Not two weeks after Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary snuck onto PC, and we’re already speaking concerning the sequel. Steady on, staff. This week, John “Masterchief” Halo’s handlers over at 343 Industries announced plans to flight (that’s Halo-speak for “check) Halo 2‘s return to PC in The Master Chief Collection. It’ll trial alongside Forge and Theatre modes for Halo: Reach by the tip of the month, with potential fixes for that game’s cussed audio bugs.
We’ve had our shot at Halo 2 earlier than, again in 2004. But being a Vista unique and Games For Windows Live check topic, it didn’t get a lot of a good rap. Arriving on Steam and the Windows Store someday this 12 months, Bungie’s Two Towers will get a second shot with its personal Anniversary remastering someday this 12 months.
Like the primary game, Halo 2’s been given an audiovisual touch-up. But whereas I’ve spent a lot of the final two weeks complaining about Halo: CE Anniversary’s remastering, Halo 2’s is a bang-up job. It’s a lighter remaster that largely stays trustworthy to lighting cues, tones and palettes – a gentler sprinkling of particulars reasonably than the primary game’s heavy-handed reinvention. ‘Course, it helps that Halo 2 looks a right pig’s ear as of late.
I nonetheless reckon Combat Evolved holds up stronger than its sequel, which suffered from a quirk frequent amongst many mid- to late-life Xbox games. A basic muddiness, textures that appear to be they have been dipped in grime earlier than being slathered onto fashions that sat uncomfortably between low-poly exaggeration and extra up to date realism.
Was it all the time this poorly lit? We’re in a space-station, not a grim Dundee nightclub.
Halo 2: Anniversary additionally handed cutscene remastering duties over to CG agency Blur Studios, the parents behind shiny, costly cinematics for every part from Star Wars: The Old Republic to Titanfall 2. Hilariously, you’ll be able to nonetheless swap between outdated and new visuals at will throughout these scenes, buying and selling Hollywood sheen for potato motions at will.
This flight can be set to incorporate a primary take a look at Halo: Reach’s Forge and Theatre modes. The latter being a neat little replay system, the previous a stripped-down map editor that’s been a collection mainstay since Halo 3. Modders have already managed to interrupt their approach into Forge mode, nevertheless it’s a janky affair. 343 seem eager on making important modifications to Forge to make it much more workable for customized map connoisseurs on PC.
Potentially, this check may additionally embody excellent news to Reach’s long-suffering audiophiles. I’ve not skilled it on both my work or house PC, however many gamers have reported a muffled high quality to Reach’s audio since hitting PC, akin to listening to an area conflict from a bath. 343 stress these fixes are nonetheless a piece in progress, thoughts, and “may or may not” land with the following collection of flights.
As ordinary, you’ll have to be signed as much as the Xbox Insider program for a shot at early entry to earlier builds, and even then, you’re on the mercy of the Halo staff’s testing whims. Of course, these plans are all topic to vary.
As for when Halo 2 will launch correct? Your guess is pretty much as good as thoughts. Just give us a bit extra warning this time, yeah?
