This week in an interview with CVG, 343 Industries’ Frank O’Connor discussed more plot details of the highly anticipated Halo 4, which will start out where Halo 3 left off, with lead protagonist Master Chief in stasis in the remains of a destroyed spaceship, overseen by the AI Cortana, who was nearing the end of her lifespan. The two were moving in the direction of a planet which was hinted to be a forerunner shield world designed to survive the firing of the Halo rings.
One of the major changes we’ll see in Halo 4 is aesthetic; Master Chief’s armour has received some massive modifications with artistic upgrades which O’Connor called an “artistic revolution.” This is sure to represent just one of the many impressive evolutions in the artistic quality of the game. Those who want to check out how much Halo’s graphics have evolved should have a look at the Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary Edition, which includes the ability to toggle between the new, upgraded graphics and the original version of that classic title.
From previous interviews, we’ve discovered that Cortana will be playing a much more pivotal role in Halo 4. O’Connor discussed the direction that Cortana’s character is taking as well. “Cortana was getting close to the end of her natural lifespan at the end of Halo 3 but she has been exposed to far more information than any other AI in existence. She’s going to develop some muscle from that process but it also contributes to her rampancy – that much information makes things worse.”
According to O’Connor, the upcoming Reclaimer Trilogy will get a lot darker in Halo 5 before reaching its conclusion in Halo 6. With all this anticipation, just how long will we have to wait for Halo 4? Right now the game is slated for release next holiday season. This is a great time for new players to catch up on the previous games in the franchise and for veteran fans to refresh on the storyline by replaying the old classics. And don’t forget to grab a copy of Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary Edition!