Like a lot of Xbox fans, I got into the system because of Halo. I saw my brother playing it soon after release and quite honestly was intruiged. Needless to say, it was the first game I brought home with the unit, and to be honest, the only word I can think of to describe Halo is "immerisive."
Halo, for the eight people on Earth who don't already know, takes place in a sci-fi universe in a far future in which humans have colonized and spread throughout much of the Milky Way galaxy. In what has become a staple of sci-fi over the last several years, the humans run smack into the Covenant, a smattering of alien races united by religious fervor in a holy war to cleanse the universe of inferior life. The human forces are beat back in constant defeat and unable to mount an effective counter against the Covenant advance, and in desperation they commission the project to create the SPARTANs, biologically enhanced soldiers equipped with shielded power armor and the best training available. After a sudden Covenant attack on the secret outpost where they were created, you are the Master Chief, the only surviving SPARTAN.
I hear many complaints that the game world is bland and recycled. This is one of my pet peeves regarding Halo complaints. Yes, you run around in a rather unremarkable space frigate which consists of mostly gunmetal bulkheads. Yes, you infiltrate a large alien structure and then come back out--gasp!--through the same structure. It's called realism. Seriously. Seeing the same environment twice in a game does not destroy the game's ability to deliver plot or gameplay; besides which, Halo is already loaded with lush, fleshed-out environments such as the island in "Silent Cartographer" and the later site of a large ship crashlanding. I don't see how it detracts at all from the gameplay, and I certainly don't mind it.
The game plays like your typical first person shooter. You run, you jump, you shoot, you save the known universe from certain destruction by an alien society. For the most part, aiming is tight and movement is smooth. The standard automatic battle rifle is a classic as always, and the frag grenade physics are always a blast (oh, that was bad). Being the staple of FPSs the world over, there really isn't much to say about it, really.
Considering its time, the graphics are still something to stare at for a while. The lush forests on Halo and the the massive, futuristic rooms within still inspire awe when I play through even today--one of the more memorable moments being the activation of the lightbridge in "Silent Cartographer." Lighting effects are well done, with plasma grenades throwing elongated shadows as they arc through the air and other large explosions casting harsh silhouettes before them. Textures still look well-detailed, from bulkhead doors down to floor plating and weapon textures.
For a game with no unlockables or achievements of any kind, it has surprisingly good replay value too. After finishing the game on my own, me and my brother teamed up to co-op through parts of the game on harder and harder difficulties, right up to the still-revered Legendary mode. Even with nothing to work toward, something just compels you to go back and do it again on a higher difficulty.
Overall, the game was great back in its day and it's still great as a classic shooter that redefined the genre. If you haven't played it (all eight of you), you should; if you have, go play it again. I think I might do that right now.
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