There are some things you can be forgiven for forgetting. The names of all the kings and queens of England in order of their reign, the star dates at the beginning of every Star Trek episode and your great aunt Mabel's birthday. However, there are some things you should never forget. How great Halo is and to pre-order the American edition of Halo 2 so that you get the limited edition silver tin.
I, dear playmates, have forgotten both. I have no excuses; I wouldn't want to insult you with such things. Instead, I am here to ensure the same fate does not befall you.
You may shake your head and smile, thinking you couldn't possibly. But it happens to the best of us. In our burning desire for the next best thing, it's easy to disregard what gems we already have.
The date has been set and Halo 2 is looming on our horizons as we speak. So what better time to dust off the original and immerse yourself in the memories?
The second coming is much like the Lord of the Rings movies and should be treated as such. Never has 12 months seemed so long, than waiting for Two Towers, after seeing the wonder that was Fellowship. Every year a new movie was due out and part of the ritual involved watching the preceding episode the week before release to reacquaint you with the state of play. So trust me, now is the time to revisit Halo and experience great gaming once more.
Now, you may be asking what prompted this sudden fervour concerning Halo. Well, we all have Konami Boy to thank. He's always been convinced that Halo wasn't his cup of tea – I know, don't say it, I've said it all and to no avail. I guess Halo is for him what Metal Gear is for me. Anyway, I popped round the other day to the sound of what could only be described as someone massacring a hoard of wookies. It wasn't wookies, it KB in the midst of a Halo battle.
The good news is, now he's hooked. Yes, he's seen the light and the corridors echo with the sound of gunfire and "another, here!" So I spent a weekend watching from the sidelines, with memories of battles flooding back to me. The result was Halo envy. First his flatmate succumbed. One day we came home to him slaughtering covenant scum like it was going out of style. Then I crumbled and now we're all going through a period of Halo revisited.
There were many things I had forgotten about Halo. For instance, I'd forgotten how cool it is when the troops come rolling in and yelling to each other. I just love the break from the solitude. Although, inevitably they all go and get themselves killed in the next melee and I'm on my own once again.
I'd also forgotten just how scary Halo is. You can take your survival horror any day of the week and give me a level of Halo involving the flood. I hate the flood, they make my skin crawl and I don't think I'm alone on this. The first time you meet the flood is a truly horrible experience. Those creepy pod things that swarm towards the screen – I'd forgotten about those little critters too. Backing into a corner all guns blazing and the worst thing being the empty click of an empty gun – I can't reload NOW! I don't have time for this…
Don't just sit there waiting for Halo 2 to come along, get playing and just enjoy Halo. The difficulty curve is superbly balanced, making it one of the most addictive playing experiences. Remember the perfect combination of tactics, strategy and all out gun-blazing action? Well it's still there, two years on and it ain't going anywhere, so why wait?
If you start playing now, you'll just be primed, ready and champing at the bit for Halo 2. Give the second coming the build-up deserves, stop poring over scenes of the next one and remind yourself why it's worth the wait.
Most played: Halo
Most wanted: Halo 2