The affection between Cortana and Master Chief is not romantic, despite the odd sexualization of Cortana. Which is what Halo 4 really is: a love story but not a romance. Maybe I'm just a sucker for a good love story. I blame this also on the often bad writing and laughable cutscenes we find in so many games and which Halo 4 so magnificently avoids. It's my attention deficit issues at play, I'm quite sure, but I'm very often an impatient gamer. I've a terrible habit for skipping cutscenes and racing through dialogue. I say all of this as someone who typically isn't really fond of many linear, story-driven games. How 343 Industries managed to convey so much emotion through a visor, I really don't know. As Master Chief stares down at Earth, I could feel his melancholy. So did Master Chief, even if he isn't one for too many words.īy the end, I felt a real weight, a real sadness. Especially toward the end of the game, the scenes-both in-game and cut-gained an emotional intensity that I found both welcome and surprising.Īs Cortana begins her descent into an AI version of madness, I found myself increasingly uncomfortable and concerned. Each scene was brief enough and believable enough to harness my attention fully. Perhaps the highest praise I can give to this game is that I never once wanted to skip a cutscene. The voice acting, with the Eastwood-esque Steve Downes delivering a solid performance and Jen Taylor as Cortana running away with the show, is excellent throughout.Ī great deal of the story's success must also be laid at the feet of the animators and programmers who have crafted some of the most stunning cutscenes I've seen in a video game, and at the feet of its composers who have written a lovely original soundtrack that compliments each stage of the adventure perfectly.īut it's all these parts crafted into one compelling whole that makes the story of Master Chief and Cortana such a beautiful and tragic tale. Chris Schlerf, Halo 4's lead writer, and the rest of the writing term deserve all the praise they've received.
![halo 4 cortana halo 4 cortana](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/79/58/da/7958dacea84e7e771d982fe1cfd64e76.jpg)
Part of this is the writing which is minimalist, tightly paced, and sincere.
![halo 4 cortana halo 4 cortana](https://cdna.artstation.com/p/assets/images/images/001/578/374/large/kyle-hefley-cortana-render-02.jpg)
![halo 4 cortana halo 4 cortana](https://hdtoytheater.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/mcfarlane-toys-halo-4-cortana-04.jpg)
The story of Master Chief and his AI companion Cortana is surprisingly touching.