Halo 2: Anniversary Ties Story to Halo 5

[Sarah LeBoeuf]

Halo 2: Anniversary Ties Story to Halo 5

In addition to remastered cinematics, Halo 2: Anniversary will reveal more information about Halo: Nightfall and Halo 5: Guardians.

When a fresh coat of paint [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/video-games/conferences/e32014/11583-Halo-Master-Chief-Collection-Tides-Fans-Over-for-Halo-5-With-Mul] on four previously released games in the franchise. According to developer 343 Industries, some of the additional content in Halo 2: Anniversary will link it to Halo 5: Guardians and live-action digital series Halo: Nightfall.

Speaking with GameSpot [http://www.gamespot.com/articles/halo-2-anniversary-will-feature-new-content-that-t/1100-6422741/], Executive Producer Dan Ayoub compared it to tweaks made to 2011's Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary. "If you remember the terminals from the first Halo: Anniversary where you could find and unlock motion comic-style pieces that filled in story for what was going to happen in Halo 4, we're doing a lot of the same in Halo 2 that are going to start to hint at some things that are coming down the line in Halo 5," Ayoub said. Halo 2: Anniversary's terminals will shed some light on the Arbiter's backstory.

Additionally, "bookend cinematics" will "hint at those larger stories that are coming" in both Halo 5: Guardians, expected out in 2015, and Halo: Nightfall. This is in addition to 53 minutes of redone cinematics to bring Halo 2 into high definition. Halo purists likely needn't worry about Halo 2: Anniversary's campaign deviating from the original game's; Ayoub promised to "stay very true to the main storyline to make sure it stays exactly the same."

Halo 2 was originally released for the Xbox in 2004. Halo 2: Anniversary joins Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, Halo 3, and Halo 4 in Halo: The Master Chief Collection, due out this November.

Source: GameSpot [http://www.gamespot.com/articles/halo-2-anniversary-will-feature-new-content-that-t/1100-6422741/]

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[Drop_D-Bombshell]

Be interesting how they manage to tie this all together while staying true to the original. If there's plot points in Halo 2: Anniversary that hint at Halo 5, does this mean that Halo 5 will have elements or characters found in Halo 2?

 

[Evonisia]

I knew this would happen. So long as it doesn't intrude on the original game like what is being implied I will tolerate it, just like I tolerated those terminals in Halo: CE Anniversary. 343 can keep their bullshit fanfiction in the background.

 

[fix-the-spade]

does this mean that Halo 5 will have elements or characters found in Halo 2?

Well Arby has been confirmed, so hopefully that means Halfjaw as well (and hopefully HE BRINGS FORTH AS MUCH HAM AS BEFORE).

Since they specifically mentioned terminals, it sounds like exactly what was in Halo Anniv, that had no bearing on the levels beyond hunting Spark's journal entries.

But what I really want is Spartan Ops Season 2.

 

[Gali]

I knew this would happen. So long as it doesn't intrude on the original game like what is being implied I will tolerate it, just like I tolerated those terminals in Halo: CE Anniversary. 343 can keep their bullshit fanfiction in the background.

I wouldn't call it fan fiction. Actually, I think when it comes to books and the like 343 does a better job with the franchise than Bungie. Karen Traviss' (who wrote the Mandalorian and Republic Commando books for SW) trilogy, for example, is an awesome read.

When it comes to the games... yeah well, Halo 4 introduced too much new lore for one game. I hope 5 does a better job.

 

[Evonisia]

I knew this would happen. So long as it doesn't intrude on the original game like what is being implied I will tolerate it, just like I tolerated those terminals in Halo: CE Anniversary. 343 can keep their bullshit fanfiction in the background.

I wouldn't call it fan fiction. Actually, I think when it comes to books and the like 343 does a better job with the franchise than Bungie. Karen Traviss' (who wrote the Mandalorian and Republic Commando books for SW) trilogy, for example, is an awesome read.

When it comes to the games... yeah well, Halo 4 introduced too much new lore for one game. I hope 5 does a better job.

Oddly enough I never took issue with the amount of stuff Halo 4 brought in, it was how they brought it in (and the reason why they did). For one example, I know that the books explain that a group of Sangheili broke away from the main group and betrayed humanity. But it was done for no reason beyond providing a reason to have the Elites be the enemies again so that hardcore fans will buy the upcoming game. That's also why the good stuff like the human researchers on the other installation and the Cortana sub-plot annoy me.

I'm still going to play Halo 5, I know that even if I didn't buy it at launch I would still end playing it. I'll see how they handled it because after Halo 4 they couldn't have set the bar lower (for me, I know some people enjoyed it a bunch).

Just a question, too, wasn't Traviss the one who wrote in those books that there were only a million Stormtroopers in the galaxy (or something like that). I seem to recall fans getting annoyed at something like that.

Edit: When I buy the MC Collection I will inevitably replay Halo 4 so I will see if time has healed my bitter attitude or not.

 

[The_Darkness]

So are they doing the same as Halo CEA for Halo 2A - keep the core game there, but put an optional setting of HD graphics on top? (ie, if there's a glitch in the original Halo2, it'll still be there for the Anniversary.)

does this mean that Halo 5 will have elements or characters found in Halo 2?

Well Arby has been confirmed, so hopefully that means Halfjaw as well (and hopefully HE BRINGS FORTH AS MUCH HAM AS BEFORE).

"Brute ships! They outnumber us, 3-to-1!"

"Then it is an even fight."

Okay, if they bring Half-Jaw back, I may actually have forgive 343 for everything that I disliked about Halo 4...

 

[Coolkid651]

I can tolerate the interveaving of halo 5's story into halo 2 as long as it dosen't effect and or contaminate halo two's own story and gameplay

I knew this would happen. So long as it doesn't intrude on the original game like what is being implied I will tolerate it, just like I tolerated those terminals in Halo: CE Anniversary. 343 can keep their bullshit fanfiction in the background.

I wouldn't call it fan fiction. Actually, I think when it comes to books and the like 343 does a better job with the franchise than Bungie. Karen Traviss' (who wrote the Mandalorian and Republic Commando books for SW) trilogy, for example, is an awesome read.

When it comes to the games... yeah well, Halo 4 introduced too much new lore for one game. I hope 5 does a better job.

Oddly enough I never took issue with the amount of stuff Halo 4 brought in, it was how they brought it in (and the reason why they did). For one example, I know that the books explain that a group of Sangheili broke away from the main group and betrayed humanity. But it was done for no reason beyond providing a reason to have the Elites be the enemies again so that hardcore fans will buy the upcoming game. That's also why the good stuff like the human researchers on the other installation and the Cortana sub-plot annoy me.

I'm still going to play Halo 5, I know that even if I didn't buy it at launch I would still end playing it. I'll see how they handled it because after Halo 4 they couldn't have set the bar lower (for me, I know some people enjoyed it a bunch).

Just a question, too, wasn't Traviss the one who wrote in those books that there were only a million Stormtroopers in the galaxy (or something like that). I seem to recall fans getting annoyed at something like that.

Edit: When I buy the MC Collection I will inevitably replay Halo 4 so I will see if time has healed my bitter attitude or not.

Karen Travis is infamous for impacting her own personal opinion into the books she writes, it shines throw for series like the republic commandos where the mandalorians are noble and can do no wrong while the Jedi are more morally ambitious, as well as the new halo books where she honestly and seriously compared Halsey to nazi's

 

[Brian Tams]

Oh God, no. 343, just stahp.

I'm not going to sit here and say that Bungie were master story tellers, but Halo 4 showed me that you guys aren't even in the same ballpark as them. Literally the only decent thing about Halo 4's story that I found interesting over the first 4 Halo's was how it was the humans (Master Chief specifically) who accidentally released the Big Bad. Everything else was a clusterfuck.

 

[RJ 17]

All I want to know is this: will it explain why the fuck MC is wearing a hooded "desert-wanderer" shroud over his power armor? I'd think the armor would be quite sufficient protection against the sand/sun/wind/what-have-you.

 

[RJ 17]

OT: Skipped Halo 4 and really dont plan on getting Halo 5, but my main thing to ask is this:

They just recently released the Halo anniversery thing, right? so basically all 343 is doing so far is making (from what I hear) bad fanfiction Halo games and re-releasing the older Halo games.


How is this acceptable?

Rule of Cool, it doesn't have to make sense, it just has to look cool.

 

[bigfatcarp93]

All I want to know is this: will it explain why the fuck MC is wearing a hooded "desert-wanderer" shroud over his power armor? I'd think the armor would be quite sufficient protection against the sand/sun/wind/what-have-you.

I was kind of wondering that as well, lol. I'm usually totally okay with Rule of Cool, but I have to admit this one made me roll me eyes just a bit. Oh well, just an aesthetic detail. Et ego vivere.

 

[The Rogue Wolf]

All I want to know is this: will it explain why the fuck MC is wearing a hooded "desert-wanderer" shroud over his power armor? I'd think the armor would be quite sufficient protection against the sand/sun/wind/what-have-you.

Maybe to prevent reflection of light off of his armor giving away his presence to distant or airborne enemies?

Either that or he finally got tired of somebody bitching at him about scuffing/damaging his armor at the start of every game.

 

[Colt47]

I gave up on halo after Reach. I liked the original, never got to play the 2nd one, and the third was alright. ODST had it's quirks, but also played out fairly well given what we were playing as, though that game seriously needed some difficulty tweaks as well as some way to deal with the lull that happens from trying to do open world. As for reach, it's only crime was being late to the party.

But then Halo 4 came. As much as I wanted to see the continuation of Master Chiefs story, that was definitely not the direction I was looking forward to.

 

[Hawki]

Really, I'm past caring at this point.

I had no desire for the series to continue past H3. Reach was a good final Bungie installment, serving as both a good prequel, and a good bookend to the series as a whole (the epilogue scene). Yes, H3 had that tease of Requiem in the legendary ending, but to me, H3 ended with John going back into stasis (a nice mimic of H1 where at the start he emerges), and then to me, the story was over. Bungie ended Marathon, Bungie ended Myth, Bungie had finally ended Halo, and ended it quite well.

Unfortunately, Microsoft thought otherwise. So not only was H4 lacklustre in story and gameplay, but even the expanded universe went the way of the dodo in terms of quality. I never asked for a Spartan-IV Program, which was a fanfic cliche even before H4 was released. I never asked for the Didact's personality and backstory to be altered so I have to deal with that whiny prat Bornstellar to be the "good" Didact so H4 could get its assinine villain. I never asked for humanity's backstory to be retconned so that "duh, humans are special!" in a post-H3 world. I never asked for a character like Sarah Palmer, who made me want to strangle her EVERY TIME I SAW HER.

So yeah. Past caring. I am not re-purchasing Halo 2 just to understand what the hell is going on in H5, which seems to be 343's approach to the EU - required purchase to understand what the hell is even going on in the games. And I have no incentitve to purchase H5 either. Say what you will about Destiny, at least Bungie had the guts to create a new IP rather than rape an existing one. All I have to do now is see what Black Tusk does to the Gears of War series under Microsoft's direction, another series that doesn't need another entry, but is going to get one anyway, because, well, money.

Gah.

 

[Programmed_For_Damage]

All I want to know is this: will it explain why the fuck MC is wearing a hooded "desert-wanderer" shroud over his power armor? I'd think the armor would be quite sufficient protection against the sand/sun/wind/what-have-you.

Maybe to prevent reflection of light off of his armor giving away his presence to distant or airborne enemies?

Either that or he finally got tired of somebody bitching at him about scuffing/damaging his armor at the start of every game.

I remember reading an official reason for this and I think Rogue Wolf is close to the mark. It has something to do with concealing his silhouette against the desert to avoid detection.

 

[ZZoMBiE13]

snip

I'm with you on Halo 4.

It's not that I mind the shake ups they did to established Halo lore. It was the execution. It wasn't the Prometheans, but how lousy they were to the gameplay. I appreciated the new weapons, but ultimately there were no game changers in the lot, just minor variations on established pistol, rifle, shotty, sniper, rocket that we've been using in Halo since 2001.

But the biggest slap in the face had to be those teleporting bastards. They made Legendary all but unplayable. Not because I couldn't beat them, but because they had weapons and ammo magically evaporate off the battlefield mere seconds after they were dropped. So you bleed a rifle dry just to pop their shields only for them to teleport and recharge while you scour the area for whatever piece of crap weapon happens to be lying around. It was maddening. Couple that with the fact that they had no need for vehicles because of the aforementioned teleporting and you ended up with a very weak set of new enemies.

But I could forgive all of that if they were at least as fun as the Covenant in a fight. But they were not. Not even close. In fact every Promethean encounter played out exactly the same. Shoot the dogs, shoot the flyers, shoot the Big Guys. Every single time. Just awful.

My biggest hope for Halo 5 is that 4 being on the old hardware while looking so great for a 360 game means they didn't have as much space or time to really code in great AI. It's a weak excuse because we all know gameplay should be the most important thing, but I'll take it if it means Halo 5 goes back to being as great as 1,2,3, ODST and Reach.

 

[Evonisia]

snip

I'm with you on Halo 4.

It's not that I mind the shake ups they did to established Halo lore. It was the execution. It wasn't the Prometheans, but how lousy they were to the gameplay. I appreciated the new weapons, but ultimately there were no game changers in the lot, just minor variations on established pistol, rifle, shotty, sniper, rocket that we've been using in Halo since 2001.

My issue with the Prometheans is that they serve the same plot role as the Flood. I know the Didact is a Forerunner but honestly given that they were already bending stuff in the lore I don't see it as implausible that he would work with the Flood to do his business. It's not like there aren't plenty of places the Flood could be hiding on (as seen in Halo Wars). As soon as I noticed this I just stopped caring about them, and they became the tedious enemies I was forced to fight.

I mean, the Prometheans are something I would expect to show up in a Halo rip-off game, not a Halo game (and yes I know the Flood were based on a book).

 

[ZZoMBiE13]

snip

I'm with you on Halo 4.

It's not that I mind the shake ups they did to established Halo lore. It was the execution. It wasn't the Prometheans, but how lousy they were to the gameplay. I appreciated the new weapons, but ultimately there were no game changers in the lot, just minor variations on established pistol, rifle, shotty, sniper, rocket that we've been using in Halo since 2001.

My issue with the Prometheans is that they serve the same plot role as the Flood. I know the Didact is a Forerunner but honestly given that they were already bending stuff in the lore I don't see it as implausible that he would work with the Flood to do his business. It's not like there aren't plenty of places the Flood could be hiding on (as seen in Halo Wars). As soon as I noticed this I just stopped caring about them, and they became the tedious enemies I was forced to fight.

I mean, the Prometheans are something I would expect to show up in a Halo rip-off game, not a Halo game (and yes I know the Flood were based on a book).

Yes, I concur. Pretty much everything post Halo 3 (And ODST) have kinda been a kick in the junk. Even Reach bent the lore set up in the novels.

The Didact was a bland presence to begin with, and the way they altered the history of Earth and Humanity to fit him in the lore was weak. I think it was an attempt to tie the games into the books written by Baer (sp?), but I just don't know if it's the right move. Feels a lot like what Star Trek has done ever since Voyager wrapped up, rehashing the past instead of getting on with a new chapter story.

What I had hoped for after the end credits of Halo 3 was for the Chief's story to jump ahead about 50 years rather than 4. I know they need to wrap up Cortana's rampancy thing, but there are tons of ways out of that corner they wrote themselves into. She'd touched Forerunner tech. They could easily have said it gave her operational time frame an unlimited reboot or somesuch and moved the plot forward.

If they had jumped ahead we could have seen the Brutes and Elites (or Jiralhanae and Sangheili if you prefer) have a galactic civil war and been awoken in the midst of it or maybe seen the rise of some new enemy not just a Forerunner whom we've already heard plenty about.

Bottom line, the Forerunners were a lot cooler when you never saw them. Like Midichlorians, knowing only ruined the mystery.