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'Grenade!': Take a look at Halo Anniversary's Kinect functionality
As promised, we've got a quick and dirty video of Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary's Kinect functionality, straight from the Halo/343 Industries panel at New York Comic Con. Are you prepared to shout "Grenade!" and have Master Chief straight throw a grenade, all willy nilly? We sure hope so!
Halo Anniversary adding 'Analyze Mode' with Kinect [update]
Yes, Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary is getting Kinect functionality -- but you knew that already. Despite a bit of news escaping Tokyo Game Show earlier this year about what the functionality entails, we were promised a fuller reveal "this October." And here we are: 343 Industries reps told Halo panel attendees tonight at NY Comic Con that the game will include a variety of new Kinect features, such as analyzing world items. When in Anniversary mode (read: fancy new graphics mode), players can use Kinect voice commands to "Analyze" various enemies, which will then add said enemies into a readable in-game database ("The Library" -- no, not that Library). What's more, you can also shout "grenade!" and, well, Master Chief will totally throw a grenade. "Reload weapon!" does ... you get the idea. A video showcasing the additions was shown off and we'll have it up for you as soon as possible. It'll arrive in fuller form on Halo Waypoint this coming Monday. Update: Analyze Mode is only available with Kinect, 343 says, and won't work if you've only got a controller. Sorry folks! [Image credit: 'Laugh Pong']
When we were your age, we didn't have Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary achievements
It's hard to imagine a Halo game without achievements, but in the long passed, black-and-white prohibition-era yesteryear of 2001, that's just how things were. No 'chievos to grind, no Gamerscore to bolster, and only the earliest, fledgling proto-trolls were hurling racial slurs over Xbox Live. A lot has changed since then, and Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary knows that kids these days couldn't handle a Halo experience devoid of achievements, so jump past the break for a complete list of points you never had the opportunity to earn in the first place.
Halo Anniversary inspires new set of Minimates toys
In honor of Halo Anniversary, Master Chief and friends are being remastered again, this time as a new series of Minimates toys. The new "Series 4" includes Cortana, Master Chief, Jacob Keys, and the Prophet of Truth. The Master Chief toy even comes with an even mini-er Cortana!
Halo Anniversary's Kinect functionality partially explained
Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary may be just a couple months away, but Halo franchise development director Frank O'Connor is still keeping mum on some of the remake's Kinect functionality. He did let a few bits of info slip, however. "For example, you can switch to Classic or Anniversary mode using voice commands," he explained to me in a meeting at TGS 2011 this week. Wait, really? That's it? "We actually have some more story content in the game that's gonna be supported by Kinect," he added. Unfortunately, either the folks at 343 Industries or its corporate benefactors at Microsoft Studios have deemed the rest of the information too early to mete out. "We've added a really interesting feature we're gonna talk about in October that uses Kinect to add some story to the game." As interesting as the content may be, it may never make it to the final product -- apparently the October reveal is about more than a carefully timed marketing plan for the re-release of a decade old game. "We're still testing the features, so if it doesn't work, we're gonna change it." And with just under two months to go until launch, 343 had better get a move on. [Image credit: 'LaughPong']
Halo Anniversary gets Headlong remake; Reach title update drops Sept. 21
If you spent any considerable amount of time with Halo 2, then you've likely stomped around the Headlong map in your billion-dollar boots, helping to fertilize its soil with a few dead bodies. A new and improved version of that large-scale map, dubbed Breakneck, will ship with Halo Combat Evolved Anniversary, 343 Industries announced today. Some graphical tweaks have been made, but you may notice some layout differences as well. That teleporter on the Blue base's balcony has been replaced with a man-cannon and some panels have been added up there for better cover when moving from building to building. Red side's had an extension added to the Engineering Hallway and lost a chunk of the ceiling in the Office. 343 also sent word on the next big title update for Halo: Reach, due on September 21. Initially, the title update won't change anything for you, but come October 4 a special beta playlist will become active with 4-on-4 Objective and Slayer game modes. Here is where 343 will monitor games so that it can continue to shape Reach. Feel free to hop into our gallery below to check out shots of the new and improved Headlong Breakneck. You'll get a chance to see it in person when Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary launches on November 15. %Gallery-133740%
Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary screens not ideal for time-travel gloating
"Hey, me from ten years ago! Check out how awesome our Halo looks in 2011!" "We're still playing the same games ten years from now? Good job." "Well ... uh ... it's in 3D, you know. There's 3D in your house now."
Halo Combat Evolved Anniversary preview: Like falling off a log
I haven't been particularly skillful at any of the Halo games that succeeded Halo -- a direct result of the fact that the original game possesses a language that the rest of the series eschewed. Perhaps it was a language of simplicity; after all, true success only demanded proficiency with one weapon, the pistol, which could take enemies down in a handful of well-placed headshots. Forget armor abilities, dual wielding and deployable items: There was only gun, and the manner in which you used gun. While playing Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary earlier this week -- in its single-player, multiplayer and multi-dimensional varieties -- I was struck by how quickly that language came sailing back to me. I probably didn't realize it until that moment, but in the ten years that have passed since the original launch of Halo, I've really come to miss Halo.%Gallery-130718%
Microsoft confirms 3D support in Halo: CE remake for Xbox 360
Microsoft has been slower than Sony to jump on the 3D gaming bandwagon -- not surprising considering it isn't the one desperately pushing the televisions needed to experience them -- but today the company confirmed rumors that Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary will be playable in 3D. Joystiq experienced a demo at Gamescom in Germany, and reports that it only works with the game's updated graphics mode, and that the game's producer claims the framerate will stay consistent even in 3D. While there are already a number of Xbox 360 games that support 3DTVs, this is the first one we've heard developed by Microsoft, although Epic revealed earlier this month that the Microsoft-produced Gears of War 3 will support 3D. that's good news for gamers that have made the extra dimensional jump already, while those of us playing in 2D can hopefully still see performance improvements, especially while playing co-op -- we always bring a wingman / shoulder to cry on for The Flood.
Halo Anniversary adds 3 more maps, including PC version's 'Timberland'
Reports from the frontlines of Halo Fest, as relayed by Major Nelson, have revealed three new multiplayer maps for the upcoming Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary. The highlight of the bunch is probably Timberland, the pine-studded arena from the PC version of Halo (original version pictured), suitable for 8 to 16 players. Next up is Prisoner, a symmetrical map with bridges designed for 2-8 players. Finally, a new Firefight map has been announced. Titled Installation 04, the map is based on the level "Halo" from the original game, which you might remember as the first level in which Master Chief set foot on the ring world (after crash landing). Update: We also learned of a neat new feature of the additional Firefight map while perusing Halo Fest: While you hold off the hordes of Covenant, you'll be aided by AI-controlled Marines, further simulating the level from the original game. Just don't, you know, kill them, or else you'll lose valuable points, and also probably fractions of your soul, because that's murder.
Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary supports 3D TVs
Microsoft has announced that Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary will have a 3D display mode. This confirms another piece of information from the report we gave you in February. Demonstrated to us at the recent Gamescom event in Germany, Halo's 3D intensity is scalable and only works in the game's updated graphics mode. Producer Dan Ayoub claims the framerate will stay "consistent" with 3D activated, even when things get hectic. The 3D experience will not be available in splitscreen co-op, nor when shifting over to Halo's original graphics engine. Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary will be available on November 15.
Examine Halo 4's Warthog in Forza 4's 'Auto Vista' mode
Ever wanted to know the deep lore behind and automotive specs inside Halo's most abundant form of military transportation? You can and you will, provided you pick up Turn 10's upcoming racer, Forza Motorsport 4. At last night's Halo Fest event, the studio announced that the new, Halo 4 model of the ubiquitous Warthog would be featured as an easter egg in the game's spectatorial "Auto Vista" mode. This means that you'll be able to sail around the new iteration of the car (using either a controller or Kinect-based gestures), manipulating its every feature and learning more about its backstory thanks to some 343-penned narration. The best part? Those voiceovers are performed by Jen Taylor, the actor behind Halo's luminous guide, Cortana. The worst part? The Warthog's only viewable in Auto Vista mode, and won't be driveable in actual races. We suppose that would be unfair, because, you know, chaingun.
Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary Comic-Con video talks terminals
Comic-Con is the gift that keeps on giving, whether it's the spandex burn from that crazy night at the Marriott, or the sneak-peak videos that keep emerging online. The above video from the Halo Universe panel gives us some more story behind Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, and a look at what role the terminals may play in the franchise's future with 343 Industries.
Halo Anniversary footage shows off Silent Cartographer
As a special Comic-Con treat, Microsoft has unveiled more than four minutes of Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary footage. Narrated by 343's Dan Ayoub, the video shows off the beloved "Silent Cartographer" level, which we saw earlier this year at E3. There's a lot to see, most notably the game's ability to switch between the original and remastered graphics on the fly. Oh and, lest we forget, the mighty pistol is in there too.
Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary trades avatar armor for pre-order
Master Chief isn't the best at planning ahead. Think about it: When have you not known the guy to land on a planet with just two guns and no secret pouch of ammo? The plan always seems to be some variation of "I'll find some grenades and a Wraith and I'll just figure something out." If you'd like to buck his example and be fully ready for Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary with a pre-order, you'll be rewarded with the exclusive "Grunt Funeral" skull. Even if you're not huge on pre-orders, the idea of activating Grunt Funeral and seeing grunts exploding with the force of plasma grenades every time they're killed may be too much to resist. Perhaps more enticingly, pre-order customers will also be given Master Chief Avatar Armor, so even if they lack John 117's spontaneity they can still share his fashion sense.
Half-Minute Halo: An Interview with Jaime Griesemer
"In Halo 1, there was maybe 30 seconds of fun that happened over and over and over and over again. And so, if you can get 30 seconds of fun, you can pretty much stretch that out to be an entire game." Or maybe even five games. The succinct secret to Halo's success, that half minute of fun, has long been a mantra repeated by developer Bungie, repurposed by game critics, and presumably whispered by Master Chief himself before he tosses a plasma grenade into a gathering of grunts. It's inoffensive, catchy and it sounds about right. Doesn't it? "Yeah, it's probably the most famous thing I ever said," says game designer Jaime Griesemer. "For some reason it really resonated with the community and got quoted and repeated to the point where I would hear it from people that didn't realize where it had come from in the first place! Especially with journalists." Like many of you, Griesemer has heard the phrase on podcasts (yes, including The Joystiq Podcast) and read it in several articles, such as Clive Thompson's examination of Halo 3 playtesting in Wired. "Some of the guys at Bungie were calling me 'Mr. Thirty Seconds' for a while ... heh." If only we had paid attention to Mr. Thirty Seconds for about, oh, 30 seconds longer.
Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary soundtrack getting full orchestral treatment
San Francisco-based Pyramind Studios is producing a re-orchestrated soundtrack for Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary. 343 Industries, Microsoft, and Pyramind announced that the project is headed up by Microsoft Senior Audio Director Kristofor Mellroth, and Pyramind Studios COO/Audio Director Paul Lipson, and employs both the Skywalker Symphony Orchestra and San Francisco-based vocal group Chanticleer. Bryan Dale is handling the soundtrack's hot, hot licks. Marty O'Donnell loyalists take note: "We are striving to create the ultimate love letter to Halo fans, and celebrate Marty O'Donnell's and Michael Salvatori's original vision with grace and style," Mellroth points out. Like Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, the re-recorded soundtrack will drop on November 15.
'Halo Anniversary has Kinect integration,' says Microsoft Studios' chief
When Microsoft registered KinectHalo.com, we all imagined an intense cardio jumping routine punctuated by occasional cries of "Energy sword ON!" While we hope that prototype still exists somewhere in Redmond, it seems like Kinect functionality in Halo won't be as intrusive as we imagined. Microsoft Studios boss Phil Spencer told GameSpot, "As a first party we believe that Kinect will be important to all genres of games [...] even games like Halo Anniversary has [sic] Kinect integration." Of course, this is the same Halo Anniversary that we first broke news of way back in February, and previewed at E3 this month. Notably, Kinect functionality was never mentioned (or showed) leaving us to speculate on what kind of integration the update has. With games like Forza Motorsport 4, Ghost Recon Future Soldier, and Mass Effect 3 going for a "Better with Kinect" strategy, that's as likely a scenario as any. And it's also the kind of non-intrusive, level-headed implementation we were worried they'd settle for. [Update 2:15pm – Halo Waypoint forum admin 'bs angel' had this to say about Halo Anniversary's Kinect integration: "Just to let everybody know, the Kinect features we're exploring with Halo: Anniversary are optional and won't affect your core gameplay experience. Our mission, from day one, has been to deliver a faithful recreation of the original game, and we remain dedicated to seeing that through to completion." Sounds like "Better with Kinect," right? Called it!] [Image credit: 'LaughPong']
Original Xbox controller may return for Halo Anniversary demos
Duke Nukem returned this week, and is basically obsolete. Now, in honor of the upcoming Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary remake, 343 Industries is considering resurrecting another long-dead Duke: the hulking, maligned original Xbox controller. Producer Alison Stroll told Giant Bomb that the studio is talking with expert modders (your Ben Heck types) about producing some working Xbox 360 controllers in original "Duke" controller shells. They won't be mass-produced or anything -- if you want to get your hands almost all the way around one, the controllers are planned to be hooked up to demo units at the Halo Fest being held in Seattle alongside PAX, and then sold at the annual Child's Play auction.
Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary preview: Combat revolved
We knew it was coming. We've known it was coming for a long time. So, what's the skinny? What's the story behind the Halo remake, now titled Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary? As it turns out, it's the same game we all played back in 2001. I don't mean that figuratively. The same engine that powered the first Halo is literally still thrumming underneath Anniversary. %Gallery-125553%
