Random Video Game Series Review - Halo (Combat Evolved-3)

So having looked through my many blog posts (again), I noticed that I haven't really done much in the way of talking about the flagship franchise for the Xbox line of consoles. Well today I will rectify that. So when I was in college, during breaks I would often join a network of Halo players as we played through a free(ish) and presumably unofficial Halo game which was more for fun than anything else. It was one of the first instances of me playing online and since then, I have played a few other games in the series. So with the recent announcement of the series going onto PC (well some of the main games anyway), I thought it be time to talk about them. But rather than go through all the games, today I will be focused only on the games I played. But due to timing, I have decided to only review the first three games with the intention of looking at the other games at a later date. So without further ado, lets get to it:



Combat Evolved

So let's start with the game that started it all. Originally released as a launch title for the very first Xbox console, this game has been widely regarded as one of the greatest games of all time which could be the reason why it led to having so many sequels and making the overall franchise a beloved one by many gamers. Its the 26th century and technology has made it possible for humans to colonise on other planets beyond Earth. There is of course a military force in place of supersoliders known as Spartans who are well equipped and there to keep rebellions at bay while also taking on an alien threat that wants to be rid of humanity because of religious reasons. At the start of the game, the ship that attempts to led the aliens away from Earth, crash lands onto some kind of unknown ring world and its up to the main protagonist known as Master Chief (voiced in most of the games by Steve Downes) to find and rescue survivors while learning a few things about this ring world. As it is with most shooting games, this is a first person shooter which switches to a third person perspective upon entering vehicles or turrets. There is also a mini map that shows whereabouts of allies and enemies. The player is equipped with a shield weapon which can be used both to protect you and in combat, but at the cost of some energy being depleted. Of course the player would need to find health packs of which there are plenty in almost every level. In quite a rare occurrence in these kinds of games, the weapons are of a sci-fi origin and each have a unique purpose in progressing the story. It is known that the series has players only being able to carry two weapons at once which although frustrating, requires a lot of strategic thinking as a result. To put it simply, the first game of the series is pretty dang fantastic. It manages to be its own thing by trying its hardest to not be like every other shooting game like it. Its aged pretty well since it first came out and it is quite fun to play despite the story otherwise being quite serious. 9/10

2

Set after the events of the novel Halo: First Strike, we learn of the aliens known as the Covenant and the elite solider in charge of the fleet from the first game is greatly disgraced for failing to stop Master Cheif from destroying the ring world (yes I know its a spoiler, but everyone will have known about it by now) and gets tortured by his superiors. On Earth, the men and women involved in the events of the first game are commended for their actions, but this is soon cut short when a Covenant fleet invade the planet which prompts Master Cheif and his allies to help get rid of them before learning of the existence of another ring world. Gameplay is almost the same as it was in the first game, but with a few adjustments such as the use of dual weilding weapons, a damage absorbing shield that takes the place of what was the health bar. The campaign mode this time allows players to play from both sides of the fight in the story's conflict with the other character being a Covenant Elite called the Arbiter (voiced by Keith David) and both him and Master Chief having varying differences in terms of armour and weapons and such. Four levels of difficulty and plenty of collectibles to find as well as a multiplayer mode much like the first game which has its own improvements. One of the things we gamers notice in a series of triple A titles like the Halo games is that its normally the sequel that is considered the best game of the overall series. I would like to say that this game is good. It continues to be more unique than any other shooting game out there and with us being able to play from both sides of the fight, it can make us either more sympathetic or more willing to destroy one side or the other. Its another great game in the series so let's keep going. 9/10

3

So following the events of the comic tie-in Halo: Uprising as well as the last game of course, the main characters and their new Covenant Elite allies travel to a place known as the Ark in which they learn of a plot to activate all the Halos (the proper name for the ring worlds) in an attempt for the Covenant to fulfil their religious ways which of course means that Master Cheif and his allies must stop them as well as the Ark before its too late. While gameplay largely remains the same, players now get a "Golden triangle of Halo" which makes things easier for players to switch between weapons, grenades and melee attacks. In addition to the many weapon upgrades, the game is also known to give players a more personal experience in terms of being able to freely mod the game without the need to access game files as well as using various parts of the Xbox 360 to help better shape the game and such for the players. Unlike previous games, the campaign mode this time can be played alone or up to four players via online means where the first player is Master Cheif, the second player is the Arbiter and the third and fourth are Covenant Elites each with their own backstories. All characters share the same abilities with some variation with weapons. Collecting skulls in the game apply cheats which ultimately help with getting the best score possible in the game. With the Xbox 360 being capable of doing online multiplayer stuff, the game tries its hardest to take advantage of that. Third game in the series. Normally when you reach that entry, it tends to be way too ambitious and ultimately ends up not being all that great. Not the case for this game mind you as it continues to keep the franchise going and takes advantage of new technology in far better ways than any game at the time may not have picked up prior. 9/10

So as I have left this quite late, I have decided to leave it there and continue to review the other games at a later date. But from what I have played so far, it is a great series that shows no signs of decay or anything like that. And I hope it keeps going for many years to come. And as I said, I will be reviewing some of the other games at a later date. 9/10