Halo: Anniversary maps arrive as DLC next week

Not planning on picking up Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary? No worries, Reach fans, as the Halo: Anniversary maps will be available as a DLC pack on November 15 for 1200 MS Points. It includes the six multiplayer maps and the one "Firefight" map found on the Anniversary disc.

Outdo DMRs with your Magnum on the "Battle Canyon," "Breakneck," "High Noon," "Solitary," "Ridgeline," and "Penance" multiplayer maps, and wish Grunts a happy birthday in "Firefight" on "Installation 04."

Anniversary playlists go live on November 14.

343 Industries reflects on Halo: Combat Evolved and its anniversary

Work on Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary Edition has come to a close, and as with every Halo title in recent memory we now have a vidoc of the crew at 343 Industries reflecting on their work. This time, we hear how Combat Evolved has impacted the team throughout the years, and how it has been giving the game a modern look.

It's a good watch for those who remember their first time playing Combat Evolved way back when, and for those too young to have played it ten years ago, well, this is where it all began.

Halo Anniversary's Kinect features have you shout, analyze

The Kinect features for Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, the features that we shouldn't get "hyper-excited about," will have players shouting and analyzing their way through the Covenant forces. Spouting phrases such as "Reload!" and "Grenade!" will have the Master Chief do the appropriate gesture, while other commands will have you analyze certain parts of the game, storing the gained information into a database, ala the Metroid Prime series.

That database is called "The Library," and will also feature gesture controls to navigate your way around your collected data. Analyze mode is also Kinect-exclusive, and won't work with a regular control pad.

I guess Frank O'Connor was right after all--this isn't hyper-exciting.

[Image credit: GameThingDaily]

Halo 2's Headlong added to Anniversary Edition, Title Update...updates

If you dug duking it out in Halo 2's futuristic construction site, Headlong, you'll be happy to hear that it will accompany the other confirmed maps in the upcoming Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary. Now called "Breakneck," this classic map is still based around vehicular combat and Objective-based gametypes, but now features some additional cover added in some spots, and the old fashioned teleporters (that's so 2004) have now been replaced by man-cannons.

In addition to that, 343 Industries shed some light on the upcoming Halo: Reach Title Update, which is slated to drop on September 21. At first, you'll be unaffected by the patch, but on October 4 you'll see a "brand spankin' new playlist"--Beta Hopper--where all the changes will be featured. The playlist will feature 4v4 Slayer and Objective gametypes, DMR starts, and 85% bloom.

For a complete rundown of the beta playlists, head on over to the official site.

Halo Anniversary's UK pre-order bonus has historical pictures

UK gamers that pre-order Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary at either GAME or Gamestation will receive a 24-page mini art book as a pre-order bonus. While it may not seem like much, Microsoft announced the pages span the series' entire history, something that Chief enthusiasts will surely enjoy, no doubt.

Those who already pre-ordered Halo Anniversary will also receive the book on release.

[Eurogamer]

343 Industries details recreating Combat Evolved multiplayer, the return of the magnum

With Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary headed our way in the next few months, we were bound to get some Bungie 343 Industries video documentaries on it. This time the team covers the multiplayer aspect of the game, including hand-picking and recreating classic maps, how today's gameplay changes up the pacing, and of course, the return of the bitchin' magnum.

Halo: Anniversary will be playable in Stereoscopic 3D

Among the nifty features Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary will support, 3D is one of them, as revealed at Halo Fest yesterday. Using a "custom made top-and-bottom 3D technology," players will be able to throw sticky grenades and see the results in eye-popping 3D, with a smooth frame-rate throughout being promised.

3D visuals are only available when viewing the game in HD, and when not playing split-screen.

A quick glance at the Duke controllers from Halo Fest

If this year's Halo Fest is remembered for anything, it will be for it's retro-fitted Duke controllers used to play Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary. Hardware modder (and straight up awesome dude) Ben Heck was asked by Microsoft to transform these "crusty" controllers bought at Good Will into the playable, wireless versions they are now. Kotaku's Stepehn Totilo was able to speak with a Microsoft representative and get a hands-on with the new Dukes, detailing the ins and outs of them.

If you want one of these controllers, two will be given away at PAX, and another two will be donated to this year's Child's Play benefit where seekers can bid on them.

Upcoming Halo: Reach title update features configurable reticule bloom, refined armor abilities

An upcoming title update for Halo: Reach addresses many of the issues the community has brought up, including refinements in the game's new armor abilities. First up, the fan-favorite Armor Lock has been nerfed a bit, and will take a certain amount of damage based on the amount of energy a player has left. Active Camo has also been tweaked, and will have a reduced duration period.

One of the new mechanics brought into the Halo series with Reach was reticule bloom, or, a state in battle where one's crosshair expanded with each subsequent shot fired, thus making the art of shooting a bit more tactical. This too will be adjusted in the update, and will be configurable, "delivering increased accuracy when firing in rapid succession." You may remember we mentioned this in a recent post, where a YouTube video demonstrated a more accurate DMR crosshair.

Other bullet-points are on the update's list as well, including the addition of the true Combat Evolved magnum in specific playlists for both Halo: Reach and Anniversary multiplayer, as well as allowing those 4GB console owners out there to finally utilize campaign and "Firefight" matchmaking.

[Major Nelson]

I don't see any bloom, do you?

A few days ago, well, okay, practically a week ago 343 Industries posted gameplay footage showcasing one of Halo: Anniversary's multiplayer maps, Damnation. Having only getting around to viewing it now, I, as well as a few people on YouTube, have noticed the DMR in this video does not contain any reticule bloom, meaning, the crosshair doesn't expand with each subsequent shot fired. This is a feature that was added to the series last year with Halo: Reach, but it seems we'll be without it come November.

Check it out for yourself in the video--after the break--at around the 4:10 mark, and drop a comment below telling what you think. Is this a mistake? If not, will you happily bid goodbye to reticle bloom?

Need a headset at the right price? Turtle Beach's X11 can do the trick

Communication is key with online shooters, and with the amount of shooters coming out this fall--Battlefield 3, Modern Warfare 3, and Resistance 3 just to name a few--you'll definitely need a mic. If you're in the market for a headset and can't afford to spend much cash, the Turtle Beach Ear Force X11 headset for the Xbox 360 is right up your alley. This USB powered headset also works for the PC and Mac, and connects through audio in/out cables.

Whether you prefer to connect the X11 to your television, Xbox 360 controller, or even surround sound set up, that functionality is available, as you'll get splitters and a controller connector inside the box.

Target is selling the Turtle Beach Ear Force X11 headphones for $47.99 this week, a savings of $12. If you prefer electronics retailer Best Buy, you can pick up the X11s there as well for $49.99.

As always, Amazon beats both outlets, selling the X11 for $45.99.

Turtle Beach is a well-known brand, and with their other products costing upwards of $100, you really can't go wrong with the Ear Force X11. Heck, I didn't.

[Similarly, the PlayStation 3 has the Ear Force P11 headset for $59.95 on Turtle Beach's website, and although I can't speak for this model, its description is similar to that of the X11.]

Don't be "hyper-excited" about Halo Anniversary's Kinect support, says 343 Industries

Whether you were excited, or damn-near dreading about the fact that Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary would ship with Kinect support, 343 Industries' Franchise Development Director Frank O'Connor says that, either way, he doesn't think it will be "something that people need to be hyper-excited about."

"It'll be cool," says O'Connor, "but it's not something you'd put on the front of the box." Rather, O'Connor compares Halo's Kinect integration to that of voice commands in Netflix, where it merely "enhances your overall experience."

Those still dreading the Kinect support should rest easy, though, as O'Connor assures that Kinect support won't "in any way, affect the core gameplay."

[OXM via CVG]

I've come into the Pawn Shop today to sell my MJOLNIR armor

Recently I've found myself quite addicted to the History Channel show Pawn Stars. As shop owner Rick Harrison says in the opening of every episode, "you never know what's gonna come through that door." Well, I bet his son Corey and co-worker Chumlee never would have thought that somebody would come through the door looking to sell a custom set of Halo MJOLNIR armor for $2,000. Let's see what the guys at the Pawn Shop think about that offer.

[GameInformer via Joystiq]

Demo: Halo CE's Silent Cartographer in HD

Exploding Grunts and Avatar Armor make up Halo Anniversary's Pre-order Bonus

The Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary edition's release date is ever-so-near, and with a high-end release such as Halo obviously brings pre-order incentives. If you want to shell out $5 today (or anytime before release) and pre-order a game that comes out November 15, you will receive:

• Master Chief's Powered Assault MJOLNIR Avatar Armor
• "Grunt Funeral" skull--When activated, Grunts explode like plasma grenades when killed

via Destructoid

Halo Anniversary will include Kinect Support

Microsoft's Phil Spencer mentioned to GameSpot that the upcoming Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary Edition will include Kinect support. Not much was said on the matter, but Spencer said that, "As a first party we believe that Kinect will be important to all genres of games." Titles like Forza and Ryse were mentioned, along with the aforementioned Halo, though, we are unaware as to how Kinect will be implemented into the ten year old classic.

It's just a matter of time before we see Kinect support shoehorned into every major Microsoft title.

via Destructoid

Halo Fest Allows Attendees to "Duke" it Out

There's no better way to play Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary Edition at this year's Halo Fest than with the original Xbox controller which has come to be known as "Duke." Remember "Duke?" It was the pack-in controller when you un-boxed that mammoth Xbox back in November 2001, and it was perhaps the most colossal controller you've ever held.

It went on to be replaced by the more consumer friendly "S" controller, but still, to some the "Duke" controller remains a fond memory.

Obviously, that's why Halo studio 343 Industries gutted out some "Duke" controllers and added the components of the current Xbox 360 controller. 343 Industries' Frank O'Connor revealed on NeoGAF there will only be about six of these controllers made--and again, strictly for Halo Fest--and they will be auctioned off for charity after the festivities.

Halo Fest runs during PAX Prime 2011--August 26 to August 28--at the Washington State Convention Center. Admission is free with a PAX Prime badge purchase.

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