View source for Forum:Rumour: Halo 2 Anniversary

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Let's talk about [http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=98866107&postcount=1 this rumour].

According to a member of NeoGAF who claims to be an industry insider, Halo 5 is being delayed until 2015 so that 343 can continue working on it, while Saber Interactive and Certain Affinity will instead release Halo 2 Anniversary as a stopgap, featuring a multiplayer beta for Halo 5, access to a live-action miniseries ala Forward Unto Dawn, and the possibility of an altered ending.

And to be perfectly honest, I could not be HAPPIER.

I was a bit wary of the original Halo Anniversary when I heard about it - Halo: Combat Evolves was, to me, such a perfect game, still visually breathtaking (remember coming out of that tunnel in the Warthog to see rolling green hills), and perfectly playable. But in the end, I was surprised by how well it turned out. I did have some minor quibbles. The Forerunner architecture was ''way'' overcomplicated, but then I get why they did it - to get us used to the new architectural "language" of Halo 4. But on the whole, I thoroughly enjoyed it. I was playing it a few days ago, and found it just as fun as it was back when I first played it. I think H:CEA proved the concept was viable.

But of all the Halo games that deserve (some would say ''need'') a remake, Halo 2 tops my list.

I love Halo 2. I know people who think that was where the Halo games started to go wrong for them, and that Halo 3 fixed things to a degree. For me, it's exactly the opposite impression - Halo 2 was a daring exploration of the universe, while Halo 3 played things too safe and generic. I still lament the reduction of the Arbiter to a sidekick. I thought the campaign was brilliant, and that the level design was interesting. Not to mention we got to see  so much new stuff! ODSTs! Brutes! Frigates and Carriers! A new Halo! High Charity! And as much as people hate fighting the Flood, I thought the Sacred Icon and Quarantine Zone levels were spectacular and epic, and that Gravemind was atmospheric and moody.

So there's that.

Unfortunately, Halo 2 is also a game that has some serious technical issues. For one thing, the levels were, to my mind oddly, divided into smaller chunks. The New Mombasa levels could easily be merged. As could the Gas Refinery, Delta Halo, and Library levels. I did like the splitting of the High Charity and Control room levels, because it feels like a culmination. From memory, it was done to save space on the disc. I don't really know how that would work, or whether my mind is just playing tricks on me. And my memories of playing will forever be marred by the irritation incurred by by what I can only describe as image ghosts lingering, with one scene superimposed over the screen until I restarted the level, and sometimes after.

There are also some gameplay issues that I have a problem with. Firstly, the Elite hitbox caused by the hunching for multiplayer. Secondly, dual wielding - I never liked it, and I think Bungie was wise to drop it after Halo 3. Thirdly, the Flood have never been tougher or more irritating to fight than in Halo 2 - people accuse the Brutes of being damage sponges? Try Flood combat forms. As much as I love those ''levels'', I think Halo 2 missed the mark with the Flood, but got it right with Halo 3. I'm sure there are others, but those are the ones that stand out for me.

So what is the point I'm trying to get across?

That I would be not only fine with, but ''enthusiastic'' for 343, Saber and CA to go further with Halo 2, and not just graphically update the environments and character and object models, but to go ahead for a full-on remake of Halo 2 - fix some of those gameplay issues, adjust the environments as necessary, tweak enemy numbers and behaviours and weapon stats. Of course, I would absolutely prefer it if they kept the original voices, especially Michael Wincott's original Prophet of Truth, but I don't know if it could be done without necessarily recording new dialogue for new behaviours. Wincott's choice not to participate in Halo 3 was a huge blow for me, because he was one of the best parts of Halo 2 - he made Truth seemed machiavellian and elaborate, while Stamp's version seems more genuinely religiously zealous - both good performances, but I prefer the Wincott interpretation of the character.

It would be an ambitious undertaking, certainly, especially for a property as much-beloved as Halo 2 was. And there are dangers inherent in it - the original post mentions the possibility of a new ending, which I think would be a misstep. For better or worse, the ending of Halo 2 is iconic. I could see it working if they added a post-credits scene of Johnson, Miranda and the Arbiter heading off to Earth, perhaps, or meeting with Buck and Dare to tie it to the end of ODST.

And the opportunity for Terminals is incredibly exciting - you have the chance to perhaps show Regret's brief occupation of New Mombasa, and perhaps his decision to leave. You can continue the story of how the Heretic Leader Sesa 'Refumee met Guilty Spark, and how it inspired his rebel movement. The lead-up to the Great Schism. Or, most intriguingly of all, we could see the centuries-long corruption of Penitent Tangent by the Gravemind. It would also be an opportunity to get some of the classic voice actors back - the ever-fantastic Keith David to reprise his role as the Arbiter, Robin Atkin Downes as the Prophet of Regret, and Dee Bradley Baker as the Gravemind.

The source claims that Halo 5 will also feature the original multiplayer, though I'm a bit iffy on the idea of releasing a popular multiplayer game right before they release ''another'' multiplayer game for them to compete with each other. I didn't mind Halo Anniversary being released with the Reach multiplayer and some new maps. But including a multiplayer beta for Halo 5 would be great, tying the remastered game to the next sequel better thematically. For one thing, yes, multiplayer betas have been used more like advertising, generating excitement for the next game. I will admit that. But on the other hand, there were serious issues with Halo 4's multiplayer, and I doubt 343 wouldn't want to try and get it right this time around. Secondly, you could do it in a way that paid tribute to Halo 2 while still functioning as a beta test - use the Halo 2 MJOLNIR model for the character model, and remake classic Halo 2 maps that haven't had the treatment yet, or set them in environments we explored in Halo 2.

Normally, I would be at the forefront of the crowd saying "leave it alone, it's perfect as it is." But unlike Halo 1, I just don;'t feel that way for Halo 2. There is room for improving the Halo 2 experience. And I'm okay with that!