With Halo: The Master Chief Collection launching early next week, this overwhelming sense of nostalgia and hype has completely taken over. I've been wanting to write an article like this for over a week, but I just wasn't sure how to approach it. The thought of trying to truly convey what Halo means to me, in words that carry the same weight, is going to be next to impossible. Simply put, Halo is the reason I'm a gamer. If it wasn't for Halo, I wouldn't have realized how amazing and unique gaming can be. Maybe I take gaming a little too seriously, and I give it too much credit, but if it wasn't for Halo, I honestly don't think I'd be the person I am today.
It all started when I was eight years old. The year was 2001. My dad told me he had a new game to show me. Something I heard often back then, since most of my nights were spent watching him play whatever new game was out at the time. I remember him telling me, "This is one of the best games I've ever played, and I think you're really going to like it." Immediately, I was super excited. The level of excited that you could only reach as a young child. My dad didn't tell me what the game was called. Instead, he just took it out of the case, put it in the Xbox, and the game booted up. Suddenly, I was greeted with the most iconic main title theme I've ever heard in a game. Eight year old me was in awe. I'd never heard a melody as mysterious and infectious, and I was captivated. My dad chose the campaign option and I was on the edge of my seat. The games opening cinematic had me at a loss for words. I'd never seen a game that looked so real, and of course I think back on it now and laugh. However, back then, Halo: Combat Evolved looked absolutely incredible, and I still think it looks solid to this day. The first time I saw Master Chief, I was immediately attached to him. The first time I heard him speak, he was my idol. I wanted to be this guy, and I only knew him for a few short minutes. The Master Chief is a character, that right from the outset, you know he has everything under control, and nothing is too difficult for him to handle. As the mission went on, we're quickly into our first firefight with the Covenant. Once I saw my dad take out the first couple of Grunts, I knew. I knew this was a game I had to play. I immediately asked him if I could play. I remembered he looked at me and laughed, and with a smile across his face he said "Well that didn't take long at all!" He knew I'd want to play, and he was ready to teach me how.
Remember, that back in 2001, having a first person shooter on a console was an entirely new thing. Tons of people back then thought it wouldn't be possible, but Halo pulled it off, and set the standard for almost every shooter to follow. The dual thumbstick control was completely foreign, but something irresistible once you got the hang of it. Halo was the game that taught me how to control a first person shooter. It taught me how to use the dual thumbstick layout that became the staple of the genre. Once I finally got the controls down, I was ready to play. I started The Pillar of Autumn again and was completely sucked in by this universe. Once I got into combat, it brought about a satisfaction that I had never felt before. The feeling of power I had as the Master Chief was an addictive drug, and I couldn't stop playing. No gaming experience I've had in the past 13 years has come close to the first time I set foot on Halo. The sense of discovery, exploration, and unknown was incredible. I didn't expect this at all, and at the time, this type of wide open mission structure was not seen in first person shooters. I had a blast playing that level and I still get overly happy every time I play it.
Halo went on to be a game that I worshiped and played every chance I got. That following Christmas I got my own Xbox and my own copy of Halo. I played it religiously, and was completely taken by the story, characters, setting, and gameplay every time. I could sit here and type for hours, but I think I've made my point. I've loved every Halo installment since Halo: CE and I'm glad that new people get to experience it with Halo: The Master Chief Collection. In short, Halo made me love video games, and if it wasn't for video games, I don't know who I'd be right now. It may sound ridiculous, but I can assure you, it's not. If you're on the fence about Halo, and you're trying to think of reasons to give it a shot, I'm going to give you some right now.
-Timeless gameplay that never ceases to be satisfying
-Amazing settings, characters, and narrative
-Some of the best music I've ever heard in a game
-A great suite of multiplayer modes and maps throughout all of the installments
-Great Sandbox that allows for amazing vehicle encounters and unique moments
-4 player co-op through all 4 games thanks to the Master Chief Collection
-Devastating list of weapons at your disposal
-Vast replayability thanks to skulls, achievements, scoring.
Those are just a few reasons why you should check out Halo: The Master Chief Collection, especially if you're new to Halo. Don't go in expecting something you've played before, because there is nothing quite like Halo.
