Halo: Combat Evolved
Un article de Vev.
Halo: Combat Evolved (or, more commonly, Halo or Halo 1) is a first-person shooter (FPS) video game developed by Bungie Studios. The first game of the Halo series, it was released on November 15, 2001 as a launch title for the Xbox gaming system,<ref name="metacritic"/> and is considered the platform's "killer application."<ref name=egmreview>Electronic Gaming Monthly issue 150, pg 224</ref> With more than five million copies sold worldwide as of November 9, 2005,<ref name=anniversary> Halo 2: One Year Later
. Bungie.net (2005-11-09)
. Retrieved on 2007-12-03. </ref> Halo is second only to its sequel, Halo 2, in sales for the console. Microsoft released versions of the game for Microsoft Windows (developed by Gearbox Software) and Mac OS X in 2003, and the surrounding storyline was adapted and elaborated into a series of novels.
In HaloModèle:'s twenty-sixth century setting, the player assumes the role of the Master Chief, a cybernetically enhanced "SPARTAN" super-soldier. The player is accompanied by Cortana, an artificial intelligence who occupies the Master Chief's neural interface. Players battle various aliens on foot and in vehicles as they attempt to uncover the secrets of the eponymous Halo, a ring-shaped structure. The game has been called "easy to learn",<ref name=dreamstation> Halo: Combat Evolved review at DreamStation.cc
. DreamStation (September 13, 2003)
. Retrieved on August 5, 2006. </ref> and has been praised for its "engaging story".<ref name=gamespyreview> Accardo , Sal
(November 15, 2001) . GameSpy's review of Halo: Combat Evolved for the Xbox . GameSpy
. Retrieved on September 2, 2006. </ref>
Some game magazines have praised Halo as one of the best<ref name="edgelist"> EDGE'S TOP 100 GAMES OF ALL TIME
. Edge, Next-Gen.biz (July 2, 2007)
. Retrieved on September 3, 2007. </ref> and most important<ref name="gameprolist"> The 52 Most Important Video Games of All Time
. GamePro (April 25, 2007)
. Retrieved on September 3, 2007. </ref> games of all time; others consider it overrated,<ref name="gamespy"> Top 25 Most Overrated Games of All Time
. GameSpy (September 15, 2003)
. Retrieved on June 26, 2006. </ref> criticizing it for repetitive levels and the lack of online multiplayer play in the Xbox release. The game's popularity has led to labels such as "Halo clone"<ref name=joystiq> Wiley , James
(January 23, 2006) . Joystiq Interview: Peter Moore @ CES . Joystiq
. Retrieved on September 7, 2006. </ref> and "Halo killer", applied respectively to games either similar to or anticipated to be better than it.<ref name=amn> Sparks , Ryan
(February 25, 2005) . Making a Halo Killer . Advanced Media Network
. Retrieved on September 7, 2006. </ref><ref> Tuttle , Will
(2004-11-02) . Killzone Review . Gamespy
. Retrieved on 2007-10-14. Will Tuttle:"So it was with great disappointment that I finished my review copy of Sony's Killzone, a game that was at one time unfairly labeled a "Halo killer" by some members of the gaming press."</ref> In addition, the game inspired and was used in the fan-created Red vs. Blue video series, which is credited as the "first big success" of machinima<ref>Modèle:Cite paper</ref> — the technique of using real-time 3D engines, often from video games, to create animated films.
Sommaire |
Gameplay
As a first-person shooter, Halo has a gameplay fundamentally similar to that of its peers, focusing on combat in a 3D environment, and taking place almost entirely from a character's eye view. The player can move around and look up, down, left or right.<ref name=faq> Frequently Asked Questions about Halo: Gameplay
. Halo.Bungie.Org
. Retrieved on September 6, 2006. </ref> The game features vehicles, ranging from armored jeeps (Warthog) to tanks (Scorpion), alien hovercraft (Ghost) and even aircraft (Banshee), all of which can be controlled by the player. The game switches to the third-person perspective during vehicle use for pilots and mounted gun operators; passengers maintain a first-person view.<ref name="ignreview"> Boulding , Aaron
(November 9, 2001) . Halo: Combat Evolved review at IGN . IGN
. Retrieved on August 31, 2006. </ref>
The player character is equipped with a damage-absorbing energy shield, in addition to hit points. The shield's charge appears as a blue bar in the upper-right corner of the game's heads-up display. When the shield is fully depleted, the player is highly vulnerable, and further damage reduces the character's health level.<ref name="gamespyreview" /> However, the shield will recharge if no further damage is sustained for a brief period.<ref name=manual>Halo: Combat Evolved game manual</ref>
Halo's arsenal consists of weapons from science fiction. The game has been praised for giving each weapon a unique purpose, thus making them useful in different scenarios.<ref name=gamespotreview> Fielder , Joe
(November 9, 2001) . Halo: Combat Evolved review at GameSpot . GameSpot
. Retrieved on August 2, 2006. </ref> For example, plasma weapons need time to cool if fired too rapidly, but require no reloading. Instead, players are forced to discard them after depleting their batteries. In contrast, conventional firearms cannot overheat, but require reloading and ammunition. All weapons may be used to bludgeon enemies,<ref name="manual" /> which allows a player to silently kill opponents without alerting other nearby enemies.<ref name=avault> Laidlaw , Mike
(November 22, 2001) . Halo: Combat Evolved review at The Adrenaline Vault . The Adrenaline Vault
. Retrieved on September 2, 2006. </ref> Players may carry only two weapons at once; thus, a strategy is required when using and selecting firearms.<ref name=gameplanet> Halo: Combat Evolved review at Gameplanet
. Gameplanet (October 16, 2002)
. Retrieved on September 6, 2006. </ref>
The player can carry up to eight grenades at a time: four fragmentation and four plasma grenades each.<ref name="neoseeker" /> Like the game's other weapons, the two types of grenades differ; the fragmentation grenade bounces and detonates quickly,<ref name=humanfaq>
Human Weapons Intro . Bungie.net
. Archived from the original on 2006-05-02.
Retrieved on September 8, 2006.
</ref> whereas the plasma grenade adheres to targets and takes longer to detonate.<ref name=covenantfaq>
Covenant Weapons Intro . Bungie.net
. Archived from the original on 2006-05-02.
Retrieved on September 8, 2006.
</ref> A controller button assigned to grenades eliminates the need to holster firearms before throwing.<ref name="manual" />
Combatants
The game's main enemy force is the Covenant, an alliance of alien species. Their forces include Elites, fierce warriors protected by recharging energy shields much like the player's own; Grunts, which are short, cowardly creatures, usually led by Elites, and who often flee in terror instead of fighting unless an Elite is present; Jackals, which have highly durable energy shields attached to their arms; and Hunters, large, powerful creatures with thick armor plates that cover the majority of their bodies.<ref name=gamespotfaq> The GameSpot Guide to Halo: Combat Evolved -- The Covenant
. GameSpot (October 17, 2003)
. Retrieved on September 8, 2006.
Requires GameSpot registration.</ref>
A secondary enemy is The Flood, a parasitic alien life form that appears in three main variants.<ref name=gamespotfaq2> The GameSpot Guide to Halo: Combat Evolved -- The Flood
. GameSpot (October 17,2003)
. Retrieved on September 8, 2006.
Requires GameSpot registration.</ref> Infection Forms, the true form of the Flood, are fragile, but often travel in swarms; they do little damage individually, but the swarms often number in the hundreds. Combat Forms result from humans and Covenant Elites who are infested by Infection Forms, and have hideously deformed bodies. Bloated Carrier Forms serve as incubators for new Infection Forms, and when wounded or near a potential victim, they explode to damage other nearby life forms and to release their spores. Battling the Flood, the Covenant, and the player are the Sentinels, robotic drones designed by a race called the Forerunners. Sentinels lack durability, but use powerful beam weapons and are immune to infection by the Flood.<ref name="gamespotfaq2" />
The artificial intelligence in Halo has been favorably received.<ref name=teamxbox> Soboleski , Brent
(November 9, 2001) . Halo Review (Xbox) . TeamXbox
. Retrieved on September 2, 2006. </ref> Enemies take cover and use suppressive fire and grenades.<ref name="gamespotreview" /> Some enemies retreat when their superiors are killed.<ref name=talkxbox> Halo: Combat Evolved review at TalkXbox
. TalkXbox (October 13, 2003)
. Retrieved on September 6, 2006. </ref> The player is often aided by United Nations Space Command (UNSC) Marines, who offer ground support, such as manning gun turrets or riding shotgun while the player is driving a vehicle.<ref name="gamespotreview" />
Multiplayer
Because Halo was released before Xbox Live, online multiplayer games were not officially supported.<ref name=bungiefaq>
Official Halo: Combat Evolved FAQ . Bungie.net
. Archived from the original on 2006-04-27.
Retrieved on September 7, 2006.
</ref> The game instead uses local Ethernet or "system-link" that supports a maximum of 16 players. This setup was a first for a console game, but was often deemed impractical by critics.<ref name="avault" /><ref name="gamespotreview" /> As Halo lacks artificially intelligent game bots, LAN parties are needed to reach the game's 16-player limit. In addition to five customizable competitive multiplayer modes, two players may co-operatively play through the game's campaign.<ref name="faq" /> Halo's multiplayer components were generally well-received by critics.<ref name=gamerevolution> Sanders , Shawn
(November 2001) . Halo: Combat Evolved review at Game Revolution . Game-Revolution
. Retrieved on September 2, 2006. </ref><ref name="edgereview">Edge issue 105, pg 1 (review scans).</ref><ref name="ignreview" />
Although the Xbox version of Halo lacks official support for online multiplayer play, XBConnect and GameSpy's Xbox Connect packet tunnelling software provide unofficial ways around this limitation.<ref name="gamespy" /> The Windows and Macintosh ports of Halo support online matches involving up to 16 players and include multiplayer maps not in the original Xbox release.<ref name=ignreview4> Butts , Steve
(September 27, 2003) . Halo: Combat Evolved for PC review at IGN . IGN
. Retrieved on September 7, 2006. </ref> However, co-operative play was removed from the ports because it would have required large amounts of recoding to implement.<ref name=eurogamer> Reed , Kristan
(October 10, 2003) . Halo: Combat Evolved for PC review at Eurogamer . Eurogamer
. Retrieved on September 7, 2006. </ref> On March 15, 2004, Gearbox Software released Halo: Custom Edition for Windows, which enabled players to use custom-made maps and game modifications.<ref name=ign4> Halo: Custom Edition at IGN
. IGN
. Retrieved on September 2, 2006. </ref>
Synopsis
Setting
Halo takes place in a science fiction universe created by Bungie Studios specifically for the game. According to the story, the overpopulation of Earth and the realization of faster-than-light travel have caused the human race to colonize other planets. A keystone of these efforts is the planet Reach, an interstellar naval yard responsible for building starships, and a hub of scientific and military activity.<ref name="manual" /> A secret military endeavor, dubbed the SPARTAN Project, was established on Reach to create an army of biologically-engineered, cyborg "super-soldiers". Thirty-two years before the beginning of the game, a technologically advanced collective of alien races, the Covenant, began to attack human settlements. Declaring humanity an affront to their gods, the Covenant launched a holy war against the human race. The United Nations Space Command experienced a series of crushing defeats, and, although the super-soldiers of the SPARTAN-II Project fought impressively against the Covenant, they were unable to turn the tides of war.<ref name="manual" />
To prepare for a mission to discover the location of the Covenant homeworld by boarding one of its starships, SPARTAN-II soldiers were recalled to Reach for further augmentation. Two days before the mission was to begin, Covenant forces attacked Reach and destroyed the colony.<ref name="manual" /> A starship, the Pillar of Autumn, survived the onslaught and initiated a random jump to slip space (similar to light speed),<ref>Keyes: [sigh] We made a blind jump. How did they... / Cortana: Get here first? Covenant ships have always been faster. As for tracking us all the way from Reach, at light speed, my maneuvering options were limited.</ref> hoping to lead the enemy away from Earth.<ref>Sergeant Johnson: Men, we led those dumb bugs out to the middle of nowhere to keep 'em from gettin' their filthy claws on Earth. But, we stumbled onto somethin' they're so hot for that they're scramblin' over each other to get it! Well, I don't care if it's God's own, personal anti-son-of-a-bitch machine, or a giant hula hoop, we're not gonna let them have it! What we will let them have is a belly full of lead, and a pool of their own blood to drown in! Am I right, Marines?</ref>
The titular Halo is an enormous, ring-shaped artificial space habitat/planet, which (according to Bungie Studios) has a diameter of ten thousand kilometers.<ref name=bungie> Errera , Claude
(January 10, 2000) . Interview with Matt Soell . Bungie.org
. Retrieved on August 4, 2006. </ref> Halo sits at a Lagrange point between a planet and its moon. Centrifugal force created by the rotation of the station, combined with artificial gravity generators provide the ring's gravity.<ref name=gravity> Perry , Douglass
(May 11, 2000) . Bungie's ambitious first-person shooter is coming... . IGN
. Retrieved on September 7, 2006. </ref>
Characters
The player character is Master Chief Petty Officer John-117,<ref name=john-117> Halo Story
. Retrieved on September 7, 2006.
</ref> one of the few (see Halo: The Fall of Reach and its sequels for more information) surviving super-soldiers of the SPARTAN-II project, and the main character of the story. Accompanying the Master Chief is the Pillar of Autumn's feminine artificial intelligence construct, Cortana, who resides in a neural implant connected to his battle armor, codenamed MJOLNIR Mark V. The Pillar of Autumn's captain, Jacob Keyes, is also a major character. Playing an antagonistic role in the game's events is 343 Guilty Spark, an eccentric artificial intelligence responsible for monitoring and maintaining Halo's systems.
Plot
The story is presented through an instruction manual, scripted events and conversations during the game, and in-game cut scenes. The game begins as the Pillar of Autumn exits slip-space near a mysterious ring-shaped space station, called "Halo" by the Covenant.<ref>Keyes: While the Covenant had us locked up in here, I overheard the guards talking about this ring world. They call it... Halo.</ref> A Covenant fleet attacks and heavily damages the Pillar of Autumn. Jacob Keyes initiates "The Cole Protocol",<ref>Keyes: All right then, I'm initiating Cole Protocol article two. We're abandoning the Autumn. That means you too, Cortana.</ref> a procedure designed to prevent the Covenant from learning the location of Earth. While Keyes prepares to land the ship on Halo, the Master Chief and Cortana escape via an escape pod, which crash lands on the ring.
Keyes survives the AutumnModèle:'s crash landing, but is captured by the Covenant.<ref>Cortana: Warning: I've picked up reports that the Covenant has located and secured the Pillar of Autumn's crash site. Good news is the Captain's still alive. The bad news is that the Covenant have captured all of the surviving men. Let's hurry and find the final lifeboat so we can link up with the rest of the survivors.</ref> In the second and third levels of the game, the Master Chief and Cortana gather human survivors and rescue Captain Keyes, who is imprisoned on the Covenant ship Truth and Reconciliation. Once rescued, Keyes orders the Master Chief to beat the Covenant to Halo's control center and to discover its purpose.<ref>Cortana: According to the data in their networks, the ring has some kind of deep religious significance. If I'm analyzing this correctly, they believe that Halo is some kind of weapon—one with vast, unimaginable power. / Keyes: And it's true. The Covenant kept saying that whoever controls Halo controls the fate of the universe. / Cortana: Now I see! I have intercepted a number of messages about a Covenant search team scouting for a control room. I thought they were looking for the bridge of a cruiser that I damaged during the battle above the ring, but they must be looking for Halo's control room! / Keyes: That's bad news. If Halo is a weapon, and the Covenant gain control of it, they'll use it against us and wipe out the entire human race. Chief, Cortana, I have a new mission for you. We need to beat the Covenant to Halo's control room. Marines, let's move.</ref> The Master Chief and Cortana travel to a map room called the Silent Cartographer, which leads them to the control room.<ref>Cortana: The Covenant believe that what they call the "Silent Cartographer" is somewhere under this island. The Cartographer is a map room that will lead us to Halo's control center.</ref> There, Cortana enters the systems and, discovering something urgent, suddenly sends the Master Chief to find Captain Keyes, while she stays behind.<ref>Master Chief: So, what sort of weapon is it? / Cortana: What are you talking about? Master Chief: Let's stay focused. Halo: how do we use it against the Covenant? / Cortana: This ring isn't a cudgel, you barbarian. It's something else. Something much more important. The Covenant were right. This ring, it's Forerunner. Give me a second to access... yes, the Forerunners built this place, what they called a fortress world, in order to-- Wait... No, that can't be! Oh, those Covenant fools! They must have known! There must have been signs! / Master Chief: Slow down. You're losing me. / Cortana: The Covenant... found something buried in this ring; something horrible. And now they're afraid. Master Chief: Something buried? Where? / Cortana: The Captain! We've got to stop the Captain! / Master Chief: Keyes? What do we... / Cortana: The weapons cache he's looking for is not really... We can't let him get inside! / Master Chief: I don't understa-- / Cortana: There's no time! Get out of here! Find Keyes. Stop him. Before it's too late!</ref> While searching for his commander, the Master Chief learns that the Covenant have accidentally released the Flood, a parasitic alien race capable of spreading itself by overwhelming and infesting other sentient lifeforms. Keyes falls victim to them while looking for a cache of weapons. The release of the Flood prompts 343 Guilty Spark to recruit the Master Chief in retrieving the Index, a device that will activate Halo and prevent the Flood from spreading beyond the facility.
After the Master Chief retrieves and begins to use the Index, Cortana re-appears and warns him against the activation. She has discovered that Halo's defense system is a weapon designed to kill all sentient life in the galaxy, thus effectively starving the Flood.<ref>Master Chief: The Flood is spreading. If we activate Halo's defenses, we can wipe them out. / Cortana: You have no idea how this ring works, do you? Why the Forerunners built it? Halo doesn't kill Flood; it kills their food. Humans, Covenant, whatever; we're all equally edible. The only way to stop the Flood is to starve them to death, and that's exactly what Halo is designed to do—wipe the galaxy clean of all sentient life. You don't believe me? Ask him!</ref> When confronted with this information, 343 Guilty Spark states that the installation technically only has a maximum radius of twenty-five thousand light-years, but that its pulse would trigger other similar installations as well, killing all sentient life in the galaxy.<ref>Master Chief: Is it true? / 343 Guilty Spark: More or less. Technically, this installation's pulse has a maximum effective radius of twenty-five thousand light years, but once the others follow suit, this galaxy will be quite devoid of life, or any least any life with sufficient biomass to sustain the Flood... but you already knew that. I mean, how couldn't you?</ref>
While fighting the Flood, the Covenant, and Guilty Spark's Sentinels, the Master Chief and Cortana attempt to destroy Halo before 343 Guilty Spark activates it. Cortana discovers that the best way to destroy Halo is to cause the crashed Pillar of Autumn to self-destruct.<ref>Cortana: We can't let the monitor activate Halo! We have to stop him—we have to destroy Halo. According to my analysis of the available data, I believe the best course of action is somewhat risky. An explosion of sufficient size will help destabilize the ring and will cut through a number of primary systems. We need to trigger a detonation on a large scale, however. A starship's fusion reactors going critical would do the job. I'm going to search what's left of the Covenant battle net' and see if I can locate the Pillar of Autumn's crash site. If the ship's fusion reactors are still relatively intact, we can use them to destroy Halo.</ref> However, Captain Keyes' authorization is required to destroy the ship.<ref>Cortana: I've located the Pillar of Autumn. She put down twelve hundred kilometers upspin. Energy readings show her fusion reactors are still powered up. The systems on the Pillar of Autumn have failsafes even I can't override without authorization from the Captain. We'll need to find him, or his neural implants, to start the fusion core detonation.</ref> By the time that they reach Keyes, he has been infected and turned into a Brain Flood. The Master Chief retrieves Keyes' neural implants directly from his brain, and Cortana activates the Autumn's self-destruct sequence. However, 343 Guilty Spark reappears and deactivates the countdown, discovering the record of human history in the process.<ref>Cortana: This won't take long ... There. That should give us enough time to make it to a lifeboat and put some distance between ourselves and Halo before the detonation. / 343 Guilty Spark: I'm afraid that's out of the question, really. / Cortana: Oh, hell! / 343 Guilty Spark: Ridiculous—that you and a warship's AI with such a wealth of knowledge ... Weren't you worried it might be captured, or destroyed? / Cortana: He's in my data arrays—a local tap. / 343 Guilty Spark: You can't imagine how exciting this is to have a record of all our lost time. Human history is it? Fascinating. / 343 Guilty Spark: Oh, how will I enjoy every moment of its categorization. To think that you would destroy this installation, as well as this record. I am shocked. Almost too shocked for words. / Cortana: He stopped the self-destruct sequence!</ref> The Master Chief manually causes the Pillar of Autumn's fusion reactors to begin to melt down, giving him and Cortana only 15 minutes to escape.<ref>Cortana: That did it. The engine's gone critical. Based on the current rate of decay, you should have fifteen minutes to get off the ship. We don't have much time. We should move outside and signal for evac. Accessing schematics ... there's a service lift at the top of the engine room. It leads to a Class 7 service corridor that runs along the ship's dorsal structure. Hurry!</ref> The Master Chief and Cortana flee in a UNSC Longsword fighter just in time to escape the AutumnModèle:'s explosion, which in turn destroys Halo. The ending reveals that 343 Guilty Spark survives the destruction of Halo. The story is continued in Halo 2.
Soundtrack
Halo's soundtrack was created by Bungie Studios' audio director, Martin O'Donnell, and received enthusiastic praise from many critics.<ref name="ignreview" /><ref name="gamespotreview" /><ref name="gameplanet" /><ref name="gamespyreview" /> O'Donnell has stated that his goal was to provide "a feeling of importance, weight, and sense of the 'ancient'."<ref name=xbox.cominterview> Just the Right Sense of "Ancient"
. Xbox.com
. Retrieved on September 6, 2006. </ref> He designed the music so that it "could be dissembled and remixed in such a way that would give [him] multiple, interchangeable loops that could be randomly recombined in order to keep the piece interesting as well as a variable length". Development involved the creation of "alternative middle sections that could be transitioned to if the game called for such a change (i.e. less or more intense)."<ref name=music4gamers> Marks , Aaron
(December 2, 2002) . The Use and Effectiveness of Audio in Halo: Game Music Evolved . Music 4 Games
. Retrieved on September 6, 2006. </ref>
O'Donnell has remarked that he "sat with the level designers and 'spotted' the level as though it was a movie, with the knowledge that the music would have to be malleable rather than static.... [T]he level designer would tell me what he hoped a player would feel at certain points or after accomplishing certain tasks". Based on this information, O'Donnell would "go back and develop appropriate music cues, then have the designer script the cues into the level, and then we'd play through it to see if it worked as desired."<ref name="music4gamers" /> He explained that the use of music in Halo is sparse because he believes that "[music] is best used in a game to quicken the emotional state of the player and it works best when used least", and that "[if] music is constantly playing it tends to become sonic wallpaper and loses its impact when it is needed to truly enhance some dramatic component of game play."<ref name=gdc> O'Donnell , Martin
(March 24, 2002) . Producing Audio for Halo . Halo.Bungie.Org
. Retrieved on September 6, 2006. </ref>
Development
On July 21, 1999, during the Macworld Conference & Expo, Steve Jobs announced that Halo would be released for Mac OS and Windows simultaneously.<ref name=ignpreview> Lopez , Vincent
(July 21, 1999) . Heavenly Halo Announced from Bungie . IGN
. Retrieved on August 31, 2006. </ref> Before this public announcement, game industry journalists under a non-disclosure agreement had previewed the game in a private showing during E3 1999,<ref name=pcgamer>Morris, Daniel. Your first look at... Halo (full text). PC Gamer October 1999 issue, pg 40.</ref> and were reportedly amazed.<ref name="ignpreview" /><ref name="pcgamer" /> Bungie Studios later stated an even earlier development build of the game centered on real-time strategy and was "basically Myth in a sci-fi universe."<ref name=bungie.net20>
Inside Bungie: History . Bungie.net
. Archived from the original on 2006-05-02.
Retrieved on June 19, 2006.
</ref>
At E3 2000, the first trailer of Halo was well-received.<ref name=bluesnews> Heaslip , Stephen
(June 15, 2000) . Blue's News Best of E3 2000 . Blue's News
. Retrieved on September 5, 2006. </ref> The version shown there differed greatly from the one exhibited previously, marking the first major overhaul in the game's development.<ref name=halo.bungie.org2> Frequently Asked Questions about Halo: Media
. Halo.Bungie.Org
. Retrieved on September 7, 2006. </ref> At this point, Halo was a third-person action game, in which a transport starship crashlands on a mysterious ring world that orbits a star. Early versions of Covenant aliens appear in great numbers and loot what they can, and war erupts between them and the humans. Unable to match the technologically advanced alien race, the humans on the ring world resort to guerrilla warfare.<ref name=cgw>Hiatt, Jesse (November 1999). Games That Will Change Gaming (scans). Computer Gaming World. Retrieved on August 31, 2006</ref> This version of the game featured Halo-specific fauna, which were later dropped because of design difficulties and the creatures' "detract[ion] from the surprise, drama and impact of the Flood."<ref name=fauna>
One Million Years B.X. (Before Xbox) . Bungie.net
. Archived from the original on 2006-02-10.
Retrieved on September 7, 2006.
</ref>
As rumors had predicted,<ref name=rumors> Rumors, Rumors Everywhere, but None to Drink
. IGN (June 15, 2000)
. Retrieved on September 7, 2006. </ref> Microsoft announced on June 19, 2000 that it had acquired Bungie Studios.<ref name=microsoftpressrelease> Microsoft to Acquire Bungie Software
. Microsoft.com (June 19, 2000)
. Retrieved on August 22, 2006. </ref> Halo became an exclusive game for Microsoft's Xbox video game console, and Bungie Studios rewrote the game's engine, heavily altering its presentation and turning it into a first-person shooter.<ref name=gamecritics> Weir , Dale
(April 14, 2001) . Halo (Xbox) Preview . Gamecritics.com
. Retrieved on September 5, 2006. </ref> Originally a key element, the game's online multiplayer component was dropped because Xbox Live would be unfinished at the time of HaloModèle:'s release. While a playable demonstration of the game at Gamestock 2001 was well-received,<ref name=gamestock> Lopez , Vincent
(March, 2001) . Playable Halo at GameStock . IGN
. Retrieved on September 5, 2006. </ref> critics had mixed reactions to its exhibition at E3 2001.<ref name=nextgen>Toyama, Kevin. Holy Halo (scans). Next Generation Magazine May 2001 issue, pg 1.</ref><ref name=firingsquad> Wojnarowicz, Jakub / Colayco, Bob
(May 18, 2001) . 2001 E3 Part 1 . FiringSquad
. Retrieved on September 5, 2006. </ref><ref name=gamepro>A World Apart (scans). GamePro May 1999 issue, pg 42.</ref> The game was released in North America simultaneously with the Xbox, on November 15, 2001.<ref name="metacritic" />
On July 12, 2002, a Halo port for Windows was announced to be under development by Gearbox Software.<ref name=ign2000> Halo Officially Official for the PC!
. IGN (July 12, 2002)
. Retrieved on September 20, 2006. </ref> Its showing at E3 2003 was positively received by some critics,<ref name=gamespy3> Accardo , Sal
(May 13, 2003) . Halo (PC): The Very First Look . GameSpy
. Retrieved on September 20, 2006. </ref><ref name=halopcgamespotpreview> Parker , Sam
(May 15, 2003) . Halo PC Hands-On . GameSpot
. Retrieved on September 20, 2006. </ref> with skepticism by others.<ref name=ign23> Sulic , Ivan
(May 16, 2003) . E3 2003: Halo Hands-On . IGN
. Retrieved on September 20, 2006. </ref> It was released on September 30, 2003,<ref name="metacritic2" /> and included support for online multiplayer play and featured sharper graphics, but had compatibility issues that caused poor performance.<ref name=halopcreview> Kasavin , Greg
(September 29, 2003) . Halo: Combat Evolved for PC Review . GameSpot
. Retrieved on September 7, 2006. </ref><ref name="ignreview4" /> Halo was later released for Mac OS X on December 11, 2003.<ref name="gamespot" /> On December 4, 2007, the game became available for the Xbox 360 via download from the Xbox Live Marketplace for 1200 Microsoft Points.<ref> Purchese , Rob
(2007-11-13) . Autumn 360 update dated . Eurogamer
. Retrieved on 2007-11-15. </ref>
Reception
Modèle:VG Reviews On its release Halo broke sales records; by April 8, 2002, one million units had been sold: this pace was faster than that of any previous sixth-generation console game.<ref name=pressrelease> "Halo: Combat Evolved" for Xbox Tops 1 Million Mark In Record Time: Xbox System And Games Are Off to Recording-Setting Start in Just Four Months
. Microsoft.com (April 8, 2002)
. Retrieved on September 1, 2006. </ref> During the two months following Halo's release, the game sold alongside more than fifty percent of Xbox consoles.<ref name=wired3> Patrizio , Andy
(January 8, 2002) . Xbox Assault Only Starting . Wired
. Retrieved on September 27, 2006. </ref> Halo's retail price remained at US$49.99 until November 30, 2003.<ref name=gamespotnews2> Thorsen , Tor
(November 20, 2003) . Halo price nearly halved . GameSpot
. Retrieved on September 1, 2006. </ref> By July 14, 2003, the game had sold three million copies worldwide,<ref name=gamespotnews> Parker , Sam
(July 14, 2003) . Halo reaches 3 million . GameSpot
. Retrieved on September 1, 2006. </ref> and by January 28, 2004, it had reached four million copies.<ref name=gamepro50> Halo Sells Over Four Million for Xbox
. GamePro (January 28, 2004)
. Retrieved on September 1, 2006. </ref> As of November 9, 2005, Halo has sold over five million copies worldwide.<ref name="anniversary" />
Halo was critically acclaimed and received an overall score of 97% on Metacritic.<ref name="metacritic" /> Electronic Gaming Monthly observed, "This game has me totally mesmerized ... [It] engages your intellect on a whole different level", and awarded the game a perfect score.<ref name="egmreview" /> GameSpot claimed that "Halo's single-player game is worth picking up an Xbox for alone", commenting, "Not only is this easily the best of the Xbox launch games, but it's easily one of the best shooters ever, on any platform."<ref name="gamespotreview" /> IGN remarked similarly, calling Halo a "can't miss, no-brainer, sure thing, five star, triple A game."<ref name="ignreview" /> Edge called it "the most important launch game for any console, ever", and awarded it a 10 out of 10 score, only the fourth such rating in the magazine's 12-year history.<ref name="edgereview" /> The game received numerous Game of the Year awards, including those of the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences,<ref name> The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences :: Awards
. The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences (February 28, 2002)
. Retrieved on September 1, 2006. </ref> Electronic Gaming Monthly, Edge, and IGN.<ref name=xbox.com> Halo: Combat Evolved - Awards
. Xbox.com
. Retrieved on September 1, 2006. </ref> The British Academy of Film and Television Arts awarded Halo "Best Console Game", and Rolling Stone presented it with their "Best Original Soundtrack" award. According to Xbox.com, the game received a total of 48 awards.<ref name="xbox.com" /> Among the specific aspects that reviewers praised were the balance of weapons, the role of drivable vehicles,<ref name="ignreview" /><ref name="gamespot" />, and the artificial intelligence of enemies.<ref name="edgereview" /><ref name="gamespot" />
Although HaloModèle:'s overall reception was positive, the game was criticized for its level design. IGN wrote that "the middle third of the game basically has ... the same level over again."<ref name="ignreview" /> GameSpy placed the game tenth on its "Top 25 Most Overrated Games of All Time" list; the site stated that the levels often "degenerated into recycling the same areas over and over until you were bored to tears" and complained about the lack of online multiplayer play.<ref name="gamespy" /> Noting the level design as a problem, an article on Game Studies.org stated that the game still "triumphs in understanding the anatomy of the FPS," and is "not so much about 'combat evolved' as the subtitle suggests, but about 'genre evolved'."<ref name=gamestudies> Järvinen , Aki
. Halo and the Anatomy of the FPS
. Retrieved on September 4, 2006. </ref>
Halo's PC rendition garnered mixed reactions and received a score of 83% on Metacritic.<ref name="metacritic2" /> GameSpot claimed that it was "still an incredible action game ... [and] a true classic", awarding it 9.0 out of 10.<ref name="halopcreview" /> It received a score of 8.2 out of 10 from IGN, who stated, "If you've played the game on the Xbox, there's not much for you here."<ref name="ignreview4" /> Eurogamer called the game "a missed opportunity", but stated that the online multiplayer component was "a massive draw ... for Halo veterans".<ref name="eurogamer" />
Legacy
According to Gamespot, HaloModèle:'s "numerous subtle innovations have been borrowed by countless other games since."<ref name=bestlaunchgames> Best Launch Titles
. GameSpot
. Retrieved on September 7, 2006. </ref> The game is often cited as the main reason for the Xbox's success,<ref name=theage> Hill , Jason
(November 4, 2004) . Xbox wears a Halo of success . The Age
. Retrieved on September 19, 2006. </ref> and it began what is commonly known as the system's flagship franchise.<ref name=cnet> Xbox 360 games we can't wait to play
. CNET (August 2, 2006)
. Retrieved on September 7, 2006. </ref> Game designer Vox Day credited the game with using science-fiction environments to follow Half-Life in eschewing static levels and a similarity to dungeon crawls, which the FPS genre inherited from Akalabeth. Day further wrote that Halo spurred a sustained trend of many other FPS console games.<ref name="vox">Modèle:Cite book</ref> Using criteria including revenue, average review scores, commentary, spin-offs and other elements, Halo has been estimated as the second to top game of the twenty-first century, behind Grand Theft Auto: Vice City.<ref name=nextgen.biz> Campbell, Colin / Keiser, Joe
(July 29, 2006) . THE TOP 100 GAMES OF THE 21st CENTURY . Next Generation
. Retrieved on September 18, 2006. </ref> The game's popularity sparked the usage of terms like "Halo clone"<ref name=voodooextreme> Howarth , Robert
(May 20, 2006) . VE3D Best of E3 2006 . Voodoo Extreme
. Retrieved on September 7, 2006. </ref><ref name=xboxgamezone> Bedigian , Louis
(May 28, 2003) . Brute Force review at GameZone . GameZone
. Retrieved on September 7, 2006. </ref><ref name=eurogamer5> Gibson , Ellie
(November 14, 2005) . Rare on Revolution controller . Eurogamer
. Retrieved on September 7, 2006. </ref> and "Halo killer";<ref name="amn" /> the game Killzone was billed as the latter.<ref name=g4> Shamoon , Evan
(November 12, 2004) . Killzone review at G4 . X-Play
. Retrieved on September 7, 2006. </ref><ref name=gamedaily> Gaudiosi , John
(May 4, 2004) . Pre-E3: Killzone Hands-On . GameDaily
. Retrieved on September 7, 2006. </ref> The Halo engine has been used for the game Stubbs the Zombie in "Rebel Without a Pulse".<ref name=gamespy100> Autrijve , Rainier
(October 29, 2004) . Rebel Without a Pulse Announced . GameSpy
. Retrieved on September 7, 2006. </ref>
Halo has been featured at both Major League Gaming and the World Cyber Games.<ref name=gamespot10> Olsen , Jennifer
(October 7, 2004) . The pomp before the stomp: The World Cyber Games kicks off . GameSpot
. Retrieved on September 7, 2006. </ref><ref name=gamespot11> Calvert , Justin
(September 10, 2003) . $10,000 in prize money for first MLG event . GameSpot
. Retrieved on September 7, 2006. </ref> In machinima, the game was used as the basis for the popular Red vs. Blue. The game's sequel, Halo 2, made US$125 million with unit sales of 2.38 million on the first day of its release,<ref name=msnbc> 'Halo 2' reports $125 million in first-day sales
. MSNBC (November 10, 2004)
. Retrieved on September 7, 2006. </ref> earning it the distinction of the fastest-selling United States media product in history.<ref name=gameindustry.biz> Fahey , Rob
(November 11, 2004) . Halo 2 US sales top $125; UK retail celebrates successful launch . GamesIndustry.biz
. Retrieved on September 7, 2006. </ref> Three years later, Halo 3 shattered that record with the biggest opening day in entertainment history, taking in US$170 million in its first 24 hours.<ref> Blake Snow
(2007-09-26) . Halo 3 shatters retail record; sells $170M in 24 hrs . GamePro
. Retrieved on 2007-09-27. </ref>
Adaptations
Modèle:See The story surrounding Halo: Combat Evolved has been adapted into novels, the first of which was Halo: The Fall of Reach, a prequel. Published in October 2001, this novel was written by Eric Nylund, who reportedly completed it in seven weeks.<ref name=xbox.com2> Longdale , Holly
. Game Worlds in Written Words . Xbox.com
. Retrieved on September 2, 2006. </ref> The novel became a Publishers Weekly bestseller with almost two hundred thousand copies sold.<ref name=xbox.com3> Greene , Marty
. First Strike Author Eric Nylund Q&A . Xbox.com
. Retrieved on September 2, 2006. </ref> The following novel, entitled Halo: The Flood, is a tie-in to Halo: Combat Evolved, describing not only the experiences of the Master Chief, but also those of other characters on Installation 04. Written by William C. Dietz, this novel appeared on the Publishers Weekly bestsellers list during May 2003.<ref name=gamingage> Klepek , Patrick
(May 5, 2003) . Halo novel cracks bestseller . Gaming-Age
. Retrieved on September 2, 2006. </ref> Nylund returned to write the third novel, Halo: First Strike, which takes place between the events of Halo: Combat Evolved and those of Halo 2. Written in 16 weeks,<ref name="xbox.com3" /> it was published in December 2003.<ref name=randomhouse> Halo: First Strike by Eric Nylund
. Random House.com
. Retrieved on September 2, 2006. </ref> Later novels, Halo: Ghosts of Onyx (written by Nylund and released on October 31, 2006)<ref name=amazon> Amazon.com: Ghosts of Onyx (Halo)
. Amazon.com
. Retrieved on March 26, 2007. </ref> and Halo: Contact Harvest (written by Joseph Staten) further extended the Halo storyline.
Another adaptation is the Halo Graphic Novel, a collection of four short stories released in July 2006.<ref name=igncomic> Halo Graphic Novel at IGN
. IGN
. Retrieved on September 2, 2006. </ref> It was written and illustrated by well-known graphic novelists Lee Hammock, Jay Faerber, Tsutomu Nihei, Brett Lewis, Simon Bisley, Ed Lee and Jean Giraud. Bungie Studios regards Halo's adaptations as canon.<ref name=joestaten> Joe Staten Interview
. Halo.Bungie.Org (October 2004)
. Retrieved on August 6, 2006. </ref>
References
External links
Modèle:Halo Modèle:Bungie Studios
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