What makes Halo popular?

[swdarin]

first off, i would like to say that the game is cool and i already know how it's like. But there's one thing i don't get. What makes this game one of the most popular games in history? is it because of the story? is it the enemy ai? the graphics? gameplay?

SOMEONE PLEASE TELL ME!!!!

 

[Roland Deschain]

For me it's another of those games where everything just seems to fit. Every minute of that game you have fun. It's hard but hard in a non frustrating way, plus it's popular because of the microsoft commercial machine which promoted the game as much as possible to get the XBox sold. And nobody forget the great multiplayer on the XBox (not so much on the PC).

 

[ailevation]

:dozey: Because Halo was a decent FPS title which was on a console. All these Xbox people just flipped out, told everyone and their moms about it and there you have it- an overhyped game, because console games do get more attention I say due to advertisement etc etc, it's more mainstream than PC.

Multiplayer should be the highlight of Halo, nothing too special about Halo.

 

[Hazar]

That's what I was going to say ailevation.

"It's an fps for xbox"

 

[Mr-Fusion]

Another reason why i think it's insanely popular is because the console market is very different to the PC market. Games that work very well on console don't necesarily work well on P.C , and vice-versa.

Sitting back in a dark room on your couch playing through Halo on a huge screen (relative to your pc monitor) is a very different experience than hunching over a 17" screen on a desk 10cm away from your face.

I have a PS2 and have played SSX (Snowboarding game) hundreds and hundreds of times. If it was on PC i would have played it maybe once or twice before deleting it. Also as ailevation consoles are more mainstream and socially acceptable. Hundreds of thousands of people who've never heard of Half-Life or the FPS genre would have been exposed to it for the first time through Halo. As a consequence they'd think it's the greates thing since sliced bread.

 

[Roland Deschain]

Man we need to send those Halo pumped kids copies of HL1. They need to know what it is like to actually go against humans, not colourfull alians and the rather desgusting Flood ("I shot of both your arms, you can't hurt me, why do you keep coming at me").

 

[Eywanadi]

Halo was mega-popular because the X-box had no great games and so when one finally hit people who owned an X-box HYPED this shit out of it to justify why they got the x-box in the first place.

 

[A True Canadian]

The story was attractive.
Co-operative play was fun.
Vehicles added to the enjoyment.
The enemies were interesting and often challenging.
Only being able to carry two weapons at a time added to the immersiveness.
The voice acting didn't suck.
The game was virtually bug free.
The controls set the standard for all console shooters that followed it.
It was easily replayable.


The list continues. It did so many thing well, and was the best FPS on the consoles that we've seen in years. The last one to come before it was Perfect Dark, and that game rocked.

 

[KagePrototype]

The list continues. It did so many thing well, and was the best FPS on the consoles that we've seen in years. The last one to come before it was Perfect Dark, and that game rocked.

/me throws Timesplitters at A True Canadian

I demand that you acknowledge it's existence!

 

[Pressure]

Consoles are more socially acceptable than PCs and that's one reason more people play them. Also the FPS games for consoles haven't even been close to the ones on PC. Microsoft made a decent FPS game and Xbox players flipped out but when I played it there was nothing new about it. Don't get me wrong it's good but not as good as everyone says it is.

I liked Halo more as a PC RTS game .

 

[A True Canadian]

* KagePrototype throws Timesplitters at A True Canadian


I demand that you acknowledge it's existence!

To tell you the truth, since I never owned a Playstation (N64 Fanboy) I never got the chance to play Timesplitters. I heard that the singleplayer is hit-or-miss but the multiplayer is amazing.

 

[Dux]

Bleh. Never played it on the X-Box, didn't want to. So waited and waited for it to finaly make its way to PC like it should have done in the first (Second) place - I am now a Halo junkie. Also be majorly pissed if I have to wait so long again for Halo 2 to arrive on PC.

(N64 Fanboy)

This man has skills.

 

[KagePrototype]

To tell you the truth, since I never owned a Playstation (N64 Fanboy) I never got the chance to play Timesplitters. I heard that the singleplayer is hit-or-miss but the multiplayer is amazing.

The single-player for the original left a lot to be desired, but the second one was a lot better in this department. Besides still being incredibly short (well, the campaign was anyway. The challenges are super hard). The multiplayer was, as you put it, amazing, and was nothing short of god-like in the sequel. And let's not forget the fun as hell map maker.

It is in my opinion that Timesplitters 2 is one of the best FPS games...EVA. A lot more fun than Halo in my opinion.

 

[A True Canadian]

I'll check it out.

Do you need to know the original's story to enjoy the second?

 

[NeonSpyder]

Halo for pc made me cry... the controls were incredibly awkward.

"cant...throw...grenade...and smack...elites..down...anymore. ARG!"

and my outdated graphics card didnt help the matter... but it still doesnt change the fact that Halo is a great game, ive had it on X-Box for a year now (even had to re-purchase it and my x-box after it got stolen) and i still play Halo 2-3 times a week, i cannot get enough of it, sure some parts a tad dull, but overall it is a very challenging game (on legendary at least. pfff all you heroic nubcakes).

/me goes off to play more Halo

 

[A True Canadian]

Halo for the PC was extremely buggy for me. Granted I only played the demo, but the game would crash repeatedly and the controls were difficult unless you are a WASD person. I'm glad I tries it out o the X-box first, otherwise I would have avoided this game altogether.

 

[Dux]

(on legendary at least. pfff all you heroic nubcakes).

With the terrible job that was done on porting it to PC - playing on Legendary can become almost impossible at times with the awfull framerates that occur in certain areas.

 

[DarkStar]

first off, i would like to say that the game is cool and i already know how it's like. But there's one thing i don't get. What makes this game one of the most popular games in history? is it because of the story? is it the enemy ai? the graphics? gameplay?

SOMEONE PLEASE TELL ME!!!!

It was popular because all of those things you mentioned were extremely well done. Also, the music was awesome.

EDIT: Did we really need another Halo thread?

 

[Pressure]

Yes we did. We need atleast 3 Halo threads a week or the site will crash.

 

[Dux]

Halo for the PC was extremely buggy for me. Granted I only played the demo, but the game would crash repeatedly and the controls were difficult unless you are a WASD person. I'm glad I tries it out o the X-box first, otherwise I would have avoided this game altogether.

I'm an arrow key users and I get along fine with the controls. Infact, they're great and as for bugs I cant say I've encountered any aside from a few AI spaz outs (demo and game). Also having -use11 in your shortcut get's rid of those performace draining 2.0 shaders and reduces random crashes, but the demo was always buggy and prone to random crashes. The actual product is very stable.

 

[A True Canadian]

I'm an arrow key users and I get along fine with the controls. Infact, they're great and as for bugs I cant say I've encountered any aside from a few AI spaz outs (demo and game). Also having -use11 in your shortcut get's rid of those performace draining 2.0 shaders and reduces random crashes, but the demo was always buggy and prone to random crashes. The actual product is very stable.

If I really tried, I could make it work. I've just played the X-Box version to death and that experience was near perfect. That allowed me to recognize the flaws of the PC version more easily.

This was also around the time when I had three other demos to play: Unreal Tournament 2004, Far Cry and Painkiller. Painkiller worked the best for me, and Unreal was fun for a while, but I got frustrated with the Far Cry and Halo demos. They really started to anoy me. I tried to make them run well (and even though I eventually succeeded with Far Cry, there was nothing left for Halo). Halo just wasn't worth it on the PC.

 

[Pressure]

UT2K4 Demo was funtastic :thumbs:.

 

[ShadowFox]

The list continues. It did so many thing well, and was the best FPS on the consoles that we've seen in years. The last one to come before it was Perfect Dark, and that game rocked.

Funny, you mentioned two FPS games that I felt were rather average.

Goldeneye on the other hand was the best console shooter I have ever played.

 

[A True Canadian]

Goldeneye will always remain the king. And I think that Perfect Dark was the queen.

Both were really good games. Ahh... the good old days.

 

[ShadowFox]

I don't know what turned me off of Perfect Dark. It was a well made game. Maybe it was too similar to Goldeneye for me. Or maybe by that time I had discovered my all time favorite N64 game, Battletanx 2.

 

[Cybernoid]

What makes this game one of the most popular games in history?

It's not even remotely one of the most popular games in history. I have no idea why it's so popular. Doom (the first one) has better level design, Half-Life (the first one) has better graphics... the whole game is a joke.

 

[Sparta]

Half-Life has better graphics then Halo?

Seriously?

 

[brink's]

Half-Life (the first one) has better graphics... the whole game is a joke.

Did you play halo? Its hard for me to understand why you believe that, but its your opinion.

 

[Raxxman]

Okay I've said this twice before, but as this thread is directly about it, I'll say it once more.

Halo is so popular because when it came out there really wasn't much on the X-box. People who bought the X-box took it home, played Halo, went this is good (And it is, the guys know their stuff) then stopped, decided to stop for a bit... got bored and realised there's nothing else on the X-box to play... so they go back and play some more Halo.

Halo also got publised to the max, even with TV adverts over here (and I can't think of many pc games that get TV adverts) and a massive marketing campaign that would, to be honest, of sold anything.

Now as it is, Halo is a good game. However how it can compete with some other FPS's is beyond me. Taking Half-life. Half-life for most people came from noware (I'm assuming cause no one I knew knew about it till a few weeks before its relase) its marketing campaign was tame, yet suddenly this game took the computing world by storm. The game played well, was great fun in mp, and Half-life has also spawned several of the most successful mods ever.

now imagine if half-life had been the X-box title, and we'd of got Halo all those years ago. I think Half-life would be played as much as Halo if not more, but Halo would be gone, probally not forgottern but hardly played at all. Anyone disagree?

 

[Cybernoid]

Did you play halo? Its hard for me to understand why you believe that, but its your opinion.

It was just rooms with a few directx effects thrown in.

 

[Kyorisu]

Halo did what it was designed to do, which was to give the X-Box owners an FPS.

 

[Warbie]

Halo is popular because it is a good game. No other title can boast such a good mix of decent combat and vehicles. Not even UT2004.

imo the only pc shooters that can compete are HL, SS2 and the original Doom.

1. Golden Eye
2. HL
3. Perfect Dark
4. Halo
5. Doom
6. Metroid Prime
7. System Shock 2
(no other title is worthy of the list )

Consoles are as much a home to great single player first person shooters as the pc *puts on uber flame suit and ear muffs*

 

[Raxxman]

While I agree up to a point...

You forgot
Deus Ex
Marathon
Aliens Vs Pred

I agree with a bunch on your list. Goldeneye I really don't think is that good, but considering the time it came out I will admit its great for its vintage.

As for Halo. Well its my type of game FPS, with my kinda background (Sci Fi) so I do like it. But I also agree with the nay sayers in that it is repetative. And as you well know I think the Hog sucks . However I don't think it deserves to be on the list of best FPS of all time.

I find it interesting that on your list you've included 4 games that are console only (okay one is a sucky console port) yet its generally considered that the PC is the king of shooters it would appear that you don't agree. (Not having a go, I just find it interesting)

 

[Warbie]

For me System Shock 2 combines what was best in Deus Ex and Alien vs Predator. I never played Marathon though :/ so will have to take your word for it. Maybe make your own list Raxxman

The pc is only considered the king of fps by pc gamers Which, let's face it, are generally a very insular bunch when it comes to video games (often criticising what they don't know, or haven't experienced)

 

[el Chi]

Personally I felt it was over-rated, not bad per se, just not as good as so many people made it out to be, and not quite worth the wait. Bleedin' feckin' X-Box. I'll X-Box you in a minute, Gates.
Although a mate of mine bought it and got a Master Chief action figure free which kicks all kinds of arse. Splendid stuff.

 

[DizzyOne]

imho Halo became a joke after bungy went with microsoft, almost everything that was gonna make the game superb was scrapped to rush the releasedate... (imo so dont flame me on this one )
It comes no where near Quake, SS, HL, Doom1/2 on the pc.
Thief should be in that list even when the ending was crap.

I can see how it is a very good game on the console but it isnt as good as Metroid Prime imo

 

[ShadowFox]

Half-Life, Doom, Duke Nukem 3d, Quake, Soldier of Fortune 2, Jedi Knight, System Shock, System Shock 2, Dark Forces, Battlefield 1942, Serious Sam, Return to Castle Wolfenstein + Enemy Territory, Medal of Honor: Allied Assault, Call of Duty, Unreal Tournament, Max Payne, Max Payne 2, Far Cry.

I'm sure there are some I am forgetting but those are all PC shooters I find better than Halo.

 

[DizzyOne]

if ur making a list dont forget blood2 =)

 

[clarky003]

first off, i would like to say that the game is cool and i already know how it's like. But there's one thing i don't get. What makes this game one of the most popular games in history? is it because of the story? is it the enemy ai? the graphics? gameplay?

SOMEONE PLEASE TELL ME!!!!

IMO, it was good for a laugh on multiplayer with mates, it has nice bumpmapping. . models, and enviroments, and is a very decent game.

But more importantly, that in my opinion makes it what it is,

it's MICROSOFTS LABELLED NUMBER 1 SCOOP FOR XBOX, and was a game planned for PC :dozey: Nooborz!

 

[Sui]

STORY!!!

the feeling of heroism in your heart... the feeling that you are a hero, that you can make a difference. Your not doing this for yourself, but for humankind...

sigh ill just quote myself (again).

Halo isnt a game that offers stratigic positions or supirior tactics. It doesnt allow the player to command troops, or give any battle tactics. It doesnt need to.
In Halo you are one man, one warrior. Halo strips imagination down to when people lived in straw huts and told tales of valiant knights who saved princesses from huge dragons... For that is what halo is, a fairy tale. It boasts one human (bio engineered as he is) battling heroicly through hundreds of evil aliens, fighting for his objectives... and for his race.
The origonal Halo's last level was awesome. heres a quote:

The REAL thrill was when i finally got to my ride home. The dropship swoops down, evading ships to get to me. and remember this is the only human left alive on halo other than me- the pilot. Just as i started to run tawards it, a feeling of sudden horror washed away my hope. Ships swooped down, blasting away and blew my ride home to smithereens. I watched as the rubble glided fell down like stones to the ground below. But instead of weeping, i clenched my fists and looked up. anger burned in my heart as i decided to take as many creeps as posible with me to the grave-

But whats this? apparantly there is another drophip about 5 minutes away. Looking at the 3 minute timer until halo is blown to smithereens, i clenched my teeth. This is going to be one hell of a ride...

So i grinded the bones of my foes under my warthogs wheels as i glideed over the surface of this giant spaceship. bounding over obstacles and smashing through walls i could feel the time running out of my heart. With only 30 seconds to go, i come across a blockade... only one thing to do now.

with the clock running out of time, i run full speed at the drophip. At first i blasted away the opposing troops, but at i watched that counter get lower i dropped my weapons and made a run for it. As i heard the first signs of the halo ring breaking, i jumped inside the drophip and blasted my way off this hell hole. I had done it. I was a hero.

After watching the truly amazing halo2 trailer- which features the master cheif getting ready to drop to Earth... it suddenly occured to me that Halo2 is truly a story of heroism.

I have always veiwed Halo 2 as a very promising title. I loved the origonal, i loved the way you fought- the way you defended earth at all costs. I loved the patriotic feel- and i loved the sense that you were the only one left- YOU were the only gap between the end of the universe, and life as we know it. I loved the final few levels- a climatic stairway to the final confrontation in your only hope of escape....

Spoiler

I loved the way that just as you were going to make it, YOU ARE GOING TO ESCAPE, your dropship is here- that you watch it get blown to smithereens in front of you. I loved the way that dispite all odds- dispite entire armies trying to stop you, you managed to burts away from the world and watch halo get blown to smithereens before your eyes.

to put it more simply, i loved Halo.

But untill now i have thought of Halo 2 as just another sequel. I had been exited by the videos, and i knew the plot- covenent invade earth and we are all going to die. Sounds pretty kewl. on with life.

But just now something hit me. something that made me change my mind and think "i just cant wait!" I downloaded one slideshow from fileplanet. A series of pictures strung together with music. Thats all. And yet, through this slideshow i was shown the potential story, the potential enviroments- by watching this slideshow i realised that Halo2 has the potential to have one of the best storylines ever- and judging by the first- im guessing that this has a very good chance of becoming a true classic.

What was the slideshow you ask? well, it started off by veiwing the master cheif (i presume it was). he is standidn in an armoury, next to guns. it then follows a chain of photographs, showing the cheif walk through many doors and corridoors, until glass doors are shown. as we look out, we notice that we are in a dropship hovering above earth. explosions litter the planet, it looks decimated and tired from war. Then the cheif opens the doors, leaning against a pillar. Then we realise. He is going to drop.

As we watch our hero fall from the sky- it hits us. WE veiw as we see drophips throwing out troops in desperation- trying to turn the battle their way, hopelessly trying to save their home.

This is when it hits me- this isnt soem sci-fi enviroment, with star trek aliens and a lifeless shoot-em-up gameplay... This is earth. Our home. and it is dying. Soon the covenant will have engulfed it as their own... Would you want that to happen? i sure as hell wouldnt. Everyone is fighting together - iraquis, americans, chinese- this is a World war against an alien threat- and we are losing. We need a hero. We need a miracle.

And you- the player- are that miracle.