I don’t work in the games industry, I tried my hardest to break into it as a sound designer after I graduated; I looked for two years but never found a single job listing so I moved on. This isn’t a bitter rant but the first post about a major love in my life: gaming.

I’ve played games since I was little, from my first Vic 20 and NES right through to my current 360, interspersed with a  bout of PC ‘hardcore’ gaming (until I went to uni and could no longer afford to keep my machine up to scratch). I’d like to write posts about all my favourite games, considering how many titles have been released over the last 15-20 years, there’s not that many.

I was reading the current Edge, specifically a feature regarding Halo: Combat Evolved. I couldn’t believe that it’s been 9 years since an obscure shooter, ported from the Mac, was chosen as a launch title for a console taking on the great Nintendo and Sony. To my mind (red ring of death aside), the best thing Microsoft has ever done.

I can’t really remember the first time I played Halo, various friends had gotten their hands on Xboxes and I’d had the odd go but it was with my friend Paul, aka Bigmetaleye (or the Alienator), that I really discovered Halo; he’d swapped a Gamecube for an Xbox. We’d always loved co-operative, back then the only multiplayer was PC LAN driven and always deathmatch! We’d pretty much exhausted Quake 2’s co-op campaign by this point and although we had to play split screen, we got straight into Halo.

The opening of the game

The opening mission on the Pillar of Autumn was great; the designers really made the universe come alive. Even in this first game, the character chatter that now defines the Halo universe was present. Marines talking about anything and everything, I’d find myself listening to them for any extra plot points or mission info.

I mourned them, especially when some frigging Elite jerk stuck ‘em with a plasma grenade. I wanted to tell them I was sorry and that I’d pass along any messages to loved ones but there just wasn’t time; before you knew it they were blue mist and you’d be picking bits of them out of the recesses in your armor. My point here is that you really feel attached to the Marines, games rarely generate this level of connection with NPCs; Deus Ex and Half-life are the only other two that spring to mind.

So, it saddens it me when I see something like this:

Beautiful environments

FPSs that I’ve played in the past where capable when in their particular environment. Quake 2 was great at tight, enclosed environments; as a consequence the outside sections were not very expansive. At the other end, Operation Flashpoint; massive outdoor environments but when you got inside a house or shed the engine would have trouble. Halo bridged this really well: close, tight and futuristic interiors with more traditional, expansive exteriors. The greenery of the outdoor environments meant it was more like being in the Cotswolds than a Sci-fi shooter. Brilliant and original environmental design!

So you can imaging the awe I first experienced when I stepped out of that crashed pod, the gurgling stream, rush of the nearby waterfall, green grass... but of course this means little once the Banshees appear.

Weaponry

I could never bring myself to use Covenant weapons, it felt wrong: like I was betraying my race (though the plasma grenades are a must!). So, I always had to have my staple weapon, the human assault rifle (or more specifically the MA5B Assault Rifle). It’s a powerful gun in this game, the magazine holds double the amount of ammo of its successors and with a final melee attack you can finish off a healthy, fully shielded Elite. Very enjoyable!

The pistol was also fun, a poor man’s sniper rifle, in Combat Evolved it sported a nice zoom feature. Missing from later Halo games, it wouldn’t be re-introduced until Halo:ODST. Halo one allowed you to get a bonus for hidden attacks so if the enemy wasn’t aware of you, that first punch or shot will net you extra damage. I managed to kill a Hunter with one pistol shot, it was unaware of me and I managed to land the shot right its Tango coloured face.

The best weapon though, especially when the flood turned up, is the shotgun. If you got up close with this, you’d not have any more trouble from the poor individual on the receiving end. I couldn’t even drop this when it was out of ammo, I had to keep it in case I turned a corner and there was a dead, shotgun wielding, marine who I could pillage for ammo. When I did have to drop it, I’d try not to stray too far in case it vanished.

The other weapons were great, the rocket launcher and sniper rifle, but I wouldn’t find myself keeping them. I’d use them in the area that I’d found them but if it meant leaving behind a loaded shotgun or assault rifle... no way.

The end

We all know the story, Halo’s about to go off and you have hordes of the re-animated corpses of your mates and enemies between you and salvation and only a Warthog for company. Curiously the designer of the Pillar of Autumn decided that for the top deck they wanted a cross between a highway and an assault course. Quite what purpose this would solve during normal operations is beyond me however it serves its purpose in the final warthog dash to the escape craft. When we played this co-operatively, I would be terrified of being left behind. If I was driving and the damn thing rolled over I would hold of the encroaching flood until Paul could get back in; a courtesy not always returned!  

From the ancient and powerful music to the chatter of the grunts, Halo: Combat Evolved was a masterpiece and helped establish the Xbox as a contender to the Nintendo Gamecube and Sony Playstation 2. I’m both excited and sad about the release of Halo: Reach. I had a go on the beta and the game looks and plays great; couple this with the amazing single player experience of Halo 1,2 and 3 and you'll find this is the reason for my excitement. Sad because Bungie have confirmed that this’ll be the last outing we’ll see of Halo. I am glad though that it won’t get milked to death, especially considering what a successful IP it’s been.