While the original Halo was a justly-acclaimed shot in the arm for console shooters, it didnt offer much in the way of complex narrative. Then again, it didnt need to the ring world setting was cool, the alien menace suitably menacing and your playable protagonist was the perfect silent hero; a mysterious super-solider decked out in kick-ass combat armour. At he end of the day, thats all you needed. Then the sequel came along and made the critical error of over-egging the pudding with a confusing civil war subplot, told from the perspective of the alien scourge youd been fighting in the first game. Honestly, I didnt much want the snarling monstrosities from the original Halo to be imbued with depth and motivation I just wanted to stick them with plasma grenades some more. When Bungie went and introduced the omnipotent parasite that spoke exclusively in iambic pentameter, it was a start of a long road to story-telling hell, paved with bogus religious imagery, dull characters and trite dialogue. No thanks.