‘Halo’ brings gaming enthusiasts closer together

Rejoice, Sycamore video game fans. For this week, awesomeness is brought to us.

In case you missed it because you've been living in a bomb shelter or held prisoner in a foreign country, the new "Halo" came out Tuesday.

Now, if you're a woman who hates video games, don't just stop reading. I realize that there is a serious problem with video game addiction across the country. A lot of husbands neglect their wives and a lot of fathers know nothing about their children because they'd rather dominate in a digital arena than interact with their families. That's a sad excuse for a man. So, ladies, I feel your pain, and if you are with someone who spends all his time on video games, dump him.

Now that I've acknowledged the danger of video games, let's celebrate the best thing to hit our living rooms since La-Z-Boys with built-in refrigerators and remote holders.

This isn't just the latest installation in what, by far, the greatest video game campaign ever. More than that, it's a revamped and updated anniversary version of the first "Halo."  

Ten years ago, "Halo: Combat Evolved" was released and changed millions of lives forever. In addition to giving Bill Gates and the Microsoft crew something to actually be proud of, the game brought millions of people online to face off in virtual warfare.

Before "Halo" came out, the most multi-player action one could participate in was local, meaning you could play against whoever was in the same room with you. With the addition of "Halo 2" and "Halo 3," you could plug into the online network and lob grenades at millions of other people across the globe.

"Halo" wasn't just another shoot ‘em up, see how far you can spray the alien guts game. No sir, it was significant for several reasons.

For one, it was a chance for every nobody-nerd across America to feel like a champion.

For far too many moons, the war between nerds and jocks was dominated by the athletic latter who would hurl dodge balls relentlessly at the nerds quivering with fear, whose only defense was to hold up their hands in front of their faces and hope that their calculator watches could withstand the impact of the rubber cannonballs.  

In 2001, the playing field was leveled. "Halo" came out, and nerds everywhere who poured their lives into virtual statistics and characters could pile up 50 kills on the captain of the football team before he had a chance to blink.

In "Halo," you have the experienced players—usually nerds—whose hundreds of hours of playing time culminate in the virtual rank of General.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, you have the "noobs," who barely know how to aim and shoot. My brothers and I, for the most part, fall somewhere in between.

We all love being outside, but in the evening after all the sunlight disappears, we move from competing with footballs and frisbees to rocket launchers and tanks. We had played videogames before, but we never had the chance to plant mines, throw bright blue grenades and splatter each other with an array of vehicles until "Halo" came along.

These "local matches," as all the cool kids call them, parlayed into "Halo" parties, where you could immerse yourself in a chaotic game against 15 other players in your home. These are surprisingly loud and competitive games, in which those who are brand new to the game usually explode with frustration before they get their first kill.

So, if you're someone who's never played "Halo" before, I hope you go ahead and give it a try.

If you're a nerd and all you've ever done is played "Halo," I hope you go ahead and try talking to females. I think both of you will be happy with the results.