Uploaded December 2024 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago

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Track Name - Halo [26]
Covering Album - Halo: Combat Evolved
Original Composers - Martin O'Donnell & Michael Salvatori

11 years later (or in the making, however you want to look at it), the stars finally aligned and I managed to bring you the entire Halo: Combat Evolved Original Soundtrack, in 8-bit glory using FamiTracker and no expansions. Just 2 square channels, 1 triangle and 1 noise. Bless my previous soul that thought that it would "hopefully take less than the time to do the Shatter covers (6 months)".

Halo: Combat Evolved holds a very special place in my heart, giving me two very poignant memories when it comes to this game and my teenage years. The first being the 4v4 deathmatch matches we used to play at my friend's house using the system-link capabilities. Naturally, everyone wanted to use the much larger 42" plasma TV rather than the smaller CRT that was used for the other team. I think that the game was far higher fidelity on the smaller screen as plasma screens at that time were relatively new and the games were stretched. I hope that my friend's mother didn't mind us completely taking over the living room as I always felt bad for that but it was a complete blast. The trade-off for using the smaller screen was that you got to take a sneak peak at the enemy team's position, if you were lucky not to get caught. However if we were all playing free-for-all on a single TV, then any attempts would be completely inexcusable and getting killed from a hidden position would be met with shouts of "screen looker!".

The other memory I have is playing co-operative with a friend over the road from my house in his loft. "The Assault on the Control Room" and "Two Betrayals" on legendary difficulty were the two most popular levels we used to choose. It was always special to play as it wasn't very often that we got to play together there - when some hobbies are restricted somewhat, then it makes it even more enjoyable whenever you are able to partake in that activity. There was one level that was brutal where you had to make a crossing over a bridge between two Covenant buildings while attempting to avoid the crossfire from enemy Banshees. They were the main threat as well as enemy Elites, causing your shields to drop in an instant. You did have a small respite though which was lovely - there were sleeping Grunts that you could melee from behind for an instant (and more importantly, silent) kill.

Late 2001 - what a time that was. I don't think I'll ever have another time like that in my lifetime but that's both to be expected historically but also the fact that we're unlikely to see a first-person shooter like this again. Martin O'Donnell and Michael Salvatori did an incredible job on the soundtrack. It takes incredible skill to compose music that flows and fits so perfectly with the gameplay - something that I still aspire to achieve at least once in my lifetime, just once.

I hope that you enjoy my delve into the Xbox era's past, as you listen to my renditions of the 26-track original soundtrack for Halo: Combat Evolved, with some hidden personal twists along the way.

#halo #chiptune #8bit

MY LINKS
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https://music.jonherbst.dev
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