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Halo: The Master Chief Collection coming to Xbox One this year, collects Halos 1-4

22K views 379 replies 66 participants last post by  WilliamR 
#1 ·
 http://www.engadget.com/2014/05/16/halo-the-master-chief-collection/

Halo: The Master Chief Collection coming to Xbox One this year, collects Halos 1-4
Quote:
Master Chief is getting a facelift with an HD collection of his exploits. We've learned that Halo: Combat Evolved, Halo 2, Halo 3 and Halo 4 are being collected in a Master Chief-focused HD remaster coming from Microsoft. Our sources say that the set will zero in on Halo's most famous soldier to refresh audience's memories ahead of Halo 5's release, so curiosities like Halo 3: ODST and Halo: Reach likely won't be a part of the package. The game's developer is unknown at this point, but considering that Saber Interactive handled Combat Evolved Anniversary and is also working on an unannounced Xbox One project, the team is a likely suspect. Also unclear are plans for digital distribution, resolution and frame-rate (Microsoft bragged that will run at the next Halo will run at a "blistering" 60fps), piecemeal releases, or if the games will surface on other platforms as well (PC, anyone?).


Microsoft has gone on record saying that it would love to have Halo release more than once every three years. It's used different developers to fill that task since, but we're still pushing two years since Halo 4 launched. To commemorate the first game's 10th birthday, Microsoft released Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary for the Xbox 360, which served as a stop-gap for the 343 Industries-developed Halo 4; there's precedent for this sort of thing. This remake makes a lot of sense for Redmond for a couple of different reasons: it satisfies the more-frequent release desire and it helps fans get caught up on the story. It also gives them the chance to re-experience some of the best console shooters with better looks and sound -- everyone wins!


We reached out for official word from Microsoft and are waiting to hear back, but we're not expecting much beyond the usual, "We don't comment on rumors or speculation."
 
#31 ·
This package is wonderful for Halo fans or those new (or somewhat new) to the series. I'm torn about picking it up because the only game I'd like to replay is Halo 2. I played the heck out of the original with a friend back in the day, played Halo 3 not too long ago, and Halo 4 last year (and I played it a lot). I'm not keen on paying $60 for a remake of Halo 2, especially when I could play Destiny instead. I'm having the same issue with GTA5 on the Xbox One. My second favorite game of all time - but I just played it a year ago. I was hoping that the game would be packaged with downloadable content but my understanding that it's the 'vanilla' GTA5 but prettied up.
 
#32 ·
After my initial excitement about this collection...and intention to buy Xbox One because of it. I'm beginning to have a weird sense of remorse. Call it just a feeling. But prettying up Master Chief like this, is starting to feel like they might send him to Valhalla with Cortana in Halo Guardians to me. Halo 5 just may be his swan song like Shepard in ME. And the MC Collection with Halo Guardians will stand as the definitive series as the franchise moves on in a different direction. And maybe that's a good thing. I just haven't made up my mind about it yet. Nor have they done it yet. I sure wish MS would eventually port the entire MC series to Windows 8.1 PC. And it would sure make things much easier for me. Because Master Chief and Halo is the only collection & game I want any console for.
 
#33 ·
Personally I wanted to play Halo CE Anniversary but I refused to buy a disc and it was never offered as a DD. I look forward to replaying the first game with updated graphics.
 
#35 ·
#36 ·
I know that every map supposedly from all four games will be included (Including the PC exclusive maps for Halo 1 & 2), but haven't seen anything about ODST's additions to Halo 3 multiplayer or the Reach multiplayer maps that Halo Anniversary's maps apparently joined being included.

Hopefully their multiplayer maps are in here for completion's sake since while the two games themselves aren't included, their multiplayer modes for all intents and purposes are (ODST of course brought forward Halo 3's multiplayer mode and I guess Halo Anniversary did likewise with Reach by adding to it rather than having its own dedicated multiplayer).
 
#37 ·
I know that every map supposedly from all four games will be included (Including the PC exclusive maps for Halo 1 & 2), but haven't seen anything about ODST's additions to Halo 3 multiplayer or the Reach multiplayer maps that Halo Anniversary's maps apparently joined being included.

I don't understand--are you saying Halo Anniversary had multiplayer maps from Reach? As I understand it, if it was a map that was ever available to play in any of the four games it will be in the collection. It will not have maps that were unique to Reach or ODST, as I assume that it will also not have playable ODSTs or Spartan IIIs (whose presence on Reach breaks the canon of the books).
 
#44 ·
It would be nice, but I've read several news pieces with quotes from the developers on why they weren't able to include ODST and Reach here. So I don't think that ODST will be here beyond perhaps the handful of maps that it contributed to Halo 3's multiplayer component.
 
#47 ·
That is a heck of alot of maps. It is certainly alot of content for $60. No idea how much i will play it but I will still buy it day one. Looknig at all of those maps brought back some good memories.
 
#48 ·
Nothing gets the XBL community going online more than Halo. TitanFall isn't cutting it. Destiny may. But Halo is a cinch. The ability to rematch with old friends on those maps and replay those re-mastered campaigns...plus Halo Guardians is the only reason I'm buying Xbox One. Or any new console for that matter. So I think this collection and Halo Guardians will be a huge console seller for MS. As a lot of hold outs or the indifferent will come over with Halo.
 
#51 ·
Leaked Halo: Master Chief Edition video from SDCC
I don't think there are any major spoilers in here (we all should know the story line by now), but I was impressed with video one and being able to swap the graphics engine back and forth from the Old halo engine to the new on the fly while playing on the Xbox one.
 
#54 · (Edited)
As I understand it, it takes a moment to switch on Halo Anniversary on the 360.

But I really can't imagine that's why the crowd was so excited. Hard to understand why this upgrade floored them so much since it's exactly what the last update led us to expect here with Halo 2, but I really can't understand it if the quick switch is what got to them...

I think the original graphics hold up nicely. Hopefully the average fan will agree since the heart of the multiplayer component for the two original Xbox games in this collection will be running in classic mode all the time.

Remake mode only features the multiplayer maps already redone for Halo Anniversary (7 maps) and another half dozen are similarly being upgraded from Halo 2.
 
#55 ·
Yeah--it was the instantaneous switch that they were impressed with. This is how it was in Halo CE Anniversary:



I saw this on HighDefDigest.com a couple days ago; they've revamped the cutscene renders:



That last bit with Sergeant Johnson was pretty much photorealistic.
 
#56 · (Edited)
That's bizarre that anyone would cheer about such a thing.

Imagine their excitement the first time that onboard controller pause was shown off 30 years ago, lol. Instant switching instead of a two second wait for a feature they're likely to experiment with a half dozen times in the first two minutes and then forget about is borderline idiotic.
 
#59 ·
Halo: The Master Chief Collection

"For the first time ever, the Master Chief's entire story is on one console. Featuring a re-mastered Halo 2: Anniversary, along with Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, Halo 3, Halo 4, Halo: Nightfall (a new digital series), and access to the Halo 5: Guardians Multiplayer Beta. This is the definitive Halo experience, coming November 11, 2014. 1
MSRP $59.99"

I got this e-mail gem from Xbox.com. That 1st sentence is cryptic IMO. Methinks Halo 5 is really, truly, definitely, the last hurrah for Master Chief. It will be interesting to see where they plan to take this franchise. They are sort of stuck in the MC lane right now. And need to develop a whole new Protagonist. But wow, is that risky. Either way...that bold statement above is a pretty declarative message from 343. If it's the "Entire" MC story. Then Halo 5 is it...over...and out.
 
#61 ·
I don't see how that is cryptic when up to Halo 5 will be Master Chiefs whole story. I guess you also missed the 2011 announcement that this is a trilogy meaning halo 5 is the second game in the trilogy.
 
#60 · (Edited)
Personally, I think you may be reading a little to much into that line. I viewed it as having access to all his adventures to date on one console. I'm a big fan of the Halo universe and lore - MS has managed to nurture the franchise and give it a really detailed and expansive history - and I welcome games that focus on different aspects of the Halo universe and eras. Having said that however, system "mascots" like Mario, Link and Sonic have been around for decades in some cases and I don't see why the Master Chief can't do the same.
 
#66 ·
It would be great if there was a way to link all your effort from previous Halo games by (except Halo CE of course) using your previously attained achievements. Sort of like how MW3 gave you special emblems but instead at least gave you some credit for having completed the games on legendary. There are even some Halos I beat the entire game with every skull turned on.
 
#67 ·
It would be great if there was a way to link all your effort from previous Halo games by (except Halo CE of course) using your previously attained achievements.
+1. Have been part of a gaming group playing a Halo game every Tuesday night for the past 7 years... We all hope that our existing stats and records all make the upgrade as well; but realize that there is a 99% chance of that not happening. Guess we'll just roll up some new ones!

Halo Waypoint has been pretty good at assembling all of your unlocked achievements from across all of the 360 games [including Halo Wars & ODST]. I'd assume the next iteration will do the same.
 
#71 ·
In a lot of ways in very excited to play halo 2 MP again. I logged so many hours all those years ago. But I imagine it is going to feel slow compared to modern FPS games. Either way I'll pick it up.
 
#94 ·
I don't think you will be disappointed with that decision. I think this collection could move a lot of Xbox 360/PC users, like myself to finally bite on a next generation console. I will get XB1 only because of this collection and the upcoming Halo 5. I recently played Halo 2 on PC again. And it is still a landmark game IMO. With stunning graphics on a modern High FPS PC. And it looks like the MC collection will clock in at 1080p 60. I suspect it will reignite Halo 2 online MP.
 
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