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Halo: Nightfall Wraps Up On A High Note
If there’s one thing that seems evident from Halo: Nightfall, it’s that it would have been presented better as a single, complete entity. The episodic structure didn’t do it any favors, as we’ve mentioned in previous weeks, but the endeavor does end on stronger footing.
Note: Even though all five episode are now available, we’ll avoid spoilers from the finale. Everything else is fair game, though.
Halo: Nightfall began with strong character moments, as we were introduced to Colonel Aiken, Commander Locke, and their respective teams. Some of that was lost along the way, partially because some cast members existed only as fodder for the Hunter worms.
Now that the cast has been condensed down to a few survivors, those remaining soldiers (and the one captive smuggler remaining) get more attention. It will serve as no surprise how some of the remaining members of the team act in the conclusion, but that doesn’t prevent a strong sense of tension.
Unfortunately, one moment is a bit too predictable, especially since we know who at least one of the survivors is. Perhaps if 343 Industries hadn’t told us that Commander Locke factors into Halo 5: Guardians, the story arc and the fight for two seats in the escape vehicle would have landed with more impact.
Despite the rough middle, Halo: Nightfall could provide a good setup for Halo 5: Guardians. In order for that to happen, there will need to be payoff in Locke’s character that reflects back on the events on the fragment of the Alpha Halo ring.
I would still love to see Halo realized as a live-action film that aligns with experiences players have had. The Hunter worms were certainly scary, but their connection to the Covenant was tangential, leaving them to fulfill a vacancy left by the Flood.
Halo has so much potential, as evidenced by the rich, expanded lore. Nightfall scratches that surface, but with the closure of Xbox Entertainment Studios, the chance of us seeing something of this scope soon is unlikely. It’s a shame that this first step might also be the last.
For more, check out our impressions of episode one, episode two, episode three, and episode four.
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