Something about Some game that people like.

[EittilDratsab]

Well...Halo 3 is exclusive to only one console. That would explain a lot of the hate directed towards Halo. Also, the criticisms of Halo 3 are often really stupid, lack of innovation being one of them. Of all the console games released last year, I thought Halo 3 was the only one to expand what console FPSs could do (Theater). Just because Halo isn't the most innovative game out there doesn't mean its bad, but it seems that people only focus on that characteristic to determine whether Halo is mediocre or excellent. Not only that, it is the ONLY game that gets that kind of treatment. What about the other games?

"CoD4 is innovative because you can shoot through walls." -Billy
*sigh*

 

[Programmed_For_Damage]

I'm going to explain to you exactly the reason for the polarizing opinions of Halo in one simple sentence.

The crowd who loves Halo never had much experience with good FPS before Halo (save for Goldeneye), while the crowd that loaths Halo had plenty of experience of FPS. For those of you who had started playing FPS before Halo, you probably saw a just above average FPS title, but were quickly driven into the "I hate Halo" camp as soon as you heard the Halo fans exclaim "OMG BEST GAEM EVR" or "GRETEST FPS IN DA WURLD!!!11". For those who just started playing FPS with Halo, then most of you mistook a pretty good FPS for a fantastic one due to your inexperience with the genre.

It's really the same exact thing that happened with Final Fantasy VII.

I would disagree, I had played stacks of FPS on both consoles and PC prior to picking up Halo. In fact prior to it Half-Life was in my oppinion the pinacle of excellence in terms of FPS (although I did have a secret man-crush on Perfect Dark). I'll make no apologies for it, I loved Halo. I don't think it is the best game ever, but it does do a lot of things consistently well (something Halo 2 does not) and that's what I really like about it. Halo 3 made a welcome return to most of the great things that Halo embodied and brought along a few nifty improvements but at the end collapses under the weight of its own story.
I tend to agree with most people in that in terms of overall quality you would rank Halo first, Halo 3 second and Halo 2 third. Halo 2 definately has that middle child syndrome feel about it, but it is by no means an average game.

In regard to FFVII, again I'd played plenty of RPGs (not JRPGs mind) prior to picking it up and I disliked it. I don't think that makes it a "bad" game, it's just not for me; I can't get into it.

My opinion on why the Halo series polarises gamers - the crowd it attracts. I've met some great people while playing it online, but there are an AWEFUL lot of, as Yahtzee would put it, "hooting dickholes".

 

[Seldon2639]

I just have to ask. If you throw out all of the multi-player stuff, would it be popular at all? I mean, I know it'd sell, but without Xbox Live, would it be as lauded as the "OMG Best Game Ever"?

I really do doubt it. Maybe I'm antediluvian (it wouldn't be the first time (nerdy references galore)), but if the only thing that really justifies a game is "once you're done, you can play online" I'm kinda turned off. I would have liked to see them poor all of that multi-player energy into a better story, realistic massive battles (I don't care how good Master Chief is, there should be at least some ground battles which don't just consist of him killing everything).

 

[GloatingSwine]

It is not the messiah of FPS gaming (beyond the Xbox and 360, at least). It delivers very little in terms of new mechanics - with the notable exception of dual wielding weapons (decent vehicles doesnt count as a new mechanic I'm afraid, its an old mechanic done well). On the PC it is distinctly average - but I get the feeling that Halo was never meant for the PC market and was only pushed there by greedy microsoft execs trying to pump the brand for money.

Actually, Halo did introduce a couple of new mechanics, most notably regenerative health and the hard limit of two guns, designed to keep the player swapping between weapons from fallen enemies, and to stop backtracking for health packs and ammo. These have, of course, become quite widespread now.

 

[Fire Daemon]

It is not the messiah of FPS gaming (beyond the Xbox and 360, at least). It delivers very little in terms of new mechanics - with the notable exception of dual wielding weapons (decent vehicles doesnt count as a new mechanic I'm afraid, its an old mechanic done well). On the PC it is distinctly average - but I get the feeling that Halo was never meant for the PC market and was only pushed there by greedy microsoft execs trying to pump the brand for money.

Actually, Halo did introduce a couple of new mechanics, most notably regenerative health and the hard limit of two guns, designed to keep the player swapping between weapons from fallen enemies, and to stop backtracking for health packs and ammo. These have, of course, become quite widespread now.

I beleive CoD had done that first.

 

[fix-the-spade]

Edited for spelling and additional content.

It could be said that the sales of Halo 1 ensured the survival of the XBox. Whatever the case, this is where the naysayers begin bitching and moaning, claiming that Halo brought absolutely NOTHING to the table. I'm inclined to refute that statement. Halo 1 made the following into mainstream game mechanics.

-Vehicle sections that didn't suck ass (Warthog, Banshee, Scorpion tank)
-Regenerating health
-Grenades that stuck to enemies
-Online play (XBox Live)

Sticky Grenades were in Perfect Dark (Devestator/timed mine/proxy mine/remote mine). The mechanics of timed mines was pretty much identical to Plasma grenades.

The control layout was very similar to Alien Resurrection for the PS1

Also, since when did Halo 1 have anything to do with Xbox live? Live wasn't even operating when Halo 1 was out and its had no online mode AT ALL on the xbox.
On the Pc its online gaming circa 1994. The maps are glitchy, the lag borders on the comical (Spartan warps 90feet to grab flag, warps 300 feet back to waiting banshee) and all the maps seem to be designed specifically for spawn camping.
Not to mention the total lack of voice chat, which is probably a mercy...

Compared to Mechwarrior 2 Halo plays online pretty well. Against Counter Strike or Unreal tournament(both from 1999, four years before Halo got online play) it crashes and burns.

What I liked about halo 1 was its balance. In single player at any rate.
You can start any level, grab an AR, pistol, shotgun or Plasma rifle + something else like a spnkr or sniper rifle. Then your set for the rest of the level.
The levels were repetitive but fun and the enemies worked well, especially Elites. The offline multiplayer was pretty good too, although even when it was new it still wasn't picked over Perfect Dark, Goldeneye or even Timesplitters (mainly because of the map builder).

 

[fix-the-spade]

Unbiased review of HALO:


Better than HALO:

Timesplitters 2
Half-life
BLACK
Killer7
Team Fortress
Operation Flashpoint
COD4
Bioshock

NONE of those games were better then halo aside from COD 4 and Bioshock. You were pretty far off with the others. Killer7 In particualr was just awful. I dont think you could have been more wrong there.

quote]

Timesplitters 2 is better for its sense of humour alone, it actually has some decent gags in it, rather than Grunts. Its also better on level design. It ranks along with Goldeneye and Perfect Dark as the only FPS I've played where the levels would change based on difficulty. As in new objectives, rooms, puzzles and enemies would appear as you ramped it up, making it a genuine challenge.

Rather than the route most FPS take of hard=50x enemies. Even Valve are guilty of this, but Bungie especially.

 

[jim_doki]

See, I was a mac gamer back in the day. I had all the Marathon games and on the strength of those three games I recommended Halo to a freind of mine. When I played Halo myself (on his xbox no less) I found it felt very much like an enhanced Marathon.
I think one of the things that deserves noting is that Halo was one of the first (possibly the first) FPS on a console that didn't suck (n64 games excepted). It really broke a new market, bringing FPS's to a casual gamer, plus the hype helped

the thing about the hype is nothing is ever as good as the hype brings it up to be unless you are an idiot. so while the game is well recieved by fans and first time gamers, veterans like some of us just aren't that impressed. It looks good, it feels good, but it's kinda like Sgt Pepper's. The first time someone makes a sound, it's copied endlessly till the original doesn't stand out any more

 

[Neflame]

All right, here's my thoughts on the subject:

It's true that Halo did up the standards of console FPS to a certain degree. And it's not a bad series, just not as good as it sounds.

Now, I am a long time fan of Bungie and a huge fan of the Marathon Trilogy and Myth. Now, when I was awaiting the first Halo, I expected to basically see Marathon again. I started getting hopeful when they again paired the main character with an AI partner, but I was disappointed by the lack of depth that made me love Marathon.

I'm gonna pause and say that I found Master Chief's voice completely annoying. If a character is going to speak, he should at least have SOME fucking emotion.

Anyway, I was rather disappointed that Halo one didn't live up to my expectations of being the next Marathon, but that was fine because I enjoyed it. Now, Halo 2 came and I again hoped to see some reference to Marathon. Once more I was disappointed. The same can be said for Halo 3. In the end, it just seemed like Bungie just made the same game three times and only added and modified a few things.

However, I at least expected Halo to have a story depth resembling Marathon. Again, my hopes were smashed upon rocks. However, they did do what they did with the end of Marathon. That is to say, not have a REAL end. Anyway, I'm going to bash or praise Halo. It's good for what it is, but could be better (start with better acting. I only liked Halo 2's cast because Ron Pearlman plays Lord Hood).

Anyway, that's all I have to say. So feel free to burn me at the stake, crucify me, or whatever it is you hardcore Halo fans do when something like this pops up.

 

[qbert4ever]

Anyway, that's all I have to say. So feel free to burn me at the stake, crucify me, or whatever it is you hardcore Halo fans do when something like this pops up.

Funny thing is, most of the people that respond to these threads don't like Halo at all. In fact, they seem to draw the attention of the polar opposite of Halo fanboys. Hell, come to think about it, I've never really seen a Halo fanboy. Only haters and those that are indifferent. Makes you think a bit...

Anyways, I'm gonna go back to hurting myself for keeping this horrible thread alive.

 

[stompy]

I too am getting annoyed by these Halo threads. Seriously, with the increasing troll numbers joining, Halo threads need to be let go. Some really bad flame wars could occur (the ones with the terrible grammar, not the ones between GEMS and everybody else(those aren't half bad)).

Halo was a good game. It was nothing special to PC gamers, but to people like me, Halo will always hold a special place, 'cos it was my first FPS. I've grown up, played other FPSs and realise that Halo is a small fish in a big pond, but it's still fun. And in the end, what else can you ask from a game?

 

[Dealin Burgers]

Lets look at some of the games people think are better than Halo: Bioshock; yes it has a good atmosphere and story, but the combat was a joke. It was far too easy. Half-Life 2 gets alot of deserved praise, but Half-Life's multiplayer pales in comparison too Halo's. Mass Effect had a great story but endless repetitive gameplay. Halo is great across the board rather than just oustanding at one aspect.

 

[Rolling Thunder]

Excepting the actual gameplay.....

 

[Lion Fury]

Anyway, that's all I have to say. So feel free to burn me at the stake, crucify me, or whatever it is you hardcore Halo fans do when something like this pops up.

(quote) Funny thing is, most of the people that respond to these threads don't like Halo at all. In fact, they seem to draw the attention of the polar opposite of Halo fanboys. Hell, come to think about it, I've never really seen a Halo fanboy. Only haters and those that are indifferent. Makes you think a bit...(quote)
Rolls eyes. Personally, I have been a fan of the Halo series the whole way through, and Halo3 has only further bolstered that. Sure its not realistic, but that has always been the draw for me. Multiplayer has just just so much more options then the normal console shooter, matchmaking is uniformely excellent for quality games, and the great inclusion of vehicles is something I sorely miss in other shooter. Bungie really backs their games for years to come which is greatly appreciated too. 4player COOP is another awesome option and the media sharing functions and forge have also eating away my life. I frequently hear people cite COD4 for having more depth and whatnot for the perks system, but who gives a crap when you throw it all away for prestige. Yay! I have a great idea, lets throw away all Ive worked for for just a shitty icon. Not acceptable by any mean. By the way I feel the melee aspect is a major feature that seperates it from the tidal wave of clones. Seriously, it sometimes feels like every game has to conform to certain playstyle lest it be damned for it. Variety is the spice of life you know. Before somebody makes a smartass comment about inexperience Ive played games for nearly 20 years now on every system known to man including the computer.

 

[Gigantor]

(stabs thread in heart repeatedly with wooden stake)

'Why...won't...you...die?!'

 

[Ixal]

I have only played Halo 1, so maybe the two other parts are vastly better, but if not I also can't see why Halo is so popular.
I agree with Yahtzee that Halo is just average. Everything it does has been done before, for example in Half Life. Except regenerating health it didn't add anything to the genre and the plot is a standard variation of "Slimy aliens invade Earth". There are a lot of shooter which are as good as Halo or better. Bioshock, Half Life 1&2, Stalker, F.E.A.R, Call of Duty 4, etc.

The best thing about it is imo the marketing. The TV Spots for Halo 3 were very interesting. And that might be a piece of the puzzle why Halo is so popular. It was marketed heavily.
Another piece of the puzzle could be that, what others have said before, XBox players don't have any better FPS to play. For them Halo is simply awesome because they don't have any alternatives like PC Gamers have.

 

[Lion Fury]

(stabs thread in heart repeatedly with wooden stake)

'Why...won't...you...die?!'

If you really want it to die why did you post? lol. Oh, and the sheer number of players attest Im not a lone in liking Halo. Seriously, its consistently up near the top on XBOX Live. Makes matchmaking really fluid and sweet.

 

[dekkarax]

*defibrilates thread*
personally, I liked halo 2 most for a few reasons: the story was slightly more developed on, I liked the battle rifle, the level design was nice, and most of all, that's what I got some of the best memories playing a game from, some of the best memories of my LIFE playing mp with my friends, it was something EVERYONE liked, plus it taught my fried to be a whizz a grenade throwing, it was something to relish, something I liked so much we played it at my birthday party...ALL DAY
however the cons were very obvious:
-the alien weapons except the brute shot were boring and uninspired
-Master cheif hass less personality than a brick
-the game tryed to cater to everyones tastes at once usually failing (comedy mixed with horror)
-it rips of aliens with the flood
-everyone in the game is an idiot except cortana, the arbitor, the prophets, that elite guy, gravemind and tartarus
-the game missed alot of nice bits from halo 1, probably 'cause it was rushed slightly
-weapons sound samey
-the friendly AI are moronic, why when the enemy AI was good?
-the sword is unbalaced but ASTRONOMICALLY FUN
-too many people whine about the plasma pistol/BR combo
-I had no xbox live
-I felt guilty over killing grunts
-the game has few objectives
-and Master Cheif's incredible loading face still scares me.