I've been half-assing the Master Chief Collection in order to prepare for the release of Halo Infinite in December, so I thought I'd share some observations regarding the first and last games of that series (Halo 5 isn't included on pc, so we shall pretend it doesn't exist).
Halo: Combat Evolved was an enormously influential title. It was a launch game for the Xbox, and had it not been a massive hit, it's likely that Microsoft would've abandoned the console space. It helped popularize first person shooters with a console audience, and it featured spacious outdoor environments and a brightly colored art style that contrasted pleasantly with other shooters of the time. Playing the remastered version in 2021, Halo: CE still feels and looks good. The heavy sound of Master Chief's pistol, the tight controls of a Warthog, the way Elites dive out of the way of a grenade toss--all of it holds up well. Play a couple missions in, however, and the warts start to pop up. The level design is probably the worst offender. Several of the Forerunner-based levels feature copy-and pasted rooms, and figuring out which way you're going can be difficult. The lack of enemy variety is also a problem. There are basically only five enemy types--grunts, jackals, elites, hunters, and Flood zombies. On Heroic (Hard) difficulty, it can be pretty tough, since in addition to his recharging shield, the Master Chief has a health bar that doesn't regenerate. Still, it's fun, especially if you have the patience for the quirks of older shooters.
Halo 4 was the first non-Bungie Halo title. Graphically, it still looks great in many levels, especially when you consider that it was released for the Xbox 360. Artistically, it's a little different--the jackals and elites have a more reptilian appearance, and the lighting is darker and a tad more realistic. The shooting feels solid, and the first few missions are pretty good, if not particularly memorable. The new Promethean enemies are not as fun to fight as the Covenant, unfortunately. Knights resembles large robotic crabs that can teleport, and there are smaller, more agile enemies called Crawlers that explode rather easily. The Forerunner weapons are really just high-tech versions of the basic military guns Halo already had, e.g., there's a shotgun equivalent, a faster-firing assault rife, et cetera. All in all, it's an okay experience, but I'm not particularly compelled to finish it. Hopefully Halo Infinite will be a return to form (Halo 5 also had a mixed reception).
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