SDCC 2014: Could ‘Halo: The Master Chief Collection’ Be The Xbox One’s Best Game?

It’s been over a decade since the first Halo title released onto the original Xbox entertainment system. Since then, gamers have enjoyed multiple Halo titles and multiplayer experiences. Perhaps the most popular experience was, and has always been, Halo 2.  So when 343i announced there would be an anniversary edition of Halo 2, the hearts of gamers were filled. However, 343i wasn’t done. Halo: The Master Chief Collection will feature Halo’s 1-4, in HD, and each with their own respective multiplayer experiences.

So, four games, one disc, one experience. Where do you even start? Well, from the beginning, it has been 343i’s goal to create a unified Halo experience. This will include a new user interface menu system in which gamers new and old will have little trouble accessing their favorite title and mission. From the start, each Halo will have all story missions unlocked, allowing gamers to go straight to their favorite mission in any game.

Furthermore, gamers will be able to launch playlists that deal with campaign missions, as well as the standard multiplayer gametype. This means that you and I will be able to enter a playlist that includes missions that deal with heavy vehicles and weapons that span across all four titles. Maybe you want to just play the Arbiter’s missions straight through the end of the game. There’s a playlist for that. Speaking of the Arbiter, 343i has also put terminals into Halo 2′s campaign. The terminals will feature a side story from the Arbiter’s point of view.

As far as multiplayer goes, gamers will be able to vote on which Halo map they want to play on, each representing their respective experiences. If you should just want to play Halo 2 multiplayer matches, a playlist will be there. The collection will feature over 100 maps, and even include all PC maps that console gamers never saw. All mutliplayer matches will also be hosted on dedicated servers.

Perhaps the most stunning piece of news coming out of this collection are the new cutscenes designed by Blur studios. Blur, the same studio who was behind the Halo Wars cutscenes, has done an excellent job at recreating cutscenes from Halo 2.

Last, but not least, the collection will also feature Halo: Nightfall, a new series from Executive Producer Ridley Scott.

Halo: The Master Chief Collection will be released November 11th on the Xbox One!