For this project, I played Halo: Combat Evolved and Halo 4 from the Halo franchise of games. There is a huge time gap between these two
games. Halo: Combat Evolved was
released in 2001, while Halo 4 was
released in 2012. While these games are two in the same series, they are
actually very different. Not just in terms of graphics, but in terms of
gameplay as well.
To
start, one key difference between these two games is that Halo 4 has the added armor ability feature. Armor abilities are
essentially power-ups to your character that can be activated for a certain
period of time before needing to recharge. These abilities include a jetpack,
an energy shield, and a holographic decoy. Halo:
Combat Evolved does not have armor abilities, but does have “overshield”
and invisibility power-ups that can be found in some places in the game. These
power-ups, though, must be found during gameplay and activate only once, which
is as soon as the player walks through the physical power-up. These differences
really affect the dynamics of the games.
Also,
one of the largest differences between the two games is the ability to sprint. Halo 4 allows for sprinting, while the
other game does not. This truly has a great impact on overall gameplay. Movement
is much slower when not sprinting, therefore making Halo: Combat Evolved somewhat slower-paced than Halo 4. Sprinting was not really a
popular gameplay mechanic at the time of Halo:
Combat Evolved’s release, so it makes sense for it not to be featured. Transitioning
from playing shooters where sprinting is a given to one where you no longer can
sprint is a bit of a shock, and it definitely takes some getting used to.
While
those differences are somewhat prevalent, it is time to break into what makes
this series great. What is the main
thing going on in either game? The player is shooting aliens. That does not
seem like the most original concept in the world. What really grips the player
is the story behind why they are shooting at these aliens. At the beginning of Halo: Combat Evolved, it is not really
known what is going on. The player later learns that these aliens are trying to
essentially destroy the human race. The reason for this is unclear until the
next game in the series, Halo 2, in
which much of the story of the aliens is revealed. There are just plot twists
and turns everywhere, and they keep the games interesting.
Another
thing that draws players back to Halo series time and time again is definitely
the protagonist in the main series. Master Chief, John-117, Reclaimer, whatever
one may refer to him as, is one of the most iconic characters in all of gaming
culture. Why do people seem to like the Chief so much? It has a lot to do with
the fact that he is a rather silent character. He has little of his own
dialogue in most games in the series, giving the player the opportunity to sort
of build their own narrative and increase their immersion in the game. This
makes for a unique gameplay experience that is completely linear, yet still
allows the player to have some of their own unique experiences.
Some
may disagree with me on this, but the series that is probably the most similar
to Halo in terms of the self-narrative
aspect is Call of Duty. In many of
the games, the player plays a character that is silent the majority of the
time. While the player is not necessarily the big hero in Call of Duty, the narrative aspect is similar. The character played
does not speak much, so there is a lot of opportunity for players to build up
their own narrative.
With
all of that being said, the Halo series
is my favorite franchise of all time. It may be something that has lost its
luster over the years for some, but it still shines brightly in my mind. The
unique storytelling aspect of the game is something that all can appreciate.
All of the players out there should be waiting on their next opportunity to go
behind the mask of Master Chief.
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