Forward Unto Dawn

[trashcanman]

So it's a mere 4 days until Halo 4 drops and although I'm likely the only person here who's going to buy it, I can still share some of the love in the form of a live-action online miniseries that serves as a prequel to the entire Halo saga and as a lead-in to the continuation of the series. You don't need to know anything about Halo to enjoy this series, just have a healthy appetite for military sci-fi. There are 5 episodes at 15-20 minutes apiece which is to say that this is essentially a multi-part feature length film and possibly the best one ever to come from a video game property. Each episode begins with a brief look at where the series is at currently (Master Chief in cryo on a derelict space vessel with his AI companion, Cortana, trapped with him for who knows how long) and then moves back in time to a point at the beginning of the war that was well underway when the first game began. That is all you need to know. So if you've got some time to kill and a hunger for a badass space marine story or just want to see what all the hype is about, enjoy Halo: Forward Unto Dawn.


Part 1
www.youtube.com/watch?v=BfJVgXBfSH8&feature=etp-pv-mcp

Part 2
www.youtube.com/watch?v=K56gSEJ6IGc&feature=relmfu

Part 3
www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbBYG77VeCE&feature=relmfu

Part 4
www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZ_xn889cSk&feature=relmfu

Part 5
www.youtube.com/watch?v=gULQ5GFIkcA

[The Curmudgeon]

I'm at work right now so I can't check these out, but I'll get to them another day. It seems like a weird expense to take part in; a web-series that not many people will see that a billion people are going to buy anyway.

The town where I work has a huge billboard in the center of the high street, about the size of a house (like the things you see in New York, although nowhere near as grand, but you get the idea) and the entire thing is taken up by a huge picture of Halo 4.

Embarrassingly, I've never even SEEN Halo in action. Heard about it, saw pictures, but never even once seen it being played. As it's an X Box only title, (and one of the key reasons the PS3 has had it's ass handed to it in the gaming stakes) that's probably not gonna change any time soon.

Anyways, enjoy, my man. Let me know how the game is. I know someone who's taking five days off work to play it. You're not doing that, are you?

[trashcanman]

Naw. I picked it up last night and played until the wee hours, but I don't take time away from work or family for a damn video game. Priorities and all that. The graphics might be the best thing I've seen on the 360. It literally took me at least half a minute to determine whether the opening cutscene was live action or not. Not superimpressed by the story so far, but then again I was playing with friends and talking shit and all that so you really shouldn't judge a game when it doesn't have your full attention. Anyways, that webseries is an odd thing in that it is so high quality and occupies such a niche format when it would have made an amazing television miniseries or even a straight to DVD film. The budget probably wasn't big enough to go full cinematic, but the quality is certainly there. I'd love to see it in a theater. Plus, it's a really good way to get filled in on some Halo backstory and pumped up for the new game at the same time. Very highly recommended.