"The best stories have endings". Well yes. Obiosuly yes. And yet the author does in fact need to point this out. Because apparently everything good must peter out gradually, tarnishing its legacy....
"The best stories have endings".
Well yes. Obiosuly yes. And yet the author does in fact need to point this out. Because apparently everything good must peter out gradually, tarnishing its legacy.
This is the inevitable fate of beloved artworks once corporations get their hands on 'em.
While narratives arguably need endings, I'm not sure franchises have to be so constrained. The Halo universe is vast, and I could easily see creatives making fantastic spin-offs or even reboots or...
While narratives arguably need endings, I'm not sure franchises have to be so constrained. The Halo universe is vast, and I could easily see creatives making fantastic spin-offs or even reboots or alternate universes. The author's enjoyment of all the non-game Halo media supports this.
Mario is a much beloved franchise, and Nintendo recently delivered one of the best Mario games ever in Wonder!
It's easy to churn out the yearly schlock franchise installment and ruin a brand, but it's also possible to create an enduring cultural mainstay across generations with careful stewardship.
There is so much more content in the Halo universe that has never been explored. The devs and most fans get so hung up on Master Chief that they forget what a vast and interesting universe has...
There is so much more content in the Halo universe that has never been explored. The devs and most fans get so hung up on Master Chief that they forget what a vast and interesting universe has been created. I'd even love to see other genres in that universe, possibly as an ODST or regular marine rather than only focusing on what the war is like for Spartans.
I’m still bummed we never got a Halo-setting space strategy game similar to Star Wars: Empire at War or, even more ambitious, Distant Worlds. I know my made up space strategy game wouldn’t have...
I’m still bummed we never got a Halo-setting space strategy game similar to Star Wars: Empire at War or, even more ambitious, Distant Worlds.
I know my made up space strategy game wouldn’t have sold as well as a FPS but holy fuck could you imagine if Bungie took a crack at Homeworld, but Halo?
That was always my hope too. I also thought that like Homeworld it would be great to carry over your progress from mission to mission justified by in universe Halo people like having Keyes or...
That was always my hope too. I also thought that like Homeworld it would be great to carry over your progress from mission to mission justified by in universe Halo people like having Keyes or something.
There's something ironic about the drone of a corporate hivemind being compelled to churn out soulless projects for the sake of a covenant made with investors that attempts to cover up an apparent...
There's something ironic about the drone of a corporate hivemind being compelled to churn out soulless projects for the sake of a covenant made with investors that attempts to cover up an apparent inability to understand the artistic goals of an IP's long-gone predecessors...
Recommissioning the devs was a radical step, but recent events have made it abundantly clear that the leads can no longer guarantee our brand's safety.
Tangential but I want to mention it since your comment made me think of it: I think the writing, specifically how sparse but impactful and quotable it was, had a, maybe under-appreciated, impact...
Tangential but I want to mention it since your comment made me think of it:
I think the writing, specifically how sparse but impactful and quotable it was, had a, maybe under-appreciated, impact on how fondly Bungie’s Halo games have been remembered.
Halo Infinite actually sort of dragged that quality back out. Chief’s “kneel and feel” moment with the pilot was great.
Agreed! Halo 4 also had a brief but decent exchange when Chief has to leave Dr. Tillson and deal with the assault on the Composer facility. Video Link Doing another Halo is like doing another Star...
Agreed! Halo 4 also had a brief but decent exchange when Chief has to leave Dr. Tillson and deal with the assault on the Composer facility.
Dr. Tillson: "I'll, uh— ...make sure the nukes are primed so you can... detonate them remotely. Maybe next time you rescue us... you can give us more time to pack?"
Doing another Halo is like doing another Star Wars; we can see how it can be done with the likes of Rogue One, but the more involved Disney becomes, the more likely the project is going to turn out like The Last Jedi, with every exec needing to leave their mark on the confused results.
Without that degree of separation that Bungie was contractually afforded by a desperate Microsoft in late 2000, I'm hard pressed to think of a way that developers could have enough resources to even do the likes of another ODST, let alone anything more ambitious. Instead, we get these flittering moments that make you go, "if only they could do more of that..."
Fed-up Gamers: "Halo, it's finished."
Microsoft: "I think we're just getting started..."
I absolutely love Halo. I remember having friends over in highschool to link two xboxs and play the original Halo. I remember getting Halo 2 at a midnight release and playing online with my...
I absolutely love Halo. I remember having friends over in highschool to link two xboxs and play the original Halo. I remember getting Halo 2 at a midnight release and playing online with my friends in different cities while in university for the very first time. Even with all that, Halo 3/ODST/Reach was peak Halo for me. I still replay these campaigns all the time these days.
I agree with the general concept of this author. 4, 5 and Infinite were all disappointing. At this point, the only way I would believe a new Halo might stand a chance would be if Bungie took it back over. Even that is no guarantee as that studio is very different now.
Peak Halo was a formative time in my life and has provided some of the best memories I have ever had. I know Microsoft will do it's best to destroy all those memories while mining my nostalgia, and that's fine. I don't own the game. They can do whatever they want and there is always a chance they will make a decent game by accident. I just know I won't be standing in a line in a mall at 12am ever again and especially not for a new Halo.
I’m disappointed with the move from Slipspace to Unreal 5. Proprietary game engines carry quirks that give charm to each game a studio puts out. When every major studio starts to use UE5 those...
I’m disappointed with the move from Slipspace to Unreal 5. Proprietary game engines carry quirks that give charm to each game a studio puts out. When every major studio starts to use UE5 those games lose a facet of their identities. Source, RAGE, Gamebryo, Void, and BLAM have distinct game feel present in all their games. You know you’re playing a Valve/Rockstar/Bethesda/Arkane/Halo game.
Microsoft did this to themselves with their contractor churn- a revolving door of devs working for 18 months max on projects that span up to 6 years. Of course your games development cycle will be hamstrung by a proprietary engine when everyone you hire only has a year and a half to learn it! I believe one of Halo Infinite’s core failures was a drastic change to the way physics was handled in-game. You can’t interact with the world the same way anymore, but that was an intentional design decision given that it’s the same engine. I don’t think UE5 will be able to bring back the same reliable feeling that Halo 3/Reach had. Especially when they’re hiring fresh faces who haven’t worked on previous Halo games.
All that to say I wish them the best of luck and I hope they can release a banger when the time comes. I’m doubtful though- their tech demo of a “return to best in class” Halo looks rough.
Based on the available information they are going to remake halo:CE in unreal 5 as the first game of the new studio. The main thing holding Xbox back at the moment is backwards compatibility with...
Based on the available information they are going to remake halo:CE in unreal 5 as the first game of the new studio.
The main thing holding Xbox back at the moment is backwards compatibility with the lower powered consoles. Unreal 5 use will probably not be fully utilised because of this.
Wow, just what we need, yet another remake. The creative well has run completely dry over at 343 (was there ever any water in there to begin with?) Why bother trying to write engaging original...
Wow, just what we need, yet another remake. The creative well has run completely dry over at 343 (was there ever any water in there to begin with?)
Why bother trying to write engaging original stories when you could just make the same one over and over again?
There has not been a good Halo game in almost 15 years (though the Halo Wars games were surprisingly engaging, though that might just be my RTS soft spot.) Infinite was the highest water mark they were able to reach, and that was only gameplay wise. The story was pathetic, uninteresting, and confusing for anyone who is familiar with Halo lore; and the world was embarrassingly bland. They managed to make 1 biome for the entire map, even Halo CE had more level variety.
I agree with the author of this article, Halo should have died long ago.
"The best stories have endings".
Well yes. Obiosuly yes. And yet the author does in fact need to point this out. Because apparently everything good must peter out gradually, tarnishing its legacy.
This is the inevitable fate of beloved artworks once corporations get their hands on 'em.
While narratives arguably need endings, I'm not sure franchises have to be so constrained. The Halo universe is vast, and I could easily see creatives making fantastic spin-offs or even reboots or alternate universes. The author's enjoyment of all the non-game Halo media supports this.
Mario is a much beloved franchise, and Nintendo recently delivered one of the best Mario games ever in Wonder!
It's easy to churn out the yearly schlock franchise installment and ruin a brand, but it's also possible to create an enduring cultural mainstay across generations with careful stewardship.
There is so much more content in the Halo universe that has never been explored. The devs and most fans get so hung up on Master Chief that they forget what a vast and interesting universe has been created. I'd even love to see other genres in that universe, possibly as an ODST or regular marine rather than only focusing on what the war is like for Spartans.
I’m still bummed we never got a Halo-setting space strategy game similar to Star Wars: Empire at War or, even more ambitious, Distant Worlds.
I know my made up space strategy game wouldn’t have sold as well as a FPS but holy fuck could you imagine if Bungie took a crack at Homeworld, but Halo?
That was always my hope too. I also thought that like Homeworld it would be great to carry over your progress from mission to mission justified by in universe Halo people like having Keyes or something.
If it helps, there are a lot of Halo conversion mods for various 4X and strategy games. There's one for Homeworld that came out in 2010.
There's something ironic about the drone of a corporate hivemind being compelled to churn out soulless projects for the sake of a covenant made with investors that attempts to cover up an apparent inability to understand the artistic goals of an IP's long-gone predecessors...
Tangential but I want to mention it since your comment made me think of it:
I think the writing, specifically how sparse but impactful and quotable it was, had a, maybe under-appreciated, impact on how fondly Bungie’s Halo games have been remembered.
Halo Infinite actually sort of dragged that quality back out. Chief’s “kneel and feel” moment with the pilot was great.
Agreed! Halo 4 also had a brief but decent exchange when Chief has to leave Dr. Tillson and deal with the assault on the Composer facility.
Video Link
Doing another Halo is like doing another Star Wars; we can see how it can be done with the likes of Rogue One, but the more involved Disney becomes, the more likely the project is going to turn out like The Last Jedi, with every exec needing to leave their mark on the confused results.
Without that degree of separation that Bungie was contractually afforded by a desperate Microsoft in late 2000, I'm hard pressed to think of a way that developers could have enough resources to even do the likes of another ODST, let alone anything more ambitious. Instead, we get these flittering moments that make you go, "if only they could do more of that..."
I absolutely love Halo. I remember having friends over in highschool to link two xboxs and play the original Halo. I remember getting Halo 2 at a midnight release and playing online with my friends in different cities while in university for the very first time. Even with all that, Halo 3/ODST/Reach was peak Halo for me. I still replay these campaigns all the time these days.
I agree with the general concept of this author. 4, 5 and Infinite were all disappointing. At this point, the only way I would believe a new Halo might stand a chance would be if Bungie took it back over. Even that is no guarantee as that studio is very different now.
Peak Halo was a formative time in my life and has provided some of the best memories I have ever had. I know Microsoft will do it's best to destroy all those memories while mining my nostalgia, and that's fine. I don't own the game. They can do whatever they want and there is always a chance they will make a decent game by accident. I just know I won't be standing in a line in a mall at 12am ever again and especially not for a new Halo.
I’m disappointed with the move from Slipspace to Unreal 5. Proprietary game engines carry quirks that give charm to each game a studio puts out. When every major studio starts to use UE5 those games lose a facet of their identities. Source, RAGE, Gamebryo, Void, and BLAM have distinct game feel present in all their games. You know you’re playing a Valve/Rockstar/Bethesda/Arkane/Halo game.
Microsoft did this to themselves with their contractor churn- a revolving door of devs working for 18 months max on projects that span up to 6 years. Of course your games development cycle will be hamstrung by a proprietary engine when everyone you hire only has a year and a half to learn it! I believe one of Halo Infinite’s core failures was a drastic change to the way physics was handled in-game. You can’t interact with the world the same way anymore, but that was an intentional design decision given that it’s the same engine. I don’t think UE5 will be able to bring back the same reliable feeling that Halo 3/Reach had. Especially when they’re hiring fresh faces who haven’t worked on previous Halo games.
All that to say I wish them the best of luck and I hope they can release a banger when the time comes. I’m doubtful though- their tech demo of a “return to best in class” Halo looks rough.
Based on the available information they are going to remake halo:CE in unreal 5 as the first game of the new studio.
The main thing holding Xbox back at the moment is backwards compatibility with the lower powered consoles. Unreal 5 use will probably not be fully utilised because of this.
Wow, just what we need, yet another remake. The creative well has run completely dry over at 343 (was there ever any water in there to begin with?)
Why bother trying to write engaging original stories when you could just make the same one over and over again?
There has not been a good Halo game in almost 15 years (though the Halo Wars games were surprisingly engaging, though that might just be my RTS soft spot.) Infinite was the highest water mark they were able to reach, and that was only gameplay wise. The story was pathetic, uninteresting, and confusing for anyone who is familiar with Halo lore; and the world was embarrassingly bland. They managed to make 1 biome for the entire map, even Halo CE had more level variety.
I agree with the author of this article, Halo should have died long ago.