The Fall of Halo: An examination.

[Bling Cat]

I am fully aware that Halo 3 has been done to death, dug up, paraded around on a cart then burned, but hear me out. This is not a review of the game, so much as it is a reflection on how the Halo series has managed to attain it?s position as everyone?s ?Most controversial title of ever? trophy.

The Halo series is one of massive controversy. It is mainly accepted that they got worse as time wore on and the higher the number by the name, the shittier the game. But why is this? The games themselves have not degraded in quality enough to justify people?s hatred. This is not to say that Halo has not gotten worse, just that it hasn?t gotten that bad. I was mulling this over, and I came to a conclusion.

As the games became more and more popular, they started taking themselves far more seriously. This meant far more ?scary? sequences with the flood, far more orchestral music scores piping in at times that didn?t deserve it, and far more shortcuts in the story because ?we?re Halo, we can do anything!?.

This probably stoked the fires of fanboy rage. But what I think really offset this was the graphics. I?ll show you a comparison.

Just look at them. Am I the only one who thinks that they got progressively cartoonier? I think that the steady progression of the graphics towards a cartoony theme, combined with the series taking itself more and more seriously led to its downfall.

If games start to take themselves too seriously, they come across as pretentious. And being seen as pretentious is never a good thing.

Thoughts? Criticism? Outright flames? Direct them at me. I relish the chance to improve my writing style.

 

[Maet]

I thought Halo:CE was terrible, and I'm frankly baffled as to how it became such a lucrative property.

 

[ffxfriek]

ive never noticed that....hmmm it does i like halo 2 graphic of the 3 pics

 

[Matthicus]

I've always enjoyed the Halo series, I didn't really care how it looked. It was the addictive matchmaking that grabbed my attention and hooked me.

 

[Aries_Split]

I've always enjoyed the Halo series, I didn't really care how it looked. It was the addictive matchmaking that grabbed my attention and hooked me.

I take it you skipped Halo?

 

[Matthicus]

No man, me and my buddies had lots of fun with Halo: CE. That library level would take us forever on legendary but boy, did we feel accomplished after.

 

[brabz]

I've always enjoyed the Halo series, I didn't really care how it looked. It was the addictive matchmaking that grabbed my attention and hooked me.

I take it you skipped Halo?

LAN parties don't count on the original Halo? I have fond memories of being in college with tv's spread around the dorms and the shouts of triumph and rage that would occur during any given deathmatch. It's a large part of what kept me hooked and interested in the series.

 

[Lord Krunk]

I still enjoy the games; but I found that Halo 3 was pretty, but too short. That was it's main failing, in my opinion.

And (sorry, I have to say it), this isn't a review, even if you made a valid point. I think that this should be moved to Gaming Discussion.

 

[Dr Spaceman]

It's a good topic, but I'd have to agree with the above poster, this should probably be in Gaming Discussion. (And you'd probably get more responses there too!)

However, that doesn't mean this topic could be the subject of a good review. If you really took the time to map out exactly what changed in the games' tone and plot, it would definitely make for a more engaging review. I know a lot of people have played all of the Halos, but I have not. I've only played the single-player for Halo:CE, and multi for Halo:CE and Halo 2.

I guess what I'm trying to say is I have a problem seeing your point, as I don't have the prerequisite knowledge that is necessary, something which I don't think should be the case on this specific forum.

 

[Bling Cat]

I still enjoy the games; but I found that Halo 3 was pretty, but too short. That was it's main failing, in my opinion.

And (sorry, I have to say it), this isn't a review, even if you made a valid point. I think that this should be moved to Gaming Discussion.

I thought that as well. The moment I posted it. I sent a message to Wilson, but I'm presuming he's busy.

 

[Senor Pantz]

I've never really understood people that cared about Halo. I bought and played them all and they were entertaining, but I never felt they were anything to rave about either for or against. The only thing that really annoyed me (other than the flood)was that in Halo 2 you couldn't have the Co-op restart effect in heroic mode, it only functioned in Legendary.

 

[GCM]

Played Halo CE, haven't finished it, not really into it, haven't played multiplayer (who's going to be on Halo 1 multiplayer, anyway?)

Now, can anyone tell me what's different in Halo 2 and 3? I've heard of skull collecting, dual-wielding, online multiplayer, and Scarab battles, but none of these really seem to me as really big enough to believe that either game is better than Halo. Perhaps it's the combination of awkward graphics (read: character expressions) and bad voice acting that turns me off Halo. Graphics should have improved (cartoonier or not), but I don't suppose that the voiceovers are any better?

 

[sneakypenguin]

Talking about campaign here. Halo CE was fun because there was a sense of aloneness and being stuck in the strange place fighting not to win a war against the covenant but a war to survive on this strange place. Also there was a sense of exploration. That and the graphics fit they where colorful yet based in reality with wonderful shades of blue and green and an actually nice grays.

H2 was pretty nice I thought but was limited in what the xbox could do. The story broadened, gameplay to got better with dual wielding vehicle boarding etc. but some magic was lost there was no sense of wonder and the flood levels left something to be desired, and a physicality was lost with the combat.

H3 was weird for me I thought the graphics sucked it just felt like H2.5 so that was strike one for me. The story I played it 4 times before i sold it and I probably could not tell you what went on. Gameplay just was not fun I felt like a freaking one man army gone was the sense of exploration and survival of halo CE I just felt like I alone could easily take on the covenant. There was no sense of physicality to the combat either you fired your AR and it felt like you where shooting a paintball gun not a AR. Also the flood have gotten worse as the games went on. They are so weak in 3 you can just mow though them on anything but ledgendary. They don't feel like some crazy unstopable hoard like in the Library in CE

Halo CE Sense of exploration survival physicality
Halo 2 broader story better gameplay some magic lost
Halo3 forgetable story and all sense of survival wonder exploration was lost in favor of the chief is a dang one man army feared by all and fearing none

 

[Shindiggity]

sneakypenguin pretty much nailed it: Halo Combat Evolved was awesome as it gave you a sense of exploration, breathtaking vistas all set in an entertaining sci-fi story. It also gave you a real sense that you were acting in desperation, that you weren't sure if humanity would prevail. Halo 2 and 3 omitted this in place of all-out shooting and explosions. The inclusion of the flood was an unexpected dramatic turn of events.
Another reason is that Bungie are incredible at hyping a game. Halo 3 was painted to be the ultimate, epic finale to a popular series. It was not. Just from watching Bungie on the special edition disc of H3, I kind of get this sense that they're hating what they do, that they just work there because they get paid alot.

 

[steamednotfried]

Well you havn't really said much. I used to do this (and maybe i still do), and by this i mean atatching to some casual observations the significance of a theory. And no, i'm not sure that they have got more cartoony in so much as they have simply lost their style. I think it would be safe to say that they have become less cartoony in that the graphics and audio have become more detailed. Halo 1 had a very simplistic audiovisual style which was highly expressive in it's portrayal of the system of rules which is where the genius of halo lies. Since the graphics and audio simply represented the rules in the first game, they gained the character of the rules, but in the later games there was too much elaboration in these contextual elements and thus they lost their connection with the rules which are the main sunject of interest in Halo. Do have a read of my essay on the videogame medium which focuses on the importance or lack thereof of goals in games. Halo combat evolved is one of the main objects of discussion with this subject in mind.

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/9.75189

 

[Solo508]

I quit Halo after they announced that Halo 2 would require Windows Vista to run it. That was a pathetic move by Microsoft. When I finally did get the chance to play Halo 2 for the PC it was such a laggy mess, they didn't even bother to take out "Press A/B" buttons (from the Xbox) to navigate the menus. So many people played Halo PC (and still do). Its a shame that they abandoned it.

 

[rossatdi]

I never thought they were bad. They're a mediocre big budget action series with fun, if shallow, multiplayer. No mystery.

 

[Emperor Inferno]

I played Halo 1 & 2 and loved them both, 2 moreso than 1. I've heard things about Halo 3 that give me my doubts, things from hardcore Halo fans like myself. Halo 2 was markedly better than the original in every way from graphics to size to gameplay to story. I understand that the downward progressin you speak of, Bling Cat, really started with Halo 3. According to my friends who I do see eye-to-eye with on games, that's where the story went overboard and kinda started pulling things out of it's ass. That's where the gameplay went downhill. I don't know about the graphics being cartoonier, given I've only seen snipets but from what I have seen of them, the graphics are more detalied and realistic than the first two. This is probably the only area in which I have heard that 3 excels over 1 & 2. And yes, I think you're right. A game that takes itself too seriously is pretentious, which is bad.

EDIT: You have a valid point in saying that some sequences got a lot scarier, but I see that as a good thing. Also, I really loved the orchestral music and never found it to be out of place. Again, I'm just talking about 1 & 2 here. And rest assured, I'm not attacking your opinion, just expressing mine.

 

[Emperor Inferno]

I quit Halo after they announced that Halo 2 would require Windows Vista to run it. That was a pathetic move by Microsoft. When I finally did get the chance to play Halo 2 for the PC it was such a laggy mess, they didn't even bother to take out "Press A/B" buttons (from the Xbox) to navigate the menus. So many people played Halo PC (and still do). Its a shame that they abandoned it.

I won't play Halo on the PC, and one reason is the Vista requirement for 2. Another reason is because consoles are designed for gaming, I love the fact that all you have to do with an X-Box is plug it in, put in disc, and you're playing. Also, I prefer the control scheme of the X-Box, analog and trigger controls make movement and gameplay feel more fluid, real, and natural.

 

[Droshi]

Played Halo CE, haven't finished it, not really into it, haven't played multiplayer (who's going to be on Halo 1 multiplayer, anyway?)

Now, can anyone tell me what's different in Halo 2 and 3? I've heard of skull collecting, dual-wielding, online multiplayer, and Scarab battles, but none of these really seem to me as really big enough to believe that either game is better than Halo. Perhaps it's the combination of awkward graphics (read: character expressions) and bad voice acting that turns me off Halo. Graphics should have improved (cartoonier or not), but I don't suppose that the voiceovers are any better?

Take a peek at the server list for Halo: CE for PC and get back to me. It's just as popular online as ever. And to me, it's still the most fun.

I had Halo 2 and beat it, then I played a little bit of the campaign on Halo 3 and some online stuff. Halo: CE online is NOTHING like Halo 2 or Halo 3 online. They are like completely different games. For the better, in my opinion.