8 out of 8 people found this review helpful.
HALO: Video Game Revolution
Date of Review: Aug 14, 2004
The Bottom Line: My final recommendation is TO BUY THE GAME! I think that if you enjoy 1st person shooters, and even if you don't enjoy them, you will be blown away.
I first heard of HALO from a fellow firefighter who was a member of the Air Force. When he did his tour in both Iraq and Afghanistan, he told me all him and his buddies did was play HALO. I, at the time, did not own an XBOX. I made the decsison to buy an XBOX after about 2 hours of thinking about the benefits.
When I bought XBOX, I immediatly bought HALO. I took it home, set it up, and popped HALO in. I was amazed with the graphics, sound, soundtrack, and basically everything.
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Menu Options
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When you start the game you have four options. Campaign, Multiplayer, Settings, and Game Demos. Campaign lets you create a player profile (very simple and easy setup), and start or continue your game. Multiplayer lets you select 2 players for Co-op (2 players helping each other in the campaign), Split Screen (up to 4 battle it out on 1 XBOX), System Link (connect up to 4 XBOXes for 16 player HALO! I still have yet to do this), and Edit Gametypes. In Edit Gametypes, you can create your own custom multiplayer games. I LOVE this feature!
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Campaign
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HALO has the best video game storyline and level structure to date! You begin as Master Chief, the only remaining SPARTAN II soldier left after the Covenant (a collective of alien rebel forces bent on human destruction) attack on the planet REACH. You wake up on the Pillar of Autumn, a Marine Force ship. I will not go into the rest of the storyline, you gotta play it for yourself. The level structures and design is wonderful. The only levels that I truly dislike are The Library and Two Betrayls (you will find out why).
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Multiplayer
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One word: unbelieveable
HALO is simply the best for multiplayer action. There is nothing I love more than picking up some Active Camoflauge and sneaking up on my friend and smacking him with my shotgun. Co-op is great if you need some help on Legendary and the System Link is one of the best features of the XBOX. UP TO 16 PLAYERS CAN PLAY A GAME OF HALO!! I have yet to do this actually.
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Settings
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Basic stuff. Player profiles edit which includes your looking stick profile, your suit color, and your name.
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Game Demos
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If you just bought the game you get three HALO 2 promos. If you have an older game you will get some Microsoft game demos. I have the newer version.
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Visual
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Simply amazing. The game has the best, and I say again, the best graphics I have ever seen. HALO could have actually taken a little more advantage of the XBOX graphics hardware but I am impressed. I like all of the plasma effects for the plasma devices and pulse generators.
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Audio
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I have surround sound so the audio for me was amazing. The speech of the characters, enemy, and effects are just great. If you have a mono TV, you will probably be lacking sound quality.
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Soundtrack
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The soundtrack is great, you almost always have music to accompany you while blowing your way through the control room or trying to defend your position from wave after wave of covenant troops.
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User Interface
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With the XBOX Controller S, the gameplay is easier. I found it incredibly easy to shoot a few rounds, reload, throw a grenade, and swap weapons. I did not like the fact that you had to hold down the one analog button to crouch.
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Summary
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In summary I LOVE THIS GAME!!!!!!! If you don't have an XBOX, buy one just to play this game. The graphics, audio, gameplay, and story will just amaze you. When I finished the game I sat in awe and said "This is excellent." Please try this game, and even buy this game.
