Make no mistake about it, this game rocks. Brought out at launch with the then new Microsoft Xbox, this was the cream of the crop come Launch day, a well created and well crafted First Person Shooter that changed the way people percieved Console shooters. If you aren't going to read another word of this review, then these next two words are the most important: buy it. Starring as "Master Chief" you are awoken from a cryogenic sleep when it is found that your space ship, "The Pillar of Autumn" is under attack by an alien force known as "The Convenant". Learning quickly that The Convenant are trying to obtain an artifact on the mysterious ring shaped world known as Halo, Master Chief is tasked with the responsibility of stopping them. But before you even reach Halo, you must get off The Pillar of Autumn, an amazing level which just shows how advanced the aliens are. Many times you will come across some of your allies fighting in combat, scrambled behind any kind of cover possible. Not only this, the enemy are doing the same. They will flank, draw fire, work together and independantly and even try to find an alternative route to hunt you down. The AI of this game, and of the enemies seems much more realistic than any other First person shooter available on a console. What some may see as a disadvantage is that Master Chief can only carry 2 guns at a time. While he can do a melee attack, holding only 2 weapons may seem a little unusual to those who have played shooters with enough guns to start a small war. However, this makes the game more tactical, and dare I say it, better. Each of the guns has its pros and cons, and while there isn't many to find, you will find a use for all of them. The game never gets repetitive, due to its great AI. For instance, if you were to jump into the front seat of a Warthog (a jeep with a machine gun turret), a nearby marine will man the gun, and another will came and ride shotgun with you. It's things like this that make you sit back and appreciate the extraordinary length that Bungie have gone out to create this. Not only this, but there are multiple routes throughout the game, and multiple ways to complete a level. Not using stealth on the stealth missions is a bonus for those who prefer run and gunning, as there is no penalty for doing this. You may even find some sleeping enemies lying around, and you can do what you will, either sneak by or kill them. Multiple vehicles heighten the action, and you can jump behind a Warthog, Ghost, Scorpion or Banshee as you see fit. The Ghost is a hovercraft, and will quickly have you zipping around the level, although it has low firepower and not great shields. On the plus side you can knock enemies out. The Scorpion is a Tank, which is slow moving but naturally packs a heavy punch, as well as provide some good firepower. Marines can also sit on the Scorpion and provide support. And the Banshee is a flying vehicle that can move fast and get you to areas other wise out of reach. This all provides some great alternatives to the obligatory one-man army style of game and also gives a great replay value, you can play the game in a myriad of ways. The game has a real movie quality about it, not just because of it's excellent story and storytelling, but its presentation. The game has goals, but different missions occur in real time, with the events that unfold around you. This makes the game feel more real and less stunted, really drawing you in and making you want to play further to find out what could happen next. Also the removal of the Boss characters makes the game more friendly to new-comers, but even they may be put to the test throughout some of the levels. Learning what to do may take some time, but you will enjoy every moment of it. Control is something that has marred console first person shooters, however have no fear, the controls are excellently executed on the Xbox controller, and you wont miss not having a keyboard and mouse configuration. Some of the vehicles may take a little longer to get used to, but the game's control is well implemented and easy to get to grips with. Graphics are perhaps a reason to buy an Xbox alone. The game looks simply stunning, with the flashlight effect illuminating a hallway where a lone alien may be. Shooting him, and then seeing all the bright blue blood spatter on the walls looks amazing and compelling, and the difference in environment really shows just what the new console you bought can do. Halo even sounds good, with a deeply touching orchestral soundtrack that rips into some metal style music. Rest assured, the sound technicians have done their job and Halo sounds amazing, from the sounds of bullets to the grunts of the aliens, everything sounds great. This is further enhanced by the great voice acting. Voice acting in games has always been on the iffy side, but Halo excels in this, even while playing you will hear fellow Marines talk happily about your presence, and even tell you what is happening on the battlefield. Sticking a plasma grenade to a alien exerts screams and running and the sound of all the broken glass and bullets sounds amazing. Truly, Halo sets a benchmark for sound in console shooters. Secondary to the games amazing single player mode, is the option to play co-op with a friend right through the game, or through one of the many multiplayer death match levels. There is a good amount of mutiplayer levels designed around playing with large groups or small, and you will all find your favorite level early on. Playing with a bunch of friends on a couple of hooked up Xbox's (you can hook up to 4 on a LAN connection or link cable) is a hoot, and you can have a total of 16 friends playing simutaneously. Not only that, but vehicles are still in the levels as well, so the game takes on a very different route than most other first person shooters. In all, Halo is a very good game. An amazing experience that to this day is still being talked fondly of, despite its sequal being out. This is just one of those games that makes you proud to be a gamer.
Simply put, Halo is the greatest game ever created by man. Everything about it is perfect. Graphics are top notch and better than anything I have played to date. The sound is awsome. The game is full of ambient sound... Read Full Review
Well, well, well. Here I am, reviewing yet another game while wondering what has become of my life. And the game is Halo: Combat Evolved, without a doubt the overall favourite Xbox game of all time. And, yes, it's a laun... Read Full Review
