Halo Updated Preview

Halo, hands down, has been a long time coming. Since its announcement at the 1999 Macworld Expo, the gaming world has been alight with excitement--you'd be hard-pressed indeed to find a yet-to-be-released game with a more fervent fan following. Microsoft's acquisition of Bungie and the game's subsequent development shift to the Xbox was probably the most radical change in the game's life span. What many once envisioned as a primarily online game was in the midst of becoming a console FPS. Many wondered if and how the game would be compromised.

Obviously, Halo has changed quite a bit in the transition, though "compromised" would be an unfair term. The game that resulted from all these odd hoppings about is deep, intricate, and beautiful. Halo's world is large, and there are many things do to in it, with or without the presence of other humans. It's also lovingly designed--the amount of detail present within it is staggering, and its inhabitants certainly do much to maintain the illusion of life. Given our experience with the game these past few weeks, it's safe to say that few games surpass it in terms of the level of immersion you'll feel in its world.

Graphically, the game is arguably without peer, at least as far as its console brethren are concerned. Everything moves at a smooth pace and remains nicely playable during heated split-screen battles, and the worlds are bursting with detail. Textural details abound--many are bump mapped, and they're all rendered at marvelous resolutions--and dynamic lighting adds infinite amounts of depth to the already tangible worlds. All this is done very subtly, though--never are you battered with the details of this living world. Rather, those who choose to scrutinize are rewarded with signs of an expertly crafted environment.

Halo boasts an engrossing single-player mode that's characterized by complex, living environments and populated by intelligent, deadly denizens. The 10-mission campaign sets you on a hostile alien world, wherein you'll be treated deep, bloody battle after deep, bloody battle. The multiplayer modes are similarly full-featured. On top of a gang of deathmatch games lies a compelling co-op mode that allows you to experience all the single-player missions with an ally at your side. While the single-player mode is definitely compelling enough, having the support of a close ally (who happens to be sitting right next to you) adds a different kind of color to the proceedings. Coupled with the already-hefty roster of war-hungry marines at your side, during most battle sequences, the extra firepower provided in the co-op mode is most welcome and makes it that much easier to take on the missions at higher difficulty levels.

With or without company, though, you'll definitely find it truly easy to move about in Halo's world. Facilitating all your advanced combat maneuvers is a set of well-tuned and customizable controls. Though it isn't a mouse and keyboard setup, after spending some time with the game, you likely won't mind.

The game's default control setup is much like what you've seen in a number of console FPS games: The left stick allows you to look and aim, while the right stick controls your movement. Attacking is mapped to the trigger buttons--the right trigger fires your guns, while the left trigger allows you to hurl grenades, which is a nice touch, as it very much guarantees that they'll be worked into your strategy. The face buttons have a variety of functions mapped to them. Y allows you to switch weapons, A executes a pistol-whip/rifle-butt-style melee attack, and B causes you to jump. The X button, finally, allows you to pick up weapons--you're only allowed to carry two at a time, though, so selecting a versatile arsenal is of primary import. If the weapon you're carrying happens to have a secondary firing mode, pressing down the right stick, R3-style, switches to and from it. Overall, the controls feel ultrasmooth--if you're used to console first-person shooters, you'll definitely feel right at home. Those reared on a PC-style setup will definitely consider this a downgrade, but, given the game's merits, they'll likely feel it worth the effort to readjust. Bungie, in any event, has been pretty accommodating--you can adjust the level of sensitivity for the left stick, as well as invert its movement path, if you desire.

Once you hop into a vehicle, though, you'll have to learn a new set of control mechanics pretty quickly. Luckily, all the right models have inspired the controls for these machines, so they feel spot on. Using the jeep, for instance, has you "steering" with the camera, via the left stick. The right stick serves as gas, brakes, and reverse. It admittedly takes a minute to adjust to this, but once you've done it for a little while, you'll find yourself mowing down enemies like unruly weeds. The game's physics--vehicles included--are a bit on the bouncy side, which definitely lends the vehicle sequences a markedly jumpy flavor. Still, once you've traversed Halo's hilly plains, you'll definitely come to appreciate this. The jeep is armed with a mounted machine gun, which can be manned by either an AI marine or a second player, and you can also have someone sitting shotgun so as to fire his or her guns on the drive by. Logically, you yourself can also man either of these posts on co-op. In any event, when behind the wheel of the jeep, you'll find yourself pulling semi-donuts as you attempt to physically mow down scattered enemies with your chassis. Though this doesn't sound like a particularly effective strategy, the fact that you have a good deal of cover from enemy fire on top of the sheer destructive tonnage serves a decent incentive. As the game progresses, you'll gain access to Covenant vehicles, which allow you take to the air and even strafe while hovering.

Clearly, there is a good deal to Halo. Despite our three days of coverage, we've only scratched the surface. With the game verging on release, though, it won't be long till you're able to experience all this for yourself. Check back for a full review as the game's release date nears, and enjoy the media we've provided in the meantime.