After Halo took the world by storm in 2001, it was going to take something truly Earth-shattering to top it, and against tremendous odds, Bungie managed to do it with their 2004 follow-up. The ambitious single-player had gamers switching between the role of Master Chief and the Covenant Arbiter throughout, and though this added a wealth of variety, the game's finale was widely criticised for being too abrupt and ending on a cliffhanger due to cut-backs late in the game's development period. But like so many games on this list, it's the revolutionary multiplayer that has kept it enduring in the hearts of gamers everywhere. Though the game was a total blast with three friends at home, what took it to the next level was the online play by way of Xbox Live: the maps, the mayhem, the Energy Sowrds, and of course Bungie's matchmaking system, which kept a steady stream of matches ready, and has been widely adopted by other games since. So few online shooters managed to combine incredible map design with outrageously entertaining game modes and super-cool weaponry, such that even the technological leaps of the later Halo games couldn't top this effort. Though the original Xbox servers have been discontinued for years, we can't wait for the upcoming Master Chief Collection, where we can dive back into the madness that consumed so many hours of our formative years.
Stay at home dad who spends as much time teaching his kids the merits of Martin Scorsese as possible (against the missus' wishes).
General video game, TV and film nut. Occasional sports fan. Full time loon.
