer of Halo.” Yet four years later, I’m nearly foaming at the mouth in anticipation to do it all over again. Part of it is that I just haven’t done this in so long; my gaming has been so relegated other genres that a console FPS seems refreshing. Also, Halo‘s had plenty of time to evolve since I played it last; after five years without a numbered title, I can’t wait to see the gameplay changes the new title has to offer. It is worth stating that I’d be disappointed if it didn’t have some of the classic Halo feel to it, but I don’t think I have to worry about that. If there’s one concept that is iconic enough to reproduce with accuracy, it’s Halo’s style.
I also predict that Halo 4‘s multiplayer will be some of the best out there for social gaming. I’ve mentioned on this blog how much I enjoy playing real-time strategy and multiplayer online battle arena games, but those games can be both stressful and exclusive, as they are difficult genres to grasp and are centered around increasing skill and rank. They generally lend themselves to either solo play or competitive and harsh multiplayer. And while that’s extremely fun (at least for me), it’s not an experience that can be effectively shared with others. Halo, in contrast, is a gaming experience that’s easy to share with others. While there are series (I’m looking at you, Call of Duty) that only allow one or two players to play online per XBox, the Halo series has always encouraged four players in the same room to grab controllers and play a Slayers match over XBox Live. With the “pick up and play” nature of the FPS, as well as the casual matchmaking system that Halo 3 had and I expect Halo 4 to have, playing hours of online games will be fun whether you win or lose. While losses in RTSes and MOBAs are inherently stressful and draining, a Halo loss can be laughed about while you recount just how badly the other team destroyed you. I’m looking forward to that casualness, to playing a competitive online game for giggles rather than practice (until I want to get better). Not to mention that I’ve also missed co-op campaigns in the last few years, and Halo has always done that with style. If the campaign is as engrossing as I’ve heard, then that element of the multiplayer should be fantastic as well.
Finally, a new Halo title means an new evolution for eSports. In the last two years, eSports have become increasingly more popular. League of Legends’ recent World Championship Finals, for example, had over 1 million concurrent viewers, with 8 million unique viewers tuning in throughout the matches. But before Starcraft 2 eSports resurgence in 2010, Halo 3 was one of the premier eSports titles. Now, with eSports catching the interest of a wider game-playing demographic, FPSes have a new chance at massive popularity in the eSports world. While competitive Halo: Reach has plenty of fans, the hordes of fans that will play Halo 4 might be the next group to flock en masse to eSports. Halo 4 could be the next big eSports title, and that excites the hell out of me. I have plenty to watch as it is, but I wouldn’t mind setting aside more time for Halo 4 spectating if it becomes a dominant eSports game. My hope is that the millions of Halo 4 players will feel the same and that eSports will get even greater exposure than it’s getting now.
This Tuesday is going to be a landmark day for video games in 2012. There are big game releases and then there are Halo releases. And, for the first time in a long while, I’m going to be getting in line myself, soaking up the hype and anticipation. On November 6, AFTER I VOTE, I’m going to be leaping headlong into the FPS-goodness I’ve missed for years. Get ready, boys and girls: Halo is back.
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Read all my gaming insights and more at the N3rd Dimension.
