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| '''''Halo''''' is a popular series of science fiction [[FPS]] video games developed by [[Bungie Studios]] and published by [[Microsoft]]. The games are set in the "Halo universe" — a science fiction universe created by Bungie Studios exclusively for the series. The series follows the events of the war between future humanity and a collective of alien races known as the [[Covenant]]. The first title in ''[[Halo: Combat Evolved]]'' quickly became known as the first "killer app" for Microsoft's [[Xbox]] video game console when it was released in 2001, achieving both critical acclaim and financial success. ''Halo'' was later published on the PC and finally released for the Mac (for which it was originally developed prior to Microsoft's acquisition of developer Bungie).
| | #REDIRECT [[Halo universe]] |
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| A second game, ''[[Halo 2]]'' was released in 2004, breaking sales records and becoming the fastest selling United States media product in history. ''Halo 2'' US sales top $125; UK retail celebrates successful launch September [[7]]. A third game, ''[[Halo 3]]'', is in development for the [[Xbox 360]], announced for release in 2007 . The ''Halo'' games have become well known for the high quality of their graphics, gameplay, physics, and storyline. Further expanding the ''Halo'' universe are several novels, which provide insight into the background story, and two upcoming Xbox 360 projects: a Halo RTS named [[Halo Wars]] and an as-yet [[Unidentified Halo Project|untitled Halo project]] to be made in partnership with [[Peter Jackson]].
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| ==''Halo'' trilogy==
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| [[Image:Halo3CroppedScreen01.JPG|thumb|left|The main character of the ''Halo trilogy'', the [[Master Chief (Halo)|Master Chief]].]]
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| The ''Halo'' trilogy centers around the SPARTAN 117 "John", also known as [[Master Chief]], a human super-soldier equipped with technologically advanced battle armor, and his AI companion, [[Cortana]].
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| [[Image:Halobox.jpg|thumb|right|The box art for ''Halo: Combat Evolved''.]]
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| ===''Halo: Combat Evolved''===
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| {{main|Halo: Combat Evolved}}
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| ''Halo: Combat Evolved'' is a first person shooter that takes place on a mysterious ring world named Halo. Set in the year A.D. 2552, it focuses around a war between humans and a technologically advanced alliance of alien races known as the Covenant, who are united by their fanatical religious beliefs in a mission to eradicate humanity. Two days before the story begins, Covenant forces launch an assault on the second largest human installation, Reach, and destroy it. A single starship, the ''[[Pillar of Autumn]]'', survives the alien onslaught carrying the last known SPARTAN-II super-soldier, the "Master Chief". The ship initiates a random jump to [[Slipspace]], hoping to lead the enemy away from Earth.
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| ===''Halo: Custom Edition''===
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| {{main|Halo: Custom Edition}}
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| ´
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| ''Halo Custom Edition'' is an expansion of the PC version of ''Halo: Combat Evolved''. It is used to load user-created content ([[modding|mods]]) that were created using the ''Halo'' editing kit.
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| ===''Halo 2''===
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| [[Image:Halo2.jpg|thumb|right|The box art for ''Halo 2''.]]
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| {{main|Halo 2}}
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| ''Halo 2'' is the sequel to ''Halo: Combat Evolved'', released for the Xbox on November 9, [[2004]] in two different editions; the standard ''Halo 2'' edition, with traditional Xbox packaging and a single disc with the single- and multiplayer components, and the Collector's Edition, package in a specially designed metal case, along with an additional bonus DVD, extra booklet and slightly different user manual (written from the perspective of the Covenant military). The game's sales generated US$ 125 million on its premiere day, making it the fastest selling United States media product in history. The game has sold over 7 million copies worldwide since release. A [[Halo 2 Vista| port]] for the Windows Vista operating system is currently in development by an internal team composed of both [[Microsoft Game Studios]] and Bungie Studios.
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| ''Halo 2'' features new vehicles and weapons, and improved artificial intelligence, as well as new game mechanics like dual wielding and the ability to hijack vehicles. Unlike its predecessor, the game fully supports online multiplayer via [[Xbox Live]]. The game has a reworked, more advanced graphics engine than the original, utilizing normal mapping and bloom effects. It also has Bungie.net integration and rankings and tracking of every online match. ''Halo 2'' supports the same [[local area network]] and split-screen multiplayer components found in ''Halo: Combat Evolved''.
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| ===''Halo 3''===
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| ''{{main|Halo 3}}
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| [[Image:Halo3TrailerScreenShot.JPG|thumb|140px|lright|Cropped Screenshot from the [[Halo 3]] teaser trailer]]
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| ''Halo 3 is'' the third installment in this story arc in the world of Halo, announced at Microsoft's [[E3]] 2006 Press Conference via trailer. [http://www.bungie.net/Games/Halo3/content.aspx?link=Halo3AboutPage]. Recently a few reporters from the swedish magazine LEVEL were given restricted access to play a multiplayer test of Halo 3 in the Bungie headquarters. More recently, Microsoft has announced that select members of the Bungie community will get a chance to be part of the Halo 3 Beta, as well as those who purchase specially marked versions of the soon-to-release [[Crackdown (video game)|Crackdown]]. Both Crackdown and the Halo 3 beta will be released spring 2007.
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| ==Spin-off games==
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| As the ''Halo'' franchise continues, games will be developed that will have little or nothing to do with the ''Halo'' trilogy story-arc.
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| ===''Halo Wars''===
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| {{main|Halo Wars}}
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| ''Halo Wars'' is a real time strategy game exclusively for the Xbox 360 which takes place in the time before Halo: Combat Evolved, thus not part of the Halo Trilogy. Its developer, [[Ensemble Studios]], stated in the [http://www.halowars.com/faqs.html FAQ] that Halo Wars is "created for the Xbox 360 from the ground up."
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| ===''Untitled Halo Project''===
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| {{main|Untitled Halo Project}}
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| An untitled Halo project was announced on September 27, 2006 at [[X06]], to be co-written, co-designed and co-produced by [[Peter Jackson]], with his recently-formed [[Wingnut Interactive]] <ref>{{cite news | url = http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3154047 | title = X06: Peter Jackson Forms a Game Studio | publisher = 1UP.com | date = [[September 27]] [[2006]] }}</ref>. Jackson will create a "media experience" set in the ''Halo'' universe, in partnership with [[Bungie Studios]].
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| ==Novelizations==
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| The ''Halo'' universe has several times been adapted into novel form. The first adaption was ''[[Halo: The Fall of Reach]]''—a [[prequel]] to ''Halo: Combat Evolved'', written by [[Eric Nylund]] and published during October 2001.<ref name=xbox.com2>{{cite web | last=Longdale | first=Holly | url=http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/h/halo/spotlight.htm | title=Game Worlds in Written Words | accessdate=September 2 | accessyear=2006 }}</ref> The novel was reportedly finished in seven weeks,<ref name="xbox.com2" /> eventually becoming a ''Publisher's Weekly'' bestseller with nearly two hundred thousand copies sold.<ref name=xbox.com3>{{cite web | last=Greene | first=Marty|url=http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/h/halo2/spotlight2.htm | title=''First Strike'' Author Eric Nylund Q&A | accessdate=September 2 | accessyear=2006 }}</ref> The second novel, entitled ''[[Halo: The Flood]]'', served as an adaptation of ''Halo: Combat Evolved''. Written by William C. Dietz, this novel also attained the ''Publisher's Weekly'' bestsellers list during May 2003.<ref name=gamingage>{{cite web | last=Klepek | first=Patrick | date=May 5, 2003 | url=http://www.gaming-age.com/news/2003/5/2-15 | title= ''Halo'' novel cracks bestseller | accessdate=September 2 | accessyear=2006 }}</ref>
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| Eric Nylund returned to write the third novel, ''[[Halo: First Strike]]'', a sequel to ''Halo: Combat Evolved'' taking place before the events of ''Halo 2''. It was published in December 2003,<ref name=randomhouse>{{cite web | url=http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780345467812 | title=''Halo: First Strike'' by Eric Nylund | accessdate=September 2 | accessyear=2006 }}</ref> after being written in a period of sixteen weeks.<ref name="xbox.com3" /> A fourth novel, entitled ''[[Halo: Ghosts of Onyx]]'',written again by [[Eric Nylund]] was published on October 31 2006.<ref name=bungiestory>{{cite web | date=August 29, 2006 |url=http://www.bungie.net/News/TopStory.aspx?cid=8849 | title= The Next ''Halo'' Novel: ''Ghosts of Onyx'' | accessdate=September 2 | accessyear=2006 }}</ref> The ''Halo'' universe was adapted into the [[graphic novel]] format in the ''[[Halo Graphic Novel]]'', a collection of four [[short story|short stories]], released during July 2006.<ref name=igncomic>{{cite web | url=http://comics.ign.com/objects/818/818453.html | title= ''Halo Graphic Novel'' at IGN | accessdate=September 2 | accessyear=2006 }}</ref> It was written and illustrated by well-known graphic novelists Lee Hammock, Jay Faerber, Tsutomu Nihei, Brett Lewis, Simon Bisley, Ed Lee and Jean Giraud. [[Bungie Studios]] considers the ''Halo'' novels as canon.<ref name=joestaten>{{cite web |date=October 2004 |url=http://halosm.bungie.org/story/staten102204.html | title=Joe Staten Interview | accessdate= August 6 | accessyear=2006 }}</ref>
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| ==Source==
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| [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halo_%28video_game_series%29]
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| {{Stub}}
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