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Halo Universe 101

By Wendell Scott
 
Halo: Combat Evolved is still turning average gamers into Xbox fanatics by the thousands. Created by Bungie Studios and Microsoft Game Studios, this awe-inspiring first-person shooter redefined what consoles were capable of—namely intense action, fluid controls, and a riveting story line presented through some of the most breathtaking visuals ever seen. The Halo phenomenon has expanded into novels, soundtracks, and an upcoming sequel, but some gamers still haven't experienced it. If you're new to the Halo universe, or if you haven't delved into the game's background, here's a quick review of who's who, what's what, and why it's important.

Welcome to the world.

Mission Briefing
The year is 2552. For hundreds of years, mankind has sent ever-more-advanced spacecraft deep into our galaxy to explore and colonize. As the human race pushes ever outward, it comes into contact with intelligent, but aggressive alien life forms, possessing highly advanced technology. When this collective army of alien species wipes out Earth's outermost colony, the human race realizes a war had begun. Known as The Covenant, this pact of widely varying alien species shares a common belief in a long-vanished godlike civilization known as "The Forerunners." Believing that the destruction of mankind is the will of the gods and that it is their instrument, The Covenant has been destroying human colonies for more than 30 years. Outnumbered and outgunned, the human race is on the very brink of extinction, as the Covenant juggernaut moves ever closer to Earth.

SPARTANS to the Rescue
To combat the aliens and their powerful weapons, the Earth government sanctions the use of cybernetic super-soldiers from a project known as SPARTAN-II. These armored warriors are far more durable and dangerous than conventional human soldiers, and the program shows promising signs of eventual success. The Covenant encountered SPARTAN-II soldiers multiple times before and, in a brutal struggle, wiped out most of the Spartan forces on the military planet Reach. One SPARTAN-II soldier, however, survived. SPARTAN 117, also known as Master Chief, escaped, and with the Covenant close enough to attack Earth itself, it now falls to him and the soldiers aboard the Pillar of Autumn ship to stop the Covenant onslaught.

Meet the Master …

The Halo Artifact
The battle to save Earth takes place at the far reaches of the galaxy on a mysterious artifical ring, 10,000 kilometers in diameter, with Earth's normal gravity and a breathable atmosphere. The purpose of this "halo" is a mystery, but it is being protected by the Covenant with a ferocity seldom witnessed. Master Chief battles the enemy on foot and behind the wheel of powerful vehicles (tanks, Warthogs, and airborne alien craft called Ghosts and Banshees), pressing ever deeper into the heart of the alien mystery. Desperate to stop the Covenant's advance on Earth and to discover the artifact's true purpose, Master Chief is assisted by his on-board A.I. Cortana, who provides valuable mission intelligence and helps the Chief navigate unfamiliar terrain.

A Shocking Development
Just as Master Chief has encountered the most powerful Covenant troops and triumphed over impossible odds, a terrifying new threat emerges that even the Covenant fears. Master Chief now has two alien menaces to contend with, each determined to destroy the other—and Master Chief, if he gets in the way. By accident or design, the ring has drawn each of these warring factions together, and the key to this dangerous situation lies in the very heart of Halo. With Cortana's help, a little back-up from the human Marine corps, and an arsenal of powerful ballistic and plasma weapons, Master Chief must solve the riddle of the halo's purpose, halt the Covenant forces, and get back to Earth.

Vehicular Combat

Halo 2 will continue the adventures of Master Chief and Cortana as they battle the Covenant, but if you want to see where it all began and experience the complex and gripping world of Halo for yourself, there's no better place than in the game that started it all.