Now people, I know that there are some things you’re worried about for H4. Loadouts is what comes to mind when I think about what people have been griping about, though some have justification. I think that it would have been nice for H4 to be how it was in Halo 3 regarding starting weapons, but the Loadouts in Halo 4 look great! If they’re not going to do H2/3 style starts, this is the next best thing I believe, way better than Reach loadouts and the AAs are awesome!
So of course you guys can still have your worries, but you know this feature of the game is far from game-breaking because they seem to be doing a great job, and other features like the insane graphics and sounds, Spartan Ops, yet-to-be-revealed new vehicles, and awesome campaign. So guys, I think we can accept that Halo 4 is not going to be a bad game.
So, with that out of the way, I would like you guys to look at Microsoft. This is there game again, and it is the iconic XBOX-exclusive game that can really bring power to their console. We can already see they’re just dumping money on this franchise now, even more than before, with all the TV ads that are already being aired. By the Fall, everyone in the world will have seen Halo 4. So we should appreciate what they’re doing for the Halo series.
Also, we are near the end of the XBOX’s lifecycle, and before Microsoft’s announcement of the next XBOX which is court-documented to be coming out Fall 2013, so it makes sense for this Fall and Winter to be when the most people have XBOX 360s at any time. Halo 4’s pre-order charts are gaining momentum.
And we should appreciate that this is also probably the year when Call of Duty will be weak. Though I like the franchise, Black Ops 2 does looks terrible. And luckily, Bops 2 will be released on multiple platforms, so its population will not be so concentrated on XBOX 360.
All these factors are leading to Halo retaking the throne. Having a large population in a game, even if a percentage of that population are pre-pubescent, will give more money back to Microsoft and 343, which will be their cue to bounce even more onto us in the form of DLC or save it for an even better Halo 5.
A large population also yields more creativity in the sandbox. If there are 700,000 active players of Halo 4, there will be so many more good Forge maps and custom gametypes for 343 to choose from, they will be able to have a great selection available to the player of the things that have defined Halo, such as screenshots, machinimas, Forge variants, minigames, etc. A huge population of players will allow 343 to have more specific playlists in War Games, or give us much shorter wait times.
So far, from what we’ve seen, 343 has done a good job on Halo 4. The only thing that seems to be giving people worry are the loadouts, but the more people see of them the less we see them complaining on the forums. And, guys, there will be Classic Slayer, as well. So I think that everything 343 has revealed has been good news for a Golden Era, a return to power after a some decay. Now, here’s what I think 343 still must do:
They must expand upon Forge, giving even greater ability to create maps of all shapes and sizes but simultaneously make it less repetitive. They must make Theater easier to use. This includes easier navigation of the film and easier sharing of the rendered film. They should add features to both Theater and Forge that will make the creation of Machinimas easier, because those are great for the community and great advertising for the game.
They must expand upon Halo 3’s Custom Games (they weren’t expanded upon in Reach at all) and give players ridiculous freedom in this, because the more freedom 343 gives players, the more we will reward them and the community with innovative new gametypes, fun minigames, etc.
Finally, they must work tirelessly to keep Halo 4 from getting stale. They already seem to be taking measures to do this, with the Spartan Ops gametype. But they need to spend money on DLC, new gametypes, new achievements, Vidmasters, tournaments, new armor, whatever needs to be done to keep Halo 4 fresh all the way until Halo 5.
If 343 does even just some of these things, I am confident that the current atmosphere of so many XBOXs and such an awful-looking COD for this year and the money Microsoft is pouring into Halo 4 will create a Golden Era that hasn’t been around for a few years.
Thank you all for reading so much, I really appreciate it. Comment with anything, really. One last thing, though. Do you think it was an accident that 343 is calling this, the Reclaimer Trilogy?
