Halo 4 Preview - E3 2012
Master Chief returns to face new enemies
Multiplayer in Halo 4 will encompass two modes. Spartan Ops will be a cooperative experience, with a promise of free weekly DLC. With five missions set to be released weekly, and can be completed either solo or in coop, Ops promises to expand on the game’s storyline as the action is set to pick up a few months after the end of Halo 4 campaign. It’s an exciting offering for Xbox Live Gold players, and if the quality content does indeed arrive on schedule and for free, it could give Halo 4 fans much to be happy about.
A second mode in online play is the competitive action, named Spartan Wars. Developers promise to retain the classic Halo gameplay but with the addition of new abilities, weapons, and vehicles. Which sounds a bit contradictory, but time will tell if they are able to find the right balance for the new content. Two modes that are known so far are Infinity Slayer, which offers points for both yourself and the team, prompting teamwork; and Regicide, a free for all scenario with one King player. Everyone attempts to take out the King, who is constantly visible as a map and screen marker, with the winner being a player who held the title for the longest time.
Following the presentation, we had a chance to play through the abovementioned Regicide mode. Having a few moments before the match, we peeked through the available loadout options – which are plentiful and highly customizable. We also scrolled through some armor sets and weapons, and everything seemed to be as promised. Getting into the match, a King player was randomly assigned, and mayhem ensued.
Fighting through a small, multilevel map, we followed the screen indicator of the King player, killing everyone who stood in our way or had the misfortune of appearing in front of us, heading in the same direction. This was classic Halo multiplayer no doubt, feeling rather similar to Halo Reach in its controls and player movement. The map itself heavily reminded us of a similar small space map from Reach, though the name of which currently escapes our memory. Regicide mode was also fun enough, offering something unique to the likely announcement of deathmatches that is to come.
Microsoft is putting a lot of weight behind Halo 4, and though fans were upset to hear that they didn’t actually finish the fight, the new title is looking like a strong start for a new trilogy. Bungie no longer reigns over the universe, but the folks at 343 Industries seem more than capable to handle the franchise, while also taking it into the future with better technical presentation and expanded online offerings. The return of Master Chief will likely please the fans, when the game releases on Xbox 360 this November.
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