Be Excellent To Each Other

The hour is about seven weeks from being upon us, but I wanted to start the official thread.

Best deal is thirty quid from Sainsbury's using this code here: SETOK12

You're welcome. Of course ordering from elsewhere will get you a free Halo buttplug for your avatar and an in-game clitoral piercing for your Spartan. Every shop in the universe has some exclusive bullshit.

The Halo franchise is finished for me. Nicely bookended with 3 and Reach, I still have Anniversary to go at, and afterwards I'll leave it there, thanks.

See also: Gears of War.

Reach was fucking appalling, but I'm still interested in this one. For some reason.

I've been watching those videos they've released. Looks like it could be good.

Have we really not got a Halo 4 thread? I've been saving £2.53 a week for this for 26 weeks so when it comes out, I'll have enough for it and won't notice the money gone. Clever hey?

Anyway, yes... looking forward to it.

I really like HAlo, but i am not sure I can be notheres

...Dave?

Halo Team: Assemble!

Right, as the publicity machine spins into gear, two this have happened.

1: Lots of info and trailers and stuff are out, and it is looking very tidy indeed.

2: The game has leaked, spoilers are FUCKING EVERYWHERE and we all have to stay off the Internet until November 6th.

Is anyone watching Forward Unto Dawn? It's a fairly standard Starship Troopers-light boot camp effort so far, with the guy who has an older brother in the field, and is a troubled but brilliant soldier who gets a lot of bollockings. He's got a pretty girl who he isn't quite in a relationship with, a mate who is onto something relating to... something... and the usual Malfoy and Snape tropes R present and correct. What it also does is manage to look like a fairly believable Halo universe with people caning about in Warthogs. Looks like we might get some Covenant "First Contact" next week as well.

It's on Waypoint and YouTube.

For me, it's been increasingly difficult to get excited about Halo. You know exactly what you'll be getting each time: a bland story, the same massive but unexciting architecture, little atmosphere, few thrills, solid shooting, great AI, groovy physics and of course a fantastic multiplayer package. It's largely dependable but the campaign has always been lacking in pure adrenaline and excitement since Haluno, and that was probably because it was fresh back then.

So I'll pick it up but will I get goosebumps playing the single player campaign? I doubt it.

If solid shooting, great AI, groovy physics and fantastic multiplayer isn't enough, try a different game. I think you may enjoy Skyrim, based on what you say is missing from this.

It'll entertain, I'm sure, but its impending release is not filling my pants with moist lumpy fish smells.

The highlight of Reach for me was the mission where you flew around New Alexandria being given assignments in the various buildings. My rotary wing aircraft fetish may be influencing me here.

What I'm saying is that it didn't have any truly awesome moment like battling two Scarabs simultaneously like in Halo 3, or the escape down the highway of ODST.

I hope for Halo 4 they straighten themselves out but I found that they were (surprise!) chasing the Call of Duty crowd too much, throwing in an obsession and stupid perks/powers.

What am I saying? Stupid Perks!

Forward Unto Dawn episode 3: Episode Squeeeeeeee! More like. And it looks to be little more than a trailer for episode 4. Alongside the warthogs and people saying Haloey stuff, they've now added:



All in all, I rather like it now, even with the formulaic beginnings. It's just fanboy shiny distraction stuff, but so what? I wasn't expecting Galactica. As I'm buying the game anyway, this is just a nice little bonus.

Admittedly, I haven't paid attention if it's been said in this thread... But where can I watch these?

Well I for one am massively looking forward to this.

I even waded through halo cryptum in preparation. Which is shit. Really shit. Really really shit.

I rather like Cryptum, for a couple of quid. FUD can be viewed on Waypoint or Machinima Wotsit, via YouTube, iirc.

Red vs Blue is the only Halo thing in the world.

Apparently there's some sort of reason Red and Blue are at it in Halo 4. Should be a laugh.

Racism?

I think whatever it is will be Griff's fault.

I've just read about the map pack thingy... 2000 points will get you 3 map packs released next year.

That's about all I got from what I read.. Don't blame me, I kept getting interrupted.

One more thing, the collectors pack comes with this already which makes it pretty good value I reckon.

5 out of 5, Joystiq

8/10 Yerpghernks.

Hmm, another one to add to the growing list then.

I traded in Kinect and the associated jumping about games early this week picking up Borderlands 2, Forza Horizon and putting £5 on Halo 4 down in the process. I don't think I've ever "pre-ordered" a game in my 30 odd years of gaming.

This is really pushing my buttons and a cursory glance (trying to avoid spoliers) at those reviews just increases my pre release salivation. As a somewhat jaded old gamer it's actually quite refreshing to get this excited about something again.

So it's bound to be shit then. Sorry all.

Haven't read the reviews, but gotta say the 'cinematic' trailer they show on TV all the damn time is pretty awesome.

This worried me though.

No one is going to be brave enough to say this game is rubbish though are they?

Not that it will be.. It'll be ace! I've just had my confirmation from ShopTo that I've been charged for it. Can't wait.

I liked the olden days of 4 player co-op with Curly, Larry and Moe. I'd like more of that.

I don't want more ODST, that was a dry experience.

Reach was ok.

Í will get it if others do. And then no doubt be disappointed at how hard it is to get nougj peolpe to play.

Yeah, nougj peolpe is so busy these days.

Barely see him now.

Ha.. You beat me to it.

I hope we can get some Bezzie fun on the go with this. We played Reach a few times and that was really good fun.

Although the rocket race was inferior to halo 3s.

Little will top the first rocket racing we did. Except maybe Dimrills experiments with whiskey and Halo.

Broadly speaking the reviews seem to love it. I am tumescent with anticipation for this now.

I am slightly worried about tales of copying Call of Duty mechanics.

Well that was in Reach, too. Armour unlocks and all that crap.

Yeah, but that was just graphics, not gameplay changes that you unlocked.

I'll be getting this fo sho. Not sure if I'll grab it day one, though.

Aye, the review I read said as you level up you get better guns, which even COD doesn't do (that only gives perks and equipment and alternative guns).

It seems that while there is unlocking, it won't take forever to get everything, so it's more of a means of encouraging people to have a go of this, then a go of that, then the other until each player has a reasonable chance of being effective with everything. If it works well, it'll prevent people getting a favourite combo and sticking with it regardless, which in team games is annoying when someone out of rabid preference perseveres with inappropriate load outs or abilities to the detriment of the team.

I don't know, it might be a clusterfuck, it might be fine and it might be a genius move. I think any steps in the wrong direction will be countered in playlists eventually, Halo has long been good at ensuring there's a balance in the lists for me... and Halo 5 will probably drop anything that doesn't work well in 4.

The Yerpgonks review is both interminable and far too short, warbling at length about absolutely nothing. Gillen would be proud.

8/10, no less.

That was a fucking horrible review, mercifully the consensus is that it rocks tits.

Have we all seen Forward Unto Dawn episode 5? Hunters, Pelicans and Jilrahae. Sets Spartan Ops up nicely. Been watching some gameplay videos, warned the 'first killionaire' and the game looks faster and harder online. I am excited and terrified.

This turned up today along with a massive list of jobs to do tonight. The chances of me getting to play it are slim.... Bugger.

Post it to GovernmentYard.

Good idea.. It's on its way.

Second class.

Ooohhhh, harsh

I'm sorry GY, I'm only messing with you... Hopefully yours will turn up tomorrow. I still think you'll play it before I do, I've still got stacks of stuff to do and I'm running out of time!

Mucking about on here doesn't help I guess.

I haz this, plus a code for some armour.

Probably pink knowing my luck.