Finally a sneak peek into some of the most anticipated games of the year. E3 2012 (Electronics Entertainment Expo) managed to stun as anticipated and developers from major companies made it a point to try and outdo one and another with brilliant live action and gameplay trailers, boasting the latest in gaming technology. So for the next couple of weeks I’m going to be looking at the highlights of E3 2012 and what that means for enthusiastic gamers and their favourite games.
Halo 4
Let me start with Halo 4. The first trailer released earlier basically set the plot straight: a new trilogy where the Master Chief is battling it out in an unidentified forerunner planet inhabited by an “ancient evil”. The New trailer expands on that plot and also gives us a glimpse into the sub-plot and the stunning gameplay.
The plot (as we know it)
The last time we saw the chief, he was in the process of being sucked into a giant planet. In the new trailer (combination of live action and gameplay) we see the commissioning of the UNSC Infinity, the first warship in a generation to explore the cosmos with a peaceful mandate. The ship doesn’t look like the starships in the previous Halo games and that is probably because during the interval (4+ years) humanity has managed to incorporate a lot of forerunner and covenant technology. As a result, the basic shape of the ship remains the same but the design details are quite different and more aesthetic. The UNSC manages to stumble upon the same planet the chief was sucked into (probably thanks to the beacon deployed by Cortana) and crashes into the planet.
As the ship crashes into the planet we see the chief and Cortana monitoring its decent and just before they start following it, an unknown AI, which looks bigger than a dropship, comes out of nowhere and flies towards the ship. That unknown AI is probably the “monitor” of the planet. As the chief nears the Infinity, he comes across hostile elements consisting of both the Covenant and the planet’s AI defenses. It seems like a three way battle and as the Infinity becomes overwhelmed the Chief tries to make his way into the ship only to be stopped by some of the AI defenses. At this point we also see the first glimpse into Forerunner weapons technology that can be picked up like a regular gun. The new weapons look stunning and are capable of self-assembly when picked up.
Another sub-plot is Cortana’s gradual descent into rampage. She mentions that she was commissioned eight years ago and AIs begin to degrade after 7. The last cut-scene shows an angry looking Cortana threatening whoever that she will not let him/her leave the planet.
So four things have been confirmed: UNSC, Covenant, Cortana and the unknown AI of the planet. I’m assuming that all three major factions will be fighting it out with each other while the Chief struggles to manage an increasingly unstable Cortana and tries to stop the AI, but we shall see.
Combat and Gameplay
There are a number of noticeable changes to the gameplay interface and combat systems. The HUD is completely changed. Now players actually see the outline of the Chief’s helmet and the armour’s regeneration capability and weapons’ status is displayed in a simpler manner. You also see video feeds of people you are communicating with via radio. Other than that, much of the gameplay is similar to that of the previous Halo games. The covenant is pretty much the same and I haven’t seen any new characters.
The AI defenses are interesting. Some of these look like four legged aliens that are fast moving but do relatively little damage. A more serious opponent looks “tribal” but comes armed with a cloaking system, a small UAV defense system (providing offensive and defensive capabilities), Forerunner guns and the ability to transport itself from one place to another in short bursts.
The new forerunner guns are amazing. One of them resembles a rifle, and seems far more effective than the standard UNSC variant while another resembles a shotgun and managed to take out one of the serious AI defenders with a single shot. The gun makes your enemies burst into flames, sometimes it makes you feel like you are battling it out in hell, Forerunner hell.
Conclusion
Game looks amazing but we still don’t know if the new plot line can be integrated into the existing story without causing mass confusion. Personally, I would have preferred if the game allowed us to battle it out in 3rd person but that would go against the philosophy of the game (they want you to feel like the Chief). So it seems that the new game will focus on three things, a new plotline, better audio visuals, and a variety of new gadgets. I can live with that, but I swear if the Chief and Cortana decide to blow up the planet with the slipstream drive again (like Halo 1, Halo 2 and Halo Wars), I will loose all faith in the series.
(By Navam Niles)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9iQiHNXgMU
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