Halo: The Master Chief Collection Review

Halo: The Master Chief Collection
Developed By: 343 Industries
Published By: Microsoft Studios
Date of Release: November 11, 2014
Price: $59.99

The year was 2001. The PC software giant Microsoft broke into the console gaming market in a massive way, with the launch of its Xbox console. Alongside that particular console they launched what would become it's killer app, Halo: Combat Evolved. Starring the heroic supersoldier Master Chief, it led payers on an epic journey as they waged war against a fanatical religious collective of alien races known as the covenant. Winning countless Game of The Year awards for it's massive single player campaign, as well as it's explosive split-screen multiplayer, Halo would go on to become THE flagship series for Microsoft in the years to come. Ever since the launch of the first game, every Halo release ever since, be it sequel or spinoff, has been quite an event. And now 343 Studios has taken the four mainline Halo titles, and crammed them together into one sweet package that is bursting at the seams with action.



When you start up the Master Chief Collection, you are immediately able to dive in to ANY point in all four campaigns through the unified menu system that ties the whole experience together. Got a favorite mission? Feel free to play it to your heart's content! Everything is unlocked for you right off the bat,which is perfect for series veterans who want to relive their favorite moments. On top of that there are a new set of playlists that spice up the campaign in very interesting ways. there's even a LASO (Legendary, All Skulls On) playlist for each game, which presents the ULTIMATE CHALLENGE for hardcore gamers. Prepare to die. A lot. I'm not kidding.



The Halo: Master Chief Collection goodies start off with the fabulous Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary from the Xbox 360 in all it's glory, upgraded to run in full 1080p at 60FPS. Then we have the meat of the collection, Halo 2 Anniversary. Built from the ground up for the Xbox One, it brings Halo 2 screaming forward into current gen with all new graphics, a fully remastered soundtrack courtesy of Skywalker Studios, and GORGEOUS new cinematics made by the wonderful folks at Blur. And just as with the original Halo Anniversary you can at any time press the View button to toggle between the remastered graphics and the originals, making for one hell of a shocking comparison. Last but not least we have the wonderful journeys of Halo 3 and 4 in their entirety, again running at 60fps 1080p.



For those who love multiplayer, are you in for a treat. EVERY SINGLE MULTIPLAYER MAP EVER is included. Even the exclusives from Halo Combat Evolved on PC. The "virtual couch" is back, and better than ever. Not only that, but six of the greatest Halo 2 maps have been given the Anniversary Edition treatment. The detail added to these maps is nothing short of amazing, and in no way does it ever interfere with the playability. Plus now you get Gungooses(Gungeese? Gungeeses? QUAD BIKES THAT GO SHOOTY!). F**K YES, GUNGOOSE! Now you can gun down your foes, and roll over their corpses while pulling sick stunts! OOH RAH!



Sadly though not everything can be perfect in Halo-land... Unfortunately, be it by licensing issues or just a darn strange design choice, the absolutely awesome rock-epic Blow me Away by Breaking Benjamin has been replaced in Halo 2 anniversary by... well, it's a really odd bit of buttrock riffs strung together somewhat dissonantly. It kinda kills the feel of the end of the Gravemind mission, let me tell you that. But seriously that is the only negative thing that I can possibly say about Halo: The Master Chief Collection. Here we have the Chief's entire saga in one package, all running at 60FPS in 1080p. PLUS you get the entirety of Ridley Scott's Halo Nightfall TV series when it launches. How can it get any better than that? I don't normally assign a numerical score to my reviews, but today I'll break tradition and give Halo: The Master Chief Collection a whopping 11/10 Halo Rings. Get thee to a gamery, and buy it!