Apple’s Game site’s latest in-depth preview is that of MacSoft’s forthcoming release of Halo: Combat Evolved. MacSoft anticipates seeing Halo hit store shelves in early December.
Apple’s Brad Cook speaks with Gearbox Software project manager Marc Tardif about the game. Gearbox was responsible for the PC conversion of the popular first person shooter developed for Xbox by Microsoft’s Bungie Studios. Tardif observed that Halo’s designers “put equal emphasis on gameplay and story,” a long hallmark of Bungie’s games, which include the legendary Myth and Marathon series.
“Vital information is parceled out in cinematic cut-scenes that rival Hollywood’s best, leaving you in awe — and eager to learn more,” said Cook, describing Halo. “Characters display visceral emotions. The music, with an almost tribal feel keeps pace with the action, becoming more intense during dramatic moments.”
After describing the backstory that serves as the setup for Halo — in the 26th century, humans battle aliens on the surface of a mysterious ringworld — Cook describes some of what Halo has to offer. “Halo is home to a variety of environments, from chilly snow slopes to murky jungles, that you encounter as you make your way through 10 expansive levels,” he said. “… You can also jump into vehicles, both air and ground, from time to time and use them to take out enemy forces.”
Cook also described Halo’s multiplayer components. “Compete against either Mac or PC players as you hop in a Warthog and race others; remember that you can use its weapons to knock them out of contention. Try different variations on the usual capture the flag, deathmatch and king of the hill games,” he said.
Cook added that there are more than two dozen different types of multiplayer games, each of which can be altered in various ways. Six new multiplayer maps have been added from the original Xbox version, along with new weapons and vehicles. So even if you’ve played Halo before, you’ll find this isn’t the same game, especially in multiplayer environments.
Apple’s preview includes plenty of screenshots and information on the weapons and vehicles, tips and tricks, and system requirements, which up to now have been absent from MacSoft’s Web site. Apple indicated that those requirements call for Mac OS X v10.2.8 or higher, G4/800MHz, 256MB RAM, ATI Radeon 7000 or Nvidia GeForce 2MX video card with 32MB VRAM or more; 1.4GB hard disk space and Internet or LAN connection for online play.
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