• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

Steve Downes aka Master Chief's favorite Halo game is Halo 4! And 343 tried to replace him and Jen Taylor (Yikes)

I've always considered Halo 4 my favorite and the best game in the entire franchise because of it's story, how they handled Master Chief and especially Cortana. And it's so awesome that the man behind Master Chief himself agrees!!!

Also, 343 actually tried to replace him and Jen Taylor. Who in the hell thought that was smart!? That is some serious malpractice right there. The game woulda been torn to shreds, and rightfully so. Those two are Cortana and Chief till the day they die. They've earned that much.

Of course, a fan had to ask Downes about his favourite Halo game. ‘‘Halo 4 is my favourite game,’’ Downes shared. The voice actor not only liked playing the game but also working on it. He is especially fond of his work with Jen Taylor, the voice actress for Cortana. The first time they met was around the 10th anniversary of Halo: Combat Evolved, and according to Downes, Jen exclaimed: ‘‘Finally! Someone who gets it,’’ when she saw him for the first time.

Downes explained that it was unusual for two voice actors to work in the same room together. ‘‘But [343 Industries] thought we’d have a better performance if we were in the room together,’’ Downes revealed. A wise choice considering that Halo 4 really explored the relationship between Masterchief and Cortana in-depth.

ss_24f245e6ba67e2a8cf7692ef60460a137f508bac-scaled.jpg


“When I saw the script of Halo 4, I was thrilled,’’ Downes added. ‘‘After the first 3 games, I felt there was a bigger story to tell [beyond] Masterchief shouting out orders. And in many ways, Cortana is more human than Masterchief. Were they friends? Comrades? Lovers? [Not to mention] she was made in the image of Dr Halsey herself, so how does John feel about that?. There are a lot of spider webs but they make for a fascinating story. [Their relationship] was explored to a lesser degree in Halo 5, and we’ll see what takes place in Halo Infinite.”


After the small aside, the voice actor gave his input on having someone else play Masterchief’s role. “Would I have like to have played the role? Sure,’’ Downes admitted, ‘‘but that wasn’t realistic and I’m sure Pablo will do a great job as Masterchief.’’ However, the games were a completely different issue. According to Downes, Halo Infinite ran into production problems when the production team tried new voice actors for John and Cortana. ‘‘They just weren’t Masterchief and Cortana,’’ Downes explained.

When replacing the duo failed, 343 Industries had no choice but to ask Downes and Jen to reprise their roles again. ”Had I known about [the issues], I would’ve negotiated a hell of a better deal because we really had their backs against the wall,’’ Downes joked. The voice actor used this moment to emphasise his love for conventions and fans once again. ‘‘Fans have influence over the games they play,’’ Downes explained. According to him, the clamour for the duo to reprise their roles came from fans. To bring this topic to a close, Downes unequivocally stated that when it comes to the Halo games, ‘‘they’re going to have to take the mic out of my cold dead fingers before I relinquish my role as Masterchief!’’


 

CuNi

Member
Sice 343 was obsessed to change almost everything about series with Halo 4 this does not surprise me at all

If they'd went through with it, might as well change the name next, since that would be everything but Halo at that point.
 

Mr Reasonable

Completely Unreasonable
Steve Downes is 71 years old according to Google.

I wonder if some people at 343 were concerned that he might retire while they still wanted more dialogue. I could see that being a concern if they really are planning to suppprt Halo Infinite for a decade. I could also see this being a great gig for Steve and him being happy to continue doing it forever.

That seems like the most likely reason for this to me, 343 hardly need to worry about cost, so I can imagine someone thought trying to guarantee availability might have been very important.

Bit of a dumb move though, imo. People seem to like Steve Downes and they'll need to find someone who sounds pretty much the same. A bit like getting Keifer Sutherland in for Metal Gear, nobody needed or wanted it.
 
Last edited:

01011001

Banned
after hearing that fact I want him to be replaced too...
I guess even 343i was like "this crazy motherfucker thinks that shit we pooped out is the best Halo game... guy's crazy I tell you! better get rid of him!"

Happy Eddie Murphy GIF by Laff
 
Last edited:
Steve Downes is 71 years old according to Google.

I wonder if some people at 343 were concerned that he might retire while they still wanted more dialogue. I could see that being a concern if they really are planning to suppprt Halo Infinite for a decade. I could also see this being a great gig for Steve and him being happy to continue doing it forever.

That seems like the most likely reason for this to me, 343 hardly need to worry about cost, so I can imagine someone thought trying to guarantee availability might have been very important.

Bit of a dumb move though, imo. People seem to like Steve Downes and they'll need to find someone who sounds pretty much the same. A bit like getting Keifer Sutherland in for Metal Gear, nobody needed or wanted it.
This is a real issue mind, he's not going to be around forever (none of us are) but at 71 we are getting to the twilight years. This does make you realise how good of a move it was to get Staten on this project as he would never have tried this.
 

MagnesD3

Member
Halo 4 is my second favorite halo, it has the best story and second best campaign and i enjoyed the new guns/promethians. The direction the story was going was so promising and then halo 5 happened, they must have gotten rid of the lead story director because 5 is the worst.

4 was the last real halo too in my eyes, even though it needed some balance adjustments and fixing ordinances to the multiplayer it still felt very halo until 343 sold out completely with halo 5s modern shooters style.
 
Last edited:

Assaulty

Member
I can understand 4 beeing his fav Halo game. Chief had more dialogue and more of a "human" appearance compared to the other Halo games. It might've been the most fun game to work on from a voice actor's perspective.
 

MaulerX

Member
I can understand 4 beeing his fav Halo game. Chief had more dialogue and more of a "human" appearance compared to the other Halo games. It might've been the most fun game to work on from a voice actor's perspective.

It's also the first (and only) Halo where they actually show you a glimpse of what Master Chief actually looks like. Hope they continue that with Infinite.
 

RoboFu

One of the green rats
Just that they listened to whomever said “get new voice actors” is a horrible sign for the team. to me that means some consultant or financial co has/had far too much influence.
 
Last edited:

Umbasaborne

Banned
I love the story in halo 4, there are genuinley some pretty excellent character moments. And the relationship between chief and cortana does a great job of tugging at the hear strings, especially the ending. They both knocked it out of the park, its a shame that the story telling in 5 was so incoherent, and its characters just so unlikeable. A massive step down from halo 4.
 
Last edited:

AJUMP23

Member
343 must have been trying to save money and in the end it cost them more. What a crappy move to replace the voice of the Chief and Cortana. I wish Kojima hadn't replaced David Hayter either. KIKI WOLFKILL how could you try to betray us like this.

Good interview.
 
He has shit taste then.

No, cause he's Master Chief, and he'll kick your ass. He's actually a for real Spartan, in real life, so you better be careful what you say buddy! He's totally about that life lol.

Also, Bungie also once attempted to replace Steve Downes as Master Chief apparently, before Halo 2.
 
I honestly don't know what the hell some of you people are talking about? Halo 4 was the beginning of the end for the franchise. It retconned half the lore and screwed the Halo universe bad. Also had the shortest campaign in the franchise till that point at a laughable 4-6 hours on Heroic difficulty. Basically alienated almost the entire fanbase; knocked Halo down from its perch as the quintessential Xbox franchise and you guys say it was good? I don't know what that crap was but it certainly wasn't Halo. Wtf?
 
Last edited:

Kronos9x

Member
Tried to play the original Halo games when they released the Collection and man, the games are generic. Only a fanboy would prefer the original games. It's a good thing Halo 4 is on PC. That game was actually fun and with better graphics and gameplay.
 

Andodalf

Banned
Halo 4 is my second favorite halo, it has the best story and second best campaign and i enjoyed the new guns/promethians. The direction the story was going was so promising and then halo 5 happened, they must have gotten rid of the lead story director because 5 is the worst.

4 was the last real halo too in my eyes, even though it needed some balance adjustments and fixing ordinances to the multiplayer it still felt very halo until 343 sold out completely with halo 5s modern shooters style.

Halo 5 MP is so much closer to the arena roots of the game than 4. I have no clue how that feels more modern to you. I guess the movement not being ass is bad to you?


I honestly don't know what the hell some of you people are talking about? Halo 4 was the beginning of the end for the franchise. It retconned half the lore and screwed the Halo universe bad. Also had the shortest campaign in the franchise till that point at a laughable 4-6 hours on Heroic difficulty. Basically alienated almost the entire fanbase; knocked Halo down from its perch as the quintessential Xbox franchise and you guys say it was good? I don't know what that crap was but it certainly wasn't Halo. Wtf?

Halo 4's campaign was well received with the only real issue being that it relied too heavily on outside material. It was the MP that was panned. It's short, but the campaign is the best story of any of the MC games by a mile
 
Last edited:

MagnesD3

Member
Halo 5 MP is so much closer to the arena roots of the game than 4. I have no clue how that feels more modern to you. I guess the movement not being ass is bad to you?




Halo 4's campaign was well received with the only real issue being that it relied too heavily on outside material. It was the MP that was panned. It's short, but the campaign is the best story of any of the MC games by a mile

Halo 5 MP is so much closer to the arena roots of the game than 4. I have no clue how that feels more modern to you. I guess the movement not being ass is bad to you?




Halo 4's campaign was well received with the only real issue being that it relied too heavily on outside material. It was the MP that was panned. It's short, but the campaign is the best story of any of the MC games by a mile
No it really isn't, you immediately miss a big point if you don't get how the fast pace with its movement/ttk make it immediately more like ever other shooter on the market.

High mobility and ttk is anti halo, halo is about map control, and adaptability like being able to be shot from behind and still live long to formulate a plan to either get out of the situation with your limited movement or out shoot your opponent because you have enough time. Also Dying is a major cost because your usually sent all the way back with your slow floaty ass and you have to deal with that.

They also killed the radar forcing players to have to rely on teammates being good/communicating to see and form a plan which goes against the core design of all the previous halos... killing the single player competitive halo multiplayer experience that's been in every halo until 5.

Every other game is basically what halo 5 was trying to be which is twitch shooting plus crazy movement, it's pretty obvious they were trying to appeal to the newer generations.
 
Last edited:

CatLady

Selfishly plays on Xbox Purr-ies X
Halo 4 is my 2nd favorite Halo. I love how they humanized Chief and Cortana, we finally got to see the Master Chief's face, the story was great and the graphics spectacular. The game looks better than most games from last gen.

BUT - how incompetent can 343i be? Seriously, replace Steve Downes and Jen Taylor? Are they all smoking crack over there or did all the blue hair dye rot their brains?
 

Andodalf

Banned
No it really isn't, you immediately miss a big point if you don't get how the fast pace with its movement/ttk make it immediately more like ever other shooter on the market.

High mobility and ttk is anti halo, halo is about map control, and adaptability like being able to be shot from behind and still live long to formulate a plan to either get out of the situation with your limited movement or out shoot your opponent because you have enough time. Also Dying is a major cost because your usually sent all the way back with your slow floaty ass and you have to deal with that.

They also killed the radar forcing players to have to rely on teammates being good/communicating to see and form a plan which goes against the core design of all the previous halos... killing the single player competitive halo multiplayer experience that's been in every halo until 5.

Every other game is basically what halo 5 was trying to be which is twitch shooting plus crazy movement, it's pretty obvious they were trying to appeal to the newer generations.


Are you trying to say halo 5 has a low time to kill? What? Thats in no way true. It's classic halo where it's all about outplay opportunity. H5 MP is so loved because it's pistol starts give a higher outplay opportunity than any other game in the series. H5 is absolutely about map control, and it's movement enable you to escape and disengage better than ever before, giving even more opportunities for outplay. They definitely moved the game to favor team based play, but I don't think that's a bad thing at all. It sounds like you're just not good at shooting your pistol and salty about it.
 

Graciaus

Member
Halo 4's campaign was well received with the only real issue being that it relied too heavily on outside material. It was the MP that was panned. It's short, but the campaign is the best story of any of the MC games by a mile
Odd. I remember it being dumped on outside of professional reviews for the promethians being completly unfun to fight.
 

elliot5

Member
Halo 4 has an awesome sci fi epic feel to it, and I also really liked the humanization/dialogue focus of Chief and Cortana in it. Way way better than H1-3 of simple one liners. The set pieces and vehicles were great.

It's just bogged down by gameplay encounters and a messy narrative.
 

SafeOrAlone

Banned
I never played Halo 4, but love the classic trilogy. Finishing up a playthrough of 3 now, debating whether or not I will move onto Halo 4 after Reach. It's crazy how the game seemed to be generally well accepted upon release, but has very few defenders now.
 
I really did like Ike Amadi voicing Spartan Locke. If they do replace the Master Chief, I would hope they use a voice like his. But not as Locke.
 
Last edited:

deriks

4-Time GIF/Meme God
Everyone knows that 343 was in hell back then, but I didn't knew that was that bad... Cutting Master Chief and Cortana?! The franchise would face a backlash so big that I can't even imagine what could really happen
 

Gideon_128

Member
Personally I wouldn't have had an issue with it. Halo 4 felt like a soft reboot anyways with 343 taking over from Bungie. Many of the sound and visual effects were revamped (for the better) and I wish they would have ditched that old ass animation system while they were at it. Santa Monica changed the voice actor for Kratos after 6 games and in the end it was for the better.
 
Last edited:

Gravemind

Member
The fact that 343 actually tried to emplace this iconic duo is asinine. They should be given first dibs at these roles until they willfully no longer want them, or cannot physically do them.

That would have been a real ugly look for 343.
 

rapid32.5

Member
MS should replace 343 after Infinite completion, Coalition or Id can take care of Halo.
You could always tell that 343 didn't know shit what they're doing.
 
Last edited:
Senj still trying to convince people that 343i is a good Studio lol

I don't really need to try to do that. Every game they've put out has been a great game, and all have reviewed better than everything Bungie has put out since. Halo 4 has easily one of, if not the best, story in the franchise, the best versions of Master Chief and Cortana, and right now they're making the best looking Halo title ever from a gameplay, design and overall graphical standpoint relative to the gen it's releasing in.

343 are actually one of the best studios in the industry, and have been for years. I hear excuses all the time that "oh it's just cause it's the Halo" If the games were shit, they would certainly not generate the continued excitement and strong sales performance they keep doing whenever 343 releases a new one. They damn sure wouldn't review as well either.
 
MS should replace 343 after Infinite completion, Coalition or Id can take care of Halo.
You could always tell that 343 didn't know shit what they're doing.

Yeah, I’ve never really understood why Microsoft doesn’t run their IP as franchises. Make their studios compete for the right to develop new entries in their best IP. 343 messed up and should have had to earn the right to make another Halo game via a solid new IP or a well reviewed game in a lower tier existing IP.

The best decision they made was to allow Playground to have a chance with Fable. Those guys earned it via solid game output and consistent quality. Every studio should also be simultaneously working on new IP. Microsoft are clueless and could care to take a look at how Sony runs their studios.
 
Last edited:
MS should replace 343 after Infinite completion, Coalition or Id can take care of Halo.
You could always tell that 343 didn't know shit what they're doing.

And Bungie also tried to replace Steve Downes as Master Chief.

Replace the studio that's about to release possibly the best and most ambitious Halo game ever made? It doesn't just look like it will be the best Halo game, but possibly one of the greatest fps shooters ever. This game is going to be massively successful, and when it is 343 will essentially have a blank check from Microsoft to keep expanding and making it even better. For people not just trolling and paying to the game, that's how great this game is looking right now. Very well designed, very well put together, gameplay looks lights out, supported by the unbelievable stuff we all saw and I personally played in the multiplayer flight.

Where is the evidence coalition can do a better job with Halo than 343i can? Are you basing this off graphics alone? You are, aren't you? :messenger_grinning_sweat: Because they sure as shit haven't made more great games than 343 has. Coalition's true arrival for me was Gears 5. That was a top tier game through and through, but none of it suggests they're somehow better equipped to takeover Halo and do what 343i has and is. Talented studio though. I've said this over and over and over. 343i are about to shut up a whole lot of haters. They basically already did with the multiplayer beta, and are going to do so in an even more dramatic way with the campaign.
 
He has good taste, then. Halo 4 is probably my favorite as well. Amazing campaign gameplay, Prometheans were very fun to fight. Nice story, too.

I don’t know what the fuck happened with Guardians.
 
Top Bottom