Who knows what would have happened to Microsoft's initial foray into home console entertainment if Halo had never been. Bungie brought living-room gamers their first viable, dual-analog FPS configuration, now an industry standard for console gaming. When Halo launched as an exclusive on the original Xbox, there was absolutely nothing like it on PS2. Sony wasn't exactly hurting at the time, having gotten their system out the door much sooner with way more software, but Halo's handling wiped the floor with PS2's best shooters.The sheer power of the original Xbox couldn't help but shine through when our Halo disc was spinning. Granular texture details. The first use of bump-mapping on consoles - a 3D optimization technique that has evolved far beyond Halo's modest applications. Rechargeable health is perhaps the most relevant contribution Halo has made to modern gaming. Health packs have all but vanished from mainstream video games as a result. Split-screen deathmatches and LAN parties also blew up thanks to Halo, a factor that no doubt contributed to Halo 2's monumental online success and the legacy that followed. Master Chief is the control-reference for every modern console FPS, the reason every game today has us healing like Wolverine and the oldest, most prevalent mascot in Microsoft's repertoire.