It’s hard to know where to begin with a game like this. Many regard Halo as the best thing to happen to FPS (First Person Shooters) since Half-Life and some even say that it is the best FPS in history. When Bungie began to show the world the first glimpses of Halo people were interested, the story line was nothing new (battle mean space monsters in other world) but it looked different, the gameplay seemed interesting and it seemed Bungie were trying to advance the genre. It was predictably slated to appear on the PC but then along came Microsoft with their big black box and even bigger suitcases of money. Halo was to be an XBox exclusive (though it is appearing on the PC later this year) not only that but Halo would be the main launch-game for XBox. It succeeded. Over one million copies are now reportedly sold and it doesn’t really take a genius to work out that without Halo the XBox could have had a slightly bumpier first year. Halo has been met with rave reviews, even gaining a much coveted 10/10 from Edge magazine, so it seems Halo does indeed deliver what the hype built up.

There are so many FPS that for one to stand out it needs to try hard. It is not enough to plop down your character in a certain setting and have him or her blast their way to the end. A game needs variety and it needs to be exciting. Luckily Halo has both qualities. While a lot of missions are the basic progression of the combat of enemies to get to a certain place its how you get there that matters. You can either go in guns blazing or try for a more tactical approach and ambush enemies with grenades. You can travel on foot or take charge of enemy ships. Some missions do very in some cases, for example you are sent to save your Captain from being held at one point in the game. This isn’t Quake either. You will, for some parts of the game, be accompanied by other soldiers, this is not particularly new in any real sense, but adds a lot of realism to the game as opposed to just being you and about one thousand aliens. Realism also plays a part in combat. You are only allowed to carry two weapons at a time so you have to weigh up the pros and cons of each weapon and try to pick one that will be of use to you the most throughout certain areas. While gun loving gamers will find the limited arsenal a let down its inclusion is important to fit the balance of the game. Halo, while not connected to the Live service, does have multiplayer options. You can play through Co-Op mode via a two-player option. You can also link up Xboxes with the link cable for even more interactivity without the hindrance of a split screen.

Graphically the world of Halo looks very pleasing to the eye. Obviously keen to show off the XBox potential this game proves how powerful the machine is. The outdoor environments are fantastic. They are, on the whole, very grand affairs and detail is not just a few sparse trees, but rock formations, hills and streams will run through an area at the same time. Lighting effects are best used here as well, especially when, later on in the game, you invade an outdoor space in the dark. Coupled with the fact that these environments are prone to host numerous battles between alien and human and you get an epic scale of play. Indoor areas are certainly not as aesthetically pleasing but do lend to the atmosphere well and some structures inside the buildings are pleasant. Music and game effects are also done to a high standard. The music is a major draw for the game and there are some excellent pieces. Sound effects are also used well, this game will be enhanced greatly with surround sound, you’ll be able to hear enemies approaching and the tell tale sound of a thrown grenade. However I did encounter one problem and that was with the speech of your assistant Cortana. She is at hand to tell you your objectives and key information yet she is simply drowned out by other sounds at frequent points in the game and with no subtitle option for he its rather annoying.

Like all games, Halo is not perfect and it does have its flaws. Indoor environments are slightly lacking. They are detailed nicely enough but they can get very repetitive. Some people think this adds realism with some rooms being the same as others and some think that its just boring. Playing the game it didn’t bother me too much, I was too busy attacking enemies to notice, but at times it did become too repetitive and confusing at times. It can sometimes be disorientating to go through a section that looks exactly like the one you have just been in as it raises the question if you are heading the right way or not. The ‘Flood’ levels have also come under heavy criticism. These levels consist of you travelling around the same rooms, in structure and detail, and blasting enemies that have slightly different behaviour patterns to the others (i.e. basic attack mode and no strategy) I did find this part of the game a slight letdown and it really could have used some variation. Another flaw of the game is in the same vein. There is very little variation of enemies. Again, this wont bother all people, but seeing the same kind of enemy all the time can get as repetitive as the environments but luckily their behaviour makes up for the disappointment.

[9 out of 10]