Why Halo 7 Should Go All-In With Playable Elites

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Why Halo 7 Should Go All-In With Playable Elites

Highlights

  • 343 Industries is expected to work on the next Halo game while updating Halo Infinite with features like the FLEETCOM Operation.
  • Playable Elites may make a return in future Halo projects, offering new customization options for multiplayer fans.
  • The potential for playable Elites in Halo 7 could introduce new gameplay dynamics and creative opportunities for players.

As a long-time Halo enthusiast who has spent countless hours customizing my Spartan and Elite characters across various games, I can’t help but feel a sense of excitement and nostalgia at the prospect of playable Elites making a comeback in future Halo projects. The return of this feature would not only rekindle memories of epic battles fought alongside the Elites in Halo 2 and Halo 3, but it could also breathe new life into the Halo multiplayer experience.

It’s anticipated that 343 Industries is currently developing the next major installment in the Halo series, while also making periodic improvements to Halo Infinite from 2021, like the recent FLEETCOM Operation. This new game will likely build on the narrative and multiplayer advancements from Halo Infinite. Interestingly, a new Halo Waypoint Chronicle story might have hinted at the reintroduction of a popular cosmetic multiplayer feature in future Halo games: playable Elites.

In the sequel of Halo, Halo 2, game developers Bungie integrated Arbiter Thel ‘Vadam as a secondary playable character in the campaign, enabling players to assume the role of Elites across all of Halo 2’s multiplayer settings. This was an exciting development for the Halo multiplayer experience since it introduced a fresh layer of personalization through the option of customizing player characters with additional colors and emblems. Moreover, this change provided players with opportunities to reenact scenes from the campaign or craft unique fan-made machinima stories showcasing the Elites, similar to the debut of the mysterious alien character Honk Honk in Red vs. Blue Season 4.

The History of Elites in Halo’s Multiplayer

In Halo 3’s campaign, characters like the Arbiter and Elites ‘Ntho ‘Sraom and Usze ‘Taham assumed roles as players two through four. To continue the popularity of playable Elites in multiplayer, Bungie reimagined them with a more advanced form. This innovation also included customizable armor for players in Halo 3, allowing them to modify their Spartans’ helmets, shoulders, and body armor with options like the Hayabusa from Ninja Gaiden or the prestigious Recon armor. Similarly, Elites were granted this customization option, offering them choices such as the Combat, Assault, Flight, Ascetic, or Commando combat harnesses. This expanded customization feature provided a broader range of role-playing possibilities not only in multiplayer but also among fan creations, leading to grand battle scenes featuring Elites and Spartans of various ranks.

Elites’ Decline in Halo Games

In 2009’s Halo 3: ODST, elites were not playable characters, but they made a comeback in a more limited form in 2010’s Halo: Reach. Although players could choose between using Elite or Spartan characters as their main avatar, the Elite character was only accessible in specific multiplayer modes like Invasion or Elite Slayer, unlike in Halo 2 and 3 where they could be used in any game mode. Unlike Spartans who had numerous options to customize their appearance, elites were restricted to eight pre-set armor sets such as Minor, Officer, Spec-Ops, Ultra, Zealot, General, and Field Marshall. However, players could still personalize these sets by choosing primary and secondary armor colors, but the mix-and-match feature that was present in earlier versions was absent.

Back in 2021, I, as a gamer, learned from an Ask343 video that playable Elites weren’t included in Halo Infinite because it was primarily focused on Master Chief’s and the Spartans’ narrative, particularly in the multiplayer mode. It was all about their story.

The Potential of Playable Elites in Halo 7

Since the introduction of playable Elites in Halo: Reach, they have not reappeared in multiplayer Halo games except for the multiplayer version of Halo 2 Anniversary in 2014. However, a recent story on Halo Waypoint called Halo: Anvil Accord may suggest that playable Elites could make a comeback in future Halo titles like Halo 7. The story focuses on interactions between Elites and humans working at Anvil Station, where UNSC and Swords of Sanghelios personnel collaborate to create joint Spartan-Elite task forces and develop new technologies. This narrative unfolds in the year 2560, exactly seven years after the end of the Human-Covenant War, three months before Halo Infinite. In Anvil Accord, Spartan Commander Vinay Sahil and Stationmaster Toda ‘Murajai discuss readying three Riftborn squads for mysterious missions.

In the absence of the UNSC Infinity and suspicions surrounding the Avery J. Johnson Academy due to the Banished AI Iratus, Anvil Station could offer an ideal backdrop for “Halo 7”. Previous games like “Halo 4” and “Halo 5: Guardians” had their multiplayer set in simulations onboard the Infinity, while “Halo Infinite”‘s multiplayer is stationed at the academy. Given that a War Games simulator is present on Anvil Station, it would be logical for 343 Industries to continue this trend by setting the multiplayer within this environment. Characters like Sahil and ‘Murajai could take on the roles of announcers, supervising Spartans and Elites during their joint training sessions, reminiscent of how Spartans Palmer and Agryna oversaw such interactions in the past.

Elites’ Multiplayer Potential in Halo 7

The biggest complaint about having playable Elites in the past was that they frustrated expert players due to how difficult it was to hit headshots on them, especially Halo 3’s Elites. To rectify this issue, Halo 7 could limit Elites to social playlists and allow only Spartans to be used in ranked playlists and eSports tournaments. Furthermore, 343 could allow Elites to be as customizable as Spartans are in Halo Infinite with armor cores based on various ranks or classes. One core could even be based on Banished Elites, featuring armor similar to Shipmaster Let ‘Volir or Blademaster Jega ‘Rdomnai. This could allow players to be more creative in machinima creations and make Halo feel more unique again compared to other FPS games.

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2024-08-05 17:33