Halo 2 HD

[htimreimer]

it's not confirmed or denied and all i will say is when will halo die: http://kotaku.com/5924247/halo-2-high+definition-remake-said-to-be-in-development

[pceslayer]

Whats wrong with Halo?

[jobocan]

Whats wrong with Halo?

Well...






Can you honestly tell that these are screenshots for 3 different games (well, other than the HUD being different)? It's a problem of evolution. The Halo games are all basically the same game with little to no differences beyond story and minor graphical enhancements. That's actually a problem that's affecting all of gaming to a point right now, where sequels are pretty much just the previous game with a different story and sometimes slightly better graphics (random example: Uncharted 3 is identical to Uncharted 1, but it looks nicer). Even Mario (a series known for overall changing its gameplay in-between sequels) is becoming like that, with 4 different "New Super Mario Bros" games that look and play the same (well, 2 of them aren't out yet, but will be by the end of the year).

[htimreimer]

Whats wrong with Halo?

Well...
Can you honestly tell that these are screenshots for 3 different games (well, other than the HUD being different)? It's a problem of evolution. The Halo games are all basically the same game with little to no differences beyond story and minor graphical enhancements. That's actually a problem that's affecting all of gaming to a point right now, where sequels are pretty much just the previous game with a different story and sometimes slightly better graphics (random example: Uncharted 3 is identical to Uncharted 1, but it looks nicer). Even Mario (a series known for overall changing its gameplay in-between sequels) is becoming like that, with 4 different "New Super Mario Bros" games that look and play the same (well, 2 of them aren't out yet, but will be by the end of the year).

jobocan you nailed it to a tee and look that the halo 4 trailer you cant tell me it dosent look like halo 1,2 and 3

[pceslayer]

They are all supposed to look and play similar... Halo has a specific style to it that makes it Halo. Not to mention the games all take place not too far apart from each other setting wise.

I enjoy halo especially for the coop that's been in the games since day 1. Not many games offer split screen multiplay let alone coop now a days.

[soera]

That is definitely the problem with gaming now. Its really irritating to go into a current gen game store and see ads for games coming out that 2 years ago the store looked exactly the same with the same games on their walls.

I think thats what I miss about retro gaming the most is the variety. If you look at the NES' library you will see that out of 750 or so games that only maybe less than 2 dozen are sequels. And its not the fact that there are sequels. I like some of the sequels of games more than the originals (super metroid, link to the past, DW VII, FFVII, etc), its the fact that none of the sequels are really any different than the original but maybe 1-2 minor changes. EA Sports is one of the biggest bullshit companies out there wasting their game creators talents on making the same fucking football game 30 years in a row now when they could be releasing something actually ... different!

[jobocan]

I don't really have a problem with Halo itself, I have a problem with the fact that there are 6 games in the series (1, 2, 3, ODST, Reach, 4 upcoming) and they all look and play identically. I think it's possible to feel like Halo while still trying to make the series evolve, but it just doesn't. Basically, I played the first Halo, and due to that I don't feel the need to play any of the other Halos since they're not a different experience. I did play most of them, of course, but none of them anywhere close to completion.

As I said, it's a problem that seems to permeate the whole industry right now. It seems every new franchise does that now. If the first game is successful, they just re-use the gameplay and graphic engines from the previous one and change the story. I loved Uncharted 2, but couldn't play the rest since they were identical... for example. Either that or they get streamlined to the point of just not being good anymore.

[pceslayer]

@jobocan so you don't play games for their story?

I'm a firm believer in if it ain't broke don't fix it as far as core game play mechanics go. And since all of the Halos take place back to back in a specific time period its hard to just innovate without messing with the universe.

I'm using Halo as my example since Halo was hated on in the OP.

Reach, halo 1, halo 2, ODST, halo 3, halo 4 is the order of the games story wise. They all take place back to back with Reach being set  only a year or less from the first halo.

What about Halo Wars? They tried something new there.

[soera]

I am probably a bit biased ... but Halo has a story? I just assumed it was one of those "multiplayer shoot or be shot" games.

I agree with the if its not broke, dont change it idea. Its the reason I love the Playstation systems and their controllers. But if its not changed, dont release another one is another idea I tend to agree with. I could probably study pictures of games like Halo, Call of Duty as well as the many Madden, NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL games and not really know the difference ... cause their doesnt tend to be one.

I dont mean to sound rude in all this. I just hate the way current gaming is going. Multiple sequels with almost no change in anything and so much effort being put into the visual part of the game leaving out the fun part of the game. Gaming used to be fun games with okay graphics (for its time). I miss that.

[pceslayer]

haha yes there is a story to halo... and multiple novels

Rose tinted glasses my man... How is it any different to how its always been? What can they innovate that hasn't already been tried at some point(without introducing a new medium of control)?

There are plenty of fun games out there... hell I was watching my mom play Jewel Star on her Kindle Fire having a blast.

[soera]

You are probably right ... I cant imagine what new stuff they will bring to the table anymore.

[jobocan]

@jobocan so you don't play games for their story?

To put it bluntly (and with no ill-will meant to anyone), I'll answer with a "fuck no". Story is probably the least important element in any game to me. If the gameplay is either not interesting, or identical to the previous game in the series (making me bored since I'll just feel like I played this before), I won't be able to pay any attention to the story. I know other gamers play with story as their main or only interest... but if I want story and nothing else, I'll read a book. I play games to be able to do things I can't do in any other medium.


As for wanting evolution in Halo, what I mean is not to change the core gameplay, just to add and modify some gameplay elements to make each sequel still feel like Halo while making them feel different from each other... basically to make them worth playing. I don't mean to constantly innovate either, innovation has limits as well... especially in a genre that's little more than "center screen on what you want dead and press the trigger button".

I always give Mario as an example of evolution in gameplay in sequels. 2 was completely different from 1, 3 was completely different from 2, World was completely different from 3, Yoshi's Island was completely different from World, 64 was completely different from any of the previous games, Sunshine added a lot of stuff to the 64 gameplay to the point where it was completely different, Galaxy removed FLUDD but added a lot in exchange so it felt completely different from Sunshine or 64... And, despite the differences in every game, everyone will tell you that they all genuinely feel like Mario games.
Changing gameplay doesn't instantly mean not feeling like part of the same series, I'd say. I get the "if it ain't broke don't fix it" thing, but it's not like any of these games were broken and that the changes were there to "fix" them, they were changed to make players not play the same thing all the time.

[htimreimer]

@jobocan so you don't play games for their story?

To put it bluntly (and with no ill-will meant to anyone), I'll answer with a "fuck no". Story is probably the least important element in any game to me. If the gameplay is either not interesting, or identical to the previous game in the series (making me bored since I'll just feel like I played this before), I won't be able to pay any attention to the story. I know other gamers play with story as their main or only interest... but if I want story and nothing else, I'll read a book. I play games to be able to do things I can't do in any other medium.


As for wanting evolution in Halo, what I mean is not to change the core gameplay, just to add and modify some gameplay elements to make each sequel still feel like Halo while making them feel different from each other... basically to make them worth playing. I don't mean to constantly innovate either, innovation has limits as well... especially in a genre that's little more than "center screen on what you want dead and press the trigger button".

I always give Mario as an example of evolution in gameplay in sequels. 2 was completely different from 1, 3 was completely different from 2, World was completely different from 3, Yoshi's Island was completely different from World, 64 was completely different from any of the previous games, Sunshine added a lot of stuff to the 64 gameplay to the point where it was completely different, Galaxy removed FLUDD but added a lot in exchange so it felt completely different from Sunshine or 64... And, despite the differences in every game, everyone will tell you that they all genuinely feel like Mario games.
Changing gameplay doesn't instantly mean not feeling like part of the same series, I'd say. I get the "if it ain't broke don't fix it" thing, but it's not like any of these games were broken and that the changes were there to "fix" them, they were changed to make players not play the same thing all the time.

i agree