- last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT
I've been playing video games since I can remember, and I'm trying to get some perspective amongst the (Halo) gaming community as to how significant Halo 2 is with respect to prior significant releases.
Personally, the videogame milestones I can remember include:
Atari--with the joystick and one orange button. It had the metal flip switch like you would imagine in the c-ockpit of a 1970's fighter plane (F-4 Phantom, for example).
Nintendo (NES)--Duck Hunt and The Legend of Zelda--the sheer euphoria of encountering such an incredibly new medium of games such as these is indelibly and unforgettably imprinted upon my memory.
Super Nintendo--I'm at an impasse to accurately describe what this system meant for video games. Owning regular NES was as ubiquitous as breathing air in 1988-89, so the advent of a system with double the capacity of the original was like getting your GED after 2 years of elementary school--i.e., something immeasurably valuable. Super Mario Kart is (very slightly) arguably the best game for the system.
N64--the fruits of having the virtual monopoly on early video games started to wane as competitors arose. Hallmarks of the system included the absolutely fantastic Goldeneye, as well as Perfect Dark (which I never really played at length).
Fast forward to Xbox: although I played a few games for PS1, including Chrono Trigger, something about the fact that it was 32 bit just turned me off. Undoubtedly there were some good games, seeing as how PS1 paved the way for Sony's present (although somewhat decreasing) domination of the video game console market. Xbox was something to get used to, but irrefutably, Halo has dominated my mind since playing it the first time. Truly unique is the fact that this game, although static and unchanging, somehow adapts over time as I play it. In essence, the game forces me (and everyone else) to abandon prior experiences in order to accommodate its intricacies.
So how would I rate Halo (2) with respect to all games of all time, in terms of anticipation?
I have to say that the game I coveted the most of all time was Super Mario Bros. The fact that my parents were apparently unwilling to buy a new system (after breaking 2 or 3 Atari's) only made it worse. This is something difficult to convey to the younger crowd here on the forums. Basically, imagine getting an allowance of $10 a month from your folks, and suddenly getting bumped up to $100. This is the kind of innovation from Atari to NES.
However, I'm somewhat older now, but I have an enthusiasm about Halo 2 that is unparalleled in my past experience. Halo 2 is now the game I have most ever wanted. Anyone here under 20 (which I'm guessing is 85+%) might not relate to how great it is to have such an innovation as Halo 2. So I'm telling you 2 things now...
1) Tell your parents "thanks" for everything they've done for you, no matter how uncool you think they are... in 7 or 8 years, you'll realize they're not old and dumb
2) Be appreciative and PATIENT about the incredible innovation coming your way--you likely will not have such an experience for quite some time