I think that’s a pretty good way to sum up the Campaign.
Mario, but on a grand scale.
Princess Peach: Earth
Luigi: Cortana (the bond between the partners are very close, remember Super Paper Mario? Mario was desperate to find Luigi, and in levels Reclaimer and Cortana, we have to find Cortana, and the Chief sounded worried)
Power-ups: AAs and Guns.
Bowser: The Didact(barely see Bowser in Super Mario Bros Wii, barely see The Didact in Halo 4)
Don’t be subjected to genders, that’s my reasoning with Cortana and Luigi.
yup. just like Frankenstein.
Agreed. They have a very close and intimate relationship but not in a romantic way. Just in kind of a really close partner/you’re all I have kind of way. It’s a very fine line to tread and so far Halo 4 did it perfectly. Here’s hoping in Halo 5 they don’t fall off the tightrope and have them start dating or something.
That’s what I appreciate most about Halo 4. If Cortana tried to kiss the Chief or something near the end, I would have threw my Xbox out the window.
The end when Cortana touched the Chief was just enough to signify their friendship without going overboard. I would classify 2 and 3 as that also.
> That’s what I appreciate most about Halo 4. If Cortana tried to kiss the Chief or something near the end, I would have threw my Xbox out the window.
me too 
> The end when Cortana touched the Chief was just enough to signify their friendship without going overboard. I would classify 2 and 3 as that also.
Totally agree. They managed to create the strong bond without going overboard. I’m reading Thursday War at the moment and I think it shows in great detail how, even over a short time, people bond with something that has a consciousness even though it’s not human. For the Chief, it’s that bond strengthened by years and a literal connection.
This is precisely why I despised the Halo 4 campaign. It’s a freaking soap opera love story for crying out loud. Halo is meant to be an eerie sci-fi, not some lovey-dovey, cliche, vomit-inducing, pretentious soft emotion festival. Why not go all the way and hire the writers from My Little Pony to write the script for Halo 5. Go on Frank, let’s see how much further you can kick this dead horse of a franchise, we know it’s not a serious sci-fi anymore, so let’s see if you can redeem yourself by at least giving us a good laugh by making a AAA romantic-comedy. Give Hugh Grant a call while you’re at it, I’m sure he’ll let you in on some good tips.
I thought that was the problem with campaign. They keep trying to throw in touchy moments between cortana and cheif in the heat of what was going on. She says she’s literally thinking herself to death while the cheif is riding on a giant, loud, obnoxious and gas guzzling mammoth. It kinda ruined the mood…
> That’s what I appreciate most about Halo 4. If Cortana tried to kiss the Chief or something near the end, I would have threw my Xbox out the window.
She waited her whole life just to physically touch him.
She says so in the ending. That is enough in itself, she might as well be saying I love you or kissing the chief. Either way a love story is just as bad as a romance in my opinion, neither of which belong in first person shooters. There are other ways they could have shown the chief’s human side without making a lame love story.
Truth:
> Halo is meant to be an eerie sci-fi, not some lovey-dovey, cliche, vomit-inducing, pretentious soft emotion festival.
> > That’s what I appreciate most about Halo 4. If Cortana tried to kiss the Chief or something near the end, I would have threw my Xbox out the window.
>
> She waited her whole life just to physically touch him.
> She says so in the ending. That is enough in itself, she might as well be saying I love you or kissing the chief. Either way a love story is just as bad as a romance in my opinion, neither of which belong in first person shooters. There are other ways they could have shown the chief’s human side without making a lame love story.
>
> Truth:
>
> > Halo is meant to be an eerie sci-fi, not some lovey-dovey, cliche, vomit-inducing, pretentious soft emotion festival.
God forbid they throw some humanity into a story and keep it from being like Modern Warfare: one giant explosion after another with virtually no character development; the Michael Bay movies of video games.
Agreed, Op.
One of the best things about Halo 4 is that it shows an example, rare in today’s fiction (let alone games), of two partners and friends who, while sharing no physical or romantic love for each other, have bonded through their hellish journeys, to the point where their friendship is as powerful and lasting as any between lovers. And in the end, the parting of these two friends is just as tragic and tear jerking.
It’s a shame that so many people here only have the simplicity to see “Cortana has -Yoink!-, Chief cares for her, they must wanna make out.” It’s like middle schoolers who can’t imagine people of the opposite gender hanging out without wanting to get it on.
> This is precisely why I despised the Halo 4 campaign. It’s a freaking soap opera love story for crying out loud. Halo is meant to be an eerie sci-fi, not some lovey-dovey, cliche, vomit-inducing, pretentious soft emotion festival. Why not go all the way and hire the writers from My Little Pony to write the script for Halo 5. Go on Frank, let’s see how much further you can kick this dead horse of a franchise, we know it’s not a serious sci-fi anymore, so let’s see if you can redeem yourself by at least giving us a good laugh by making a AAA romantic-comedy. Give Hugh Grant a call while you’re at it, I’m sure he’ll let you in on some good tips.
What the… I’m not even sure what to make of this…
I find it odd that people have a problem with the series adding some actual emotion and character development, something that ODST and Reach tried and failed to do.
> Agreed, Op.
>
> One of the best things about Halo 4 is that it shows an example, rare in today’s fiction (let alone games), of two partners and friends who, while sharing no physical or romantic love for each other, have bonded through their hellish journeys, to the point where their friendship is as powerful and lasting as any between lovers. And in the end, the parting of these two friends is just as tragic and tear jerking.
>
> It’s a shame that so many people here only have the simplicity to see “Cortana has -Yoink!-, Chief cares for her, they must wanna make out.” It’s like middle schoolers who can’t imagine people of the opposite gender hanging out without wanting to get it on.
THIS! I don’t get why some people talk down about the story as if it were some cheesy, thinly disguised romance, as if that’s all they can think of between a male and female character.
> That’s what I appreciate most about Halo 4. If Cortana tried to kiss the Chief or something near the end, I would have threw my Xbox out the window.
I’m actually surprised this didn’t happen. I am actually very surprised.
Yeah, the story this time had emotion and friendship in it, which was good, but I kinda miss the Chief’s no nonsense, “shoot my way out” attitude in the past halos.
EDIT: On second thought, the change was appreciated, glad 343 didn’t take it too far though.
> Yeah, the story this time had emotion and friendship in it, which was good, but I kinda miss the Chief’s no nonsense, “shoot my way out” attitude in the past halos.
>
> EDIT: On second thought, the change was appreciated, glad 343 didn’t take it too far though.
Agreed. I’d be pretty disappointed if we got another Halo game with a pulp story. I’m glad we got some actual emotional investment and character development.
I think 343 should be commended for the way they handled 'Chief and Cortana’s relationship. It wasn’t cheesy, or overdone; it was executed just right. Jen Taylor put in her best performance thus far, and Mackenzie Mason should also be applauded for her performance capture. 'Chief became more human and endearing - without losing his imposing presence - just as he is in the books. Their story was engrossing, and had me the most invested I had ever found myself in any of the Campaigns.
> I think 343 should be commended for the way they handled 'Chief and Cortana’s relationship. It wasn’t cheesy, or overdone; it was executed just right. Jen Taylor put in her best performance thus far, and Mackenzie Mason should also be applauded for her performance capture. 'Chief became more human and endearing - without losing his imposing presence - just as he is in the books. Their story was engrossing, and had me the most invested I had ever found myself in any of the Campaigns.
I completely agree. For all the stuff they messed up, they definitely did campaign right. I absolutely love it. It almost seems like they put 99% of their effort, time and resources into campaign and then had some 3rd party developer do multiplayer, or did it at the last minute.