Okay, Xbox. You went above and beyond this time! To celebrate Halo 2‘s 20th birthday, some dedicated folks who love the Xbox staple wanted to hit hardcore Halo faithfuls with the surprise of a lifetime. They painstakingly recreated Halo 2‘s memorable 2003 E3 demo for people to play! You know, the gameplay demo that set the gaming world aflame!
However, to properly enjoy Xbox’s classic shoot-bang festivities, you’ll need to purchase Halo: The Master Chief Collection on Steam. Unfortunately, the level’s only playable as a Steam Workshop mod. Once you do that, though? You can visit Earth City in earnest! “For the first time ever, take it to the streets, your way, with support for cooperative action, optional navigation points to rehearse the exact demo path and an included ‘Playground’ version of the level, allowing free roam of the city,” the mod’s Steam blurb proudly states!
Further, understand that this? A true labor of love, as explained on Xbox Wire. “Steven Garcia (known to the community as General_101) was vital in getting this scenario stood up and even improved over the original. He was a one-man army and did a significant chunk of the work in developing tools, updating scripts, and even arting the levels. Digsite team members Ludus, Neo Te Aika, Sean T, xScruffyDaSasquatchx, and Killzone then provided finishing touches to replicate the original demo experience and test for bugs. Without them, we would probably have only had a rather unceremonious drop of raw assets and that was it.”
you can play the xbox’s legendary ‘halo 2’ 2003 e3 demo
It warms my heart to see members of the Xbox squad team up with modders to make this happen. Unquestionably, I remember that demo so vividly — and I wasn’t even a Halo fan. Indeed, I was so impressed. It was one of the first showcases of any game that made me truly excited about the possibilities of video games. How far the medium could go. But, that’s coming from someone who, historically, doesn’t care for most first-person shooters.
What perfect timing, too! To have Halo 2‘s anniversary fall on a Saturday was probably the best thing to happen for the Xbox team. Everyone’s at home, amped up, and ready to enjoy a trip down memory lane!
The post Xbox ‘Halo 2’ Celebrates 20th Anniversary by Letting Fans Play Iconic 2003 E3 Demo appeared first on VICE.
The post Xbox ‘Halo 2’ Celebrates 20th Anniversary by Letting Fans Play Iconic 2003 E3 Demo appeared first on VICE.
