Halo 4 is part of the popular sci-fi first person shooter franchise Halo. Halo 4 was developed by 343 Studios and is owned by Microsoft.
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Story & Themes
If you're not familiar with the backstory of the Halo universe, then the story of Halo 4 may be a little hard to grasp. Here are the basics.
The Halo games take place in the 26th century. At this time, humans are space-faring, and they have also discovered that they are not the only sentient forms of life in the galaxy. The Covenant is an alliance of many kinds of aliens who share a common religion. The Covenant worships the Forerunners, an ancient alien species which isn't around any longer. The Forerunners created a series of super weapons called Halos, which were designed to wipe out all life in the galaxy. The Covenant believe that activating the Halos will lead to salvation. In the first three games, John-117 (aka Master Chief), a super soldier from Earth, must stop the Covenant from activating the Halos.
Halo 4 picks up four years after the events of Halo 3. Master Chief and his AI companion Cortana crash-land on the planet Requiem. Master Chief must fight off the Covenant and Prometheans to survive. Prometheans are ancient warriors created by the Forerunners.
When Cortana begins to malfunction, she explains that she is suffering from "rampancy," a normal yet serious condition that affects all artificial intelligences as they get older.
Master Chief and Cortana accidentally release the Didact, a Forerunner warrior. The Didact has a device called the Composer that allows him to turn humans into Prometheans. Master Chief must prevent the Didact from converting all life on Earth into Prometheans.
Heads Up!
Violence The Halo games all depend heavily on gun violence. About 95% gameplay is spent shooting at aliens or bashing in their heads with the butt of your gun. And there is blood. However, it's usually multicolored alien blood.
Scary Imagery The intense alien fight sequences can be unsettling, especially for young viewers.
Sex & Nudity The character Cortana is an artificial intelligence, but she is represented by a holographic image of a woman wearing a skin-tight outfit. Most other characters are clothed in bulky military garb.
Strong Language There is some light swearing.
Online Community
Halo 4 has the option to be played online with strangers from around the world. Headsets enable anyone to say anything they like in real time without censure, so you might encounter strong language.
Conversation Starters
- Why do you think Master Chief always keeps his face hidden? How does this affect your opinion of his character?
- When is violence justifiable?
- How do the Covenant's religious beliefs affect their military decisions? What about their beliefs are healthy, and what makes their beliefs dangerous?
- What do you think of the bond between Master Chief and Cortana? Can a computer have a relationship with a human being?
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