PixlBit

Speaking of idiotic stories where a lot of nonsensical jargon is thrown around I don't know how I survived through Final Fantasy 13 with my sanity intact. That's cool there's split screen here though. That always makes me think of Goldeneye on N64. We had so much fun playing that with four people. Sorry Blake. I really don't know crap about Halo lol.

It's okay. I thought it was pretty shit and didn't touch it until now so we're in the same boat haha.

 Yeah, I don't know why I finished FFXIII either. Stupid game.

ug.  Halo.  On the other hand, it IS fun.  

Welp, I need to see if pigs have just started flying, but more than that, welcome to the Halo club Blake, posibly my favorite series of FPS games so far. The multiplayer is incredibly fun and i'm glad that you are discovering there's more depth to the shooting than what it appears.

I do like the Halo lore and stories, but I do agree that it can be confusing. One of the better ideas would have been to play the past games before 4, even if they differ from the new storyline of 4, just to get acostumed to the world and maybe learn some things about the characters. There's also the books and comics which are part side-stories, part lore index and info.

I love the Halo stories and lore too, but I hate the way they are portrayed in the actual games. I actually got into the extra stuff because I was wondering wtf was going on with that Little Shop of Horrors dude in Halo 2. Once I understood the Halo universe, I dug it. The opening scene from Halo 4 is the best they've ever done at conveying anything at all. It helps that I know who is who before the scenes even start, but I thought that opening scene was impactful.

Glad you like the game, Blake! I play a lot of FPS games, and I enjoy the way Halo lays everything out the best. 

Halo 4's opening sucked me in tbh. When they were talking about how they broke the spartans I was like "Damn... this is cool!" Then I got the first planet and I was like "Damn, this is nonsense" haha. I was going to play them all but I heard Halo 2 is balls. I have played Reach, but I may need to try it again. What do you think is the best Halo? 

Nah man, Halo 2 is awesome, it just has one of the most infamous anti-climatic endings in the history of gaming.

For me personally, since there are the ones i've played throughly, the best are the first game, Halo 2 and Halo: Reach.

2's actually my favorite, but I think you'd like 3 the most. Has this fight I know you'd love where you fight two Scarabs (enormous tanks that resemble bugs) at once unscripted. And they put on this super epic music and explosions are happening everywhere and you have to improvise if you lose your jet rider vehicle and....GAH THAT PART IS SO AWESOME!!!!! 

Basically like this: I'm a biased fanboy who played 2 first and have a ton of nostalgia attached to that game, as it was my first console game and FPS, exceeding my expectations. And when 3 came out and did not do that, even though it was still an incredible game, I was disappointed. But in the years since, I have come to realize 2 isn't as awesome as I once thought and 3 is so much better than I originally thought. But I'm still a biased fanboy for 2 and okay with this.

So what you're saying is I should get that Halo collection thingy and play them all? What's your thoughts on Halo Reach btw?

Reach is great. Doesn't have an awful level like the others and has an amazing ending.

I like Reach and ODST best, but I prefer health packs, so...

I might need to have Wikipedia open while playing haha. I don't know if I'm a converted Halo fan, but I'm digging this.

Yeah, I was very surprised when I had fun playing Call of Duty 2 with my friends at the end of last year. And I played it before too, but that time I actually knew what the fuck I was doing. That always helps.

Oh yeah. I've started enjoying games so much more when I go back to them now and am actually decent at gaming.

 And CoD2 is fucking awesome.

"Everytime I died, I'd think 'right, if I approach the fight from this angle' or 'maybe if I use a grenade here' I'll make it!"

This all the way. In one sentence you perfectly captured why I love this series so much and why I felt if you'd just give it a chance without your "Bungie ruined FPS" mentality, you'd enjoy it. Because we can debate regenerating health, controller inferiority, and glorious PC gaming master race until the cows come home, at the end of the day, that doesn't take away that good game design exists in a vacuume. One away from gender politics, what's trendy, and artstyles. If something works in a game, it works. And nothing else about the aesthetics or gamer culture can change that.

Yeah. I just wish it would come to PC so i can play it with Mouse and Keyboard. The controller works perfectly for the game, don't get me wrong, it's just personal preference.

 I think it was more me going back and playing Halo 1 and being disappointed at how it felt, and not really having the chance to play the other games in the series.

 I do feel like the two weapon system actually works in Halo, as opposed to other games that use it as it creates hectic moments when you run out of ammo.

 I think the "Halo ruined fps" thing is still true, but not so much a mark down for Halo as a mark down for games that immitate Halo's mechanics without finding meaningful use for them.

I still say it's not the cause, just the catalyst. There's a world of difference between the two. 

Regardless, I can hate what Halo has done to FPS without hating Halo itself :p

Other developers just played copycat. They lacked understanding of why certain elements worked in Halo. They made mixtapes instead of carefully designed games.  They didn't even seem to recognize obvious things, like the fact that the regenerating health is not health at all, but a regenerating shield with a traditional health bar beneath it. Big difference.  And I hate mixtape game design. It's so lazy and obvious.

Yea, I didn't like the story in Halo 4. Cortana falling in love with Master Chief? WTF! Hated that scene. The gameplay also reminded me of Call of Duty; the feel of the weapons and the way it seemed like only head shots counted. My feeling was confirmed when I heard some podcasters talking about how multiplayer also felt more like COD.  The whole experience put me in a funk for Halo until recently when I started reading the latest book, Halo: Broken Circle. It's a fine piece of pulp fiction and now I'm kinda excited to see how Halo 5 is going to turn out. The collector's edition just became available to preorder last weekend. I'm looking for a console bundle though.

Halo 4 is one of the few Xbox games I've wanted to play. Some designers from Metroid Prime worked on it, which is enough to pique my interest, plus it was a damn slick looking game.

I did not know it had Metroid designers!

Yep.

I've always thought the Halo story to be shit, but the game itself to be pretty fun.  I still remember being pistol-whipped to death on the Blood Gulch map by my buddy Armen back in college.

Ahh, memories.

Ah blood gulch... I miss that map.