We both know that Halo stories have been done very well

by Avateur , Tuesday, August 27, 2013, 22:03 (3894 days ago) @ Cody Miller

Did Halo do xenophobia better than Starman, Starship Troopers, or American History X?

No. But as you love to point out, comparing the video game and its attempt at storytelling to books/movies doesn't always work out. The question is, did it do those better than a lot of other games that have tried to touch on those themes? Absolutely. It's also done worse than other games.

Did Halo do genocide better than The Killing Fields, As We Forgive, or The Devil Came On Horseback?

Well, last I checked, Halo didn't actually happen. Those are some pretty powerful examples you just used, and Halo (I'd argue no video game) can even shake a stick at them. For argument's sake, see my above reply to the xenophobia bit.

Did Halo do War better than Full Metal Jacket, The Bridge on the River Kwai, or The Deer Hunter?

See above more.

Did Halo do pride better than A face in the Crowd, Network, or Breaking Bad?

Nope. Gravemind definitely makes things interesting. Arbiter has a character's journey. Master Chief, well, yeah, I got nothing. And if only H3 hadn't derailed everything the Prophets (or at least Truth) could have been. Woulda, coulda, shoulda.

Did Halo do deception better than Usual Suspects, Godfather, or Some like it Hot?

See above more.

Morality and Philosophy aren't that specific.

Arbiter, but yeah, vague.

Let's get real. It might have touched on those topics, but you have to admit it says nothing substantial, nuanced, or insightful about any of what you just said. And if you think so, then watch any of what I listed; you'll realize what I'm saying here. The Halo story was a really good backdrop to a very fun game, but not anything of great worth when it isn't supporting the Halo universe. As are most video game stories, and as the SHOULD be.

I do agree with you that it doesn't actually say or do anything truly substantial. I replied as I was reading, and I like how we met in the same area at the end about video games as a whole and how they aren't that great at touching on many of these topics.

But to go right back on topic, that doesn't mean that Destiny can't be leaps and bounds ahead of where Halo or even every other video game is at when it comes to the character's journey, storytelling as a whole in video games and, yes, the human condition in multiple facets throughout apparently an ever changing and expanding world/solar system.

And why? Because in real life, the human condition and journey takes these past experiences of Bungie and its writers and potentially sees them grow and evolve. That doesn't mean that they have, and it doesn't mean that Destiny will be anything special at all (compared to any of the works you listed above, or even compared to Halo, Star Wars, or Zelda), but there is potential and, who knows, maybe we'll all be quite surprised.