Halo 4 - Catch All

Just an interesting observation as I'm replaying REACH to get in the mood.

I remember complaining about Jun's exit from Noble team. While everyone else gets to die "noble" deaths, he's just sent off to escort Dr. Halsey. I replayed that portion and actually got the dialogue this time. He's not just her bodyguard, Carter has also ordered Jun to kill her if she is going to be captured. I like that a lot more because not only does it make Jun's assignment a dire affair, it shuts Halsey up quick once she realizes the same thing. After her constant dismissal of the Spartans, it's good to see a little respect.

It just bugs me that they change everything from the books. I understand why in some sense to fit in noble team. But i liked the other Spartans kicking around and what happened with them.

I'm not a big halo fan even though I enjoyed Reach pretty well. I'm pretty skeptical about this one since I read that a certain enemy returns and I can't stand them.

I thoght they were limited to multiplayer, as the new "zombie" mode.

Hadn't seen that. If that's the case, then I am all good.

Oh god I hope they are multiplayer only. One of my favorite things about Reach and ODST were that they weren't in it.

Going to get this day one probably. Not sure if it will displace Reach though since they didn't bring Firefight along. Being able to customize the settings in Firefight for infinite ammo and load outs with rocket launchers made this a very girlfriend friendly game

"Lets play that game where I get to blow up aliens."
"You mean Halo?"
"Is that what it is called?"
An actual conversation.

I just finished watching Episode 4 of "Forward Until Dawn" and I'm sold. Before watching this series I really didn't care about Halo 4, I was Halo'ed out since I never played much reach after the story. Now? Now I'm down for anything and absolutely excited. So excited that I hope to complete Halo Anniversary before I get Halo 4. Now I would get it at the midnight launch but, I'm kinda tight on money so I'll probably get it later, which is a disappointment since I bought both ODST and Reach almost on day of release. Heck even got the collectors edition just under the statue. (Couldn't talk myself into the statue sadly otherwise I had the money at the time.)

So this has been getting very favorable reviews. I was a little worried with it being a new team and all but after reading some reviews I decided to put in a pre-order at the Microsoft store (it comes with a $25 credit).

I had a blast playing Reach co-op with buddies. I'd love to do that again with Halo 4, but unfortunately, buddies aren't really playing online much, and honestly, neither am I. We'd all have to re-up XBL Gold and get the game, and find time to play, and honestly, that won't happen soon. It's sad growing up.

gains wrote:

Just an interesting observation as I'm replaying REACH to get in the mood.

Question: Do I need to have played Reach's campaign before I play 4? I would assume no and that 4 would follow 3's story, but you know what happens when you assume....

Reach was a prequel to Halo(1) and I don't think it set up anything important for 4. 4 follows 3.

Have just started seeing the reviews trickle in and they are quite impressive - really looking forward to checking the game out next week.

IGN gave it a 9.8

The more I read about the weekly co-op stuff, the more interested I am in that - having new stuff to do in weekly one hour increments (in between getting abused in multiplayer) should be very cool.

Reach (and ODST and Halo War and probably Halo 3 I can't remember) all broke the story in different ways so I doubt it even matters. I do kind of wish I could have found time/motivation to play through 2 and 3 again but really the story isn't the reason to play Halo.

I love the Halo series, and I only have a vague notion of the story for 2 and 3.

I think the story for all of them is pretty much shoot aliens, land on ancient alien structure, shoot more aliens, oh sh*t The Flood (I am waiting for the prequel game where you play as Noah who was a forerunner), shoot more aliens, drive through/on something that is blowing up, the end.

Rykin wrote:

Reach (and ODST and Halo War and probably Halo 3 I can't remember) all broke the story in different ways so I doubt it even matters. I do kind of wish I could have found time/motivation to play through 2 and 3 again but really the story isn't the reason to play Halo.

This is probably what's been driving me crazy with this game, and the entire franchise, recently. One of the reasons I fell in love with Halo 1 was the universe they were building. I fell in love with the tiny, small hints they gave about the Covenant. I wanted to know why the Covenant attacked humans. When 343 Guilty Spark let's slip "Last time you asked me 'Would I do it?'" in that brief moment you discover the real purpose of Halo, it's like "HOLY sh*t!" The first Halo established so much mystery to this greater world around you.

Halo 2 did a pretty good job of continuing that as well, while building upon the Covenant culture. In addition, I was really sold on the idea of humanity having to constantly fight a losing battle. These two things established in the first two games are one of the reasons I kept going back.

Halo 3's story was...well, it was exactly what people complain about Halo being. Evidently it's a bad story to most people, and Halo 3 really was. I also was not much a fan of the combat (the odds were always even, so to speak. Never had a moment like Halo 1 where it was just you, no vehicle (maybe a Ghost) against two Wraith tanks and a group of Covies).

ODST had gameplay I enjoyed, but the writing was pretty terrible. Also, the commercial had the melancholy "there is no winning this war" tone that the game should have had, and instead it was happily ever after. Reach was the best campaign since Halo 1 (and possibly surpassing it), but the story was also pretty terrible with the "big twist" being, wait for it, YOU were supposed to be chief! And by you I mean generic Spartan No. 1234124345233543.

The Spartans have become like Jedi: they were awesome when they were uncommon, but now they're everywhere and just not as mystical.

I also hated Fall of Reach, which everyone else seems to love. I thought it was a horrible attempt at trying to provide deeper character of Chief (I DON'T UNDERSTAND, HOW IS LOSING A sh*t TON OF SOLDIERS NOT WINNING AS LONG AS THE OBJECTIVE IS COMPLETED? I AM JUST A ROBOT DUUUUHHHHH), not to mention all the little details that, again, was all about masturbating to how awesome Spartans were (bunch of teenagers can kick over an armored power suit with ease in the book, but a biomechanically engineered super soldier can't knock down a Hunter with a single smack to the back in-game).

So all this expanded universe stuff and then Halo 4 coming out... I was basically ready to throw my hands up and say "f*ck it" and be done.

Buuuuutttt....

Reviews are sounding positive.

I'm not sure what to think, really. I caved and grabbed Reach because the gameplay video at E3 that year sold me on it. This did not happen with Halo 4's E3 showing at all, and Forward Unto Dawn, while an entertaining mini-series (it has that chick from Narnia!), hasn't sold me on the game either. But the press seems unanimously pleased.

I won't get it day one. I'll probably ask for it for Christmas if I choose to do such a thing. But I would rather watch and see what you guys have to say first. I'm on the fence, as usual, and part of that may be the fact that I just need to let go with what I think Halo should have been or what they should focus on and just see what they do with their own universe.

Watched a couple of review vids and I've gotta say that I'm amazed how incredibly good looking this game is for a 360 game. It's not just the polys they pushed but the excellent article direction. Bravo.

ccesarano wrote:

*cut*...but the story was also pretty terrible with the "big twist" being, wait for it, YOU were supposed to be chief! And by you I mean generic Spartan No. 1234124345233543.

The Spartans have become like Jedi: they were awesome when they were uncommon, but now they're everywhere and just not as mystical.

I also hated Fall of Reach, which everyone else seems to love. I thought it was a horrible attempt at trying to provide deeper character of Chief (I DON'T UNDERSTAND, HOW IS LOSING A sh*t TON OF SOLDIERS NOT WINNING AS LONG AS THE OBJECTIVE IS COMPLETED? I AM JUST A ROBOT DUUUUHHHHH), not to mention all the little details that, again, was all about masturbating to how awesome Spartans were (bunch of teenagers can kick over an armored power suit with ease in the book, but a biomechanically engineered super soldier can't knock down a Hunter with a single smack to the back in-game).*Cut*

Wait, wait, wait, back up a second... You think the main character of Reach was Chief? That's impossible since

Spoiler:

the main character of Reach goes out in a final battle of "Firefight" before the credits roll.

Now there was an easter egg of the Chief being in the end credits as a nod to Halo 1 but that was it.

I'm excited for Halo 4 but I just can't talk myself into buying it. As a college student with a limited budget I have to make rough decisions... Halo 4 vs GTA V, Assassins Creed 3, Far Cry 2, Bioshock Infinite, and Need for Speed Most Wanted. A few of those are easier choices over others but that doesn't help in anyway.

Thin_J wrote:

If I'm right and he hates the book, well that's just crazypant. That book is the best thing that's ever come out of the Halo franchise :P

Agreed on the book being great. If anything it makes the story in the games that much more disappointing. Especially since there were real Spartans on reach and they decided to focus on creating their own narrative that doesn't work that well with the book.

I loved the books written by Nylund. First Strike and Fall of Reach were great.

First strike made me really excited for halo 2 then they ignored it.

No I think he meant Halo: Reach which was never marketed as you being the chief:

ccesarano wrote:

Reach was the best campaign since Halo 1 (and possibly surpassing it), but the story was also pretty terrible with the "big twist" being, wait for it, YOU were supposed to be chief! And by you I mean generic Spartan No. 1234124345233543.

As I remember it they were very clear that you weren't the chief in everything they ever said about Halo: Reach.

I really loved the first Halo and Halo 2 and 3 were both big disappointments in both game-play and story. They both added some neat stuff here and there but they also both felt more like a generic Unreal clone especially in multiplayer. I really liked ODST and Reach though and I think it is because at their core they were more similar to the first game than 2 & 3 from a game-play perspective.

One thing that has bugged me is just how inconsistent they have been with the lore/story. It varies so much from game to game and the fiction/anime are their own things completely. In Halo 1, 2, & 3 the chief was the highest ranked Spartan ever as a Master Chief Petty Officer (E9) but then in Reach nearly ever Spartan is an officer of Lieutenant rank or higher. And at least until Halo 4 comes out the oldest version of the armors and weapons are the most advanced. They had a perfect chance to retcon stuff with Halo: Anniversary but they took the easy way out by just reskinning the original game. Also at the time ODST takes place you should probably still be fighting Elites (especially in the flash back missions) but you don't.

Wolfen Victrocious wrote:

Wait, wait, wait, back up a second... You think the main character of Reach was Chief? That's impossible since

Spoiler:

the main character of Reach goes out in a final battle of "Firefight" before the credits roll.

Now there was an easter egg of the Chief being in the end credits as a nod to Halo 1 but that was it.

I'm excited for Halo 4 but I just can't talk myself into buying it. As a college student with a limited budget I have to make rough decisions... Halo 4 vs GTA V, Assassins Creed 3, Far Cry 2, Bioshock Infinite, and Need for Speed Most Wanted. A few of those are easier choices over others but that doesn't help in anyway.

He said Fall of Reach, not Halo Reach.

Implication being he hates the book. I could be wrong though. If I am wrong and he is saying Halo Reach, then yeah, you're totally right. Master Chief isn't even in the game. Well, until that last cutscene.

If I'm right and he hates the book, well that's just crazypants. That book is the best thing that's ever come out of the Halo franchise

Rykin wrote:

As I remember it they were very clear that you weren't the chief in everything they ever said about Halo: Reach.

They were. In fact, they were so clear about it they put him in the game (still in his cryo stasis chamber) during a cutscene if you pan the camera right.

See here:

I was unclear. What I meant was the Spartan you played as in Reach was supposed to be on the Pillar of Autumn, but chose to stay behind. From another website I was on, that was evidently some mind blowing thing because the Reach Spartans are more advanced or something. I don't even know at this point.

I've just come to accept that I must be a freak for being the only person that thought Fall of Reach was a lousy book, let alone a lousy Halo book.

ccesarano wrote:

I was unclear. What I meant was the Spartan you played as in Reach was supposed to be on the Pillar of Autumn, but chose to stay behind. From another website I was on, that was evidently some mind blowing thing because the Reach Spartans are more advanced or something. I don't even know at this point.

I don't know that other website, so I can't know the origins of the information, but this is why I tune out when some threads go off the deep end with speculation and extrapolation with a game story. Often it just seems like it's based off too little information and assuming every little detail was intentionally placed there with the intent to carry some deep meaning.

Scratched wrote:
ccesarano wrote:

I was unclear. What I meant was the Spartan you played as in Reach was supposed to be on the Pillar of Autumn, but chose to stay behind. From another website I was on, that was evidently some mind blowing thing because the Reach Spartans are more advanced or something. I don't even know at this point.

I don't know that other website, so I can't know the origins of the information, but this is why I tune out when some threads go off the deep end with speculation and extrapolation with a game story. Often it just seems like it's based off too little information and assuming every little detail was intentionally placed there with the intent to carry some deep meaning.

Well I believe the goal is for your character to get onto the Pillar of Autumn, but he ends up delivering some package and then staying behind so that it can take off or some crap. I dunno, I didn't really care. I was just there to shoot Covenant at that point.

It's funny, I played Halo 3 as one of my first Xbox 360 games as well as my first Halo game and have played every Halo since. Recently I've tried talking to people about Halo but all they want to talk about is the multiplayer which I really don't care about, all I care about Halo are the interesting stories and rich worlds. Even Halo 3 was quite rich and still has some of my favorite "Red vs Blue" cameos. Playing Halo Anniversary right now and am hoping to finish it before Christmas. Also planning to watch Black Friday deals to see if Halo 4 gets a "Holiday" discount.

Great setup for the game. Last episode came out today.