Halo Bulletin 2/8/12

http://halo.xbox.com/blogs/Headlines/post/2012/02/08/The-Halo-Bulletin-2812.aspx

This week’s bulletin from Waypoint is well..boring and misleading at the same time.

Let me give you the synopsis:

• Talk of a Super Bowl party with details of gorging on food, blah blah, BS Angel being inappropriate a few times, blah blah blah.
• Boring screenshot
• Stats topic-this in an effort to stave off the negative feelings felt throughout the Halo community after it was announce last week that 343 would NOT be allowing API to be used by the community and is not planned to be used in the near future. Your stats, your COMPLETE stats that is, are being held hostage…LOL. Seriously, I love checking stats, but I can live without them. Point is though that 343 is just taking them away without a suitable/comparable replacement. Sorry Waypoint, your stat system is woefully inadequate when compared to sites like HaloTracker and the now defunct Halo Charts. Don’t try to deny that.
• Team Slayer jackpot possibility of 50K credits. Okay that’s about the coolest part of the bulletin. Special Campaign challenge can net you 10K credits. Good enough.
• Next Frank O’Conner talks about Halo 4…well not really. He talks about the talks he’s had with European partners about Halo 4 and how they were all excited. All well and good but it’s we fans who will be buying the game, map packs, toys, etc. that really need to hear this info. Right now we’re getting a bunch of promises that the game is awesome. But they are rather empty. I really do want to have faith in what 343 can produce. That faith is being sorely tested with the lack of info. I’m not the only one. All you need do is check out the forums on Waypoint to see the dissension regarding the lack of info.
• Some community questions are answered, kind of.

In other words, you can skip the bulletin for this week. Other than the 50K credits for play Team Slayer, there isn’t anything else of worth in it. 😛

Halo Anniversary Series 2 a more detailed look: Spirit of Fire Red Team

This special Halo Wars boxed set features three heroic Spartan-IIs: Jerome, Douglas, and Alice, collectively known as Red Team. This trio of super-soldiers fought alongside the crew of the Spirit of Fire, defending them from the dangers encountered on Shield 0459. Our Red Team 3-pack brings back the leader, Jerome-092, and completes the team with two never-before-released figures of Douglas-042 and Alice-130. Each includes some serious firepower to help them carry out their mission: Jerome comes with a Spartan Laser, Alice comes with dual SMGs, and Douglas comes with a Shotgun. One Spartan is a force to be reckoned with, but a coordinated team of them is virtually unstoppable. Go back to 2531, before the fall of Reach, and get the complete Red Team, all in one box! (text from Spawn.com)

Jerome-092

Douglas-042

Alice-130

Where to buy:
Barnes & Noble
Fred Meyer
Meijer
Target
Toys ‘R’ Us
Walgreens
Walmart

Thoughts from HaloFanForLife:
At first I thought the two non-squad leader spartans were the same figure. While in sculpt they are, it’s on the right shoulder pad where the difference is made. As you can see in the above composition photos, they each have their own distinctive shoulder emblem to further denote who they are. I’m glad to have Red team. Here’s hoping we’ll see at least one of them in Halo 4…

Halo Anniversary Series 2 a more detailed look: Mickey (ODST)

The demolitions expert and pilot of Buck’s ODST squad joins our action figure lineup: Private First Class Michael Crespo, better known as “Mickey.” This NEW figure, clad in black ODST armor with red accents, is in scale with our previous Halo 3: ODST figures, so Mickey won’t look out of place with his teammates. Figure comes with Mickey’s signature weapon, the Rocket Launcher. Mickey also comes with the eagle body piece of the UNSC Logo. (text from Spawn.com)

Where to buy:
Barnes & Noble
Fred Meyer
Meijer
Target
Toys ‘R’ Us
Walgreens
Walmart

Thoughts from HaloFanForLife:
This marks another entry for the ODST squad of the same name of the game. I happen to like the color markings on this particular ODST. With Mickey we are now just one shy of having the complete squad.

Halo Anniversary Series 2 a more detailed look: 343 Guilty Spark/Sentinel

The legacy of the most technologically-advanced species in the Halo games, the Forerunners, can be seen in everywhere you turn. For the first time, Halo: Anniversary Series 2 brings a pair of these ancient machines to your collection: 343 Guilty Spark and a Sentinel. The Sentinel is ‘action figure’ sized and features articulated appendages, while the Guilty Spark features a reversible eye that can be changed from blue to red. Figures include a base and poles so they can hover near your figures, along with the right wing piece of the UNSC Logo. (text from Spawn.com)

Where to buy:
Barnes & Noble
Fred Meyer
Meijer
Target
Toys ‘R’ Us
Walgreens
Walmart

Thoughts from HaloFanForLife:
I’m looking forward to this two-pack very much. I’ll be getting a few extras for the Sentinels, and will keep two or the Sparks (one to show with blue eye, the other with red eye). The other Sparks left over I’ll either use as a prize here or to trade with. The sculpts look well done and I’m happy that the Sentinel has articulation.

Halo Anniversary Series 2 a more detailed look: Multiplayer White w/Blue markings Spartan

Back in Halo 2, Master Chief’s MJOLNIR Mark VI armor was the basis for all multiplayer Spartans. Our first Halo 2 multiplayer Spartan action figure takes collectors back to those days — when all you could do to customize yourself was change your primary and secondary armor color. Our multiplayer Spartan Mark VI features bright white armor with cool blue accents and comes equipped with the ever-popular Battle Rifle, a Frag Grenade, and the left wing piece of the UNSC Logo. (text from Spawn.com)

Where to buy:
Barnes & Noble
Fred Meyer
Meijer
Target
Toys ‘R’ Us
Walgreens
Walmart

Thoughts from HaloFanForLife:
I’ve quite had my fill of multiplayer Mark VI Spartans. This one however harkens back to when JoyRide had the license during the Halo 2 days. I’ll get it, but really mostly for the build part to complete the UNSC emblem.

Halo Anniversary Series 2 a more detailed look: Jacob Keyes

Our first UNSC officer figure is the first person players ever see in the original Halo video game: the commanding officer of the Pillar of Autumn, Captain Jacob Keyes. This all-NEW figure features Keyes as he appears in this fall’s Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, in sharp gray military uniform. Figure comes with the fan-favorite Magnum pistol and the banner piece of the UNSC Logo. (text from Spawn.com)

Where to buy:
Barnes & Noble
Fred Meyer
Meijer
Target
Toys ‘R’ Us
Walgreens
Walmart

Thoughts from HaloFanForLife:
The only main detractor here is the elbow and knee joints. They stand out. However, as with most crisp uniformed figures this is near impossible to hide. So we should take that into account. The head of the figure should have gray hair at the temple if we are to go by the Reach sample, which this figure is clearly taken from. Still, not a big deal and can easily be customized. I loo forward to not just having one of this figure but possibly a couple more for customs. Just pop the head off and replace. I might use Carter’s unhelmeted head for a younger looking Keyes.

Halo Anniversary Series 2 a more detailed look: Master Chief

This all-new version of John-117 shows the hero as he appeared in the 2010 animated movie, Halo Legends, and is our first figure inspired by the Halo “expanded universe” of animation, novels, and comic books. Figure comes with Assault Rifle, Frag Grenade, and the globe piece of the UNSC Logo. (text from Spawn.com)

Where to buy:
Barnes & Noble
Fred Meyer
Meijer
Target
Toys ‘R’ Us
Walgreens
Walmart

Thoughts from HaloFanForLife:
This is an excellent sculpt of Master Chief from the Legends cartoon. Since Legends is considered canon to the Halo Universe timeline, I’d have to assume this is an earlier version of the Mjolnir armor, possibly Mk III. Regardless, it’s well done and I look forward to owning it.