Halo Campaign Evolved Impressions - Unlocked Clips

[00:04] legendary ending on on IGN after after somebody had put it up and and word kind of got around in in the community. And without spoiling it, and we're not going to show it here, you can go look it up if if you want to see it, but there is

[00:21] I mean I I'm trying to think how much to say >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, it's it's very it's like, put it this way, there's kind of a there's a clear reference. It's like a

[00:36] fourth wall breaking kind of thing where there's a direct there's a reference made to a sequel, which Halo sequel. [laughter]

[00:49] >> Seemingly a a Halo 2 remake, obviously, is where is where >> is where we're going with this. So, um, >> sure. >> Is is was that your takeaway from from

[01:04] >> Is is was that your takeaway from from that legendary ending? And if so, >> what do you is that what you want to see from a game that >> kind of been I don't know if you'd call Halo 2 Anniversary a remake. I guess

[01:17] >> Oh, yeah. but uh remaster with a different set of uh aesthetics which been replaying Halo 2. I've been bouncing between the two. I think the the re-uped visuals on Halo 2 are more effective than the ones in Anniversary

[01:32] >> Oh yeah, agreed. >> Yeah. Yeah. Like I think Halo 2 is better about maintaining that art style, I think. Um but to uh on the topic of do

[01:45] we want a Halo 2 remake? It's tricky because I think that if they were to take creative liberties with the campaign of Halo 2, they could make it better because there are moments in the Halo 2 campaign that I absolutely love.

[01:59] I just mentioned the opening mission with Chief dropping the bomb. Um, that is some of the most badass thing I've ever seen in a video game. And then the

[02:11] just like the moments like jumping onto a scarab for the first time, like that's such a cool moment. and the Arbiter stuff when you're introduced and you're first time. There just powerful moments in the Halo franchise that don't need to

[02:25] be touched. But as you get later on that campaign, I think there are ways to make it more elegant, to make it more um seamless, I guess. Uh and I think that of steam, but if they take creative liberties towards the end of it, I think

[02:40] they could make something really, really special that would be more impactful than the Halo 1 remake. is like, you know, there there are changes later on in that campaign for campaign evolved, uh, which are nice, but if they were to

[02:53] take a stab at Halo 2, I would want to see them do a little bit more with the creative freedom that they get. Um, cuz it seems to me, and if you've played the I don't know, how do I say this? the end. If you finish the prequel missions,

[03:09] that is further evidence that they are thinking about evidence that they are thinking about doing this kind of thing. So, it almost like you put those two together, it's like, well, I I feel like it's a

[03:23] foregone conclusion at this point. Um, but again, as to what they would do with the Halo 2 remake, I think that and also, if you were to remake Halo 2, you multiplayer is >> Zanzibar.

[03:35] >> yeah. >> Well, like obviously Halo 3 is like a on the 360 era was like the peak of Halo multiplayer, but I think 2 is still the

[03:47] number one multiplayer uh for Halo for me because of maps, dual wielding, um Like of course, yeah, we have MCC and a lot of we have Forge and we have all

[04:00] that customization now across the board, but a UEI5 Halo 2 remake, you got to have the multiplayer mode. It is it's just peak multiplayer shooter stuff, man. You got to have it in there along with a rethought campaign. A little bit

[04:16] something special. I think it' be more impactful than what Campaign Evolved currently is. >> Where you chief, where you going to give the Covenant back their bomb, Come on.

[04:28] >> Come on. [clears throat] >> Oh man. Uh Paris talk. >> Yeah. So I have what what is it need? >> Oh the thousand% you got to do a Halo 2 couple of different fronts. And this isn't even spoiling anything that we we

[04:43] isn't even spoiling anything that we we just saw with uh the the legendary um not the the legendary ending or anything. This is actual Halo 2. You can go play this right now. Um, Sergeant Johnson is asked, "Hey, how did you get

[04:57] back to Earth?" And he simply says, "That's classified. There's your bonus missions for Halo 2 right there." Easy. >> You play as Sergeant Johnson would be >> Well, the only thing is obviously you got to get Chief in there somehow. So,

[05:10] Sergeant Johnson get back to Earth? Let's Let's show that. I absolutely want to want to see that. Now, the other thing that I would love to see them do. >> I think I know what you're going to say cuz I was going to say you go do it. I

[05:22] cuz I was going to say you go do it. I was at that E3. I went to that Halo 2 demo, I think four or five times, and that was that whole thing where you initially found out dual wielding is happening and, you know, you can hijack

[05:35] vehicles and all that. Technically, that is playable today on PC. I I forget exactly how integrate that into the campaign because they tried to kind of sort of recreate that in the campaign mission. Just pull that whole thing out,

[05:48] put that in, redo it, modernize it. it it would be amazing to to have that in there for sure. So yeah, I think there's so much you can do with Halo 2 from a campaign standpoint, but to your point, Michael, please just give me those

[06:03] multiplayer maps in there. If if there's any multiplayer you're going to do, Halo, give me Halo 2. I have so many memories. I will never forget going to GameStop at midnight, picking up Halo 2, going home, and our online group. We

[06:19] played those multiplayer maps until the sun came up. I mean, that's just how >> transformative that was at. I mean, Xbox Live is what it is today because of Halo 2 and the party system and everything they were able to do at the time. So,

[06:32] yes, please give us a Halo 2 remake. Give us these bonus missions with Sergeant Johnson potentially going back to Earth. Integrate that E3 demo into the campaign. And I'm I'm in. >> Where do I sign up,

[06:45] >> man? So, you you didn't say what I thought you were going to say. >> I'm glad you said the the famously cut E3 demo, though, cuz that Yeah, that that was >> that that live stream that Frank Oconor

[06:58] where they >> they like went and they had it on a dev it up and and were were actually playing it and sort of showing people how it it >> Yeah. >> Uh but yes, it is it is playable. like

[07:15] if you can you can get it uh and play it on PC. But um the so the thing I was going to say number number one I I absolutely think that that this absolutely think that that this legendary ending of campaign evolved is

[07:29] is 100% saying there's going to be a Halo 2 remake and Paris whether or not it gets announced as soon as the Halo World Championships this year. TBD on that I guess I I don't because we just don't know what their timeline is. But

[07:43] yeah, I think it's I think that they they're clearly indicating that's the way they're going to go. I think Paris, you you've nailed it with this the Sergeant Johnson getting back to Earth though. There's your bonus missions.

[07:56] though. There's your bonus missions. That would be so great. Uh for me, the other the other way it could go, maybe it could be both. I don't know if if they would do both, but the the thing I would that I would really really

[08:08] really love to see, and I don't think it would mess with Halo 3, is would mess with Halo 3, is make the final mission that was famously

[08:20] cut that Bungie denied for years. >> I forgot about that. Yes. >> But then they later finally admitted, "Yes, we cut the la we had a plan for the last level." Like I have I have multiple I have Marty O'Donnell on

[08:32] camera explaining this in my unfiltered interview with him from forever ago. There's it's out there. The the Cuz for those of you that have played Halo 2, especially if you played it back in the day, you you probably

[08:46] it back in the day, you you probably remember how Halo 2 doesn't so much end as it stops. >> Yeah. [laughter] And so that's >> um I've told the story I'm not going to tell the story again about about how I I

[08:59] almost because I was playing it at Bungie for the official Xbox magazine review with our editor-in chief Rob Smith and I finished before Rob did and when the credits rolled I was like I literally thought it was a bug. I was

[09:12] like the last level is supposed to start I but the credits rolled. Um, and thank myself and didn't run out of the room and go find somebody from Bungie.

[09:24] [laughter] There's a bomb. >> That would have been so funny, dude. I [laughter] I never would have been welcomed back to Bungie again probably what I was getting at when I say like the Halo 2 campaign like just kind of

[09:39] runs out of steam at the end. Like that's that's obviously an area >> Tarterus being the like no that's not the end of this game. But anyway, yeah do doing that last mission cuz I think I believe Marty O'Donnell had told me

[09:54] somebody told me that like the story boards exist for that. Like there's boards exist for that. Like there's there's material to build off of there there's material to build off of there to do a proper crazy amazing like ending

[10:06] to do a proper crazy amazing like ending to that game. But, um, I just want to add on and say I'm so glad that both of you you so strongly said if there's a Halo 2

[10:19] remake, it has to have multiplayer because I feel so [laughter] exactly the same way. Yes. For all the same reasons. It is It is >> It is the greatest Xbox multiplayer game

[10:33] of all time. I will not be taking questions. It is not up for debate. It [laughter] >> It's the killer app for Xbox Live. >> it is. It I mean, and for those of you that are too young for it, you're going

[10:48] to think what I'm about to say is just an old guy exaggerating, but I promise an old guy exaggerating, but I promise you when I say this, it is 100% re real. And that is it had the most advanced

[11:02] it had the most advanced matchmaking system in gaming period. >> Cuz even at the time, Paris, you remember PC multiplayer shooters. You would you would you would browse a list of servers.

[11:17] >> pick one and then jump into it. And then you'd play the game. the game would over go back to the server list and pick another damn game. >> And Max Hobberman and the the the Bungie team,

[11:32] >> they created that whole virtual couch system where you could get together with your friends, stay with your friends, configure however you wanted. You could go into matchmaking together, which we'd never seen before.

[11:47] >> to that point. And then on top of it all, not only was it was it so amazing all, not only was it was it so amazing under the hood, if you will, but I I under the hood, if you will, but I I will go to my grave arguing that Halo 2

[12:01] has the best collection of multiplayer maps. >> In in any shooter of all time. >> Um, and that I'll I'll put a put that up again like, you know, Counter Strike has one legendary map. No one can tell you

[12:18] any other map besides DE [laughter] Dust >> in Counter Strike. One of the other >> in Counter Strike. One of the other greatest shooters of all time. Halo 2 >> has, you guys already started naming them. It has Zanzibar. It has lockout.

[12:32] them. It has Zanzibar. It has lockout. It has Ivory Tower. It has Ascension. It It has Ivory Tower. It has Ascension. It has uh Midship of Midship. Oh my god. One of the one of the greatest of all time. I mean, uh it is. And then they

[12:46] map pack later that added even more great maps. So yeah, it I for for as great maps. So yeah, it I for for as just lack of for as unexcited as I was

[13:00] and am about campaign evolve, despite acknowledging how well executed and how well done it is, I will be actively antagonistic is, I will be actively antagonistic towards a Halo 2 remake if it does not

[13:15] towards a Halo 2 remake if it does not have Unreal Engine 5 remade multiplayer. have Unreal Engine 5 remade multiplayer. I if they want to just do the original 12 maps and leave out the multiplayer map

[13:29] pack for development timeline budget purp I'd be okay with that. >> I would be okay with that. But but yeah, I will I will be the leader of the Pitchfork and Torch Mob heading to the to Halo Studios' front

[13:46] heading to the to Halo Studios' front door if there's a Halo 2 remake without >> I can't I can't imagine that. that. [laughter] >> Yeah. Well, I guess that that goes back

[13:59] mentioned at the Halo Championships in December, we get some clarification on the future of multiplayer for Halo because even if it's not, let's just say but they're announcing, hey, we're having, I don't know, some standalone

[14:15] classic maps into it, that would be the compromise to that. But, I mean, who knows? So, I mean, we'll obviously see what they're able to announce, but I they they've got to talk something about multiplayer in the near future in my

[14:28] opinion because I mean, Infinite, they stopped active support of it. Was it two years ago? I I think >> Yeah. Yeah. So, we got to hear something for for multiplayer with Halo. Well, I'm I'm glad that's a good segue into into

[14:44] kind of the other the last part of the Halo conversation before we move into Gears of War Eday, which is a new super fun multiplayer game that's about to come out. Um, a quick yes or no. I expect I know what

[14:57] each of you are going to say. If Halo 2 remake is is a thing, that that guarantees there's going to be a Halo 3 remake, right, guys? >> Yeah. There's there's no way they they do one and two and not three.

[15:12] right? So, yeah, >> they got to finish. You got to finish man. You got to do it. >> My thoughts. [laughter] Exactly. Especially when three is the only one that's never gotten any formal remaster

[15:26] >> Yeah. >> All right. So, go ahead. Go ahead. >> I was say I'm on board with that. I like Halo 3's campaign still feels modern enough, but again kind of going back to the idea like I want Halo Studios to

[15:40] again like I I I'm not a purist of these creative freedom to make these things still true to what they were, but also expand on them in meaningful ways. Move

[15:52] needle with that. And if you're going to do Halo 3, you can you you got my >> So, I already have an idea for bonus missions with that, too. is on his way back to Earth and he literally jumps out the ship, you know,

[16:07] and lands in the forest. Who's with them? The Arbiter. So, maybe there's Chief, but you're the Arbiter with Sergeant Johnson and it leads right up >> Please. >> I love Arbiter. Arbiter is so cool, man.

[16:23] >> Oh, he wasn't at the time, though. If I if I can back to 2004, >> you were mad. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I I I I vaguely I was a little too young to like be in those kinds of conversations, but I don't know. I ar

[16:39] man, >> the Arbiter has had the sort of uh same arc as the the prequel Star Wars movies or at the time it was like, "Oh my god, this is terrible. We hate this." And then over time, the younger generation

[16:55] >> like has fully embraced it and it's like, "No, Arbiter's great. We love We love Arby." >> Yeah, I love him. I love RB. >> All right, so we all agree if Halo 2 remakes happening, Halo 3 rem remakes

[17:08] got to happen. But it still begs the question for our last part of the Halo conversation here, but what is the next new Halo thing? What's the next mainline game? Paris, you you mentioned, you know, this this

[17:24] has been sort of rumored sort of uh chatter about this. Is is are we going to are we moving away from multiplayer suites again in new Halo games? Forget

[17:36] about remakes. Are we moving away from multiplayers that are tied to new campaign releases? And is it just going to be a its own standalone living thing?

[17:49] you think of that, what's the next mainline campaign? So, Michael, I'll go to you first on this. >> Man, I I really don't know. Uh, like I don't know if they'll they're willing to pick up the pieces of what where

[18:02] Infinite left off. Like I I I I watched back your review also, Ryan, and like of Infinite and I was like, "Yeah, that Infinite campaign was pretty cool." I think at first I was like, "Ah, open world Halo like sure open campaign

[18:17] the spirit, but I don't know if I was feeling it." I played them like there there's some again there's some fantastic ideas. I feel like 343 now Halo Studios. I feel like they always have ideas, but they don't always fully

[18:30] execute on them. And Infinite is an example of that. I would like for them to pick up where Infinite leaves off. I think there's something worth exploring think there's something worth exploring there still. And like it's the logical

[18:43] way to continue Chief and [snorts] that's kind of what people want. But are you going to tie yourself to Infinite in a way that like maybe it was it wasn't fully received well? Like do you cut ties? Do you think of rebooting the

[18:56] series in a different direction with a new Halo like Halo 7 or do you drop the the number and just start giving it subtitles? Like I I think to me it doesn't necessarily matter which direction they go with another fullon

[19:13] Halo game. I just want them to have those fully formed ideas and deliver them in a way that gives me hope that there is longevity with the series and there is longevity with the series and not just a one-time thing. Um, like

[19:27] I tr like do what you do what you want. Don't do it don't do what you did with Don't do it don't do what you did with Halo 4. Um, and like you know go all if direction, go all in on it. Just commit to it. See where that takes you. I'm on

[19:41] board to see where it goes. But, you know, cuz they have to forge their own >> the the ball's been in their court for a very long time, and nothing's quite that's just us being >> years. Yeah.

[19:54] >> Yeah. Maybe that's just us being unks and being nostalgia bound to the original Halo trilogy and ODST and Reach by extension. But I I like I still part of me still like trust that they understand what

[20:06] makes Halo special. So, pick a direction, go all in on it, and we'll >> Paris, how about you? What do you think? >> Yeah, I mean, very similar. Just it's like pick a lane and go all in. It from

[20:20] like they're going to decouple campaign and multiplayer moving forward. That's and multiplayer moving forward. That's what it just seems like, which Okay, >> you need to explain it so that people understand because it sounds like, are

[20:33] it still going to be free to play? so you get more people in. If you're going to do that, then it does kind of make sense to decouple it from whenever the next adventures of Master Chief is going to be. Um, this I will say it again. I

[20:46] think December is an opportunity to kind of help people understand what that future roadmap is going to look like. Now, sticking to the campaign itself, I've been thinking about this like I I like the Halo Infinite campaign

[20:59] personally. I I thought it was fine. I really enjoyed it and I do I did want to see that continue. I think Gears of War Eday kind of gives I think Gears of War Eday kind of gives a peak into maybe not because, you know,

[21:11] the Coalition decided to go back into the past with Gears of War. I wouldn't be surprised if they did something similar with Halo and kind of quote unquote get the band back together with Chief Cortana, you know, Miranda Keys,

[21:26] Sergeant, like just get everyone back that we know and love in the Halo universe versus this future that they've already gone down. I could see it going either way. So, like I said, I it wouldn't surprise me if they did a

[21:39] prequel campaign with with uh with with Master Chief. When I say prequel, is it set between the events of Halo 1 and like I I don't know. I don't know where right infinite timeline. Yeah. So, maybe it it

[21:56] so that they can kind of hit that nostalgia again of of characters that we know and care about. And I'm at this point I don't think I'm really spoiling Halo Infinite. That's not Cortana anymore. The Cortana that we know is

[22:09] gone. This is a new Cortana. Do you want to continue to go down that path? I don't know. But I mean, we we'll see what they do. >> Yeah. I mean, obviously, I've I've talked before on here about rebooting

[22:22] Halo and is that the is that ultimately the direction it's got to go? And I still like I think there are there are pros and cons either way. And on the multiplayer piece, you know, I totally hear you, Paris, on

[22:36] you know, I totally hear you, Paris, on on decoupling it. And I mean, they kind they made the multiplayer its own free-to-play thing. And >> um I I guess there's pros and cons. So

[22:49] the the the pro I wrote down for decoupling it is it's obvious, right? It's not like some grand insight, but if you have a successful multiplayer, it's not going to be displaced every four or five years

[23:04] to be displaced every four or five years or whatever by a new Halo campaign But then there's also a flip side to that in and not in the sense of an argument against it, but like Call of

[23:17] argument against it, but like Call of Duty resets its multiplayer every year basically. Like they're they've been able to do it. Now, it's a obviously a much much bigger franchise at this point, particularly on the multiplayer

[23:30] side than Halo is, but like Call of Duty has figured out how to just get keep playing their multiplayer every year, even though they they put out a new game even though they they put out a new game with new multiplayer every year. So,

[23:43] >> the there's that. >> Yeah, the I will say about Call of Duty, >> Thanks for checking out this clip from Unlocked IGN's weekly Xbox show. So, if you enjoyed it, don't forget to watch the full episode at youtube.com/ignames.

[24:00] New episodes of Unlock drop every Thursday on IGN Games, IGN.com, and your favorite podcast platforms. Thanks for watching, and we'll see you next time. watching, and we'll see you next time. >> [music]