Reviews of Halo Season 2. „Hardcore” Game Fans May Not Like The New Episodes, Supposedly Better Than The Previous Ones
This week the Halo series returns with its second season. Are the new episodes awe-inspiring? That's what you'll find out from critics' reviews.
The first season of Halo, based on the popular game series, divided viewers, receiving 52% positive reviews on Rotten Tomatoes. It was better received by critics. On Metacritic, the viewer rating is 4.9/10, but on IMDb it's 7.2/10, so opinions are very different. Nonetheless, the series has had some success, resulting in a second season, which will debut with two episodes on Paramount+ on February 8.
As it is set to premiere this week, the first reviews of the game adaptation began to appear today. Does the new installment of the series perform better than the previous one? Reviewers have had a chance to watch four episodes of the second season and after seeing them, they shared their opinions. The reception is rather mixed, although there is often a message that "hardcore" fans of the Halo games may not like the new episodes either. It seems that the Paramount+ production will appeal more to those unfamiliar with the series or open to significant changes in their favorite franchise.
However, reviewers ensure that the new episodes are better than previous ones and Halo is now even more spectacular, even at one point rivalling Game of Thrones in scale.
XboxEra’s Jesse Norris wrote that the new season got him invested in, but warns that some fans of the Halo games will definitely not like it:
Four episodes in and I’m fully invested in seeing where things go. The tonal shift and more consistent quality make for some entertaining and expensive-looking TV. I know Halo’s hardcore fandom will most likely hate this season just as much if not more than season one. Halo’s story isn’t a sacred cow for me, though. I’m fine with changes as long as they make for good TV, and I think so far that they have.
ScreenRant’s Ryan Northrup notes that the series neglects some characters, especially those outside Master Chief's orbit, but the main character's story remains fascinating:
Halo season 2’s first episodes raise a number of questions and set up big events to come, and bringing the series’ diverging subplots together into a cohesive whole will be crucial to successfully tackling the monumental Reach storyline from the games. While the series can't quite find its footing with select characters and sometimes veers into predictability with its dialogue, the exploration of John, the man underneath the armored Master Chief, continues to be compelling, and the action is better than ever.
Inverse’s Eric Francisco notes that while the second season is even more spectacular, it unfortunately suffers from a lack of decisiveness in its narrative:
With two seasons behind it, Halo is a case of a TV show wanting to have its cake and eat it too, and blow up the plate with a plasma grenade. The explosion may be, ahem, a blast, but they punctuate a wishy-washy sci-fi serial that wants commendations for bravery without actually finishing its fights.
Slash Film’s Jeremy Mathai believes that the series should come to an end because its creators have served up a disappointing fake Halo:
"Spartans never die," goes a popular refrain from the franchise novels that's freshly reemphasized throughout the episodes. But when it comes to this misfiring series, viewers will be left with the opposite impression. Maybe Master Chief — or, at least, the "Halo" streaming version of him — should just get a mercy killing, after all.
Total Film’s Bradley Russell thinks it's worth giving the second season of Halo a chance:
For those who are giving Halo a second chance, there’s a lot to like here. The doubters likely won’t be won over, but the engaging early Ackerson plotline, the increased presence of the Covenant, and an ever-charismatic Pablo Schreiber makes this mea-culpa-of-sorts a decent jumping-on point for newcomers and returnees alike.
So as you can see, opinions are divided, and it's best to form your own by watching the new season of Halo on Paramount+.
