Zeta Halo

Posted: December 10, 2021

By: Wesley - Nomadic Polymath

"Going back to their roots"

My aunt bought me my first Xbox, right around the time that Halo 2 was launched, she even got me the steel book case copy of the game. This was not my first time playing a Halo game but it was definitely the one I played the most. If you played video games around this time and had immersed yourself in the culture it was a dawn of a new age. Competitive gaming has been in existence since gaming had been invented as far back as the first pair of dice. What Halo 2 did was bring competitive online console gaming into the forefront of the global zeitgeist. It made casual online console gaming fun.

The first Halo was subtitled Combat Evolved. It took a 30 second game loop that was superb and replicated it over the course of a narratively rich universe. By focusing on that core mechanic of excellent gunplay and folding a linear world around that feature set, the creators of the game rung the bell on a new chapter for gaming. The influence Halo had on similar games is still felt in how those titles structuring their gameplay and storytelling. On a personal note it, I first played Halo in the second players chair, I followed my friend on his second play through, I was thrown into a world that fascinates me endlessly. We fought alongside one another as we co-op'ed our way through those well-crafted ten levels.

Today, I battled against my first pair of Hunters in the most recent game in the series, Halo: Infinite. I vividly remember what I felt when I came up the hill in Halo: CE's Silent Cartographer, that hill right as you face off against your first ever Hunters. Going toe to toe with them proved to be a challenge for me and my buddy. We burned through many reloads trying to figure out the best tactic to take down these beastly creatures. Nearly two decades later, that core feeling is still there as I realize what I was facing off against. A history has been established for the Mgalekgolo (the colony of serpent like critters that make up the Hunters) and it's hard not to also feel immersed in the mythos.

As the battle was waged at the base of the Spire on Zeta Halo against these longtime foes I learned how the new tools and environment could be leveraged against them. Every game that has come out in this series has made me feel like a Spartan, understanding that not all Spartans were made the same. This entry is no exception to that sensation I get when I settling into the flow state of Spartan 117. It does its duty of pushing the experience to the next level by giving you control and mastery over your domain. Halo: Infinite gives me such joy with their grapple hook as I zipped around the Mgalekgolo pair trying my best to exploit their know weaknesses. The interactions John has with his new AI tug at my heart strings while the gunplay makes me feel like an experienced Spartan skillfully removing the obstacles in his path.

One of the beliefs I hold is that video games represent humanity's pinnacle form of creative expression. It's a fusion of our greatest pursuit in art; it has music, storytelling, graphics, and most importantly it stirs emotions. Art is achieving its truest potential when it bring chaos to those who have calm and brings calm to those that are in chaos. Not every book will have a cult following or receive renowned praise, nor will every painting be hung for generations to see in a museum. Unlike art of centuries past, video games offer us a pure immersive experience that time and time again transcends the medium to weave a tale that resonates with those that need to hear it. Like a good play, a good game will suck you into their world and have you on the edge of your seat as you hang on each step of the story.

Prior to playing the latest entry in a series that has nine games I replayed the Master Chief collection, the first six games bundled under one roof. There have been moments in playing this new Halo from a development shop that didn't kick off this reality that made me think, "Damn, they changed that" or "This doesn't feel like Halo". When those thoughts pop in I have to remind myself that every game brought something new to the table and did away with something that was fundamental in the previous game. Halo 2 removed the Assault Rifle and replaced it with duel wielding SMGs and a Battle Rifle. Evolution is part of Halo's DNA. Infinite takes that into account as it weaves it's own thread into the tapestry of Halo.

There is a review I read that stated Halo: Infinite goes back to the Halo roots. I would agree; I see the DNA of Halo: Combat Evolved, along with Halo Reach, 2, 3, 4, & 5, in this open world epic that does what every good Halo game does: establishes a wicked fun game loop and replicates it over a story of intrigue, grit, and survival. There is so much to this mythos and each entry cuts out a little corner of it for us to enjoy. The passion I have for this incredibly intricate universe will continue to be explored in depth in further writings as it was in this one.