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Halo: Combat Evolved: Difference between revisions

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{{Era|H1|FA}}
{{Title|''Halo: Combat Evolved''}}
{{ratings}}
{{Disambig header|the game|the [[Halo 5: Guardians]] and [[Halo Infinite]] medal|Combat Evolved (medal)}}
{{Game Info Box
{{Status|RealWorld}}
|name='''''Halo: Combat Evolved'''''
{{Game infobox
|image=Halo_Combat_Evolved_(Xbox)_Platinum_Hits_box_art.JPG
|name= ''Halo: Combat Evolved''
|imageSize=200
|image= [[File:Halo Combat Evolved cover.png|250px]]
|Developer=[[Bungie Studios]]
|developer= [[Bungie|Bungie Studios]]<br> [[Gearbox Software]] (PC)<br> Westlake Interactive (Mac)
|Publisher= [[wikipedia:Microsoft Game Studios|Microsoft Game Studios]]
|writer=[[Joseph Staten]]
|US Date Released= November 15, 2001
|composer=[[Martin O'Donnell]]<br>[[Michael Salvatori]]
|UK Date Released= March 14, 2002
|publisher= [[Microsoft Game Studios]]<br> [[Gearbox Software]] (PC)<br> MacSoft (Mac)
|Genre= [[First-person shooter]]
|engine=[[Blam engine]]
|Game modes=[[Campaign Mode]], [[multiplayer]]
|platform= [[Xbox]], PC, Mac
|ESRB= Mature for Blood and Gore and Violence (M)
|releasedate= '''Xbox:'''<br> '''US''': November 15, 2001<br />
|Platform=[[Xbox]]<BR>[[Halo PC|PC]], [[Halo Mac|Mac]]
'''UK''': March 14, 2002<br>'''PC:'''<br> '''US''': September 30, 2003<br />
|Media=CD, DVD
'''UK''': October 10, 2003<br>'''Mac:'''<br> '''US''': December 3, 2003
|Website=http://www.bungie.net/Projects/Halo/default.aspx
|genre= [[First-person shooter]]
|modes= [[Campaign]]<br>[[Multiplayer]]
|rating= [[Wikipedia:Entertainment Software Ratings Board|ESRB]]: Mature (M) for Blood, Gore, and Violence<br>
[[Wikipedia:Pan European Game Information|PEGI]]: 16+ (Europe only post-2003)<br>
[[Wikipedia:The Association for UK Interactive Entertainment|ELSPA]]: 15+ (Europe only pre-2003)<br>
[[Wikipedia:Unterhaltungssoftware Selbstkontrolle|USK]]: 18 (Germany only)<br>
[[Wikipedia:Australian Classification Board|ACB]]: 15+ Restricted (R15+) for Medium Level Animated Violence
}}
}}
'''''Halo: Combat Evolved''''' is a [[First Person Shooter]] science fiction video game, created by [[Bungie Studios]], which was a subsidiary of [[Microsoft Game Studios]] at that time. It was released for the [[Xbox]] game console on November 15, 2001, and is backwards compatible with the [[Xbox 360]]. It was also released for PC and Mac. It is one of the most popular video games for the Xbox, with eight million copies sold. Its sales are rivaled only by its sequels, ''[[Halo 2]]'' and ''[[Halo 3]]''. The game also holds the record of most popular demo. Today, people still play Halo Trial for PC, with its only map Blood Gulch. The Halo Trial is also the trial with most mods on the market at the moment.  
{{Quote|Halo: Combat Evolved! Buy one! Heck, buy two! That's an order, soldier!|[[Avery Junior Johnson|Sergeant Johnson]] upon completion of the [[Halo: Combat Evolved Trial|''Halo: Combat Evolved'' demo]]}}
'''''Halo: Combat Evolved''''' is a [[2001]] [[first-person shooter]] science-fiction video game developed by [[Bungie|Bungie Studios]] and published by [[Microsoft|Microsoft Game Studios]]. It is the first game in the ''[[Halo (disambiguation)|Halo]]'' series. It focuses on [[John-117]] and the crew of the {{UNSCShip|Pillar of Autumn}} who, fleeing from the [[Fall of Reach]], stumble on the [[Forerunner]] [[Halo]] [[Installation 04]], only to be forced into a [[Battle of Installation 04|desperate battle]] against the [[Covenant]] and the [[Flood]]. Considered a classic, ''Combat Evolved'' is one of the most popular video games for the Xbox with eight million copies sold. Its sales are rivaled only by its sequels, ''[[Halo 2]]'' and ''[[Halo 3]]''.
It has been made available as an [[Xbox|Xbox Original]] title since December 4th, 2007 for download on [[Xbox Live|Xbox Live Marketplace]] for 1,200 Microsoft Points <ref>http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/xboxoriginals/default.htm</ref>.
 
== Gameplay ==
''Halo: Combat Evolved'' was made available as an ''Xbox Original'' game title for Xbox 360 on December 4, 2007 for download on [[Xbox LIVE|Xbox Live Marketplace]] for 1200 Microsoft Points.<ref>[http://marketplace.xbox.com/en-US/games/media/66acd000-77fe-1000-9115-d8024d53084c/ '''Xbox Marketplace''': ''Halo: Combat Evolved'']</ref> It was also [[Halo: Combat Evolved (PC port)|released for PC and Mac]]. The game was remastered as ''[[Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary]]'' and was released on the original game's tenth anniversary on November 15, 2011 for the Xbox 360. Along with ''[[Halo 2: Anniversary]]'', ''[[Halo 3]]'', and ''[[Halo 4]]'', ''Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary'' was released on the [[Xbox One]] as part of ''[[Halo: The Master Chief Collection]]'' on November 11, [[2014]]. ''Halo: The Master Chief Collection'' also features the multiplayer component of ''Combat Evolved'', with online play enabled on dedicated servers.<ref>[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/games/halo-the-master-chief-collection '''Halo Waypoint''': ''Halo: The Master Chief Collection'']</ref> All versions of the game besides ''The Master Chief Collection'' were removed from digital sale in 2020.<ref>[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/news/sunsetting-halo-xbox-360-game-services-in-2021 '''Halo Waypoint''': Sunsetting Halo Xbox 360 Game Services in 2021]</ref>
===Main Characters===
 
*[[Master Chief Petty Officer]] [[John-117]]  
== Synopsis ==
*[[Captain]] [[Jacob Keyes]]  
=== Characters and setting ===
''Halo''<nowiki />'s storyline is linear; there is a single ending in contrast to other first person shooters such as ''[[wikipedia:Deus Ex|Deus Ex]]'' that could have several different endings. The storyline is presented to the player through an instruction manual, scripted events and conversations during the game, and a number of cut-scenes rendered using the game's graphics engine. This method of storyline delivery is common among modern video games. The Xbox version of ''Halo: Combat Evolved'' allows one player to play the campaign alone, as well as allowing two players to play through the campaign in split screen. The [[Halo: Combat Evolved (PC port)|PC version of ''Halo: Combat Evolved'']] allows only one player to play through the campaign.
 
=== Plot synopsis ===
<onlyinclude>{{Spoiler/begin}}
<!-- Synopsis means keeping the minor details out and just focus on the big picture! Don't elaborate! -->
''Halo: Combat Evolved'' begins with the {{UNSCShip|Pillar of Autumn}} emerging out of [[slipstream space|slipspace]] after the [[Fall of Reach]], only to find [[Installation 04|a huge ring world]]—a "[[Halo Array|Halo]]"—floating in space. [[Master Chief Petty Officer]] [[John-117]] (although his name is never mentioned throughout the game), a [[SPARTAN-II program|SPARTAN-II]], is aboard the ''Pillar of Autumn'' when the ship comes under attack by the [[Covenant Empire|Covenant]], a religious alliance of aliens and the archenemy of humanity.
 
With the ship about to be overrun, [[Captain (Navy)|Captain]] [[Jacob Keyes]], the commander of the ''Autumn'', orders John-117 to protect the ship's [[artificial intelligence]], [[Cortana]]. She carries highly sensitive information about the [[United Nations Space Command]], including the location of [[Earth]], which would prove disastrous if captured by the Covenant. John-117 evacuates the doomed ship to the surface of Halo in order to protect Cortana. With the UNSC Marines by his side, Cortana providing direction, and his [[MA5B assault rifle|assault rifle]] ready and loaded, John-117 sets out to uncover the mysteries of Halo and fight the Covenant.
 
After meeting up with surviving UNSC forces under [[Staff Sergeant]] [[Avery Johnson]], John-117 participates in a mission to rescue Captain Keyes from the Covenant battlecruiser ''[[Truth and Reconciliation]]''. After rescuing the Captain, Cortana learns that [[Installation 04|Halo]] appears to be a weapon that holds great religious significance to the Covenant. Realizing that the Covenant cannot be allowed to control Halo, Keyes dispatches John-117 to secure Halo's control room while he leaves with Johnson to secure a Covenant weapons cache.
 
With UNSC Marines as support, John-117 leads an assault on the [[Cartographer#Installation 04|Silent Cartographer]], a map room which holds information on every location on the ring, including the control room. Heading to the ring's control room, Cortana is inserted into the ring's computer system and learns that Halo was made by the [[Forerunner]]s, an ancient alien race that the Covenant worship as gods. However, Cortana soon learns that there is something else on Halo, something that terrifies the Covenant. Frightened, she says that John has to stop Keyes from accessing the "weapons cache" before it is too late. John-117 leaves for the last spot where Captain Keyes and Sergeant Johnson's squad were seen, an underground facility in a swamp. He finds evidence of battle all over the facility, and soon finds a recording of [[Wallace A. Jenkins|one Marine]], which details Keyes' squad encountering a new threat: the [[Flood]].
 
The Flood is a parasitic species which received their name due to the way they assimilate all resistance with overwhelming numbers. Free for the first time in a hundred thousand years, the Flood sweeps across Halo, devastating Human and Covenant forces alike. The release of the Flood prompts [[343 Guilty Spark]], the eccentric AI [[Monitor]] of the ring, to activate Halo's defense systems. The AI instructs the SPARTAN-II to activate Halo by obtaining the [[Activation Index]] from the Installation's [[Library]]. The Chief does so, battling hordes of Flood along the way, and returns to the control room. Before Halo initiates its systems, Cortana intervenes and tells John the truth about the Forerunner structure and its purpose- Halo was designed to eliminate the Flood threat by starving the Flood of any life source large enough to sustain them; when fired, it would essentially wipe out all sentient life in the galaxy. Realizing the threat of Halo, Cortana instructs John-117 to detonate the ''Autumn''<nowiki />'s fusion reactor. This detonation would result in the destruction of Halo, which was against 343 Guilty Spark's protocol.
 
Before doing so, the two sabotage three generators needed to power Halo, which buys them enough time to locate Captain Keyes, now succumbed to the Flood, and steal his neural implants to operate the ''Autumn''. After battling his way through scattered and disorganized Covenant forces, the spreading Flood, and the Sentinels under direct command of 343 Guilty Spark, John-117 successfully overloads the ship's engine, and he and Cortana evacuate from Halo in a [[GA-TL1 Longsword|Longsword]] before the ''Autumn''<nowiki />'s engine detonates and destroys Halo. The pair appears to be the only survivors, and John-117 realizes that they are simply beginning a harrowing battle.
{{Spoiler/end}}</onlyinclude>
 
==Appearances==
{{Featurelist|secondcolumn=title-5
|title-1=Characters|
;Human
*[[Avery Johnson]]
*[[Bisenti]]
*[[Carol Rawley|Carol "Foehammer" Rawley]] {{1st}}
*[[Chips Dubbo]] {{1st}}
*[[Jacob Keyes]]
*[[John-117]]
*[[Kappus]] {{1st}}
*[[Lovik]] {{1st}}
*[[M. Fitzgerald]] {{1st}}
*[[Manuel Mendoza]] {{1st}}
*[[Marcus Stacker]] {{1st}}
*[[Riley]] {{1st}}
*[[Samuel Marcus]] {{1st}}
*[[Thom Shepard]] {{1st}}
*[[Wallace Jenkins]]
 
;AI
*[[343 Guilty Spark]] {{1st}}
*[[Cortana]]
*[[Cortana]]
*[[Sergeant]] [[Avery J. Johnson]]
*[[Captain]] [[Carol Rawley|Carol "Foehammer" Rawley]]
*[[Monitor]] [[343 Guilty Spark (Monitor)|343 Guilty Spark]]
*[[Corporal Lovik]]


=== Summary ===
;Sangheili
''Halo''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s game play was characterized by several features which set it apart from less acclaimed [[first-person shooter]] games at its time:
*[[Lat 'Ravamee]] {{1st}}
*[[Zuka 'Zamamee]] {{1st}}
 
;Mgalekgolo
*[[Igido Nosa Hurru]] {{1st}}
*[[Ogada Nosa Fasu]] {{1st}}
 
;Forerunner
*[[IsoDidact]] {{Fm}} {{Im}}
 
|title-2=Species and entities|
*[[Flood]] {{1st}}
**[[Pod infector]] {{1st}}
**[[Flood combat form]] {{1st}}
**[[Flood carrier form]] {{1st}}
*[[Human]]
**[[UNSC Marine Corps]]
***[[Orbital Drop Shock Troopers]]
*[[Kig-Yar]] (''Ruuhtian'')
**[[Kig-Yar Minor|Minor]] {{1st}}
**[[Kig-Yar Major|Major]] {{1st}}
*[[Lekgolo]]
**[[Mgalekgolo]]
*[[Sangheili]]
**[[Field Master]] {{1st}}
**[[Sangheili Major|Major]] {{1st}}
**[[Sangheili Minor|Minor]]
**[[Special Operations Sangheili|SpecOps]] {{1st}}
**[[Stealth Sangheili|Stealth]] {{1st}}
**[[Sangheili Zealot|Zealot]] {{1st}}
*[[Sentinel]] {{1st}}
**[[Aggressor Sentinel]] {{1st}}
*[[Unggoy]]
**[[Special Operations Unggoy|SpecOps]] {{1st}}
**[[Unggoy Major|Major]]
**[[Unggoy Minor|Minor]]
 
|title-3=Organizations|
*[[Covenant]]
**[[Covenant military]]
***[[Covenant Special Operations]]
**[[Covenant fleet]]
***[[Fleet of Particular Justice]]
*[[Unified Earth Government]]
**[[United Nations Space Command]]
***[[UNSC Marine Corps]]
***[[UNSC Navy]]
****[[Naval Special Warfare Command]]
*****[[SPARTAN-II program]]
 
|title-4=Locations|
*[[Sol system]]
**[[Earth]] {{Mo}}
*[[Epsilon Eridani system]]
**[[Reach]] {{Mo}}
*[[Soell system]]
**[[Threshold]]
***[[Installation 04]]
****[[Cartographer]] {{1st}}
****[[Control Room (Installation 04)|Control Room]] {{1st}}
****[[Index chamber]] {{1st}}
****[[Library]] {{1st}}
***[[Basis]]
 
|title-5=Events|
*[[Human-Covenant War]]
**[[Battle of Installation 04]] {{1st}}
**[[Fall of Reach]] {{Mo}}
 
|title-6=Weapons|
====UNSC====
;Usable
*[[M231 machine gun]]
*[[M41 rocket launcher]]
*[[M41 Vulcan]]
*[[M512 smooth-bore high-velocity cannon]]
*[[M6D magnum]]
*[[M7057 flamethrower]] {{C|''Halo PC'' and ''Halo: The Master Chief Collection'' only}}
*[[M9 fragmentation grenade]]
*[[M90 shotgun]]
*[[MA5B assault rifle]]
*[[SRS99C-S2 AM sniper rifle]]
 
;Unusable
*[[110mm rotary cannon]] {{1st}}
*[[120mm ventral gun]] {{1st}}
*[[M370 autocannon]]
*[[Magnetic Accelerator Cannon]]
*[[Point-defense gun]]
**[[M910 point defense network]]
 
====Covenant====
;Usable
*[[Class-2 directed energy cannon]]
*[[Fuel rod gun]]
**{{Pattern|Zasqi|fuel rod gun}}
*[[Plasma grenade]]
**{{Pattern|Anskum|plasma grenade}}
*[[Plasma pistol]]
**{{Pattern|Eos'Mak|plasma pistol}}
*[[Plasma rifle]]
**{{Pattern|Okarda'phaa|plasma rifle}}
*[[Shade]]
**{{Pattern|Mamua'uda|Shade}} {{1st}}
*[[Needler]]
**[[Type-33 needler]]


* '''Storyline execution:''' ''Halo''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s gameplay and storyline have been known for being tightly interwoven, delivering a convincing manner being consistent with the flow of the game.
;Unusable
* '''Vehicular Incorporation:''' Despite being a [[first-person shooter]], ''Halo'' includes the option for players to control multiple [[vehicles]], (although in third person view) both ground and air.
*[[Energy projector]]
* '''Weapons system:''' ''Halo''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s new weapons system was unique in two major respects; the first being its allowance of only two [[weapons]] to be carried at any given time (forcing the player to make trade-offs as they progressed throughout the game), and the second being its implication of a separate button used for the throwing of [[Type-1 Antipersonnel Grenade|grenades]].
*[[Heavy plasma cannon]]
* '''Artificial intelligence:''' ''Halo''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s [[AI]] was quite sophisticated for its generation. With a brand new advanced AI system, actions performed by the AI such as panicking after the death of a superior, diving out of the way of an oncoming vehicle, or taking cover from explosives and suppressive fire, helped ''Halo'' stand out from the rest of the first-person shooters being released at the time.
*[[Class-1 directed energy cannon#Medium plasma cannon (Wraith)|Medium plasma cannon]]
=== Movement and Aiming ===
*[[Plasma cannon (starship)|Plasma cannon]]
Movement in ''Halo'' is similar to other first-person shooters, allowing the player to move forwards, backwards, and strafe left and right independently of their aim. On the Xbox, moving and aiming are normally separated between the two joysticks; and on the PC, between the mouse and the keyboard.
*[[Pulse laser turret]]
*[[Energy sword]]
**[[Type-1 energy sword]] {{1st}}
*[[Plasma mortar#Type-26 35cm Directed-Energy Mortar|Type-26 Directed-Energy Mortar]]
*[[Unidentified fuel rod gun]] {{1st}} {{C|Usable in ''Halo PC'' and ''Halo: The Master Chief Collection''}}


''Halo'' also allows the player to crouch and jump, although jumping from a high ledge will often result in death. Damage from falling can be reduced or negated entirely with a well-timed crouch right as one lands. Aditionally, if one crouches at the peak of his jump, he will be able to land on something slightly taller than if he were to jump without crouching. Also, if the player is jumping from a cliff, he can make sure he is touching the wall periodically while he is falling. This will count as if he is touching floor, and every time the player touches the wall, the damage counter goes to zero. Also, another good way to reduce falling damage is by modding the level.
====Forerunner====
;Unusable
*[[Sentinel beam]] {{1st}}


=== Damage system ===
|title-7=Vehicles|
{{main|Health}}
====United Nations Space Command====
* '''[[Health]]:''' The player in ''Halo'' has a finite, non self-regenerating health, which can be fully restored by picking up health-packs. Running a completely out of health will result in death, but having lower health does not impede player actions. A player's health can only be reduced if his shields have fallen down. If the player's health has one bar left (full health has 8 bars), they will hear the Chief's heartbeat.
;Usable
* '''[[Shields]]:''' Master Chief's exoskeleton armor has a built-in shield, which protects all parts of his body from damage. The shield will decrease in strength every time it is hit by a weapon, and will fail after taking enough hits, but will quickly regenerate if it is not hit for a period of time. The shield represents a marked departure from most first-person shooters, in which one's health bar is basically augmented by picking up "armor," and it is entirely possible, in the single-player campaign at least, to simply not have enough health points to survive the next section of game-play. ''Halo 2'' players, on the other hand, have a more-or-less permanent buffer of health at their disposal (assuming they manage to find time to regenerate the shield), making it less of a disaster to take hits in combat.
*[[M12 Warthog]]
**[[M12 Chaingun Warthog]]
**[[M12A1 Rocket Warthog]] {{C|''Halo PC'' and ''Halo: The Master Chief Collection'' only}}
*[[M808B Scorpion]]


=== Power Ups ===
;Unusable
There are three power Ups available in ''Halo'':
*[[GA-TL1 Longsword]] {{c|C709 variant}}
*[[D77-TC Pelican]]
*{{Class|Halcyon|light cruiser}}
**{{UNSCShip|Pillar of Autumn}}
*[[Class-3 Bumblebee]]


* '''[[Health Pack]]:''' Fully restores the player's [[health]].
====Covenant====
* '''[[Active Camouflage]]:''' Drastically reduces the player's visibility for approximately 45 seconds, making all but a faint outline of him transparent. This effect is reduced if the player is hit by weapons fire, fires their weapon, or if time runs out.
;Usable
* '''[[Overshield]]:''' An enhanced, non-regenerating shield which is three times the strength of the normal one. The overshield functions on top of the regular shield. When it is active, the normal shield does not take damage. In the single player game, the overshield is reduced only when the player is hit, while in the multiplayer game, it weakens gradually overtime. In Multi-player and Single-Player campaign, one fully charged [[Plasma Pistol]] shot can take out the overshield and regular shield entirely. In addition, while the overshield is charging, the player is completely invincible against a almost every type of damage. The player can still be killed by assassination.
*[[Banshee]]
[[Image:1220238670 Menu.png|thumb|right|Halo PC main menu.]]
**{{Pattern|Oghal|Banshee}}
*[[Ghost]]
**{{Pattern|Karo'etba|Ghost}}


=== Enemies ===
;Unusable
The A.I. in '''Halo''' was superior to many other games at the time because the A.I. was sophisticated enough to attack other enemies in the vicinity, not just the '''Master Chief'''.  If there is another faction in the area, they will engage them in the same way they would fight the Master Chief.
*[[Wraith]]
**{{Pattern|Zurdo|Wraith}}
*{{Pattern|Brhi Xur|Leech}} {{1st}}
*[[Covenant cruiser|Cruiser]]
**{{Pattern|Ket|battlecruiser}} {{1st}}
***''[[Truth and Reconciliation]]'' {{1st}}
*[[Spirit]]
**{{Pattern|Dextro Xur|Spirit}}
 
|title-8=Technology and equipment|
;[[Power-up]]s
*[[Active camouflage]]
*[[Overshield]] {{1st}}
 
;Armor
*[[Kig-Yar combat harness]]
*[[MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor]]
**[[MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor/Mark V|Mark V]]
*[[Sangheili harness]]
**[[Combat harness]]
**[[Sangheili Zealot#Ceremonial battle harness|Ceremonial battle harness]]
*[[Unggoy combat harness]]
 
;Other
*[[Artificial intelligence]]
**[[Smart AI]]
**[[Monitor]] {{1st}}
*[[Covenant portable shield]] {{1st}}
*[[Covenant storage device]] {{1st}}
*[[Energy shielding]]
**[[Sangheili personal energy shield]]
*[[Fusion drive]]
*[[Fusion reactor]]
*[[Identification friend or foe]] {{1st}}
*[[Kig-Yar point defense gauntlet]]
*[[Methane tank]]
*[[Repulsor engine]]
*[[Sentinel]] {{1st}}
**[[Aggressor Sentinel]] {{1st}}
*[[Spoofer]] {{1st}}
*[[Stim-pack]] {{Fm}}
*[[Methane tank]]
*[[Data crystal chip]]
*[[M4 field disk]]
*[[Health pack]]
*[[Unggoy combat harness]]
*[[UNSC Navy uniforms]]
**[[UNSC Navy Service Uniform]]
**[[UNSC Navy working uniform]]
}}


Three factions of enemies are encountered on Halo:
== Gameplay ==
* '''[[Covenant|The Covenant]]:''' The Covenant, whose Fleet of Particular Justice was led by the Supreme [[Commander]] (the future [[Arbiter (Character)|Arbiter]]), are an alliance of different species, including the cowardly [[Grunt|Grunts]], the weak [[Jackals]] with their [[Jackal Personal Arm Shield|visible energy shields]], the [[Elites]] master tacticians with their [[Elite Personal Energy Shield|personal energy shields]], and the huge, tough [[Hunters]] with strong armor composed of some unknown alloy. The Covenant mostly carries plasma weapons of varying power. They also make extensive use of vehicles.
''Halo: Combat Evolved''<nowiki />'s gameplay was characterized by several features which set it apart from less acclaimed first-person shooter games of its time.
* '''[[The Flood]]:''' The parasitic Flood are encountered in 3 forms: the[[Infection Form| parasitic spores]] themselves, which usually die from a single shot or [[Master Chief]]'s energy shield; exploding [[Carrier Form|carriers]], which cause splash damage and release spores; and combat forms of [[Combat Form|former humans and Covenant]] whose nervous systems have been taken over by the parasite (the toughest of the three types, often carrying a [[human]] or Covenant weapon).
* '''Storyline execution:''' ''Halo: Combat Evolved''<nowiki />'s gameplay and storyline are tightly interwoven, delivered in a convincing manner consistent with the flow of the game.
* '''[[Forerunner]] [[Sentinels]]:''' Part of Halo's defense system, the Sentinels, led by the [[Monitor]] 343 Guilty Spark, are hovering robotic drones, attacking the Flood, Covenant, and, from the beginning of the level [[Two Betrayals]], the [[John-117|Master Chief]]. Although possessing a powerful [[Sentinel Beam|beam weapon]], they are not particularly resistant to damage.
* '''Vehicular incorporation:''' ''Halo: Combat Evolved''<nowiki /> includes the option for players to control multiple land and air based vehicles in third-person view. This vantage brings a welcomed sense of immersion and enhances specific points of gameplay, again setting Halo apart from contemporary first person shooters.
=== Weapons ===
* '''Weapons system:''' ''Halo: Combat Evolved''<nowiki />'s new weapons system is unique in two major respects. The first is only allowing players to carry two weapons at a time, thus forcing the player to make trade-offs as they progress throughout the game. The second is a single, separate button for throwing grenades, making them much more significant in both campaign and multiplayer games.
{{main|Weapons}}
* '''Artificial intelligence:''' ''Halo: Combat Evolved''<nowiki />'s AI is quite sophisticated for its era. With a brand new advanced AI system, actions performed by the AI such as panicking after the death of a superior, diving out of the way of an oncoming vehicle, or taking cover from explosives and suppressive fire, helped ''Halo'' stand out from the rest of the first-person shooters being released at the time.
All usable weapons in ''Halo'' belong to either the Covenant or the [[UNSC]]. The player can only carry two weapons at a time, in addition to up to 8 grenades (four [[Frag Grenade|fragmentation grenades]] and four [[Plasma Grenade|plasma grenades]]).  


Covenant weapons are better suited for reducing shields, and typically fire slower than their human counterparts. With the exception of the ''Needler'', they do not require ammunition or reloading; instead, each weapon comes with its own battery. Once this battery is depleted, the weapon must be discarded. Covenant weapons can also overheat (except the [[Needler]] again) if fired for too long, after which, they must be given time to cool down before they can be used again. There are a total of 5 Covenant weapons in the Campaign, three of which are usable by the player ([[Plasma Pistol]]/ [[Plasma Rifle]] and a the Needler (not counting the [[Plasma Grenade]]s)). There is an additional weapon previously unusable by the player in the PC multiplayer, the [[Fuel Rod Gun]]. Covenant weapons fire slower moving projectiles than human weapons.
Movement in ''Halo'' is similar to other first-person shooters, allowing the player to move forwards, backwards, and strafe left and right (including diagonally) and jumping independently of their aim. On the Xbox, moving and aiming are normally separated between the two analogue sticks, and on the [[Halo: Combat Evolved (PC port)|PC]], between the keyboard and the mouse. ''Halo'' also allows the player to crouch and jump, although jumping from a high ledge will often result in death, or at least major fall damage. Damage from falling can be reduced or negated entirely with a well-timed crouch right as one lands. Additionally, if the player [[crouch jumping|crouches at the peak of his jump]], he will be able to land on something slightly taller than if he were to jump without crouching. Also, if the player is jumping from a cliff he can make sure he is touching the wall periodically while he is falling. This will count as if he is touching floor, and every time the player touches the wall, the damage counter goes to zero (there is no visible damage counter during gameplay).


Human weapons, on the other hand, require both ammunition and constant reloading. They are better suited to reducing health, and do not overheat. However, on easy and normal difficulty level settings the difference is often negligible. There are five human weapons (not counting Fragmentation Grenades) usable in the campaign and six in the multiplayer of the PC version. 
=== Environment ===
==== UNSC Weapons ====
''Halo: Combat Evolved'' features a wide variety of environments including human and Covenant starships, ancient buildings on [[Installation 04|Halo]] itself, and expansive outdoor climates. The first level, ''Pillar of Autumn'', is fought entirely on the human starship of the same name. The next level, ''Halo'', takes place in a temperate highland climate with open-air Forerunner structures scattered about. This level also contains the famous "Blue Beam Towers". ''Truth and Reconciliation'' begin in a rocky desert, but the setting changes to the titular Covenant cruiser about one-third of the way through. ''The Silent Cartographer'' occurs on a tropical island, with substantial combat both outdoors and inside futuristic Forerunner installations. ''Assault on the Control Room'' takes place in a snowy, icy area of towering cliffs and underground tunnels as well as high-tech suspension bridges and oft-repeated Forerunner structures built into and through cliff walls.
*[[Pistol|M6D Pistol]] - The 6D Pistol, Or [[M6D]] is a powerful, accurate weapon that can be used up to 124 meters. It has good ammo capacity, a 2X scope for sniping, and it's bullets create a small explosion on impact. The [[M6D]] is recoil operated and can be used to shoot either semi-automatic or automatic fire. If used correctly, it can be the best back up weapon in the game.
*[[MA5B ICWS Assault Rifle|MA5B Assault Rifle]] - The [[MA5B ICWS Assault Rifle|MA5B]] is a gas operated assault rifle that fires 7.62 mm armor-piercing rounds. It has low damage per hit, and low accuracy at medium to long ranges. This weapon is good for close and medium ranges. In most levels you will start off with a one. This is because it is a great all around weapon that allows the Master Chief to use all his other abilities well. It has a fast melee and maneuverability.  (It is a good weapon against [[infection forms]], [[grunts]], and invisible Elites as well). No matter what weapons you're wielding at a time, all cut scenes in Halo: Combat Evolved have the Master Chief holding an Assault Rifle - even in [[Two Betrayals]], where your starting weapons are the [[M90 Shotgun]] and the [[Type-25 Directed Energy Pistol|Plasma Pistol]] but the starting cut scene still shows an assault rifle being held. If used well can be a effective close-medium range weapon.
*[[Shotgun|M90 Shotgun]] - the M90 Shotgun is the player's best friend when it comes to picking off [[Flood]] [[Combat Forms]] and [[Carrier Form]]s and kills them in 1 hit, provided you are close enough to the enemy. It also maintains high effectiveness against [[Elites]]. It shoots a burst of 15 bullets<ref>Use Halo Map Tools and see the Projectiles Fired section of the Shotgun</ref>, causing enemies in close range to be completely decimated in less than a second. Medium range is not so effective, and long range is useless altogether. Its close range capabilities are what makes it so effective against the flood.
*[[SRS99C-S2 AM Sniper Rifle]] - The S2 variant of the Sniper Rifle features a night vision enhancement to the scope, which plays an essential part at the start of the [[Truth and Reconciliation Level]], and can be used to see invisible enemies. Its devastating power and range make it a formidable part of your arsenal. A definite ''grab me whenever you can'' sort of weapon. It carries 4 bullets per magazine and can pick off most enemies instantly, depending on their rank and the difficulty the player is playing on.
*[[M19 SSM Rocket Launcher]] - The rocket launcher is a devastating piece of equipment when used right.  The Rocket Launcher will kill anything in one shot, as long as a direct hit is made. Best choice against vehicles and groups of infantry.
*[[M9 HE-DP Grenade]] - The M9 HE-DP grenade, more commonly known as a [[Frag Grenade]], will kill off anything without a shield with blistering ease. Its bounciness gives it the edge in distance over the [[plasma grenade]], and it also packs a lot of force, which means it is better for [[Explosive Jumping|grenade jumps]]
*[[M41 LAAG|M41 Light Anti-Aircraft Gun]] - The LAAG is always equipped on the back of a [[Warthog]], it serves purpose in the fact that it eliminates enemies and vehicles quickly and effectively, and can rotate on X/Y/Z axis, making it capable of firing anywhere. Any prolonged fire will come with a stronger recoil, making the weapon pretty inaccurate.
*[[M7057 Defoliant Projector Flamethrower]] (a flamethrower usable only in multiplayer in [[Halo PC]]).


==== Covenant Weapons ====
''343 Guilty Spark'' is a significant departure from these majestic environments, with combat in gloomy, exotic swamps and equally gloomy underground complexes that host the player's introduction to the Flood. The player is then teleported to the second of three entirely indoor levels, ''The Library'', encountering repetitive, forbidding hallways and massive elevators. Master Chief returns to the snowy climate of Assault on the Control Room for ''Two Betrayals'', visiting almost no new areas but, interestingly, travelling in the opposite direction. ''Keyes'' occurs in the same Covenant ship from ''Truth and Reconciliation'', albeit now heavily damaged, but this time the Flood are present in huge numbers. Finally, ''The Maw'' is set on the Pillar of Autumn with three major differences: the presence of the Flood, the heavy structural damage, and access to the Engineering section and service corridors of the ship, which were previously off-limits. In total, six of the ten levels feature a substantial amount of combat outdoors.
*[[Energy Sword]] (Non-usable) - A deadly weapon, used by Zealot Elites and Field Master Elites. It can kill the player in one hit (except on the [[Easy]] difficulty where it takes 3), so it is advisable to dispatch the wielder quickly. It is not usable in the game, due to a built-in failsafe leaving the weapon unusable to anyone.
*[[Plasma Rifle]] - It is a common light weapon in the Covenant army, primarily wielded by Elites. The Plasma Rifle has a high rate of fire and deals out a moderate amount of damage. A plasma rifle with a assault rifle makes a good combo, Plasma Rifle for medium and AR for close range.
*[[Plasma Pistol]] - The Plasma Pistol, like the Plasma Rifle, is a directed energy weapon that fires bolts of superheated ionized gas or plasma, instead of traditional Human ballistic ammunition. Its ability to instantly and completely deplete shields regardless of strength make it an invaluable weapon in multiplayer as well as in Campaign against certain enemies, especially [[Elites]], [[Jackals]], and [[Sentinels]].
*[[Needler]] - The Needler fires semi-homing crystal shards that explode approximately ten seconds after being launched and ignore most forms of personal energy shielding. While one explosion produces fairly light damage, several crystals exploding in succession can multiply the damage to fatal amounts, and even more crystals in the same enemy will produce a large explosion.
*[[Fuel Rod Gun]] (only usable in Halo PC Multiplayer) - The Fuel Rod Gun is used by both the strongest and weakest of the Covenant species. It is carried on the shoulders of many [[SpecOps Grunts]], and a modified version is directly attached on the right arm of [[Hunters]]. In the Multiplayer of [[Halo PC]] it has a limited battery.
*[[Plasma Grenade]] - The Covenant plasma grenade is one of the most clever weapons in the game. Once activated, its outer layer converts to plasma, enabling it to fuse to whatever it impacts. It features an EMP effect, which drains instantly any kind of shielding, no matter how strong they are.
*[[Shade]] - A stationary gun turret, manned in third-person like a vehicle. They consist of a stand and a floating mobile turret-like seating with control systems to its gun.


=== Vehicles ===
=== Player damage system ===
[[Image:4wiki.jpg|thumb|This image shows vehicle-on-vehicle combat, a motif that is repeated throughout the game]]
In ''Halo: Combat Evolved'', the player has a limited, non-regenerating [[health]], which can be fully restored by picking up [[health pack]]s. Running completely out of health will result in death, but having lower health does not impede player actions.  A player's health can be reduced only if his shields have been depleted. If the player's health is at minimal levels they will faintly hear John-117's heartbeat.
The vehicles available to the player are listed below:


*[[M12 Warthog LRV]] - UNSC Light Reconnaissance Vehicle, the Warthog has on it's back, a 50 cal [[M41-LAAG]] Ground To Air/Ground Gatling-type rotary auto-cannon turret.
Serving as the first layer of protection is the shielding system specially built for the [[MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor|MJOLNIR Mk. V armor]]. The shield will decrease in strength every time it is hit by a weapon and will fail after taking too many hits or freefall from certain altitude. The amount of shield drain depends on the attacker's weapon but will quickly regenerate if it is not hit for a brief period of time. The shield represents a marked departure from most first-person shooters, in which one's health bar is basically augmented by picking up "armor".
*[[M12A1 Warthog LAAV]] - UNSC Light Anti-Armor Vehicle. The M12A1 is another variant of the Warthog which replaces the 50 cal [[M41-LAAG]] with a triple barreled 102 mm rocket launcher (note: it only shoots three rockets before reload activates). (Available only in Multiplayer on the PC version of Halo CE)
*[[M808B Scorpion MBT]] - UNSC Battle Tank
*[[Ghost (vehicle)|Ghost]] - Covenant Reconnaissance and Rapid Attack Vehicle
*[[Banshee]] - Covenant Aerial Assault Aircraft


''Note that the Banshee is unavailable in multiplayer in the Xbox version.''
=== Damage Environment Mechanics ===
In ''Halo: Combat Evolved'', splatter kills are an easy task for all vehicles. With a simple touch, most characters, including John-117 and [[Mgalekgolo|Hunters]] can die instantly. This also includes the Shade Turret; if the Turret moves and hits someone, the victim will die instantly. Fall damage also has limits; if falling speed exceeds the maximum shield and health cap, the player will be killed instantly, regardless of whether they are touching a wall in the environment, though the damage can be nullified if player is using vehicles, unless out of bounds. Scorpion tanks and Warthogs are invulnerable to any attack, with damage taken to either vehicles will instead be applied to the driver. Ghosts and Banshees, however, can be destroyed if the pilot is mounting it.


There are also several vehicles that are not player controllable, like the UNSC [[Pelican|Pelican dropship]], and the Covenant [[Spirit]] dropship. The only tactically interesting of these vehicles is the Covenant [[Type-25 Assault Gun Carriage|Wraith Mortar tank]], which fires large plasma bombs in parabolic arcs towards its enemies. These bombs, if they score a direct hit, will often destroy vehicles or kill a [[John-117|Spartan]] if he/she is not equipped with an [[overshield]]. They can be taken down most effectively with explosive weapons such as the [[Scorpion Tank|Scorpion's]] main cannon, the [[Rocket Launcher|rocket launcher]], or the [[Banshee|Banshee's]] [[Fuel Rod Cannon|fuel rod cannon]].
=== Campaign ===
The campaign in ''Halo: Combat Evolved'' can be played by single-player or cooperatively. In [[cooperative play]], the second player takes control of an identical copy of the Master Chief. This second player, however, will not appear in any cutscene in the game.


=== Environments ===
The game's campaign consists of ten levels:
''Halo'' features a wide variety of environments in which combat occurs, including human and Covenant starships, ancient buildings on Halo itself, and expansive outdoor climates. The first level, ''[[Pillar of Autumn (Level)|Pillar of Autumn]]'' is fought entirely on the human starship of the same name; the next level, ''[[Halo Level|Halo]]'', takes place in a temperate highland climate with open-air [[Forerunner]] structures scattered about. This level also contains the famous "Blue Beam Towers". ''[[Truth and Reconciliation Level|Truth and Reconciliation]]'' begins in a rocky desert, but the setting changes to the titular Covenant cruiser about one-third of the way through. ''[[The Silent Cartographer (Level)|The Silent Cartographer]]'' occurs on a tropical island, with substantial combat both outdoors and inside futuristic Forerunner installations. ''[[Assault on the Control Room]]'' takes place in a snowy, icy area of towering cliffs and underground tunnels as well as high-tech suspension bridges and oft-repeated Forerunner structures built into and through cliff walls.
#[[The Pillar of Autumn (Halo: Combat Evolved level)|The Pillar of Autumn]] - ''"Escape intact as Covenant forces board your ship."''
#[[Halo (Halo: Combat Evolved level)|Halo]] - ''"Seek out surviving Marines and help them fight the Covenant."''
#[[The Truth and Reconciliation]] - ''"Board a Covenant ship in an attempt to rescue Captain Keyes."''
#[[The Silent Cartographer]] - ''"Search for the map room that will lead you to the secrets of Halo."''
#[[Assault on the Control Room]] - ''"Defend the Control Room against wave after wave of Covenant troops."''
#[[343 Guilty Spark (level)|343 Guilty Spark]] - ''"Creep through a swamp to meet the only enemy the Covenant fear."''
#[[The Library]] - ''"Fight your way through an ancient security facility in search of the Index."''
#[[Two Betrayals]] - ''"Re-activate the weapon at the heart of Halo... and learn the truth."''
#[[Keyes]] - ''"Stage a one-cyborg assault on a Covenant ship and bring back the Captain."''
#[[The Maw]] - ''"Destroy Halo before Halo destroys all life in the galaxy."''


''[[343 Guilty Spark (Level)|343 Guilty Spark]]'' is a significant departure from these majestic environments, with combat in gloomy, exotic swamps and equally gloomy underground complexes that host the player's introduction to the [[Flood]]. The player is then teleported to the second of three entirely indoor levels, ''[[The Library (Level)|The Library]]'', encountering repetitive, forbidding hallways and massive elevators. [[Master Chief]] returns to the snowy climate of Assault on the Control Room for ''[[Two Betrayals]]'', visiting almost no new areas but, interestingly, traveling in the opposite direction. ''[[Keyes (Level)|Keyes]]'' occurs in the same rocky deserts and the same Covenant ship from Truth and Reconciliation, albeit now heavily damaged, but this time the Flood are present in huge numbers. Finally, ''[[The Maw]]'' is set on the Pillar of Autumn with three major differences: the presence of the Flood, the heavy structural damage, and access to the Engineering section and service corridors of the ship, which were previously off-limits. In total, six of the ten levels feature a substantial amount of combat outdoors.
=== Multiplayer ===
=== Multiplayer ===
Up to 4 players can play together using the same-console split screen mode. It is also possible for up to 16 players to play together in one ''Halo'' game over a [[wikipedia:LAN|local area network]], using [[Xbox]]'s and/or [[Xbox 360]]'s that have been connected through an [[wikipedia:ethernet|Ethernet]] hub, but also can be played on Xbox Connect which is a way of tunneling a connection via a PC. The game's seamless support for this type of play, as well as a few large maps that can comfortably hold up to 16 combatants, is a first for console games. Since the game was released before the launch of [[Xbox Live]], mainstream online play was not available for this title.  The [[Halo PC|PC version of ''Halo: Combat Evolved'']] officially adds online play, also new vehicles (The [[Banshee]] and the never-before-seen [[M12A1 Warthog LAAV|Rocket Warthog]]), weapons (The [[Fuel Rod Gun]] and the never-before-seen [[Flamethrower]]) and maps (see list below) for multiplayer. The PC version of ''Halo: Combat Evolved'' does not support split screen multiplayer.
Up to four players can play together using the same-console splitscreen mode. It is also possible for up to 16 players to play together in one ''Halo'' game over a [[wikipedia:LAN|local area network]], using Xbox and/or Xbox 360 consoles that have been connected through an [[wikipedia:ethernet|Ethernet]] hub, or via XB Connect. The game's seamless support for this type of play, and a few large maps that can accommodate up to 16 combatants, is a first for console games. Since the game was released before the launch of Xbox Live, mainstream online play was not available for this title.


[[Image:Halo_Combat_Evolved_box_art_(PC).jpg|thumb|The box art for ''Halo: Combat Evolved'' on PC.]]
A total of 13 multiplayer maps are available:
 
Multiplayer maps in ''Halo: Combat Evolved'':
*[[Battle Creek]]
*[[Battle Creek]]
*[[Sidewinder]]
*[[Sidewinder]]
Line 120: Line 318:
*[[Derelict]]
*[[Derelict]]
*[[Boarding Action]]
*[[Boarding Action]]
*[[Chiron TL-34|Chiron TL 34]]
*[[Chiron TL-34]]
*[[Blood Gulch]]
*[[Blood Gulch]]
*[[Wizard]]
*[[Wizard]]
*[[Longest]]
*[[Longest]]
*[[Death Island]] (Exclusive to the [[Halo PC|PC]]/[[Halo PC|Mac]] version)
*[[Danger Canyon]] (Exclusive to the [[Halo PC|PC]]/[[Halo PC|Mac]] version)
*[[Infinity]] (Exclusive to the [[Halo PC|PC]]/[[Halo PC|Mac]] version)
*[[Timberland]] (Exclusive to the [[Halo PC|PC]]/[[Halo PC|Mac]] version)
*[[Ice Fields]] (Exclusive to the [[Halo PC|PC]]/[[Halo PC|Mac]] version)
*[[Gephyrophobia]] (Exclusive to the [[Halo PC|PC]]/[[Halo PC|Mac]] version)


Specific maps can be used for specific gamestates. For example, many CTF and Team slayer games are played in the bigger maps, while single slayer (or most gamestates where every man is for himself) are on the smaller maps. A prime example of a good CTF map is Blood Gulch, which is the stomping ground for most new Halo players. A good [[Slayer]] or [[Juggernaut]] map would be Hang 'em High, since it is small enough, and targets are found easily.
== Development ==
{{Main|Development of Halo: Combat Evolved}}
=== Design ===
{{Main|Pre-Xbox Halo}}
[[File:PXH FirstOfficial Screenshot.jpg|thumb|200px|left|The first official screenshot of Halo.]]
[[File:PreXbox Ring.jpg|thumb|200px|The old heads-up display and a Halo that has fallen under disrepair. This design was eventually [[Installation 08|incorporated]] into [[Halo 3]].]]
On July 21, 1999, during the Macworld Conference & Expo, Steve Jobs announced that ''Halo'' would be released for Mac OS and Windows simultaneously.<ref>[http://pc.ign.com/articles/068/068975p1.html '''IGN''': ''Heavenly "Halo"'']</ref> Before this public announcement, game industry journalists under a non-disclosure agreement had previewed the game in a private showing during [[Electronic Entertainment Expo|E3 1999]], and were reportedly amazed.<ref>[http://halo.bungie.org/pressscans/display.html?scan=pcgamerusoct99 '''PC Gamer''': ''Your first look at... "Halo"'']</ref> Bungie Studios later stated an even earlier development build of the game centered on [[real-time strategy]] and was "basically ''[[Myth]]'' in a sci-fi universe."<ref>[http://bungie.net/Inside/CustomPage.aspx?section=History&subsection=Main&page=6 '''Bungie.net''': ''Inside Bungie: History'']</ref>


However, depending on how many people are in one given game, the circumstances may change. For example, a 16-person slayer game may occur on a large map, and a 2 or 4 player CTF game can be played on a much smaller map.
At [[Electronic Entertainment Expo|E3 2000]], the first trailer of ''Halo'' was well-received.<ref>[http://www.bluesnews.com/a/38 '''Blue's News''': ''Blue's News Best of E3 2000'']</ref> The version shown there differed greatly from the one exhibited previously, marking the first major overhaul in the game's development.<ref>[http://halo.bungie.org/faq/media.html '''halo.bungie.org''': ''Frequently Asked Questions about "Halo"'']</ref> At this point, ''Halo'' was a third-person action game, in which a transport starship crashlands on a mysterious ring world that orbits a star. Early versions of Covenant aliens appear in great numbers and loot what they can, and war erupts between them and the humans. Unable to match the technologically advanced alien race, the humans on the ring world resort to guerrilla warfare.<ref>[http://halo.bungie.org/pressscans/display.html?scan=cgw1199 '''Computer Gaming World''': ''Games That Will Change Gaming'']</ref> This version of the game featured ''Halo''-specific fauna, which were later dropped because of design difficulties and the creatures' "detract from the surprise, drama and impact of the Flood."<ref>[https://halo.bungie.net/News/content.aspx?cid=630 '''Bungie.net''': ''One Million Years B.X. (Before Xbox)'']</ref>


== Storyline ==
[[Microsoft]] announced on June 19, 2000 that it had acquired Bungie Studios.<ref>[http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2000/Jun00/BungiePR.mspx '''Microsoft''': ''Microsoft to Acquire Bungie Software'']</ref> ''Halo'' became an exclusive game for Microsoft's [[Xbox]], and Bungie Studios rewrote the game's engine, heavily altering its presentation and turning it into a [[first-person shooter]].<ref>[http://www.gamecritics.com/feature/preview/halo_xbox/page01.php '''GameCritics''': ''"Halo" (Xbox) Preview'']</ref> Originally a key element, the game's online multiplayer component was dropped because [[Xbox Live]] would be unfinished at the time of ''Halo''<nowiki />'s release. While a playable demonstration of the game at Gamestock 2001 was well-received,<ref>[http://xbox.ign.com/articles/098/098271p1.html '''IGN''': ''Playable "Halo" at GameStock'']</ref> critics had mixed reactions to its exhibition at E3 2001.<ref>[http://halo.bungie.org/pressscans/display.html?scan=nextgen.0501 '''halo.bungie.org''': ''"Next Generation Magazine"'']</ref><ref>[http://www.firingsquad.com/features/2001e3part1/ '''FiringSquad''': ''2001 E3 Part 1''']</ref><ref>[http://halo.bungie.org/pressscans/display.html?scan=gamepro.0501 '''halo.bungie.org''': ''"GamePro"'']</ref> Roughly 90% of the final product was developed in just nine months of development, with team members working 16–20 hours a day for six days per week between January and October 2001.<ref>[https://twitter.com/Dr_Abominable/status/1061172229990481920 Paul Russel on Twitter]</ref>
{{Template:spoiler}}
''Halo''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s storyline is linear; there is only one ending (in contrast to other first person shooters such as ''[[wikipedia:Deus Ex|Deus Ex]]''). It is presented to the player through an instruction manual, scripted events and conversations during the game, and a number of cut-scenes rendered using the game's graphics engine. This method of storyline delivery is common among modern video games. The Xbox version of ''Halo: Combat Evolved'' allows one player to play the campaign alone, as well as allow two players to play through the campaign in split screen. The [[Halo PC|PC version of ''Halo: Combat Evolved'']] allows only one player to play through the campaign, unless the [[Halo Custom Edition]] program is being used, in which case, the campaign is disabled completely.
[[Image:Halo.gif|thumb|right|Halo Art]]


''Halo Combat Evolved'' Campaign levels:
The novel ''[[Halo: The Fall of Reach]]'' by [[Eric Nylund]] was commissioned by Microsoft to serve as a prequel to ''Halo: Combat Evolved''. During the writing of ''The Fall of Reach'', Bungie reportedly almost cancelled the novel but was convinced by [[Eric S. Trautmann]] to approve it in exchange for himself, [[Matt Soell]] and [[Brannon Boren]] writing an estimated "80 percent" of the in-game dialogue of ''Halo: Combat Evolved''. The dysfunctional relationship between Bungie and the Microsoft team working on the game created some disconnect - the notorious "this cave is not a natural formation" line was caused by Bungie promising that the environment would not be immediately obvious as an artificial formation. According to Trautmann, a number of Bungie employees resented the presence of Microsoft employees.<ref>[http://scifishow.libsyn.com/005-dc-reboot-trautmann-interview-round-2-of-our-quiz '''The Sci Fi Show''': ''Episode 005: DC Reboot/Eric Trautmann'']</ref>
*[[The Pillar of Autumn (Level)|The Pillar of Autumn]]
*[[Halo_(Halo:_Combat_Evolved_Level)|Halo]]
*[[The Truth and Reconciliation (Level)|The Truth and Reconciliation]]
*[[The Silent Cartographer (Level)|The Silent Cartographer]]
*[[Assault on the Control Room (Level)|Assault on the Control Room]]
*[[343 Guilty Spark (Level)|343 Guilty Spark]]
*[[The Library (Level)|The Library]]
*[[Two Betrayals (Level)|Two Betrayals]]
*[[Keyes (Level)|Keyes]]
*[[The Maw (Level)|The Maw]]
=== Brief Summary ===
''Halo'', like previous Bungie releases such as the ''[[Marathon]]'' series, has an intricate plot.


The "Halo" in the title refers to an enormous artificial space habitat similar to a [[wikipedia:Culture Orbital|Culture Orbital]] discovered by the warship ''[[UNSC Pillar of Autumn|Pillar of Autumn]]'', which the central character, [[Master Chief]] Petty Officer John-117, is aboard. With the help of his fellow [[UNSC Marine Corps|marines]] and the ship's [[artificial intelligence]], [[Cortana]], the Master Chief discovers some of the secrets of Halo while fighting off members of [[Covenant|The Covenant]], archenemies of humanity who, presumably, wish to find Halo's secrets for themselves.
The game was released in North America simultaneously with the Xbox, on November 15, 2001; the "Combat Evolved" subtitle was an addition by marketers at Microsoft, who felt that ''Halo'' alone was not a descriptive enough title to compete with other military-themed games.<ref>'''Edge''': ''A Space Odyssey'' (''"Quote"'' '''Jaime Griesemer''': At the time, Microsoft marketing thought ''Halo'' was not a good name for a videogame brand. It wasn't descriptive like all the military games we were competing with. We told them ''Halo'' was the name. The compromise was they could add a subtitle. Everyone at Bungie hated it. But it turned out to be a very sticky label and has now entered the gaming lexicon… so I guess in hindsight it was a good compromise. But the real name of the game is just ''Halo''.)</ref>
=== Backstory ===
The events which transpire in ''Halo''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s gameplay must be understood in the context of its backstory, created by Bungie and elaborated in several novels written after the release of the game. Noteworthy is its use of the oft-used battle between monoculture radicalism and liberalism. Also present, although less pronounced, is the likewise popular theme of blind religion ([[Covenant]]) versus free-thought secularism ([[UNSC]]). A summary of this back story is presented below.
==== Early Conflicts ====
{{main|United Nations Space Command}}
2160-2200: This is a period of brutal unrest in Human history in which Governments and Factions fight for control of Earth and its colonies.


As overpopulation and unrest mounted on [[Earth]], a number of new political movements were formed including the left wing '''Koslovics''' led by Vladimir Koslov and the neo Jovian '''Frieden''' (which attacked the UN Colonial Advisors on the moon) and UN-sponsored military forces begin a pattern of massive buildups which culminated in the first Interplanetary and Rain Forest Wars of the Jovian Moons Campaign. After the successful Marine attack on Mars, recruitment drives and propaganda tactics strongly bolstered UNSC forces. They defeat the [[Koslovics]] and the Frieden on Earth and crush their remnants throughout the Solar System: both factions were defeated in the face of massive, unified UN military.
=== Audio ===
==== The Human Colonization of the Orion Arm ====
{{Main|Music of Halo: Combat Evolved}}
{{main|United Nations Space Command}}
[[File:HaloSoundtrackCover.jpg|200px|thumb|Cover art.]]
In the year 2291, the United Nations Space Command (UNSC) successfully develop humanity's first [[Slipspace]] drive, the Shaw-Fujikawa Translight Engine. For the first time in history, the rapid colonization of other worlds is made possible. By 2390, 210 worlds have been occupied by humans, and are being actively terraformed to suit man's needs. These worlds are to become known as the Inner Colonies. By 2490, the UNSC's fledgling interstellar empire has expanded to over 800 planets throughout the [[wikipedia:orion arm|Orion Arm]] of the [[wikipedia:milky way galaxy|Milky Way Galaxy]]. During this period, the planet [[Reach]] becomes the headquarters of the UNSC military, and is destined to become the most heavily fortified world under human control.
''Halo''<nowiki />'s soundtrack was created by [[Bungie Studios]]' audio director, [[Martin O'Donnell]], and received a large amount of praise from many critics. Martin O'Donnell has stated that his goal was to provide "a feeling of importance, weight, and sense of the 'ancient'."<ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20070301150741/http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/h/halo/themakers3.htm '''Xbox.com''': ''Just the Right Sense of Ancient'']</ref> He designed the music so that it "could be dissembled and remixed in such a way that would give [him] multiple, interchangeable loops that could be randomly recombined in order to keep the piece interesting as well as a variable length". Development involved the creation of "alternative middle sections that could be transitioned to if the game called for such a change (i.e. less or more intense)."<ref>[http://www.music4games.net/Features_Display.aspx?id=24 '''Music4Games''': ''The Use and Effectiveness of Audio in "Halo": Game Music Evolved'']</ref>
==== The Fall of the Outer Colonies ====
{{main|United Nations Space Command}}
Cole's fleet manages a victory at Harvest, but at a high cost - two thirds of his ships are destroyed. Despite significant tactical brilliance on the part of Human [[commander]]s, Covenant technology guarantees a four to one kill/loss ratio in most battles. One by one, the Outer Colonies fall below the onslaught, and by 2535, virtually all have been destroyed.
==== The Spartan Project ====
{{main|SPARTAN}}
By 2517, several years before contact with the Covenant was made, the UNSC military embarked on a secret project to create a group of elite soldiers that would deal with occasional unrest in the Colonies. Codenamed SPARTANs, these [[Spartans#Augmentation_Procedures|genetically enhanced]] troops were trained from the age of 6 into a life of battle, and became a great asset against the Covenant. While humans suffered defeat after defeat in space, they could almost always prevail with the help of the SPARTANs in ground engagements. The main character of ''Halo''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s gameplay, the Master Chief, is a veteran SPARTAN of the SPARTAN II project after an unfortunate failure of the first SPARTAN program. All SPARTANS were given special armor designated MJOLNIR, which can increase their strength and speed. They were the only ones who could wear it as those without upgrades would not be able to withstand the reaction times of the armor and die.
==== The Battle of Reach ====
{{main|Battle of Reach}}
By 2552, many of Humanity's Inner Colonies have been destroyed by the Covenant. In a move of desperation, UNSC orders a secret plan to capture a Covenant ship using a SPARTAN task force and find the coordinates of their home planet. A group of SPARTANs, led by the Master Chief, are chosen for this mission, and board a specially outfitted ship known as the ''[[UNSC Pillar of Autumn|Pillar of Autumn]]'' (under the command of [[Captain Jacob Keyes]]). This plan, however, is interrupted when the Covenant launch a surprise attack on the fortress world of Reach.


During this battle, Reach is overrun and glassed, and the human fleet is obliterated. Worse still, the Master Chief thinks that all of the SPARTANs but himself are killed on the surface of the planet. The (supposedly) last remaining SPARTAN, the Master Chief, escapes with the ''Pillar of Autumn''. In accordance with the [[Cole Protocol]], the ''Autumn'' makes a blind Slipspace jump, and emerges in the vicinity of an unexplored and remarkable world.
Martin O'Donnell has remarked that he "sat with the level designers and 'spotted' the level as though it was a movie, with the knowledge that the music would have to be malleable rather than static... [T]he level designer would tell me what he hoped a player would feel at certain points or after accomplishing certain tasks". Based on this information, O'Donnell would "go back and develop appropriate music cues, then have the designer script the cues into the level, and then we'd play through it to see if it worked as desired."<ref>[http://www.music4games.net/Features_Display.aspx?id=24 '''Music4Games''': ''The Use and Effectiveness of Audio in Halo: Game Music Evolved'']</ref> He explained that the use of music in ''Halo'' is sparse because he believes that "[music] is best used in a game to quicken the emotional state of the player and it works best when used least", and that "[if] music is constantly playing it tends to become sonic wallpaper and loses its impact when it is needed to truly enhance some dramatic component of game play."<ref>[http://halo.bungie.org/misc/gdc.2002.music/ '''halo.bungie.org''': ''Producing Audio for "Halo"'']</ref>
==== Arrival at Halo ====
{{main|Alpha Halo}}
The [[UNSC Pillar of Autumn|Pillar of Autumn]] exits [[Slipspace]] to find a mysterious ring shaped space station orbiting a [[Threshold|gas giant]]. The ring, quickly named "Halo", is obviously artificial and teeming with life. A [[Covenant]] fleet, however, is also present, and a subsequent battle heavily damages the [[UNSC Pillar of Autumn|''Pillar of Autumn'']]. [[Captain Keyes]] initiates the Cole protocol - all records of Earth's location are erased, and the Autumn is crash landed onto Halo. The ship's [[AI]] construct, [[Cortana]], leaves the ''Autumn'' with the [[John-117|Master Chief]] in a [[Bumblebee]] escape pod which also crash lands on Halo.


Gameplay begins in earnest with the Master Chief's escape from the [[''Autumn'']], and continues upon landing. The player will soon discover the origins and purpose of this world - and uncover a threat that forces even the Covenant into retreat.
==== Halo: Original Soundtrack ====
{{Main|Halo: Original Soundtrack}}
''Halo: Original Soundtrack'', composed and produced by [[Martin O'Donnell]] and [[Michael Salvatori]] for the video game ''Halo: Combat Evolved,'' is one CD comprising 26 tracks. Some editions include a bonus DVD with game trailers for ''Halo 2''. Most of the music from ''Halo: Combat Evolved ''is present on the CD, although some songs are remixed and some tracks are intermixed with others in medley form. It was released in 2001.


As a literary sidenote, the ring, "Halo", borrows heavily from the [[wikipedia:Ringworld|Ringworld]] of [[wikipedia:Larry Niven|Larry Niven]] and the [[wikipedia:Culture Orbital|Culture Orbital]]s of [[wikipedia:Iain M. Banks|Iain M. Banks]].
== Marketing and release ==
=== Main Characters ===
=== Demonstration ===
{{main|Characters}}
{{main|Halo E3 2000 Trailer}}
*The '''[[John-117|Master Chief]]:''' The only [[SPARTAN-II]] known to have survived the battle of [[Reach]] at the beginning of the game. He is the character the player assumes during gameplay.
In 2000 at E3, Bungie showed off a trailer of the upcoming game to the public. This trailer featured Marines along with the Master Chief scouting out a Forerunner structure and the Covenant fighting them. During this trailer there was still no active AI so all the Covenant was actually controlled by Bungie. This trailer was before the conversion to the Xbox as an FPS.
*'''[[Cortana]]:''' The [[UNSC Pillar of Autumn|Pillar of Autumn's]] [[AI]] construct, removed from the ship by the Master Chief in accordance with the [[Cole Protocol]]. During most of the game, Cortana is connected directly to the Master Chief's neural interface, and acts to deliver tactical information and mission objectives.
*'''[[Captain Keyes|Captain Jacob Keyes]]:''' The distinguished Captain of the ''Pillar of Autumn'', renowned for his tactical brilliance in key battles prior to the fall of Reach. He was also part of the expedition to find candidates for the SPARTAN-II project, the first of which was the Master Chief, candidate 117.
*'''[[343 Guilty Spark (Monitor)||343 Guilty Spark]]:''' The [[Monitor]] of [[Installation 04]].
*'''[[UNSC Marine Corps|The Marines]]:''' The Marines of the [[UNSC]] are the best, but are struggling and fighting a losing war against the [[Covenant]]. The marines are your allies in the game.
*'''[[Sergeant Johnson]] :''' Sergeant Johnson commands [[UNSC Marine Corps|Marines]] during the game. He also provides comic relief and is the only human besides the Master Chief and Blue Team (Fred, Will and Linda) to make it back to Earth alive. He is seemingly the toughest Marine in the game.


=== In-game plot ===
=== Viral campaign ===
The first levels of the game deal with an attempt to reach Halo's control center to uncover its purpose. It is soon discovered that the Covenant have accidentally released something from an ancient containment facility on the ring, [[The Flood]], a parasitic race which gets its name from the way it devastates potential hosts with sheer numbers. The Flood then sweeps across Halo and devastate human and Covenant forces positioned on it. The release of the Flood prompts 343 Guilty Spark, an eccentric Artificial Intelligence who commands Halos containment forces, the [[Sentinels]] , to try to activate Halo's defense system, a pulse weapon that, when fired, would wipe out all life in the galaxy large enough to be hosts for the Flood. Technically, that installation only has a maximum effective radius of 25,000 light years, but the pulse would trigger other installations as well, effectively killing all life in the galaxy. This system is designed to stop the Flood from spreading through the universe if they escape confinement from Halo by the only way possible: starving the Flood of any life source large enough to sustain them.
{{Main|Cortana Letters}}
Before ''Halo: Combat Evolved'' was released, a series of cryptic emails were sent to [http://marathon.bungie.org/ marathon.bungie.org]. The emails were supposedly written by Cortana, but the contents written were greatly out of her character. Her hacking skills, however, were shown, having some of the messages from other email accounts and even from the 1.3 version of the Bungie game ''Myth: The Fallen Lords'' CD. These messages provided a small glimpse of the ''Halo'' Trilogy plot.


Naturally, this would wipe out Humanity as well as the Covenant, and so the final levels of the game revolve around the Master Chief's attempts to destroy Halo before it fires.
=== Package ===
The game shipped with a game disc, and a [[Halo: Combat Evolved Manual|manual]] detailing how to play the game and why everything is happening so far in the story.


The game leaves the story open to further developments, with the revelation that there are several Halo ring worlds in the galaxy, due to Halo being numbered "Installation 04" by 343 Guilty Spark, the [[Monitor]] of the installation. It is revealed in [[Halo 2]] that there were seven ([[List of "Seven" references in Halo|Bungie's favorite number]]) Halos before [[Installation 04]]'s destruction.
=== Reception ===
{{Template:Endspoiler}}
''Halo'' was the main launch title for Xbox and is said to be the game that made the Xbox what it is today. It was widely renowned for saving the fledgling Xbox platform, as the Xbox lacked any titles to compete with Sony's PlayStation 2 or Nintendo's GameCube. ''Halo'' became an overnight success and managed to drive the platform from the brink of an early death. It went on to sell 6.43 million copies; in other words, 26% of all Xbox owners also owned ''Halo''.<ref>[http://www.vgchartz.com/game/939/halo-combat-evolved/ '''VG Chartz''': ''Halo: Combat Evolved'']</ref><ref>[http://www.vgchartz.com/platforms/ '''VG Chartz''': ''Platforms'']</ref>
[[Image:HaloSoundtrackCover.jpg|120px|right|thumb|Cover Art]]
 
==Reception==
It was also critically acclaimed. IGN gave the game a 9.7 out of 10 and stated it to be the best Xbox game of all time. X-Play gave it a perfect 5 out of 5. The game got a perfect ten from EGM, and was 2002 Game of the Year for IGN, EGM, OXM, and AIAS. It got a 9.5 out of 10 from Game Informer, and an average meta-score of 97 out of 100, making it the most highly rated Xbox game of all time. It also got a score of 9.0 for the PC version and 9.7 for the Xbox version from Gamespot. It was also called the game that reinvented a genre. OXM rated ''Halo: CE'' Number 1 in a list of the 100 best games of recent memory, saying "''The Xbox did not create Halo, Halo made the Xbox''".
Halo was the main launch title for Xbox, and is popularly said to be it's killer app, or the game that made the XBOX what it is today. It went on to sell 8 million copies, in other words, 33% of all Xbox owners also owned Halo. It was also critically acclaimed. IGN gave the game a 9.7 out of 10 and stated it to be the best XBOX game of all time. X-Play gave it a perfect 5 out of 5. The game got a perfect ten from EGM, and was 2002 Game of The Year for IGN, EGM, OXM, and AIAS. It also got a 9.5 out of 10 from Game Informer, and an average meta-score of 97 out of 100, making it the most highly rated XBOX game of all time.  
 
== [[Halo: Original Soundtrack]] ==
===Rereleases===
Halo Original Soundtrack, composed and produced by [[Martin O'Donnell]] and [[Michael Salvatori]] for the video game Halo: Combat Evolved is one CD comprising 26 tracks. Some editions include a bonus DVD with game trailers for Halo 2. Most of the music from Halo: Combat Evolved is present on the CD, although some songs are remixed and some tracks are intermixed with others in medley form. It was released in 2001.
*'''2003''' - Rereleased for PC and Mac platforms as ''[[Halo: Combat Evolved (PC port)|''Halo: Combat Evolved'' for PC]]''.
== Original Halo Team ==
*'''2004''' - Rereleased with a special version of the Xbox in the United States, Australia and New Zealand. This version was translucent green and came with a copy of Halo: Combat Evolved and a matching translucent green Controller S. The console case featured the Halo logo and the words "Special Edition"; the controller had a jewel that had the Halo logo in place of the normal Xbox logo. The version of Halo that came with this bundle was identical to other versions of Halo, with the exception of a "NOT FOR RESALE" notice placed on the front of the game case. - <ref>[http://xfusion2010.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/xbox-halo-combat-evolved-edition.html#sthash.yxiJFJQ4.dpuf '''xfusion2010''' - '''Xbox Halo Combat Evolved edition''']</ref>
{{col-begin}}
*'''2004''' - Rereleased as part of Action Double Pack which included ''Brute Force'' and ''Halo: Combat Evolved''.<ref>[http://www.ign.com/articles/2004/05/04/call-it-halo-force '''IGN''' - ''Call it Halo Force'']</ref>
{{col-2}}
*'''2005''' - Rereleased as part of the ''Halo Triple Pack'' which contained ''Halo: Combat Evolved'', ''Halo 2'', and ''[[Halo 2 Multiplayer Map Pack]]''.
*'''2007''' - Rereleased as part of the Japan exclusive ''Halo History Pack'', which contained ''Halo: Combat Evolved'', ''Halo 2'', and a sneak peek of ''Halo 3'',<ref>[http://www.gamespot.com/halo-history-pack/ '''Gamespot''' ''Halo History Pack'']</ref> and as part of [[Xbox LIVE]]'s Xbox Originals.
*'''2011''' - Remade as ''[[Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary]]'' to tie in with ''Halo''<nowiki>'s</nowiki> tenth anniversary.
*'''2014''' - Rerelease of ''Anniversary'' as part of ''[[Halo: The Master Chief Collection]]'' on [[Xbox One]], with the original ''Halo'' multiplayer compatible for the first time ever with console [[matchmaking]].
*'''2020''' - Rerelease of ''Anniversary'' as part of ''Halo: The Master Chief Collection'' on Windows 10 and Steam.
 
==Original Halo team==
{{Scrollbox
|{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
;Project Lead
;Project Lead
: Jason Jones
:Jason Jones


;Lead Producer
;Lead Producer
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;Executive Producer
;Executive Producer
:Alexander Seropia
:Alexander Seropian


;Producer
;Producer
:Rick Ryan  
:Rick Ryan


;Programmers
;Programmers
: Chris Butcher  
:Chris Butcher
: Bernie Freidin  
:Bernie Freidin
:Charlie Gough  
:Charlie Gough
:Mat Noguchi  
:Mat Noguchi
:Matt Segur
:Matt Segur


Line 238: Line 412:
:David Dunn
:David Dunn
:Chris Hughes
:Chris Hughes
:Stephen Okasaki
:Chris Lee
:Chris Lee
:Robert McLees
:Robert McLees
:Stephen Okasaki
:Paul Russel
:Paul Russel
:Shi Kai Wang
:Shi Kai Wang
Line 255: Line 429:
:Dan Orzulak
:Dan Orzulak


;Additional Writing  
;Additional Writing
:Brannon Boren
:Brannon Boren
:Matt Soell
:Matt Soell
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;Localization Program Manager
;Localization Program Manager
:Ji Hong
:Ji Hong
{{col-end}}
}}


{{col-end}}
==Production notes==
*''Halo: Combat Evolved'' was not the original title made by Bungie; the original title of the game had always been intended to be simply "''Halo''". The subtitle ''"Combat Evolved"'', which Bungie has stated they "hated", was suggested by Microsoft Game Studios during the Halo's development phase in order to make the title more descriptive and indicative of a shooter game.<ref>[http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=249196 '''ComputerAndVideoGame''': ''Microsoft forced Bungie to accept 'Combat Evolved' name'']</ref>
*There are 8,087 lines of dialog, most of them randomly triggered during combat.<ref>[http://nikon.bungie.org/news.html?item=20971 '''halo.bungie.org''', ''Halo Dialogue Statistics''] - ''November 12, 2007''</ref>
*The ''Halo: Combat Evolved'' box art shows the Banshees in the background in their pilotless stance, yet they are still flying. Similarly, they are shown firing thin beams, rather than the bolts that they actually fire in-game.
*''Halo: Combat Evolved ''was originally going to have most of the weapons that were introduced in ''Halo 2'' and ''Halo 3'', but due to time constraint, most of the weapons were cut from the final version.<ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dydfehQBaGE '''Youtube''': ''Evolution of Halo Part 2: Pre-Xbox 1999 Version to 2000 Demo '']</ref>
*In the game's manual, the {{Pattern|Okarda'phaa|plasma rifle}}'s blueprint is an overlap of a [[Type-33 Guided Munitions Launcher|needler]] underneath and the rifle on top.
*''Halo'' was originally planned to have a changing weather system which was mentioned in the August 2000 issue of ''PC Gamer'' magazine.<ref>[http://halo.bungie.org/pressscans/display.html?scan=pcgamer.0800 '''halo.bungie.org''': ''PC Gamer August 2000'']</ref>


== Future developments ==
==Gallery==
The next episode in the ''Halo'' story, ''[[Halo 2]]'', was released on November 9, 2004. <ref>http://www.bungie.net/News/Story.aspx?link=5B522E9E-A265-409E-9267-EB2EDCFD50B4</ref> Like the previous fan-beloved ''[[Marathon]]'', ''Halo 2'' has a return of old characters and new technology in attempt to further a complicated plot line, the object of which is to be deciphered by the end.
===Cover art===
<gallery>
File:Halo - Combat Evolved Logo Huge.png|Title art.
File:HCE BoxArt.png|Pre-release cover art (note the absence of gas around Threshold and the darker Banshee to the left).
File: HCE Cover Art.jpg|Cover art variant used in the "Classics" and "Platinum Hits" covers for the game.
File:HCE Cover Art Variant.jpg|Unused cover art variant.
File:HCE Japan cover.jpg|The "Japan" cover for the game.
File:HCEX Classics Cover Art.jpg|The "Classics" cover for the game.
File:Halo_Combat_Evolved_(Xbox)_Platinum_Hits_box_art.JPG|The "Platinum Hits" cover for the game.
File:HCE_FlawlessCowboy_Covermockup_PaulR.jpg|Cover art mockup created by [[Paul Russel]].
File:HCE prerelease box art.jpg|The "Prerelease" cover for the game.
File:HCE steel prototype case.jpg|Halo CE Steel Prototype Case.
File:HCE steel prototype case side.jpg|Halo CE Steel Prototype Case (side).
File:HCE steel prototype case back.jpg|Halo CE Steel Prototype Case (back).
File:CE Artwork CoverArt-Magazine.jpg|Another version of the cover art without text and logos, used on the cover of the June [[2002]] issue of the Japanese [[Wikipedia:Famitsu|Famitsu Xbox]] magazine.{{Ref/Site|https://page.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/w396424921|Yahoo! Japan|Page=ヤフオク! - 0612g-030 ファミ通Xbox 2002.6 エンターブレイ...|Y=2020|M=Jun|D=27}}
File:HINF - Charm icon - Halo VHS.png|A [[Weapon customization|weapon charm]] in ''[[Halo Infinite]]'' featuring the cover of ''Halo: Combat Evolved''.
</gallery>
===Concept art===
<gallery>
File:HCE Logos Concept.jpg|Concept sketches for the game's logo.
File:HCE ControlRoom_Concept_1.png|Concept art for the ring's control room.
File:HCE Elite Concept 2.png|Sangheili concept art.
File:Early Hunter.jpg|Hunter concept art.
File:HCE RingSurface Concept 1.jpg|Installation 04 concept art.
File:HCE RingSurface Concept 2.jpg|Installation 04 concept art.
File:HCE RingSurface Concept 3.jpg|Installation 04 concept art.
File:HCE RingSurface Concept 4.jpg|Installation 04 concept art.
File:HCE RingSurface Concept 5.jpg|Installation 04 concept art.
File:HCE RingSurface Concept 6.jpg|Installation 04 concept art.
File:HCE RingSurface Concept 7.jpg|Installation 04 concept art.
File:HCE RingSurface Concept 8.jpg|Installation 04 concept art.
File:HCE RingSurface Concept 9.jpg|Installation 04 concept art.
File:HCE RingSurface Concept 10.jpg|Installation 04 concept art.
File:HCE_CNPT_plant-group1.jpg|Installation 04 concept art.
</gallery>
===Promotional images===
<gallery>
File:Halo-combat-evolved.jpg|The Master Chief next to a Scorpion and marines.
File:HCE-MasterChief-Wallpaper.jpg|The Master Chief leading marines.
File:HCE CHIEFONT.jpg|The Master Chief fighting the Covenant.
File:HCE Chief&Shotgun.jpg|The Master Chief holding a shotgun.
File:HCE Chief Banshee.jpg|The Master Chief flying a Banshee.
File:HCE MC Burning Hunter.jpg|The Master Chief using a flamethrower against a hunter.
File:HCE MC Elite Cannon.jpg|The Master Chief fighting the Covenant.
File:HCE MC Gravity Lift.jpg|The Master chief next to the gravity lift of the ''Truth and Reconciliation''.
File:HCE MC Scorpion.jpg|The Master Chief next to two Scorpion tanks and dead grunts.
File:HCE MC Jackals Flamethrower.jpg|The Master Chief using a flamethrower against jackals.
File:HCE JEEPONGH.jpg|The Master Chief driving a Warthog.
</gallery>
===Screenshots===
<gallery>
File:HCE ChiefFiringAR.jpg|The Master Chief firing an assault rifle.
File:HCE Needler HUD.jpg|First-person view of the needler and a Sangheili Minor.
File:HCE M41SPNKr HUD.jpg|First-person view of the rocket launcher.
File:HCE BeaconTower Firing.jpg|The Master Chief watches as a beacon fires.
File:Johnson-warthog.jpg|The marine on Master Chief's Warthog firing the mounted machine gun.
File:HCE T&R Charging.jpg|The Master Chief and a group of marines onboard a Covenant ship.
File:Jackals.jpg|Two Kig-Yar using plasma pistols.
File:HCE Banshee&Spirit.jpg|The Covenant Banshee and Spirit dropship.
File:HCE Chief Swamp.jpg|The Master Chief in a swamp.
File:HCE ParanoidMarine.jpg|The Master Chief encounters a marine.
File:HCE Chief&Swarm.jpg|The Flood approaches the Master Chief.
File:HCE LibraryFight.jpg|The Master Chief fighting the Flood.
File:Scrn 067.jpg|A Sangheili Zealot and a defeated Flood attacker form.
File:HCE GruntMinors&Flood.jpg|Two Unggoy surrounded by the Flood.
File:HCE Chief&Cortana.jpg|The Master Chief and Cortana.
File:HCE Echo419 Destruction.jpg|The Master Chief watches as a damaged Pelican approach him.
</gallery>


A free [[wikipedia:modification|mod]] for the computer game series [[wikipedia:Battlefield 1942|Battlefield 1942]]/[[wikipedia:Battlefield Vietnam|Vietnam]] called [[wikipedia:Homefront (game)|Homefront]] features ''Halo''-esque and original content for online multiplayer games with up to 64 players.<ref>http://www.planetbattlefield.com/homefront/</ref>
==Sources==
{{Ref/Sources|2}}


Not only this mod, but many, can be found at various sites on the Internet at places like [http://www.halomods.com halomods.com] and other sites. The customizable map option has become quite popular with the downloadable custom edition of the PC version, many maps can be found on these sites, ready to be opened and played. These maps can be made with 3D Studio MAX and the Halo Editing Kit.
==See also==
== Trailers ==
{{main|Halo E3 2000 Trailer}}
In 2000 at E3, Bungie showed off a trailer of the upcoming game to the public. This trailer featured [[UNSC Marine Corps|Marines]] along with the [[John-117|Master Chief]] scouting out a [[Forerunner]] structure and the [[Covenant]] fighting them. During this trailer there was still no active AI so all the [[Covenant]] was actually controlled by [[Bungie]]. This trailer was before the conversion to the Xbox as an FPS. Originally the game was to be a RTS as a computer game.
== Trivia ==
*''Halo CE'' was the only game in the Halo series to have two types of [[Elite]] helmets that are assigned to any rank except [[Zealot]].
*On the back of the cover, there is a Minor Elite and a Minor Grunt that are very small on the building.
*In the video review for Halo by GameSpot, Joe Fielder explains the co-op mode for Halo and when he talks about respawning, he says that one needs to get out of combat or "finish the fight", the advertising tagline for [[Halo 3]].
*Halo was originally being developed for the Mac and PC and was going to be an RTS, before Microsoft took interest in its development and purchased Bungie Studios (therefore owning a promising video game to use exclusively with its upcoming video game console, the Xbox).
*On the campaign level "Two Betrayals", in the first cinematic shot, the Master Chief is wielding an MA5B Assault Rifle. After the cinematic shot ends, he is armed with a Plasma Pistol and an M90 Shotgun. This happens on other levels as well like [[The Maw]] and 343 Guilty Spark.
*A PC version was made of this game that is extremely popular for modding.
*There are 8,087 lines of dialog, most of them randomly triggered during combat.<ref>[http://nikon.bungie.org/news.html?item=20971 Halo Dialogue Statistics, from the source] - HBO, November 12, 2007</ref>
*On the Halo: Combat Evolved cover the [[Banshees]] in the background are shown in their pilotless stance, yet they are still flying.
*On the level [[The Maw]] in campaign when you are driving your [[Warthog]] at the end and [[Cortana]] says, "Stop! This is where Foehammer is going to pick us up. Hold position here", the Banshees that are following Foehammer are in the pilotless stance yet when they fly by you can see the Elites inside them. They still, however, can be ridden if you manage to jump high enough either by jumping off a Co-op partner’s head, or using the [[grenade jump]].
*In Halo: Combat Evolved, the Flood actually reload their weapons. Although there is no animation for this, the player can hear the reloading sounds.
*In Halo: Combat Evolved, the only ingame female character is shown (this excludes [[Miranda Keyes]], Foehammer and[[Cortana]] but [[Cortana]] isn't technically female, she's a [[AI]] and you can only hear Foehammer's voice) Back to the character, she is the the lifeboat pod pilot that the Chief gets into.
*Bungie mentioned that none of the characters in the E3 video for Halo:Combat Evolved had AI. In fact, all of the movement was scripted.
*Almost every weapon in the entire [[Halo trilogy]] was originally going to be in the game when Halo made its first appearance in 1999.
 
== References ==
<references/>
 
== Related Links ==
=== Internal ===
*[[Blam!]]
*[[Blam!]]
*[[Halo: Combat Evolved Credits]]
*[[Halo: Combat Evolved credits|Halo: Combat Evolved Credits]]
*[[Action Figures]]
*[[Archive:Xbox.com/Halo|Archived Xbox.com portal page for ''Halo: Combat Evolved'']]
*[[Halo: Combat Evolved Walkthroughs]]
*[[Halo Glitches and Tricks]]
*[[Halo PC]]
*[[Halo Cache Editor 0.7]]
*[[Halo: Combat Evolved (PC) patches ]]
*[[Halomaps.org]]
=== External ===
*[http://halo.bungie.net Official site]
*[http://www.haloeastereggs.net/eastereggs.php?gamename=Halo%20CE Halo 1 Easter Eggs]
*[http://www.xbox.com/en-us/halo/default.htm Official Xbox.com site]
*[http://www.mobygames.com/game/sheet/gameId,5368/ MobyGames' entry on ''Halo'']
*[http://halo.bungie.org Halo.Bungie.Org] ''Halo'' fansite and resource center
*[http://www.subnova.com/halopc/ Subnova.com] ''Halo'' information & FAQs
*[http://www.tazzy.nwactc.com/klikgamers/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=21&Itemid=26 Klik Gamers' ''Halo'' review]
*[http://www.apple.com/games/articles/2003/11/halo/ ''Halo'' for Mac OS X]
*[http://www.haloplanet.com/ Halo Planet]
*http://www.reference.com/browse/wiki/Halo%3A_Combat_Evolved
 
{{Halo Games}}


[[Category:Games|Halo 1]]
== External links ==
*[http://halo.bungie.net/Projects/Halo/default.aspx ''Official project page'' on '''Bungie.net''']
*[http://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/games/halocombatevolved#video_1 ''Halo: Combat Evolved'' on '''Halo Waypoint''']
*[https://medium.com/@Oozer3993/the-making-of-halo-how-combat-evolved-from-blam-part-1-f6b58fcc4ade#.i02dmu1px ''The Making of Halo: How Combat Evolved from Blam!— Part 1'']


[[de:Halo: Kampf um die Zukunft]]
{{Navbox/Media/Games}}
[[es:Halo: Combat Evolved]]
{{DEFAULTSORT:1, Halo}}
[[fr:Halo: Bataille Élaborée]]
[[Category:Halo: Combat Evolved| ]]
[[Category:Canon]]
[[Category:Bungie games]]

Latest revision as of 04:59, December 3, 2024

This article is about the game. For the Halo 5: Guardians and Halo Infinite medal, see Combat Evolved (medal).
Halo: Combat Evolved
Halo Combat Evolved cover.png

Developer(s):

Bungie Studios
Gearbox Software (PC)
Westlake Interactive (Mac)

Publisher(s):

Microsoft Game Studios
Gearbox Software (PC)
MacSoft (Mac)

Writer(s):

Joseph Staten

Composer(s):

Martin O'Donnell
Michael Salvatori

Engine:

Blam engine

Platform(s):

Xbox, PC, Mac

Release date(s):

Xbox:
US: November 15, 2001
UK: March 14, 2002
PC:
US: September 30, 2003
UK: October 10, 2003
Mac:
US: December 3, 2003

Genre(s):

First-person shooter

Mode(s):

Campaign
Multiplayer

Rating(s):

ESRB: Mature (M) for Blood, Gore, and Violence
PEGI: 16+ (Europe only post-2003)
ELSPA: 15+ (Europe only pre-2003)
USK: 18 (Germany only)
ACB: 15+ Restricted (R15+) for Medium Level Animated Violence

 

"Halo: Combat Evolved! Buy one! Heck, buy two! That's an order, soldier!"
— Sergeant Johnson upon completion of the Halo: Combat Evolved demo

Halo: Combat Evolved is a 2001 first-person shooter science-fiction video game developed by Bungie Studios and published by Microsoft Game Studios. It is the first game in the Halo series. It focuses on John-117 and the crew of the UNSC Pillar of Autumn who, fleeing from the Fall of Reach, stumble on the Forerunner Halo Installation 04, only to be forced into a desperate battle against the Covenant and the Flood. Considered a classic, Combat Evolved is one of the most popular video games for the Xbox with eight million copies sold. Its sales are rivaled only by its sequels, Halo 2 and Halo 3.

Halo: Combat Evolved was made available as an Xbox Original game title for Xbox 360 on December 4, 2007 for download on Xbox Live Marketplace for 1200 Microsoft Points.[1] It was also released for PC and Mac. The game was remastered as Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary and was released on the original game's tenth anniversary on November 15, 2011 for the Xbox 360. Along with Halo 2: Anniversary, Halo 3, and Halo 4, Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary was released on the Xbox One as part of Halo: The Master Chief Collection on November 11, 2014. Halo: The Master Chief Collection also features the multiplayer component of Combat Evolved, with online play enabled on dedicated servers.[2] All versions of the game besides The Master Chief Collection were removed from digital sale in 2020.[3]

Synopsis[edit]

Characters and setting[edit]

Halo's storyline is linear; there is a single ending in contrast to other first person shooters such as Deus Ex that could have several different endings. The storyline is presented to the player through an instruction manual, scripted events and conversations during the game, and a number of cut-scenes rendered using the game's graphics engine. This method of storyline delivery is common among modern video games. The Xbox version of Halo: Combat Evolved allows one player to play the campaign alone, as well as allowing two players to play through the campaign in split screen. The PC version of Halo: Combat Evolved allows only one player to play through the campaign.

Plot synopsis[edit]

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

Halo: Combat Evolved begins with the UNSC Pillar of Autumn emerging out of slipspace after the Fall of Reach, only to find a huge ring world—a "Halo"—floating in space. Master Chief Petty Officer John-117 (although his name is never mentioned throughout the game), a SPARTAN-II, is aboard the Pillar of Autumn when the ship comes under attack by the Covenant, a religious alliance of aliens and the archenemy of humanity.

With the ship about to be overrun, Captain Jacob Keyes, the commander of the Autumn, orders John-117 to protect the ship's artificial intelligence, Cortana. She carries highly sensitive information about the United Nations Space Command, including the location of Earth, which would prove disastrous if captured by the Covenant. John-117 evacuates the doomed ship to the surface of Halo in order to protect Cortana. With the UNSC Marines by his side, Cortana providing direction, and his assault rifle ready and loaded, John-117 sets out to uncover the mysteries of Halo and fight the Covenant.

After meeting up with surviving UNSC forces under Staff Sergeant Avery Johnson, John-117 participates in a mission to rescue Captain Keyes from the Covenant battlecruiser Truth and Reconciliation. After rescuing the Captain, Cortana learns that Halo appears to be a weapon that holds great religious significance to the Covenant. Realizing that the Covenant cannot be allowed to control Halo, Keyes dispatches John-117 to secure Halo's control room while he leaves with Johnson to secure a Covenant weapons cache.

With UNSC Marines as support, John-117 leads an assault on the Silent Cartographer, a map room which holds information on every location on the ring, including the control room. Heading to the ring's control room, Cortana is inserted into the ring's computer system and learns that Halo was made by the Forerunners, an ancient alien race that the Covenant worship as gods. However, Cortana soon learns that there is something else on Halo, something that terrifies the Covenant. Frightened, she says that John has to stop Keyes from accessing the "weapons cache" before it is too late. John-117 leaves for the last spot where Captain Keyes and Sergeant Johnson's squad were seen, an underground facility in a swamp. He finds evidence of battle all over the facility, and soon finds a recording of one Marine, which details Keyes' squad encountering a new threat: the Flood.

The Flood is a parasitic species which received their name due to the way they assimilate all resistance with overwhelming numbers. Free for the first time in a hundred thousand years, the Flood sweeps across Halo, devastating Human and Covenant forces alike. The release of the Flood prompts 343 Guilty Spark, the eccentric AI Monitor of the ring, to activate Halo's defense systems. The AI instructs the SPARTAN-II to activate Halo by obtaining the Activation Index from the Installation's Library. The Chief does so, battling hordes of Flood along the way, and returns to the control room. Before Halo initiates its systems, Cortana intervenes and tells John the truth about the Forerunner structure and its purpose- Halo was designed to eliminate the Flood threat by starving the Flood of any life source large enough to sustain them; when fired, it would essentially wipe out all sentient life in the galaxy. Realizing the threat of Halo, Cortana instructs John-117 to detonate the Autumn's fusion reactor. This detonation would result in the destruction of Halo, which was against 343 Guilty Spark's protocol.

Before doing so, the two sabotage three generators needed to power Halo, which buys them enough time to locate Captain Keyes, now succumbed to the Flood, and steal his neural implants to operate the Autumn. After battling his way through scattered and disorganized Covenant forces, the spreading Flood, and the Sentinels under direct command of 343 Guilty Spark, John-117 successfully overloads the ship's engine, and he and Cortana evacuate from Halo in a Longsword before the Autumn's engine detonates and destroys Halo. The pair appears to be the only survivors, and John-117 realizes that they are simply beginning a harrowing battle.

Spoilers end here.

Appearances[edit]

Characters

Human
AI
Sangheili
Mgalekgolo
Forerunner
  • IsoDidact (First mentioned) (Indirect mention)

Species and entities

Organizations

Locations

Events

Weapons

UNSC

Usable
Unusable

Covenant

Usable
Unusable

Forerunner

Unusable

Vehicles

United Nations Space Command

Usable
Unusable

Covenant

Usable
Unusable

Technology and equipment

Power-ups
Armor
Other



Gameplay[edit]

Halo: Combat Evolved's gameplay was characterized by several features which set it apart from less acclaimed first-person shooter games of its time.

  • Storyline execution: Halo: Combat Evolved's gameplay and storyline are tightly interwoven, delivered in a convincing manner consistent with the flow of the game.
  • Vehicular incorporation: Halo: Combat Evolved includes the option for players to control multiple land and air based vehicles in third-person view. This vantage brings a welcomed sense of immersion and enhances specific points of gameplay, again setting Halo apart from contemporary first person shooters.
  • Weapons system: Halo: Combat Evolved's new weapons system is unique in two major respects. The first is only allowing players to carry two weapons at a time, thus forcing the player to make trade-offs as they progress throughout the game. The second is a single, separate button for throwing grenades, making them much more significant in both campaign and multiplayer games.
  • Artificial intelligence: Halo: Combat Evolved's AI is quite sophisticated for its era. With a brand new advanced AI system, actions performed by the AI such as panicking after the death of a superior, diving out of the way of an oncoming vehicle, or taking cover from explosives and suppressive fire, helped Halo stand out from the rest of the first-person shooters being released at the time.

Movement in Halo is similar to other first-person shooters, allowing the player to move forwards, backwards, and strafe left and right (including diagonally) and jumping independently of their aim. On the Xbox, moving and aiming are normally separated between the two analogue sticks, and on the PC, between the keyboard and the mouse. Halo also allows the player to crouch and jump, although jumping from a high ledge will often result in death, or at least major fall damage. Damage from falling can be reduced or negated entirely with a well-timed crouch right as one lands. Additionally, if the player crouches at the peak of his jump, he will be able to land on something slightly taller than if he were to jump without crouching. Also, if the player is jumping from a cliff he can make sure he is touching the wall periodically while he is falling. This will count as if he is touching floor, and every time the player touches the wall, the damage counter goes to zero (there is no visible damage counter during gameplay).

Environment[edit]

Halo: Combat Evolved features a wide variety of environments including human and Covenant starships, ancient buildings on Halo itself, and expansive outdoor climates. The first level, Pillar of Autumn, is fought entirely on the human starship of the same name. The next level, Halo, takes place in a temperate highland climate with open-air Forerunner structures scattered about. This level also contains the famous "Blue Beam Towers". Truth and Reconciliation begin in a rocky desert, but the setting changes to the titular Covenant cruiser about one-third of the way through. The Silent Cartographer occurs on a tropical island, with substantial combat both outdoors and inside futuristic Forerunner installations. Assault on the Control Room takes place in a snowy, icy area of towering cliffs and underground tunnels as well as high-tech suspension bridges and oft-repeated Forerunner structures built into and through cliff walls.

343 Guilty Spark is a significant departure from these majestic environments, with combat in gloomy, exotic swamps and equally gloomy underground complexes that host the player's introduction to the Flood. The player is then teleported to the second of three entirely indoor levels, The Library, encountering repetitive, forbidding hallways and massive elevators. Master Chief returns to the snowy climate of Assault on the Control Room for Two Betrayals, visiting almost no new areas but, interestingly, travelling in the opposite direction. Keyes occurs in the same Covenant ship from Truth and Reconciliation, albeit now heavily damaged, but this time the Flood are present in huge numbers. Finally, The Maw is set on the Pillar of Autumn with three major differences: the presence of the Flood, the heavy structural damage, and access to the Engineering section and service corridors of the ship, which were previously off-limits. In total, six of the ten levels feature a substantial amount of combat outdoors.

Player damage system[edit]

In Halo: Combat Evolved, the player has a limited, non-regenerating health, which can be fully restored by picking up health packs. Running completely out of health will result in death, but having lower health does not impede player actions. A player's health can be reduced only if his shields have been depleted. If the player's health is at minimal levels they will faintly hear John-117's heartbeat.

Serving as the first layer of protection is the shielding system specially built for the MJOLNIR Mk. V armor. The shield will decrease in strength every time it is hit by a weapon and will fail after taking too many hits or freefall from certain altitude. The amount of shield drain depends on the attacker's weapon but will quickly regenerate if it is not hit for a brief period of time. The shield represents a marked departure from most first-person shooters, in which one's health bar is basically augmented by picking up "armor".

Damage Environment Mechanics[edit]

In Halo: Combat Evolved, splatter kills are an easy task for all vehicles. With a simple touch, most characters, including John-117 and Hunters can die instantly. This also includes the Shade Turret; if the Turret moves and hits someone, the victim will die instantly. Fall damage also has limits; if falling speed exceeds the maximum shield and health cap, the player will be killed instantly, regardless of whether they are touching a wall in the environment, though the damage can be nullified if player is using vehicles, unless out of bounds. Scorpion tanks and Warthogs are invulnerable to any attack, with damage taken to either vehicles will instead be applied to the driver. Ghosts and Banshees, however, can be destroyed if the pilot is mounting it.

Campaign[edit]

The campaign in Halo: Combat Evolved can be played by single-player or cooperatively. In cooperative play, the second player takes control of an identical copy of the Master Chief. This second player, however, will not appear in any cutscene in the game.

The game's campaign consists of ten levels:

  1. The Pillar of Autumn - "Escape intact as Covenant forces board your ship."
  2. Halo - "Seek out surviving Marines and help them fight the Covenant."
  3. The Truth and Reconciliation - "Board a Covenant ship in an attempt to rescue Captain Keyes."
  4. The Silent Cartographer - "Search for the map room that will lead you to the secrets of Halo."
  5. Assault on the Control Room - "Defend the Control Room against wave after wave of Covenant troops."
  6. 343 Guilty Spark - "Creep through a swamp to meet the only enemy the Covenant fear."
  7. The Library - "Fight your way through an ancient security facility in search of the Index."
  8. Two Betrayals - "Re-activate the weapon at the heart of Halo... and learn the truth."
  9. Keyes - "Stage a one-cyborg assault on a Covenant ship and bring back the Captain."
  10. The Maw - "Destroy Halo before Halo destroys all life in the galaxy."

Multiplayer[edit]

Up to four players can play together using the same-console splitscreen mode. It is also possible for up to 16 players to play together in one Halo game over a local area network, using Xbox and/or Xbox 360 consoles that have been connected through an Ethernet hub, or via XB Connect. The game's seamless support for this type of play, and a few large maps that can accommodate up to 16 combatants, is a first for console games. Since the game was released before the launch of Xbox Live, mainstream online play was not available for this title.

A total of 13 multiplayer maps are available:

Development[edit]

Main article: Development of Halo: Combat Evolved

Design[edit]

Main article: Pre-Xbox Halo
An early screenshot of Halo: Combat Evolved.
The first official screenshot of Halo.
Cool looking cyborgs, broken Halos, dodgy graphics. Is this 1998 or 2022 Halo?
The old heads-up display and a Halo that has fallen under disrepair. This design was eventually incorporated into Halo 3.

On July 21, 1999, during the Macworld Conference & Expo, Steve Jobs announced that Halo would be released for Mac OS and Windows simultaneously.[4] Before this public announcement, game industry journalists under a non-disclosure agreement had previewed the game in a private showing during E3 1999, and were reportedly amazed.[5] Bungie Studios later stated an even earlier development build of the game centered on real-time strategy and was "basically Myth in a sci-fi universe."[6]

At E3 2000, the first trailer of Halo was well-received.[7] The version shown there differed greatly from the one exhibited previously, marking the first major overhaul in the game's development.[8] At this point, Halo was a third-person action game, in which a transport starship crashlands on a mysterious ring world that orbits a star. Early versions of Covenant aliens appear in great numbers and loot what they can, and war erupts between them and the humans. Unable to match the technologically advanced alien race, the humans on the ring world resort to guerrilla warfare.[9] This version of the game featured Halo-specific fauna, which were later dropped because of design difficulties and the creatures' "detract from the surprise, drama and impact of the Flood."[10]

Microsoft announced on June 19, 2000 that it had acquired Bungie Studios.[11] Halo became an exclusive game for Microsoft's Xbox, and Bungie Studios rewrote the game's engine, heavily altering its presentation and turning it into a first-person shooter.[12] Originally a key element, the game's online multiplayer component was dropped because Xbox Live would be unfinished at the time of Halo's release. While a playable demonstration of the game at Gamestock 2001 was well-received,[13] critics had mixed reactions to its exhibition at E3 2001.[14][15][16] Roughly 90% of the final product was developed in just nine months of development, with team members working 16–20 hours a day for six days per week between January and October 2001.[17]

The novel Halo: The Fall of Reach by Eric Nylund was commissioned by Microsoft to serve as a prequel to Halo: Combat Evolved. During the writing of The Fall of Reach, Bungie reportedly almost cancelled the novel but was convinced by Eric S. Trautmann to approve it in exchange for himself, Matt Soell and Brannon Boren writing an estimated "80 percent" of the in-game dialogue of Halo: Combat Evolved. The dysfunctional relationship between Bungie and the Microsoft team working on the game created some disconnect - the notorious "this cave is not a natural formation" line was caused by Bungie promising that the environment would not be immediately obvious as an artificial formation. According to Trautmann, a number of Bungie employees resented the presence of Microsoft employees.[18]

The game was released in North America simultaneously with the Xbox, on November 15, 2001; the "Combat Evolved" subtitle was an addition by marketers at Microsoft, who felt that Halo alone was not a descriptive enough title to compete with other military-themed games.[19]

Audio[edit]

Main article: Music of Halo: Combat Evolved
The cover of the Halo: Original Soundtrack.
Cover art.

Halo's soundtrack was created by Bungie Studios' audio director, Martin O'Donnell, and received a large amount of praise from many critics. Martin O'Donnell has stated that his goal was to provide "a feeling of importance, weight, and sense of the 'ancient'."[20] He designed the music so that it "could be dissembled and remixed in such a way that would give [him] multiple, interchangeable loops that could be randomly recombined in order to keep the piece interesting as well as a variable length". Development involved the creation of "alternative middle sections that could be transitioned to if the game called for such a change (i.e. less or more intense)."[21]

Martin O'Donnell has remarked that he "sat with the level designers and 'spotted' the level as though it was a movie, with the knowledge that the music would have to be malleable rather than static... [T]he level designer would tell me what he hoped a player would feel at certain points or after accomplishing certain tasks". Based on this information, O'Donnell would "go back and develop appropriate music cues, then have the designer script the cues into the level, and then we'd play through it to see if it worked as desired."[22] He explained that the use of music in Halo is sparse because he believes that "[music] is best used in a game to quicken the emotional state of the player and it works best when used least", and that "[if] music is constantly playing it tends to become sonic wallpaper and loses its impact when it is needed to truly enhance some dramatic component of game play."[23]

Halo: Original Soundtrack[edit]

Main article: Halo: Original Soundtrack

Halo: Original Soundtrack, composed and produced by Martin O'Donnell and Michael Salvatori for the video game Halo: Combat Evolved, is one CD comprising 26 tracks. Some editions include a bonus DVD with game trailers for Halo 2. Most of the music from Halo: Combat Evolved is present on the CD, although some songs are remixed and some tracks are intermixed with others in medley form. It was released in 2001.

Marketing and release[edit]

Demonstration[edit]

Main article: Halo E3 2000 Trailer

In 2000 at E3, Bungie showed off a trailer of the upcoming game to the public. This trailer featured Marines along with the Master Chief scouting out a Forerunner structure and the Covenant fighting them. During this trailer there was still no active AI so all the Covenant was actually controlled by Bungie. This trailer was before the conversion to the Xbox as an FPS.

Viral campaign[edit]

Main article: Cortana Letters

Before Halo: Combat Evolved was released, a series of cryptic emails were sent to marathon.bungie.org. The emails were supposedly written by Cortana, but the contents written were greatly out of her character. Her hacking skills, however, were shown, having some of the messages from other email accounts and even from the 1.3 version of the Bungie game Myth: The Fallen Lords CD. These messages provided a small glimpse of the Halo Trilogy plot.

Package[edit]

The game shipped with a game disc, and a manual detailing how to play the game and why everything is happening so far in the story.

Reception[edit]

Halo was the main launch title for Xbox and is said to be the game that made the Xbox what it is today. It was widely renowned for saving the fledgling Xbox platform, as the Xbox lacked any titles to compete with Sony's PlayStation 2 or Nintendo's GameCube. Halo became an overnight success and managed to drive the platform from the brink of an early death. It went on to sell 6.43 million copies; in other words, 26% of all Xbox owners also owned Halo.[24][25]

It was also critically acclaimed. IGN gave the game a 9.7 out of 10 and stated it to be the best Xbox game of all time. X-Play gave it a perfect 5 out of 5. The game got a perfect ten from EGM, and was 2002 Game of the Year for IGN, EGM, OXM, and AIAS. It got a 9.5 out of 10 from Game Informer, and an average meta-score of 97 out of 100, making it the most highly rated Xbox game of all time. It also got a score of 9.0 for the PC version and 9.7 for the Xbox version from Gamespot. It was also called the game that reinvented a genre. OXM rated Halo: CE Number 1 in a list of the 100 best games of recent memory, saying "The Xbox did not create Halo, Halo made the Xbox".

Rereleases[edit]

  • 2003 - Rereleased for PC and Mac platforms as Halo: Combat Evolved for PC.
  • 2004 - Rereleased with a special version of the Xbox in the United States, Australia and New Zealand. This version was translucent green and came with a copy of Halo: Combat Evolved and a matching translucent green Controller S. The console case featured the Halo logo and the words "Special Edition"; the controller had a jewel that had the Halo logo in place of the normal Xbox logo. The version of Halo that came with this bundle was identical to other versions of Halo, with the exception of a "NOT FOR RESALE" notice placed on the front of the game case. - [26]
  • 2004 - Rereleased as part of Action Double Pack which included Brute Force and Halo: Combat Evolved.[27]
  • 2005 - Rereleased as part of the Halo Triple Pack which contained Halo: Combat Evolved, Halo 2, and Halo 2 Multiplayer Map Pack.
  • 2007 - Rereleased as part of the Japan exclusive Halo History Pack, which contained Halo: Combat Evolved, Halo 2, and a sneak peek of Halo 3,[28] and as part of Xbox LIVE's Xbox Originals.
  • 2011 - Remade as Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary to tie in with Halo's tenth anniversary.
  • 2014 - Rerelease of Anniversary as part of Halo: The Master Chief Collection on Xbox One, with the original Halo multiplayer compatible for the first time ever with console matchmaking.
  • 2020 - Rerelease of Anniversary as part of Halo: The Master Chief Collection on Windows 10 and Steam.

Original Halo team[edit]

Project Lead
Jason Jones
Lead Producer
Hamilton Chu
Executive Producer
Alexander Seropian
Producer
Rick Ryan
Programmers
Chris Butcher
Bernie Freidin
Charlie Gough
Mat Noguchi
Matt Segur
Art Director
Marcus Lehto
Assistant Art Lead
Steve Abeyta
Artists
Eric Arroyo
Chris Barrett
Mark Bernal
David Dunn
Chris Hughes
Stephen Okasaki
Chris Lee
Robert McLees
Paul Russel
Shi Kai Wang
Michael Wu
Brian Schultz
Lead Designer
John Howard
Designers
Paul Bertone
Tyson Green
Jaime Griesemer
Dan Orzulak
Additional Writing
Brannon Boren
Matt Soell
Eric Trautmann
Multiplayer Lead Programmer
Michael Evans
Multiplayer Programmers
Adrian Perez
Stefan Sinclair
Multiplayer Lead Designer
Hardy LeBel
Multiplayer Artists
Chris Carney
David Dunn
Peter Marks
David Moore
Stephen Okasaki
User Interface Lead
Max Hoberman
User Interface Designer
David Candland
User Interface Programmer
Stefan Sinclair
Cinematics Director
Joseph Staten
Cinematic Artists
Steve Abeyta
Paul Clift
Adam Crockett
Lorraine McLees
Stephen Okasaki
Craig Mullins
Lee Wilson
Audio Lead/Original Music
Martin O'Donnell
Additional Music
Michael Salvatori
Sound Designers
Jay Weinland
Adam Tewes
Test Manager
Harold Ryan
Test Leads
Curtis Creamer
Ryan Hylland
Keith Steury
Testers
Chris Chamberlain
Mike Cody
Chuck Cooper
Erik Davis
John Frey
Rick Lockyear
Paul Peterson
Zach Russel
Mathew Shimbaku
Luke Timmins
Jeff Wilson
Roger Wolfson
Voice Talent
Keny Boynton
Tim Dadabo
Mark Dias
Steve Downes
Todd Licea
Mike Madeoy
Andy Mckaige
Tawnya Pettiford-Waites
David Scully
Pete Stacker
Jeff Steitzer
Jen Taylor
Chris Wicklund
Additional voices
Folks at Bungie
Damage and Spin
Matt Soell
Draft Dodgers
Pete Demoreuille
Tom Gioconda
Joshua Grass
Justin Hayward
Jason Major
Juan Ramirez
Bob Settles
Product Manager
Steve Fowler
Product Planner
Jon Kimmch
Localization Program Manager
Ji Hong

Production notes[edit]

  • Halo: Combat Evolved was not the original title made by Bungie; the original title of the game had always been intended to be simply "Halo". The subtitle "Combat Evolved", which Bungie has stated they "hated", was suggested by Microsoft Game Studios during the Halo's development phase in order to make the title more descriptive and indicative of a shooter game.[29]
  • There are 8,087 lines of dialog, most of them randomly triggered during combat.[30]
  • The Halo: Combat Evolved box art shows the Banshees in the background in their pilotless stance, yet they are still flying. Similarly, they are shown firing thin beams, rather than the bolts that they actually fire in-game.
  • Halo: Combat Evolved was originally going to have most of the weapons that were introduced in Halo 2 and Halo 3, but due to time constraint, most of the weapons were cut from the final version.[31]
  • In the game's manual, the Okarda'phaa-pattern plasma rifle's blueprint is an overlap of a needler underneath and the rifle on top.
  • Halo was originally planned to have a changing weather system which was mentioned in the August 2000 issue of PC Gamer magazine.[32]

Gallery[edit]

Cover art[edit]

  • Title art.

    Title art.

  • Pre-release cover art (note the absence of gas around Threshold and the darker Banshee to the left).

    Pre-release cover art (note the absence of gas around Threshold and the darker Banshee to the left).

  • Cover art variant used in the "Classics" and "Platinum Hits" covers for the game.

    Cover art variant used in the "Classics" and "Platinum Hits" covers for the game.

  • Unused cover art variant.

    Unused cover art variant.

  • The "Japan" cover for the game.

    The "Japan" cover for the game.

  • The "Classics" cover for the game.

    The "Classics" cover for the game.

  • The "Platinum Hits" cover for the game.

    The "Platinum Hits" cover for the game.

  • Cover art mockup created by Paul Russel.

    Cover art mockup created by Paul Russel.

  • The "Prerelease" cover for the game.

    The "Prerelease" cover for the game.

  • Halo CE Steel Prototype Case.

    Halo CE Steel Prototype Case.

  • Halo CE Steel Prototype Case (side).

    Halo CE Steel Prototype Case (side).

  • Halo CE Steel Prototype Case (back).

    Halo CE Steel Prototype Case (back).

  • Another version of the cover art without text and logos, used on the cover of the June 2002 issue of the Japanese Famitsu Xbox magazine.[33]

    Another version of the cover art without text and logos, used on the cover of the June 2002 issue of the Japanese Famitsu Xbox magazine.[33]

  • A weapon charm in Halo Infinite featuring the cover of Halo: Combat Evolved.

    A weapon charm in Halo Infinite featuring the cover of Halo: Combat Evolved.

Concept art[edit]

  • Concept sketches for the game's logo.

    Concept sketches for the game's logo.

  • Concept art for the ring's control room.

    Concept art for the ring's control room.

  • Sangheili concept art.

    Sangheili concept art.

  • Hunter concept art.

    Hunter concept art.

  • Installation 04 concept art.

    Installation 04 concept art.

  • Installation 04 concept art.

    Installation 04 concept art.

  • Installation 04 concept art.

    Installation 04 concept art.

  • Installation 04 concept art.

    Installation 04 concept art.

  • Installation 04 concept art.

    Installation 04 concept art.

  • Installation 04 concept art.

    Installation 04 concept art.

  • Installation 04 concept art.

    Installation 04 concept art.

  • Installation 04 concept art.

    Installation 04 concept art.

  • Installation 04 concept art.

    Installation 04 concept art.

  • Installation 04 concept art.

    Installation 04 concept art.

  • Installation 04 concept art.

    Installation 04 concept art.

Promotional images[edit]

  • The Master Chief next to a Scorpion and marines.

    The Master Chief next to a Scorpion and marines.

  • The Master Chief leading marines.

    The Master Chief leading marines.

  • The Master Chief fighting the Covenant.

    The Master Chief fighting the Covenant.

  • The Master Chief holding a shotgun.

    The Master Chief holding a shotgun.

  • The Master Chief flying a Banshee.

    The Master Chief flying a Banshee.

  • The Master Chief using a flamethrower against a hunter.

    The Master Chief using a flamethrower against a hunter.

  • The Master Chief fighting the Covenant.

    The Master Chief fighting the Covenant.

  • The Master chief next to the gravity lift of the Truth and Reconciliation.

    The Master chief next to the gravity lift of the Truth and Reconciliation.

  • The Master Chief next to two Scorpion tanks and dead grunts.

    The Master Chief next to two Scorpion tanks and dead grunts.

  • The Master Chief using a flamethrower against jackals.

    The Master Chief using a flamethrower against jackals.

  • The Master Chief driving a Warthog.

    The Master Chief driving a Warthog.

Screenshots[edit]

  • The Master Chief firing an assault rifle.

    The Master Chief firing an assault rifle.

  • First-person view of the needler and a Sangheili Minor.

    First-person view of the needler and a Sangheili Minor.

  • First-person view of the rocket launcher.

    First-person view of the rocket launcher.

  • The Master Chief watches as a beacon fires.

    The Master Chief watches as a beacon fires.

  • The marine on Master Chief's Warthog firing the mounted machine gun.

    The marine on Master Chief's Warthog firing the mounted machine gun.

  • The Master Chief and a group of marines onboard a Covenant ship.

    The Master Chief and a group of marines onboard a Covenant ship.

  • Two Kig-Yar using plasma pistols.

    Two Kig-Yar using plasma pistols.

  • The Covenant Banshee and Spirit dropship.

    The Covenant Banshee and Spirit dropship.

  • The Master Chief in a swamp.

    The Master Chief in a swamp.

  • The Master Chief encounters a marine.

    The Master Chief encounters a marine.

  • The Flood approaches the Master Chief.

    The Flood approaches the Master Chief.

  • The Master Chief fighting the Flood.

    The Master Chief fighting the Flood.

  • A Sangheili Zealot and a defeated Flood attacker form.

    A Sangheili Zealot and a defeated Flood attacker form.

  • Two Unggoy surrounded by the Flood.

    Two Unggoy surrounded by the Flood.

  • The Master Chief and Cortana.

    The Master Chief and Cortana.

  • The Master Chief watches as a damaged Pelican approach him.

    The Master Chief watches as a damaged Pelican approach him.

Sources[edit]

  1. ^ Xbox Marketplace: Halo: Combat Evolved
  2. ^ Halo Waypoint: Halo: The Master Chief Collection
  3. ^ Halo Waypoint: Sunsetting Halo Xbox 360 Game Services in 2021
  4. ^ IGN: Heavenly "Halo"
  5. ^ PC Gamer: Your first look at... "Halo"
  6. ^ Bungie.net: Inside Bungie: History
  7. ^ Blue's News: Blue's News Best of E3 2000
  8. ^ halo.bungie.org: Frequently Asked Questions about "Halo"
  9. ^ Computer Gaming World: Games That Will Change Gaming
  10. ^ Bungie.net: One Million Years B.X. (Before Xbox)
  11. ^ Microsoft: Microsoft to Acquire Bungie Software
  12. ^ GameCritics: "Halo" (Xbox) Preview
  13. ^ IGN: Playable "Halo" at GameStock
  14. ^ halo.bungie.org: "Next Generation Magazine"
  15. ^ FiringSquad: 2001 E3 Part 1'
  16. ^ halo.bungie.org: "GamePro"
  17. ^ Paul Russel on Twitter
  18. ^ The Sci Fi Show: Episode 005: DC Reboot/Eric Trautmann
  19. ^ Edge: A Space Odyssey ("Quote" Jaime Griesemer: At the time, Microsoft marketing thought Halo was not a good name for a videogame brand. It wasn't descriptive like all the military games we were competing with. We told them Halo was the name. The compromise was they could add a subtitle. Everyone at Bungie hated it. But it turned out to be a very sticky label and has now entered the gaming lexicon… so I guess in hindsight it was a good compromise. But the real name of the game is just Halo.)
  20. ^ Xbox.com: Just the Right Sense of Ancient
  21. ^ Music4Games: The Use and Effectiveness of Audio in "Halo": Game Music Evolved
  22. ^ Music4Games: The Use and Effectiveness of Audio in Halo: Game Music Evolved
  23. ^ halo.bungie.org: Producing Audio for "Halo"
  24. ^ VG Chartz: Halo: Combat Evolved
  25. ^ VG Chartz: Platforms
  26. ^ xfusion2010 - Xbox Halo Combat Evolved edition
  27. ^ IGN - Call it Halo Force
  28. ^ Gamespot Halo History Pack
  29. ^ ComputerAndVideoGame: Microsoft forced Bungie to accept 'Combat Evolved' name
  30. ^ halo.bungie.org, Halo Dialogue Statistics - November 12, 2007
  31. ^ Youtube: Evolution of Halo Part 2: Pre-Xbox 1999 Version to 2000 Demo
  32. ^ halo.bungie.org: PC Gamer August 2000
  33. ^ Yahoo! Japan, ヤフオク! - 0612g-030 ファミ通Xbox 2002.6 エンターブレイ... (Retrieved on Jun 27, 2020) [archive]

See also[edit]

External links[edit]

v • d • e
 
List of games in the Halo franchise
Original trilogy
Sequel FPS games
Standalone FPS games
Strategy games
Twin-stick shooter games
Virtual reality games
Arcade games
Game compilations
Mobile games
Tabletop games
Board games
Cancelled projects
Rejected pitches and internal prototypes
*Asterisks indicate upcoming releases
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