It is largely been forgotten about now, however Halo: The Grasp Chief Assortment launched on Xbox One in an absolute state. The video games had been all there, in a style, nevertheless it felt like one thing that had been slapped-together as quick as doable on a shoestring, reasonably than a definitive remastering of the collection that is still one in all Microsoft’s crown jewels.
The rationale that launch interval’s receded into the mists is that 343 Industries took cost of the mission (the launched recreation had a number of builders) and has, over a few years, doggedly added-to, polished-up, and made Halo: MCC shine. In addition to truly bringing it to PC, after all.
I would now say that this package deal not solely represents huge worth, however is the definitive approach to get pleasure from a few of the traditional FPS video games. That is as a result of 343 has one-by-one added all of the pre-Infinite Halo video games, together with Halo 3: ODST (one of many collection’ finest campaigns), and has over-reached itself by, for instance, going again and fixing Halo 2’s damaged PC port (opens in new tab), including mod instruments to Halo: Fight Developed (opens in new tab), and restoring lower content material (opens in new tab). When microtransaction plans impressed a bout of group grumbling, Microsoft simply cancelled the plans (opens in new tab).
All of which means that, again in that launch interval, Microsoft had some severe inside dialogue about the way it had introduced its supposed icon of the Grasp Chief (and in a group bearing his title). 343 Industries clearly has each the desire and the funding to proceed enhancing the sport. And now, in what could make the largest distinction to the sport’s PC playerbase but, it is added Steam Workshop integration out of nowhere.
For the uninitiated, Steam Workshop can mainly be learn as “simple mods”. In a weblog about the sport’s newest replace 343 writes (opens in new tab):
“Halo: The Grasp Chief Assortment on Steam is now built-in with Steam Workshop. Utilizing Steam Workshop, gamers on Steam can now subscribe to mods, corresponding to a multiplayer map, then play that content material in-game with out having to manually navigate to or transfer downloaded information.”
Along with this, the replace provides modding instruments for Halo 2 and Halo 4, in addition to an “excession device” that makes it a doddle for modders to package-up their present mods to be workshop-ready.
As might be seen from the workshop web page (opens in new tab), the mods are already flooding in: together with biggies like Halo 2 Uncut, varied whole overhauls of the video games, oddities like a Resident Evil 4 location, a battle in opposition to a large rat in Attain, and one thing known as “Saving Sergeant Johnson” which I’ve to play tonight.
The replace comes together with a bunch of smaller bug fixes and tweaks, listed right here (opens in new tab), and the addition of much more Golden Moa statues. These had been first added to Halo 3 however can now even be present in Halo: Fight Developed and Halo 4, seem in numerous missions each week, and are collected by taking pictures them. I imply they don’t seem to be precisely huge ol’ skulls however, look: if 343 retains on supporting Halo: MCC like this, it could add all of the daft birds it needs.