: I absolutely love Halo too, for the very reasons that make it special - the
: tactical thinking as well as the light-hearted feeling gotten from
: listening to Grunts or Marines or looking around at the waterfalls and
: cliffs....
Yea Halo! That tactical quality you mention is the big reason I enjoy online play. Movement in Halo is quite a bit slower than most other FPSs, and this not only gives you time to think, but it also demands that you do so. If you screw up, you can't just jet away like a seven-foot tall jack rabbit. Halo is so rich in the depth of its gameplay, that tactical quality, the variety and balance of weapons, the fact you can only carry two weapons, etc., it is hard to know where to stop talking about it. :)
Regarding the NPC chatter, I think a good portion of it is flat out hysterical -- the chatter really adds to my enjoyment of the game. But then, good vocal work is kind of a Bungie thing -- VacBOB, anyone? :)