So the original Halo is being remade… did anyone think that wouldn’t happen? UbiSoft apparently found success with its updated Prince of Persia trilogy, enough to plan a Splinter Cell package of the same concept.
Halo released in 2001, only a single generation behind the Xbox 360. The UbiSoft collections are on a lesser time frame. While the Halo remake is warranted on a different scale (online play for the first time, new engine), it’s unbelievably early to be remaking games that are barely 10 years old.
It’s fun to bring back classic titles in new skins, titles like Mega Man Powered Up from Capcom reintroducing the first Mega Man to a new audience. Bionic Commando and Ghosts ‘n Goblins are in the same vein as well, their 2D sprites given added (and respectful to the source) life in a 3D realm.
Halo though… not so much. Why now? Are we at the point where sequels no longer appeal to people and we need to reach back into the vault this quickly? The laziness of UbiSoft’s “remakes,” with their updated resolution and not much else, are a marketing dream, but a sore spot on their record. There’s no point in remaking things that have barely aged. They should simmer and stand alone. In the meantime, remade map packs can capture the magic of the original Halo in Reach, plus give them new life with jet packs and other powers.
It’s bad enough Hollywood has entered into a remake-fit, and now the gaming industry is taking notice. Will a remade Halo be spectacular? Most likely. Other than PC players, no one has played the original title online, and it fills a void left by the original Xbox going offline. Imagine waiting a generation though until the next round of hardware, where capabilities soar even further. Pushing this stuff out the door now is just wasting an opportunity.
