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This topic has moved here: Subject: Defining Halo
  • Subject: Defining Halo
Subject: Defining Halo

Artes, Scientia, Veritas

Sapere Aude

"But I do not think we're invincible"

If you could pick one moment from any piece of Halo lore, whether it be the a scene from one of the games themselves; a piece of the soundtrack; trailers, advertisements, etc.; or any other part of canon, that best define the Halo series and its story, what would it be?

For me, Halo has always been a mixture of three things: addictive multiplayer, selfless heroics, and a much more engrossing canon than I have ever heard of in a video game. While nothing can really be said about the first of these three, whenever I think of the last two characteristics of Halo, this trailer comes to mind. So I guess that that commercial would have to be my Halo-defining piece.

But I want to hear yours. Please link if possible, and I will keep a list of the most popular pieces if this thread grows big enough to allow me to do so.

[Edited on 12.28.2010 11:36 PM PST]

  • 12.28.2010 11:32 PM PDT

Been a Bungie fan since the days of Myth TFL.

Posted by: NewRadical12
whenever I think of the last two characteristics of Halo, this trailer comes to mind. So I guess that that commercial would have to be my Halo-defining piece.


Gotta love how he's up and running through the rubble! That was my favorite until I saw the cinematic Deliver Hope spot. Reminds me of how incredible a Halo movie could be if done well.

  • 12.29.2010 1:12 AM PDT

Exact science, is not an exact science.

Forerunner Architecture (and being able to wonder through it) Oh My!

  • 12.29.2010 2:56 AM PDT
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probably the opening cutscene of halo in CE. Also, the main theme of the game itself.So awesome...

  • 12.29.2010 7:49 AM PDT

By the power of truth, I, while living, have conquered the universe.

In Amber Clad.

This music is just fantastic, truly defines Halo in my opinion. I can't explain why, but it's simply divine.

  • 12.29.2010 7:57 AM PDT

Oh hey there

Posted by: petarded2
It's a metaphor for the 07s' lack of identity. too old to be newfa­g, yet too new to be oldfa­g, we wander b.net in search of a home, forever trying to be something we are not.

This scene crystallized so many things about the story line and was just epic.

  • 12.29.2010 8:00 AM PDT

If you're passionate about the thing you're talking about, I'll always lend an ear.

In campaign: I would actually say the defining point in Halo is when you get out of the escape pod and notice the vast,huge,mysterious and beautiful ring planet.

Not to mention a technological superior alien force intent on wiping you out.

and the Flood, the iconic super bad-ass infection that doesn't stop at anything,except in the ark, to grab your guts.

Gameplay: it's always had a signature headshot weapon, shields and radar.

Since Halo 2, multiplayer communities always encouraged competition and strived for skill. Fun custom games were born in Halo. LOL

Music: Not much to say about the awesome music. It's amazing. Really adds depth to the feel.

Story: It's always depicted a sense of a galactic struggle in which humans, although ill-equipped, have a path to play in saving it. The Master Chief to me was always a figure-head controlled by the epic proportions of the situation he was in.

I felt that throughout the Halo series one thing that was lost was the Epic and mysterious feel. It died in Halo Reach. It's sad to say this after 10 years of supporting the game

End of Piller of Autumn This to me captures the epic scale of the halo, how humanity was unready to embark on this new chapter and how Chief dives in like the bad-ass he is.The beginning of a truly epic story.

[Edited on 12.29.2010 8:10 AM PST]

  • 12.29.2010 8:02 AM PDT

Don't cross the white line.

"Give a man a fish and he'll eat for a day. Give a Halo regular a fish, and he'll complain about the taste, color, type, size, where you found it, how you obtained it, whether or not you'll give him more fish later, and I don't know how many more things.And then when you give him another fish, he'll complain that it's not exactly like the first fish. Rinse and repeat."

Posted by: ajw34307
In Amber Clad.

This music is just fantastic, truly defines Halo in my opinion. I can't explain why, but it's simply divine.

I agree with you there, truly amazing.

For me, there's this song, which is just the iconic Halo piece for me: when you and the Elite Dropships are storming the Control Room on Halo 3, and those piano keys play...that's Halo.

Also this extract from Ghosts of Onyx:

SPOILER WARNING!!!




All he had to do was single-handedly stop a Covenant army. One last impossible mission...the short definition of any Spartan. The Fleet Master snarled at Kurt, and the translation filtered through his helmet's speaker: "One last fight, demon. You will die and we shall reopen the silver path."
"Die?" Kurt laughed. "Didn't you know? Spartans never die."
Kurt turned his gauntlet face-up and pressed the detonator.

  • 12.29.2010 8:06 AM PDT

Artes, Scientia, Veritas

Sapere Aude

"But I do not think we're invincible"

Posted by: pulvis ira
Posted by: NewRadical12
whenever I think of the last two characteristics of Halo, this trailer comes to mind. So I guess that that commercial would have to be my Halo-defining piece.


Gotta love how he's up and running through the rubble! That was my favorite until I saw the cinematic Deliver Hope spot. Reminds me of how incredible a Halo movie could be if done well.

Halo has always had such amazing commercials and live-action trailers:
Halo 3 Announcement Trailer
Halo: Reach Announcement Trailer
We Are ODST Trailer
The entire Halo 3 Believe series and the ones we mentioned. They're really inspirational, in my opinion, though maybe that's just 'cause I'm a fanboy...

  • 12.29.2010 10:39 AM PDT

This music - Marty at his very very very best. Whenever I think of Halo, I think of this song.

Another definition is simply; the will to exist.

[Edited on 12.29.2010 11:06 AM PST]

  • 12.29.2010 11:01 AM PDT

Been a Bungie fan since the days of Myth TFL.

The music around Halo is symphony-worthy and goes well with the themes of Halo.

Posted by: Spartan1065
This scene crystallized so many things about the story line and was just epic.


Thanks for this clip! I've lately been immersed in Halo interpreted through the live-action lense that I've forgotten how epic the in-game cutscenes could be. This clip expertly spans the scale of Halo universe.

  • 01.01.2011 9:13 PM PDT

The tide is turning, brothers! Let us take our kingdom back!

I don't think I could really link anything to this thread that would express, for me, what defines Halo. To me, it's always been a sense of... scale. I think that's the closest I could word it.

Think about it... Bungie's always put absolute truckloads of story, backstory and secrets into this game. There's just so much to this game, it's crazy.

The colossal works of the Forerunners, and their sense of mystery (lol, sometimes I just sit there and gawk at the spire in Forge World like a retard), as well as the bigger mystery of the Precursors. The massive threat of the Flood, who are next to impossible to defeat as they continue their onslaught against all life they encounter. The Gravemind behind the scenes, a foe so impressive that even though he's so terrifying, you just can't help but be in awe of him.

The Covenant. An enemy far superior to us, in terms of mumbers and technology. They're on the brink of defeating us, and it would seem we don't have a hope left. But we do, for the UNSC just keeps on fighting. And then there's the Chief. Pretty much the last sliver of hope for humanity's survival.

And the backstory! How we came to be. How much effort Bungie put into making it seem... believable. You know? Like it could be, one day. Just those amazing tales that they've put here and there, letting you know just enough to make it seem believable, yet making you want to know more. Bungie could make so many games out of the Halo universe, it's nuts.

And with the new Forerunner books coming out very soon, they're going to absolutely flip turn the Halo universe upside-down. In fact, they have. Just with the first two chapters they released.

So, for me, the gameplay was always nice (you know, being a 7ft tall war machine) and killing waves upon waves of Covenant, along with their vehicles and what not, but I always loved the story more than the actual game itself. If that makes sense.

  • 01.01.2011 10:47 PM PDT

Yes... I can dodge ducks... and slow moving bullets.

That moment when you think "What is that" when you first see Halo, or when you first see the flood, or when you are falling to a unknown planet in half a UNSC Frigate

  • 01.02.2011 4:06 AM PDT