"Do you like Halo, then?"

[MinisterofDOOM]

http://resolution-magazine.co....-then/

Great article, to which I can absolutely relate. Minus the games journalism career, I've found myself in exactly the same spot, thinking about my answer to exactly the same question in exactly the same way.

And that article's about more than Halo. Hell, the question is really about more than Halo. And so is the answer.

I definitely have to admit, like Mr. Denby, I tend to judge (negatively) when a person's first response to learning I play games is "Oh, do you play Halo?" And don't mistake that as a judgement against Halo. For all my cynicism about the series' purchased popularity, I acknowledge that it's an adequate, even sometimes praiseworth series. Better than many games. But there's something signified by a person's (perhaps subconscious) indentification of Halo as the postergame for gaming as a whole. Halo's not bad, but like Denby said, if that's as far as your image of gaming goes, you're missing out. Or, you're not giving me credit as a gamer. Because, yes, I played Halo. Sure, I enjoyed it. But you know what? I also play The Void. Which of course, you've never heard of. Which isn't bad. I realize that a lot of "Do you like Halo?" responses come from non-gamers who are trying to be polite and act interested. But it's sad to me that that one game has become that posterchild. And that's where I can really relate with Lewis Denby's desire to help expand peoples' horizons where games are concerned. Sure, I can pretend I actually believe ignorance is bliss. I can say "sure, I like Halo, it's a lot of fun." But I'm not doing that person any favors there. I'm catering to their ignorance. And it might not be my place to say whether their ignorance is good or bad. Maybe, for them, it is bliss. But as a gamer who spends more time playing games you'll never see on a store shelf than anything your average gamer would be able to name, I feel like it's my responsibility to help that person see how much more there is to gaming than Halo.

And I'm not saying I want them to stop liking Halo, stop playing Halo, or even give up that image in their mind of "Halo stands for Videogames." But wouldn't it be great if that guy went home and thought "That 'the Void' that dude mentioned sounds interesting..." and discovers the kind of fulfillment I find in those rare gems? Sure, Halo's fun...but discovering something unique--like The Void, or Deathrun, or Realm of the Mad God, or Metro 2033, or System Shock 2--that's so much more fullfilling. Those of us who play games as enthusiasts, not just causally, have amassed memories--fond and unpleasant alike--that have defined us as people. Or, at least, have shaped some of the bits of us that make us who we are. I actually feel bad for the guy whose view of gaming doesn't extend beyond Master Chief. Because he hasn't discovered anything truly special yet. Halo might be fun for him, but it isn't doing what Half Life did (does!) for me. Games are letting him down. Halo is letting him down. I'd like to give him the chance to give games another change. Let him discover some games that won't let him down. And if he's not interested, that's fine. He deserves the chance.

Halo's an interesting game from a "reaching out to non-gamers" point of view in that it bridges the gap, as Denby said. But it's an enclosed bridge. It brings people into the hobby, but it doesn't encourage them to explore it.

So my response is rarely "yes." I try not to make people feel like Halo is dumb, or playing Halo is not what "real gamers" do. I use lots of "I think" and "not my style." But I prefer to explain to them that there's more depth to games than just Master Chief. That cultivating a garden of stolen color in purgatory and choosing whether to consume the souls of its helpless denizens for the power it gains you is a powerful experience. That bump-mapping and dynamic lighting aren't the only way to build atmosphere. That multiplayer games can consist of more than foul-mouthed 12-year-olds, can really have strategy, and can make dying just as fun as winning.

Halo has made itself a gaming icon, but refuses to fulfill its reponsibility as such. So I'll do it in its stead. Let Halo be the icebreaker for to ask me about games. Then I'll take it from there. I won't be easy on them and say "sure." And maybe I'll end up with someone else to play Realm of the Mad God with every once in a while.

[KoopaTroopa]

Agreed entirely, especially with your statement "multiplayer games can consist of more than foul-mouthed 12-year-olds, can really have strategy, and can make dying just as fun as winning." The most fun i've ever had with any videogame was clanning in TFC. We would have weekly practices, setup scrims, and fully maintained leagues. My friend from highschool and I would play offense, which pretty much meant dying a good 50-100 times if you were quick enough, a KDR meant nothing.

Halo does have a similar clanning depth to it though. When someone brings up halo and how awesome they think it is for all i know they could have experienced that same aspect of league competition and teamplay. Thats where the real fun is.

[MinisterofDOOM]

Yeah, Bungie's community support is definitely laudable. Even without XBL to support it, Halo would have a strong multiplayer community. There really aren't many developers who are involved with their player communities on such a direct level like that. Most multiplayer games these days are DESIGNED to become obsolete in a year or two. Halo was designed with longevity in mind. Which is why it's still popular, while all but the most recent COD titles are all but forgotten.

[breadbox]

I love playing split screen halo. I'm glad someone made a game so epic and it actually came out on Launch and is still Fun and viable. Althought Halo 2 blew a** and Halo3 saved it kinda, The first is still really amazing, looks and everything.

[HashiriyaS14]

I've been playing with the PC version of the original lately. I forgot how much fun it is.

[MinisterofDOOM]

The PC version's multiplayer enhancements rock. Rocket warthog FTW.