After a 10-year wait, theDead Spacefranchise has returned to remind players why it is one of the biggest names in sci-fi horror. TheDead Space Remakehas reintroduced fans to Isaac Clarke’s spine-tingling adventure, and they cannot wait for more. While anotherDead Spacetitle may be on the horizon, other sci-fi video game franchises may want to take some notes. Specifically, Microsoft’sHaloseries could do a lot with theDead Spacemodel.
Halois not a particularly scary franchise, but it does have a few terrifying moments. Ever sinceHalo: Combat Evolved, players have had to deal with the disgusting Flood parasite. These encounters have led to some of the scariest missions in the franchise, but this antagonist has not been seen in a mainline game sinceHalo 3. If the franchise wants to do something exciting and unique afterHalo Infinite, then it may be time for this parasite to return in its own standalone horror title heavily inspired by theDead Spacefranchise.
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Halo’s Flood Are the Perfect Antagonists for a Standalone Game
Halo’sFlood are considered one of the greatest threats to the entire galaxy. They are responsible for consuming most sentient life in the universe and are even credited withtaking downHalo’sForerunnersduring the 300-year-long Forerunner-Flood war. Their primary purpose is to consume biomass and reproduce as they go, which only makes them stronger. They are virtually unstoppable, and the only way to defeat them is to starve them to death.
Players encounterHalo’sFloodfor the first time inHalo: Combat Evolved, and they quickly overwhelm the UNSC and Covenant forces. This leads to some graphic and terrifying moments as the player has to desperately fight back against the parasite. They manage to stop the Flood from escaping into the galaxy, but the threat was far from over.
The Floodreturned inHalo 2andHalo 3,and brought even more spine-tingling scenarios with them. The parasite ended up infesting Delta Halo and High Charity inHalo 2, andHalo 3saw it attempt to infest Earth itself. While players have not seen the Flood since the events ofHalo 3, the infection is likely still festering in parts of the galaxy, and it is time to bring it back.
The Flood have usually been relegated to secondary antagonist status, but a newHalospin-off could but this infection at the forefront.TheDead Spaceremakesees players investigate a distress call only to get attacked by creatures made from the corpses of the ship’s crew. It is a terrifying scenario that keeps players on the edge of their seats the entire time, and aHaloFlood spin-off could replicate that same model. Put players in the shoes of a marine or Spartan investigating a distress call and have them soon discover that the Flood have overwhelmed the ship.
Putting the Flood at the forefront ofaHalospin-offcould lead to an exciting new experience within this sci-fi franchise. The series has mostly stayed within the realm of the classic sci-fi FPS model, but a Flood spin-off could go all in on the survival horror genre. The originalHalotrilogy dipped its toes in horror elements with the Flood, and the spin-off could take it even further. There is a ton of potential here for a new adventure in 343 Industries' franchise, and it may be exactly what the series needs right now.
Halois in a bit of a rough spot right now with thecontroversial post-launch support forHalo Infiniteand the loss of some major developers. No one really knows what to expect from the future of this series, but it may be time for a bit of reinvention. The future ofHalomay want to set Master Chief aside for now and delve into uncharted genres like survival horror. It could help reinvigorate the IP and give fans aHaloexperience they have never had before.
Halo Infiniteis available now on PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S
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