Dan C’s Blog: Halo Anniversary Mini-Review and HD Remakes
Cast your mind back, if you will, to late 2001. It was in the cold month of November that the gaming world was knocked off its feet by the arrival of one of the most exceptional console FPS games to date. This game transformed the way console shooters were though of, offering superb gunplay, a fresh and exciting IP and simply the best multiplayer gameplay Bill Gates’ big black box had ever seen. I’m sure you’ve guessed by now that I’m talking about the almighty Halo, a game which broke sales records, selling roughly one million units in just less than half a year. Now, I know this sounds like a trivial amount, but remember that console gaming’s popularity was nothing like the formidable force it has become today, especially when one considers the underwhelming success of Microsoft’s console itself, which at the time was having its sales dwarfed by the hugely successful PS2.
Due to Halo’s astounding popularity, it should be safe to assume that the 10th anniversary HD re-release that hit the shelves for Xbox 360 last month should be a welcome return for Master Chief and those magnificent ring worlds, right? Well… Kinda, I guess. After having played through Halo Anniversary, it’d be wrong for me to attempt to convey a sugar-coated opinion, so I’ll just come out and say what needs to be said. Halo Anniversary was disappointing. I’m not sure whether I was very easily pleased back in 2001, or the groundbreaking effect of the game has worn off since then, but this re-release felt thoroughly underwhelming, with visuals that are still under-par for current-generation games and some woefully boring level design during the latter half of the campaign that time has NOT been kind to.
Prior to Halo Anniversary’s release, I could remember little about “The Library” level, but I can now safely assume the reason for this is that I must’ve blocked the repetitive, frustrating and needlessly long mission from my eleven year old mind. Oh sure, stand-out moments still produce an impact, such as crashing on installation 04 for the first time, gazing up towards the vast extremities of the gargantuan space-ring you have become stranded on. All in all, Halo is a game that has not aged well, and this game gave me pause for thought: does such disappointment occur with other HD remakes? I know there are few that come highly recommended, such as the remake of the apparently underrated Beyond Good and Evil, but the HD remake market is still incredibly low key. The only reason Halo Anniversary is garnering such widespread attention is the fact that it was one of the most successful games ever during its day.
It should be noted, however, that HD remakes are moving away from simply pandering to hardcore gamers and absolute fanboys. The crucial thing to understand here is that true mainstream gaming, where the Xbox and PS2 properly took off in the western world, began around the time Halo was launched back in late 2001. With remakes such as Halo Anniversary, it’s clear the markets are recognizing that their audiences have reached a stage where they can begin to appreciate a revisit to games that spearheaded the mainstream gaming revolution. Indeed, I’d be surprised if publishers avoided the temptation to cash in their more recent major hits, such as the legendary CoD4, with a HD remake in the near future. Interesting stuff, no?
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