Bungie's Masterpiece
User Rating: 9.8 | Halo (Xbox Collection) XBOX
What is there left to say about Halo that hasn't already been said? This game is easily the best game on the xbox and one of the greatest games ever made. Gameplay: Ok let me put this simply. The controls in Halo are perfect. FPS's have always had trouble on consols because the controlers don't suit the gameplay as well as a keyboard and mouse. While the aiming is still a little slower than a mouse, Halo's controls are the best they can possibly be. Everything about them is just intuitive. Additionally all of the weapons are well balanced. Many people complain about being limited to only 2 weapons at a time. I don't think this is a problem at all. In fact it actually adds a layer of strategy to what would otherwise be just "run and gun" situations. While playing the game you're constantly thinking about what kinds of situations you'll being going into next and what weapons are going to be best. The vehicles add a whole new dimension on top of that. Again, the controls in the vehicles are jsut as intuitive and well balanced as the first person controls. One of the most surprising aspects of Halo is its storyline. Halo is the exception to the rule when it comes to FPS storylines. The story is engrossing and suspensfull and its amazing how much of a story Bungie develops with just brief in-engine cutscenes between levels. Halo's multiplayer is also excellent. The game comes with a decent variety of maps and is easy to set up and play. Sadly, since it was a launch title, Halo does not have XBL compatibilty. Luckily though it does have system link. You can link your system to as many as 3 others and play with up to 4 people on each system (making for 16 palyers at a time). In my opinion, this is what makes Halo worth it. If you are lucky enough to have enough friends with the right equipment, you can pour countless hours into Halo's multiplayer. Graphics: At the time that I'm writing this Halo's graphics are starting to get a little dated. However they still do an excellent job in the game. One of the most noticable aspects of the graphics is the expansive levels. The levels in Halo are huge by most gaming standards. This really helps to create the fealing that you actuall are on this ringworld. Even after playing through the game several times, I still like to go back to the assault on the control room level and just fly around in a wraith admiring the scope and freedom of the levels. The framrate is pretty good. Its not perfect, but theres nothing thats really going to frustrate you or hamper your gameplay ina any way. The worst case scenario with the framerate is if you're playing the Damnation multiplayer level with several people. In the single player game you'll probably never even notice any hiccups. Sound: The music in Halo is some of the best in any game I have ever played. Its perfectly suited for the situations that its used in, and adds lots of atmoshphere to the game. Additionally all of the voice acting is solid. The chief's gruff voice fits his character perfectly. On top of the regular voice acting you'll also hear your enemy's and allies talking and shouting to each other on the battlefield. Like the music and level size this really adds to the atmoshpere of the game. Value: Halo is well worth picking up. At the time that I'm writing this the current price is only $20, but it would still be worth paying 4 times that for this game. The single player campain only lasts about 15 hrs but the replay value is huge in this game. The enemies are going to react differently every time you play the game. Bungie has also included and nicely balanced four different difficulty settings. Add in the multiplayer and you're looking at 100+ hrs of gameplay. Halo is not entirely perfect. While the levels are genrally large and expansive. These areas are often connected by repetitive corridors. Also, while the multiplayer maps are pretty decent, some of them are practicly worthless unless you have a large number of people, and as a result the 4 or 5 good maps can get pretty old after you've spent hours upon hours playing them. Besides these two little problems though Halo is an Excellent game and a must have for any Xbox owner, and even a good reason to pick up an Xbox if you don't already have one.
