Halo: Combat Evolved, the game that was almost a symbol of the Xbox and at the same time the one that transformed the first-person shooter genre, has just celebrated its 24th anniversary. The official Halo Twitter account posted a very simple, yet meaningful, message with a green cocktail emoji, saying ‘Cheers to the one that started it all. Happy birthday, Halo: Combat Evolved 💚’. The reaction from the gamers was really wonderful. It was indeed a flood of memories, love, and even a slight frustration when it came to the current state of the franchise. But still, love was just too much.
So, what is the reason for so much noise about this video game 24 years old already? To those who were not around then, Halo: Combat Evolved was not just a video game. It was an event. The game was launched together with the original Xbox in 2001, and it instantly achieved a new standard for console shooters. Gameplay was smooth, the plot was a great sci-fi one, and the multiplayer… oh my, I can’t even mention the LAN parties. This title marked the gaming landscape change and brought the console and the character, Master Chief, to the mainstream. That was the foundation upon which everything else was built.
The comments to the birthday tweet are like a thrilling journey with a time machine. Gamers are really sharing their innermost feelings. ‘Omg.. take me back chief,’ was a response that captured the general nostalgia feeling. A third player was convinced, ‘Definitely one of the best of all time,’ and they are not wrong. The mood is mostly positive, with phrases like ‘One of the best games ever made’ and ‘Timeless…’ being prevalent. There is certainly no question that this game has left a mark on an entire generation of gamers for life.
One reply among the others was a pure emotion from a guy, BraysTheDead, who chronicled his/her/its life and spun a yarn that would be really relatable to many. ‘I was in middle school when Halo launched, but I was gaming like a divorced dad on Combat Evolved. Since it’s Halo’s birthday, I have to play my favorite level, Truth and Reconciliation to save Captain Keyes. Just the way I saved Captain Price.’ That is how deep, Halo was. The users were pointing out the levels, characters and also the feeling of being an ultra-soldier on the mysterious ring-world. It was not just a game; for a while it became a new life.
Still, there is no way that a classic birthday celebration of Halo would go by without some players mentioning the current scenario. There was indeed a birthplace of some… very strong opinions about the recent games along with the birthday festivities. ‘You are the worst thing that ever happened to halo,’ was such a statement from one user to the official account in the very most unambiguous way possible. Another user asked, ‘You got a year, please heed everyone’s suggestions. Eliminate sprint, change the art direction to resemble the original assets and ambiance of Halo 1.’ The Halo saga with its ups and downs is a familiar case by now—the craving for a return to the simpler and more captivating play styles of the original trilogy is still strong. The passion is still alive, even though still combined with some irritation over the progress made in the series.
In other words, there was a slightly strange sub-thread where people were just debating about… something. It was hard to follow, seemed to involve poor game design and scammers, with one person quite exactly asking, ‘What the actual hell is the point of adding it at all if they’re this insecure about their own game design?’ It was one of those random chaotic moments on Twitter when you almost say ‘wait, what was I saying?’ But still, it demonstrates that even when different opinions are voiced, the Halo community is never just one thing; while it is ‘happy birthday’ everywhere, it is also pure love, harsh criticism, and complete nonsense at the same time.
Then there were the port beggars, as expected. Always expect the port beggars. ‘Port mcc to ps5,’ was one user’s requirement, referring to the Halo: The Master Chief Collection. Another simply inquired, ‘Master Chief collection on PlayStation soon?’ The thought is a fantasy for many gamers with PlayStation who have heard about the legends but have never had the chance to play the classics in their own setting. It is a sign of Halo’s legacy that people are still asking for it, from Windows the other platforms, two decades later.
The overall opinion in the gaming community about the birthday tweet is quite clear, Halo: Combat Evolved is much more than a mere old game. It is a milestone. It is a shared memory of millions of people.
