The Comparison of Halo Art Style: From Halo 4 to Halo Infinite

Game Designer at RetroStyle Games | Sep 6, 2024

The Halo series is one of the most iconic in video game history. It started in 2001 with Halo: Combat Evolved. Since then, the series has grown into a major franchise under the wing of Microsoft (Xbox Games Studios), one of the top gaming studios worldwide. Microsoft with its $68 billion deal to acquire Activision Blizzard in October 2023, has played a role in the future of the Halo series. The franchise includes multiple games, books, and even TV shows. These days, Halo is known for its rich story, memorable characters, and intense multiplayer experiences. However, one key aspect that has always set Halo apart is its unique art style. The art style plays a big role in how players connect with the game. It can evoke emotions and create lasting memories. So, the art style is deeply tied to the Halo community’s game experience.

Origins of the Halo Series

The Halo series began with Bungie, a game development studio. The original idea for Halo was much different from what it became. Initially, it was planned as a real-time strategy game for the Mac. The game was even code-named Monkey Nuts and Blam! before evolving into the first-person shooter known today. The setting was supposed to be a hollowed-out world called Solipsis which eventually transformed into the famous ringworld, Halo. Halo: Combat Evolved launched in 2001 and quickly became a massive success.

After Bungie separated from Microsoft in 2007, 343 Industries took over the Halo franchise. They have continued to develop new entries in the series. Halo 4, Halo 5: Guardians, and Halo Infinite — it’s their work.

The initial Halo artwork was immediately recognizable. The design was a mix of futuristic military elements and alien aesthetics. The Master Chief’s armor, the Covenant enemies, and the mysterious ringworld became iconic symbols. The visuals were simple but effective. Bright colors and clear designs helped players easily identify elements in the game. This art style received praise for its clarity and originality, making Halo stand out among other games of the time.

Halo 4 was released in 2012, marking a significant change in the series. Developed by 343 Industries, the art style in Halo 4 was more detailed and realistic especially compared to earlier games. Halo game characters and environments had a more polished, almost cinematic look. Familiar elements like the Master Chief’s armor and the Covenant enemies were reimagined. This shift was intended to bring a fresh look to the series but it also sparked mixed reactions. However, some fans appreciated the new style. Others felt it strayed too far from the classic Halo aesthetic.

Halo Infinite, released in 2021, aimed to bring the series back to its roots, but after the mixed reactions to Halo 4 and Halo 5: Guardians, 343 Industries decided to blend the old with the new. The art style in Halo Infinite is a mix of classic designs and modern technology. The Master Chief’s armor looks more like it did in the original games, just with more detail. This return to a more familiar art style was well-received by the community.

The changes in style from Halo 4 art to Halo Infinite have had a big impact on the community. When Halo 4 introduced a new look, it divided fans. Some embraced the change, while others longed for the classic style. Halo Infinite’s return to a more traditional style helped reunite the fans. It reminded players of why they fell in love with Halo in the first place. Halo Infinite art is a nod to the past, while still looking forward.

The shift from Halo 4 to Halo Infinite artwork shows how important these visual elements are to players. It affects how they feel about the game and how connected they are to the Halo universe.

To explore consistency in the early Halo games, here are some key points:

1
Storyline
- The story in Halo: Combat Evolved to Halo 3 follows a continuous narrative.
- There are minimal retcons (changes to the storyline) in these early games.
2
Art Style
- The art style remained consistent, with only minor updates in graphics due to advancing technology.
- The iconic designs of characters, vehicles, and environments stayed true throughout the trilogy.
3
Gameplay Mechanics
- Core gameplay mechanics, such as first-person shooting, vehicle combat, and multiplayer, remained similar.
- Each game refined these mechanics but didn’t drastically change them.
4
Music and Sound
- The music, composed by Martin O'Donnell, maintained a consistent theme.
- Sound effects like the shield recharge and weapon sounds were recognizable and consistent across the games.

The Halo series, especially the early games like Halo: Combat Evolved to Halo 3, is famous for its strong world-building. The developers carefully designed the environments, characters, and military assets to create a believable sci-fi world. The Halo weapon design evolution even requires a separate article to talk about. This attention to detail is a big part of what made Halo so successful.

Speaking of weapons, Fallout: New Vegas also excels at creating an unforgettable world, though it’s set in a very different place. What makes Fallout New Vegas good? Obsidian Entertainment focused on building a post-apocalyptic world that feels both large and personal. Like Halo, New Vegas uses detailed assets, from unique weapons to the design of towns. Everything to draw players into its world. Both games show how important well-designed assets are in making a game world feel real and engaging.

In our work, we’ve been inspired by Halo's focus on military realism and New Vegas's deep world-building. We’ve combined these ideas to create 3D military assets that not only look real but also help make the game world more immersive.

Halo 4: The Dawn of a New Art Style

When 343 Industries took over the Halo series from Bungie, they wanted to make their mark. Halo 4 was their first major project. This game marked a big change, not just in story and gameplay but also in how the game looked.

Halo 4 introduced a new, more realistic art style. The game had detailed character models that looked more lifelike than ever before. The Master Chief’s armor, for example, had more intricate designs and textures. It made it appear more advanced and rugged.

The environment design also saw a shift. The worlds in Halo 4 became more complex and visually rich. Forests, mountains, and alien structures — all looked more polished and realistic.

A significant change came with the introduction of new Forerunner aesthetics. The Forerunners, an ancient alien race, had their technology and architecture. It’s depicted in a sleek, metallic, and glowing design. These elements felt advanced and otherworldly, setting them apart from previous designs in the series.

The new art style in Halo 4 received mixed reactions. Some players appreciated the more modern look. They liked how the game felt more cinematic and detailed. However, others felt it was too different from the classic Halo style they loved. They missed the simpler, more iconic designs of the earlier games.

Halo 4 was a bold step in a new direction for the series. The art style became more realistic, with detailed characters and a unique take on Forerunner technology. While it brought new life to the series, it also sparked debates among fans about what Halo should look like.

Halo 5: Guardians and Its Influence

Halo 5: Guardians continued the art style introduced in Halo 4. The game kept a realistic and detailed look. Character models remained highly detailed, with improvements in the textures of 3D weapon models and characters. The animations got better too. The environments in Halo 5 were even more expansive and visually striking. The Forerunner aesthetics, with their sleek and glowing designs, were further refined. In general, the Halo graphics were more polished, making everything look sharper and more dynamic.

Halo 5 didn’t just stick to Halo 4’s style, it made some changes, but the overall design was more streamlined, and the colors were slightly adjusted to improve clarity. The lighting effects were enhanced, giving the game a more vibrant feel. Also, Halo is considered one of the games with lots of weapons and vehicle designs. They all saw minor tweaks to make them look more modern while still fitting within the Halo universe.

The community had mixed feelings about Halo 5’s art direction. Many players appreciated the improvements in graphics and the refined look of the game. The detailed environments and the modernized designs were nice, but fans weren’t happy about the current situation of the Halo series, because they liked the classic Halo style more.

Halo Infinite: A Return to Roots

Halo Infinite was developed to bring back the classic Halo feel while also looking modern. The game was made to remind players of the original trilogy but with updated graphics and design, of course. However, from the beginning, Halo Infinite was sold as a return to what made the series great. The goal was to create a game that feels both new and nostalgic.

The visuals in Halo Infinite are simpler and more colorful compared to previous games. This was a clear choice to echo the look of the original Halo games. The brighter colors and clear designs helped bring back the iconic feel that many fans missed in Halo 4 and Halo 5.

Halo Infinite is described as a “spiritual reboot”. This means it was designed to capture the spirit of the original games. The game combines the sense of wonder and exploration from the early Halo games with modern technology. This approach aimed to satisfy both long-time fans and new players.

The development of Halo Infinite heavily considered feedback from fans of Halo 4 and Halo 5. Many players felt that the series had moved too far from its roots. In response, 343 Industries focused on returning to the core elements that made Halo popular. This included simpler designs, brighter visuals, and more recognizable character models.

In Halo Infinite, character and enemy designs were adjusted to reflect this return to roots. The Master Chief’s armor was redesigned to look more like it did in the original games. It’s simpler and more iconic, with fewer of the extra details seen in Halo 4 and Halo 5, but this new design was made to be familiar yet still modern.

Classic enemies like the Elites and Grunts were also redesigned to look more like their original versions. They were updated to fit the new game engine but kept their familiar shapes and styles.

The game’s art style, character designs, and enemy visuals reflect a careful balance between the old and the new. It made a hit among fans who longed for the return of the original Halo magic.

Comparison of Halo Art Styles

In Halo: Combat Evolved, the art style was simple and focused on clear, iconic designs. The environments were vibrant, with a strong emphasis on readability. Character models, including the Master Chief, were basic but recognizable.

As the series progressed into Halo 2 and Halo 3, the art style evolved. The environments became more detailed, incorporating richer textures and more complex lighting. Character models improved with better animations and slight updates to the Master Chief’s armor, though it retained its familiar look. The enemy designs also saw enhancements, adding more detail while preserving their distinct features.

To achieve these visual improvements, many developers often rely on 3D animation services — this helps to make characters and environments in high quality, and using external help for this is common in the industry.

With Halo 4, the art style took a significant leap towards realism. The environments were much more detailed. Character models, especially the Master Chief, became more realistic and highly detailed. The introduction of Forerunner enemies brought a sleek, futuristic aesthetic, while Covenant enemies were updated to appear more menacing. This level of detail in character design is something that character creation games often strive to achieve — they give players the tools to customize and create detailed characters that reflect their vision.

Halo 5: Guardians continued this trend. They offered expansive environments that emphasized scale and grandeur. The use of vibrant colors and dynamic effects increased. Character models were further refined, with even more detailed textures and a more agile appearance for the Master Chief. The enemy designs from Halo 4 were carried forward and enhanced. It featured more advanced effects and animations.

Halo Infinite marked a return to simpler, more colorful visuals reminiscent of the original trilogy. The focus shifted back to natural landscapes and open-world elements. The Master Chief’s armor looked closer to his original suit but with added detail. The enemy designs also saw a return to their classic forms.

Throughout the series, the Halo art style has evolved significantly. They were adapting to new technological advancements, but striving to maintain the core visual elements that define the franchise. So, each game brought its changes, reflecting the balance between innovation and tradition that has kept the series visually compelling for its fans. In creating these detailed and expansive worlds, concept art outsourcing has played and still playing a significant role.

Many game developers use this approach to bring in specialized talent, and it’s not something to shy away from. Outsourcing helps to enhance the visual quality of the game but ensures that the developers can focus on the core aspects of design and gameplay.

Comparison of Halo Series to Our Game Art Style

Concept Art

Comparison of Halo characters to RetroStyle Games characters

Character Art

Background

Battle Art

Technical Advancements and Artistic Choices

The Halo series has evolved significantly over the years, both technically and artistically. Character artists and designers tried their best to keep the same vibe in the game but they still polished and upgraded the game according to the latest technologies. By the way, who are those people?

Character artists are responsible for creating the visual appearance of characters. They focus on details like textures, colors, and overall aesthetics. Character designers develop the concepts and personalities of characters. They decide how they look and behave based on the story and gameplay needs. The distinction between character artist vs character designer is often missed.

Halo: Combat Evolved was released in 2001 and ran on the Bungie-developed Blam! engine. This engine allowed for large, open environments and smooth gameplay on the original Xbox. The game used simple but effective texturing and lighting to create its iconic look. The art style was clean, with vibrant colors that made the world of Halo stand out.

With Halo 2 (2004) and Halo 3 (2007), Bungie introduced more advanced lighting and shadowing techniques. Halo 2 used real-time reflections and dynamic lighting, which added depth to the environment. Halo 3 took this further with high dynamic range (HDR) lighting, which made the game’s visuals more realistic and vibrant. The Havok physics engine was also used, improving the interaction between characters and the environment.

When 343 Industries took over with Halo 4 in 2012, the game saw a significant leap in visual fidelity. It used a heavily modified version of the Halo engine. Halo 4 introduced advanced texture mapping and dynamic lighting, giving the game a more realistic look. Character models became more detailed, and the environments were richer and more immersive.

Halo 5: Guardians (2015) pushed the series even further in terms of technical achievement. The game ran on an updated engine that allowed for 60 frames per second (FPS) gameplay. It also featured real-time global illumination, which improved the way light interacted with the game’s environments. Texturing was more detailed, and character animations were smoother.

Halo Infinite (2021) aimed to bring the series back to its roots while using modern technology. The game uses the new Slipspace engine, designed specifically for the next generation of gaming. It includes real-time ray tracing, which enhances lighting and reflections, making the game world feel more realistic. The engine also allows for larger, more open environments, reminiscent of the original Halo games but with much greater detail and complexity.

Key Points in Chronology:

2001: Halo: Combat Evolved – Introduction of large, open environments with vibrant colors using the Blam! engine.
2004: Halo 2 – Advanced lighting and shadowing techniques with real-time reflections.
2007: Halo 3 – Introduction of HDR lighting and improved physics through the Havok engine.
2012: Halo 4 – Significant visual upgrades with advanced texture mapping and dynamic lighting under 343 Industries.
2015: Halo 5: Guardians – Enhanced visuals with real-time global illumination and 60 FPS gameplay.
2021: Halo Infinite – New Slipspace engine with real-time ray tracing, larger environments, and a blend of modern and classic Halo aesthetics.

Community Critic Reviews

The Halo series has always sparked strong opinions among its fanbase. Especially with the transitions between different development teams and the style evolution of the games over time. People also don’t agree on what are the best Halo games.

Halo Infinite has been a topic of much discussion. Many fans appreciate how the game tried to blend modern gameplay with the classic Halo feel. They praise the game for its return to a simpler, more colorful art style, which reminds them of the original trilogy. The campaign, with its open-world elements and a more personal story focusing on Master Chief, received positive feedback from those who longed for a return to form.

However, not all fans are completely satisfied. Some feel that while Halo Infinite successfully captures the essence of earlier games, it falls short in areas like mission variety and environmental design in Halo. They mention that certain missions can feel repetitive, relying on similar Forerunner architecture and combat scenarios that don’t offer much diversity. There are also concerns about the game’s overall polish, for example, some players noted that the game still feels unfinished or unrefined in certain aspects, such as the lighting and shading.

Halo 4 is often seen as a dividing point in the series. Fans of this installment appreciate the leap in graphical fidelity and the deeper exploration of Master Chief’s character. The game introduced a more complex narrative, it focuses on themes of identity and responsibility, which resonated with a portion of the community. These fans argue that Halo 4 was a necessary evolution for the series, pushing it forward in terms of storytelling and visual design.

On the other hand, some players felt that Halo 4 and its successor, Halo 5: Guardians, strayed too far from the original formula. They criticize the art style in these games as being overly detailed and too different from what made the original Halo games iconic. The shift towards a more realistic and complex visual style didn’t sit well with everyone, especially those who preferred the unique features of Halo’s art style — the simpler, more stylized look of the Bungie-era games.

The issue with classic vs modern Halo art style: a recurring theme in the community is the tension between nostalgia and innovation. Older fans, who grew up with the original Halo trilogy, often express a longing for the simpler, more straightforward design and gameplay of those games. They appreciate Halo Infinite’s attempts to recapture that spirit but remain critical of changes over the years they perceive as unnecessary or too modern.

Newer players, or those more open to change, often defend the direction 343 Industries has taken with the series. They argue that the series needed to evolve to stay relevant in modern gaming. For these fans, Halo 4 and Halo 5 offered exciting new experiences, even if they differed from the original games.

The community remains divided. Some players embrace the new directions the series has taken, appreciating the technical advancements and more complex narratives. Others hold on to the past and don’t like Halo’s art style and character design. They prefer the simpler, more iconic designs and gameplay of the early Halo games. What’s clear, however, is that Halo continues to be a beloved franchise with a passionate fanbase, even as it navigates the challenges of evolving in a rapidly changing gaming industry. What is the best halo game? Depends on who you ask.

The discussion around Halo and its evolution has similarities to the experiences of Bioshock. Just as Halo fans are divided between nostalgia for the original trilogy and the innovations brought by later games, Bioshock fans have also seen debates over the direction of the series. Bioshock Infinite, for example, introduced significant changes in setting and gameplay that differed from the dark, underwater world of the original Bioshock. While some players praised the new, more vibrant setting and deeper narrative themes, others missed the atmospheric horror and tighter gameplay mechanics of the original.

Similarly, Bioshock like games such as Dishonored and Prey, have faced their challenges. These games tried to capture the unique blend of immersive storytelling and world-building that made Bioshock famous. However, they also had to balance innovation with player expectations. Fans of these games often debate whether these titles successfully carried forward the spirit of Bioshock or strayed too far from what made the original so beloved. This tension between holding onto what made a game iconic and evolving to meet new standards is a recurring theme in discussions about both the Halo and Bioshock series.

Fan Reactions to Halo Infinite's Art Style

Fan reactions to Halo Infinite’s graphics are mixed. Some players love the detailed environments and the nostalgic feel. They praise the beautiful landscapes and emotional moments. Others criticize the lack of variety and the smooth, cartoonish look of some models. The “Craig” meme, for example, highlights disappointment with certain character designs.

On Reddit, fans share their experiences, often praising the scenery but pointing out repetitive textures. They discuss how the visuals sometimes fall short, especially in character models.

GameRant and similar sites echo these sentiments. They note the initial reveal’s criticism, with some fans finding the graphics flat compared to older Halo games.

Social Media	RetroStyle Games
Facebook	Halo Community Group
YouTube	Halo Follower, HiddenXperia
Reddit	r/Halo, r/HaloStory, r/HaloMemes
Twitter	@HaloHubGG
Discord	Halo Infinite Discord, Halo

Summary of Key Points

The Halo series has experienced significant changes in its art style over the years. Evolving from the simple and iconic designs of the original trilogy to the more detailed and realistic visuals seen in Halo 4 and Halo 5: Guardians. With Halo Infinite, the developers aimed to strike a balance between modern Halo Infinite graphics and the classic Halo feel, that’s why they bring back simpler, more colorful visuals that evoke nostalgia but also include advanced technologies like real-time ray tracing.

From a technical standpoint, the series began with The Blam! engine in Halo: Combat Evolved which allowed for large open environments and smooth gameplay on early consoles. As the series progressed, more advanced lighting, textures, and physics were introduced, with Halo 4 marking a significant leap in visual fidelity under the direction of 343 Industries. The most recent game, Halo Infinite, uses the new Slipspace engine, enabling larger environments, enhanced lighting, and a blend of classic and modern visual elements. In creating these advanced visuals, 343 Industries, like many other developers, didn’t hesitate to use the services of a 3D outsourcing studio to ensure the highest quality.

The Halo community remains divided on the changes brought by 343 Industries. Some fans appreciate the evolution and modernization of the series, particularly in Halo Infinite – this game has been praised for returning to the roots of the series. However, others miss the simplicity and bold designs of the original games, and some feel that Halo Infinite still falls short in areas like mission variety and overall polish.

Fan reactions to Halo Infinite’s art style are widely discussed across platforms like Reddit, YouTube, and Discord. While some fans embrace the new direction, others express concerns about the changes and the potential unfinished aspects of the game.

Additional Resources

Here are some additional resources where you can explore more about the Halo series:

Halo Waypoint

Reddit - r/Halo

YouTube - Halo Follower

343 Industries Blog

Discord - Halo Infinite Community

Origins of the Halo Series

Storyline

Art Style

Gameplay Mechanics

Music and Sound

Halo 4: The Dawn of a New Art Style

Halo 5: Guardians and Its Influence

Halo Infinite: A Return to Roots

Comparison of Halo Art Styles

Comparison of Halo Series to Our Game Art Style

Concept Art

Character Art

Background

Battle Art

Concept Art

Character Art

Background

Battle Art

Icons

Technical Advancements and Artistic Choices

Community Critic Reviews

Fan Reactions to Halo Infinite's Art Style

Summary of Key Points

Additional Resources