14 DAY TRIAL // Halo has always been known for its shooter mechanics, but gamers have also appreciated the atmosphere of the franchise, of which music is a crucial part, so the appointment of a new musical director for the upcoming Halo 4 is big news for the fan base.
Speaking to Complex, Neil Davidge, who is best known as part of Massive Attack and who is now working on Halo 4, stated, “I was so excited as a fan to get involved in the game, and also daunted as well. Because I’ve obviously listened to Marty’s scores for many years.
“It was like wow, so how am I going to put my spin on this? He kind of hit the nail on the head many times, and kind of changed – well, paved the way, really – for serious film score ethics in game schools.”
The fact that a lot of fans of the Halo series are also well accustomed to the way O’Donnell handled the music element of the series will pose an extra challenge for the newcomer, but he hopes that his approach will be appreciated because he is also a fan of the game universe.
Davidge says that the changes he will make to the music will be designed to reflect the new narrative arc that Master Chief and Cortana are experiencing and the new atmosphere of the galaxy he is exploring.
The music producer added, “I only actually found out about the game I think it as a week before I was due to get on a flight to Seattle to meet everyone at 343. And my management didn’t actually know I was a Halo fan. And when they actually said ‘Okay, it’s happening, you’re booked on a flight to go to Seattle, and the game is Halo,’ I almost fell over.”
Halo 4 will be released only on the Xbox 360 before the end of the year.