Something I teach students about in my history classes is that one product can shift an entire industry. Halo: Combat Evolved is that product. When Microsoft entered the console gaming market with an aggressive marketing plan and many third party supported titles, they needed a title that would draw customers away from Sony’s PlayStation 2. Bungie created exactly that with Halo, and while doing so, they demonstrated that First Person Shooters (FPS) didn’t have to remain exclusive to PC gaming.
There were FPS games on console prior to Halo, such as GoldenEye and Perfect Dark on the Nintendo 64, and these demonstrated that FPS games were viable on consoles. However, prior to Halo, there was a general consensus within the gaming industry that FPS experiences were limited to PC gaming. There were keyboard/mouse combinations that allowed for faster frame rates than what consoles could offer. There were also communities of PC gamers who had spent years developing their skills and playing FPS games together. While FPS games on consoles were capable, they were considered “cover bands” as opposed to the “originals.”
Halo didn’t merely demonstrate that consoles could produce FPS games; it demonstrated that consoles could produce FPS games that could surpass those produced on PC for some types of players.
What Halo: Combat Evolved Does
Master Chief is a super soldier in powered armor, battling an alien alliance known as the Covenant, on a massive ring world known as Halo. The game has a substantial amount of content; 10+ hours of engaging gameplay. The gameplay isn’t simply a matter of running down a linear corridor and shooting bad guys; the level design is both directed and open ended. In most cases, you can solve a situation in several ways – stealth, direct assault, using vehicles, solving puzzles — the game is always changing the type of gameplay required of the player.
The controls are the major innovation of Halo. Prior to Halo, controlling a character’s aiming on a controller was a partially solved problem through the use of systems such as lock on and reticles that target enemies. Halo stated that “what if we made the analog stick on the controller feel natural?” To accomplish this Halo used smart reticle placement, reasonable aim assist that assists you without making you feel like you’re cheating, and level design that allows you to move around comfortably. The end result is controls that are responsive and enjoyable, much like no other console FPS had accomplished previously.
The difficulty of the game is also very well done. The easy mode is actually very accessible – you are able to learn the mechanics of the game without constant punishment. The normal mode is at the right level of difficulty. The heroic mode requires skill and attention. The legendary mode is extremely hard. The game teaches you what to expect from each difficulty level and provides that exact experience.
The AI is intelligent. The Covenant does not simply run at you. They flank. They work together. They use cover. They communicate with one another. The elite warriors are actually a threat. The grunts are less of a threat but can still be deadly in large groups. The variety of enemies makes combat interesting because you need to attack enemies in different ways.
Why Console FPS Changed With Halo
Prior to Halo, the conventional wisdom was that console players wanted different experiences than PC players. Console players wanted simpler games, fewer complexities, more accessibility. Halo demonstrated that console players want complexity and challenges – they just want those complexities and challenges to be developed for the use of controllers as opposed to keyboards.
That is a major distinction that many industry professionals failed to see prior to Halo.
Halo’s multiplayer showed that console players want competitive FPS action. Splitscreen multiplayer was included at the launch of Halo, which means that friends could get together and play immediately. The maps were balanced. The weapons were unique and balanced. The cycle of respawning and improving was fun and exciting. Multiplayer was not an afterthought added to the game; multiplayer was a planned component of the game.
The online service that was provided by Xbox Live at the launch of the Xbox in 2002 showed that console players want to participate in online multiplayer. For years, PC gaming thought online multiplayer was an exclusive PC experience. Halo’s players demonstrated that console gamers want the same experience and that they want it to be integrated into their console.
Technical Achievements
The graphics in Halo are among the best available at that time. The characters are detailed. The environments are varied and exploratory. The effects of the weapons are fun to use. The animation is smooth. The art style is strong – the design language of the game is consistent and visually appealing. Master Chief’s design for his armor was instantly iconic.
Martin O’Donnell composed the soundtrack for Halo and it is phenomenal. The main theme is instantly recognizable. The combat music escalates the tension appropriately. The ambient music during quieter moments creates a sense of place. The music in Halo is memorable and supports the experience of the game.
The sound design of Halo is excellent. The weapons all sound unique. The enemies all sound different based on the threat they represent. The audio feedback of the game is instant and tells you exactly where you are in the game. Because the speed of reaction is critical in Halo, the audio is a method of communicating with the player.
Does Halo Still Work Today?
The graphics are obviously dated compared to today. The character models are simplistic. The environments lack detail. However, the overall art design is still effective in conveying information to the player. Nothing looks broken or cheap – everything looks like it was made intentionally to look like a product from 2001.
The controls still respond well. The aiming still feels good. The difficulty still feels fair. The AI still acts intelligently. The level design is still interesting. The pace of the game is still good. When you play Halo today, you’ll understand why players were so engaged with this franchise.
The campaign is still engaging. The story is straight forward but well-told. The character development is minimal but enough to create the impression of Master Chief as competent and professional. Cortana, your AI companion, adds personality and character interaction. The Covenant seem like a believable threat.
The multiplayer holds up relatively well. The maps are still well-designed. The balance of the weapons is still good. The cycle of respawning and improving is still fun.
Why Halo Was Important Historically
Halo showed Microsoft that they could successfully compete in the gaming industry against Sony and Nintendo by understanding what players want. Halo’s marketing was aggressive but the product itself justified the hype. Halo was not vaporware or a product rushed out the door to meet a launch window deadline; Halo was a genuinely great game that deserved the attention.
Halo established a franchise that would come to define Xbox for generations to come. The series would go on to sell tens of millions of copies. The series would help drive hardware sales. Microsoft would become a serious competitor in the gaming industry. All of this began with Bungie understanding what types of players enjoy FPS games on console and delivering exactly that with Halo.
Every FPS that followed Halo borrowed ideas from Halo. The control scheme that Halo popularized became an industry standard. The method that Halo used to scale difficulty levels influenced level design philosophies. The design of Halo’s multiplayer influenced how competitive FPS games functioned on console. The Halo franchise influenced how studios plan for the long-term and how to develop sequels.
Conclusion
Halo: Combat Evolved is a first person shooter that demonstrates that console FPS can be equal to PC FPS, but simply designed differently. The controls are responsive and easy to use. The level design is both open-ended and directed. The difficulty levels are scaled properly. The AI is intelligent. The campaign is engaging. The multiplayer is competitive and balanced. The soundtrack is iconic. The art direction is distinctive.
In Halo, each design decision was intended to provide an engaging FPS experience on console hardware. Halo’s designers knew the limitations of the hardware they were working with and designed their game around those limitations in a creative and successful manner.
If you’ve never played Halo, try it and you will understand why Halo was important. If you played Halo when it was released, try it again and you will see that the fundamental aspects of the game still hold up. If you design FPS games, take a lesson from Halo. Halo shows that understanding the platform you are designing for and designing for that platform will produce better results than attempting to translate PC gaming experiences to console platforms.
Joe’s a history teacher who treats the console wars like actual history. A lifelong Sega devotee from Phoenix, he writes with passion, humor, and lingering heartbreak over the Dreamcast. Expect strong opinions, bad puns, and plenty of “blast processing.”
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