Halo and Philosophy: Intellect Evolved

SincetheDoomseries,FirstPersonShooter(FPS)videogameshavericochetedthroughthegamingcommunity,oftenreachingoutsidethatcommunitytothewiderpublicWhilecriticsprimarilylampoonFPSsfortheiraggressivenessandon-screenviolence,gamersseesomethingelseHaloisoneofthegreatest,mostsuccessfulFPSsevertogracetheworldofgamingAlthoughHaloisaFPS,ithasascience-fictionstorylinethatdrawsfrompreviousaward-winningsciencefictionliteratureItemploysagamemechanicthatlimitstheamountofweaponsaplayercancarrytotwo,andamultiplayerelementthathasspawnedwebsiteslikeRedvsBlueandgameswithinthegamecreatedbyplayersthemselvesHalo'suniqueandextraordinaryfeaturesraiseseriousquestionsArecampersreallydoinganythingwrong?DoesHalo'smusicmatchtheexperienceofthegamer?WouldPlatohaveusedHalototraincitizenstoliveanethicallife?WhatsortofArtificialIntelligenceexistsinHaloandhowisitused?Cantheplayer'sexperienceofwartellusanythingaboutactualwar?IstheremeaningtoMasterChief'sroughexistence?Howdoesitaffecttheplayer'segoifsheidentifiestoostronglywithanaggressivecharacterlikeMasterChief?IsHaloreallysciencefiction?CanHalobeusedforenlightenment-orientedthinkingintheBuddhistsense?DoesHalo'sweaponlimitationactuallycontributetothedepthofthegameplay?WhenwewillinglyplayHaloonlytodieagainandagain,areweengaginginsomesortofself-injuriousbehavior?WhatisexpansivegameplayandhowcanitbeinformedbythephilosophyofMichelFoucault?InwhatwaydoesHalo'spost-apocalypticparadigmforcegamerstoseethemselvesasagentsofdivinedeliverance?WhatcanRedvsBlueteachusaboutpersonalidentity?ThesequestionsaretackledbywriterswhoarebothHalocognoscentiandactivephilosophers,withaforewordbyrenownedHalofictionauthorFredVanLenteandanafterwordbyleadinggamesscholarandartistRogerNgim