Halo gets 2D treatment

I'm not big a fan of Halo by any means, but when I saw the announcement for Halo Zero, I knew I had to check it out. This isn't the first time a beloved FPS has had a dimension removed: nuclear vision's Codename: Gordon was based on Half Life. Of course, the Codename: Gordon project was officially sanctioned by Valve and was the first game available through Steam. Whether Microsoft opts to take any legal action over this fan-created platformer remains to be seen.

In terms of gameplay, Halo Zero takes everything familiar to players of the XBox version and translates them directly: the recharging health meter, the Covenant's many plasma weapons, the Warthog - and all with their original sound effects. It's great fun, and like Codename: Gordon and Abuse before it, the mouse is integrated perfectly into the action. While the game's developers say this is the "Final" version, there are still a number of small bugs to be found (such as a finnicky weapon swap), and the game's resolution makes the art look worse than it should. Still, the bright, colorful graphics and campy cutscenes brought me back to the days of the Genesis and SNES. Though don't kid yourself - it doesn't provide the fast paced arcade action of Gunstar Heroes or Metal Slug, but instead offers an enjoyable diversion that's more novelty than anything else.

some candy talking