Just because Bungie got really lucky and made a great game, (Halo: CE) then was able to copy all the stuff into newer versions of this with minimal change, (Halo 2) and do that again, (Halo 3) and make an overpriced expansion pack, (Halo3: ODST) and create hype over yet another game, (Halo: Reach) does not mean they would be able to make a game about vikings. There is a reason all those sucessful games were almost exactly the same. Bungie probably would suck at making anything other than a first person shooter along the storyline of Halo.
There are 13 standard Final Fantasy and numerous spinoffs..it's still solid and going strong. There are four standard Metal Gear Solids and numerous spinoffs...it's still going strong. I lost count on Legend of Zelda..but they're all awesome and all going strong. There has been three (3) Halo games..that's it. They released two spinoffs (if you can even consider ODST a spinoff..it's more like Halo Gold and Silver/Red and Blue..whatever). Reach is the fourth game. It's been nearly ten years since Halo CE..that's hardly exhausting anything. There have been six (6) main Call of Duty games since Oct 2003. Three in the last three years. Numerous, numerous spinoffs. The seventh is set to be released around Reach. If you want to complain about exhausting a series, complain about that. Halo is far from exhausted and the only game worthy of complaints is ODST and if you bought it and hated it you have no one to blame but yourself. Video games are created for profit and that is it. Publishers call the shots, not the Devs. Sure Bungie signs the contracts with MS to produce Halo games, because yeah who doesn't want to work on one of the best series' of all time that is sure to produce profits.
You lack faith in Bungie. I thoroughly believe they could make a great game that's not Halo. Also, Halo 1-3 are all different in my mind. Not copies of each other with minimal change. I knew what ODST was when I bought it, and in my mind I got my money's worth. Halo: Reach, I think, will live up to its hype. I see your point. However, I can't imagine what else they could do to Halo to make it different enough every time.
i just read through this entire thread, and ive got to say.. there are some good theorys/facts here. im excited for reach, although i havent played the beta. (is it out? idk!) i never thought ODST was a waste, i loved firefight and being able to unlock recon. as was said on the page before this, final fantasy has what, 13 games? they're probably making another one as we speak. as long as bungie sees profits, halo will continue. as long as reach has firefight, forge, custom games, and online multiplayer, i'll stay loyal to halo until the next one. what i would like to know is, will reach be halo: 4, or a spinoff?
Halo 4 would technically follow the next game with Chief, however this is the next real Halo game. As for Final Fantasy, yes they are currently making XIV (online) and XIII Versus. I wouldn't be surprised if XV was announced at E3 and comes out in 2-3 years (as it will be the next installment of normal Final Fantasy).
Where have you been? Halo: Reach follows Noble 6 who is a spartan in noble team during the invasion of Reach which takes place before halo 1
Thinking back to ODST now I figure this may have been a test of what could be put into Reach. Since Reach will be mostly defensive operations, the closest thing to this is ODST where we had both firefight, and a number of campaign missions that involved a sort of retreat. If the Reach includes all the good things from ODST I will consider my money well spend on ODST for Bungie to develop Reach. As for Call of Duty, the series has been changing enough to keep from exhausting the game, although World at War nearly did this when they almost exactly copied Call of Duty 4.
where have i been, a long ways away. i had halo 2 for xbox, never played live and never understood the story. i just got an xbox 360 about 6 months ago.. tbh, i dont kno anything about the series or storyline.
I was the same way. I'd just run and gun through the story to say I did it. Go ooooooo pretty colors. Then it was off to play multiplayer. When development of reach started coming about my interest in the story began to increase! I spent some time scouring the net for little bits of information to help fill in the gaps. There are a few sites out there with good cliff notes. The time line is also shown visually here. You may also just want to use google to find out more details. Did you know??? From the beginning of Halo 1 to the end of Halo 3 is only about 5 months. The more you know!
Actually if you think about Halo 3, the entire campaign lasts about two days plus the time for the space jump from Earth to the Ark. Master Chief lands on Earth at dawn then fights his way through the first five levels till dusk when he is picked up. Then he has the space jump to the Ark and fights through four levels there which appear to be consecutive from the cut scenes between them.
To me it always seemed shorter until I read the books. Whats funny is, the story in the books and the events that take place between CE and 2 are waaaaay better than anything that actually takes place in the games.