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Released in 2001, the original Halo game set a new bar for first-person shooters on consoles. Developed by Bungie for the Microsoft Xbox, Halo was highly praised for its intuitive control scheme, impressive scale, and creative weaponry. The game is also well-known for its incredible, bombastic soundtrack and iconic main theme.
The franchise expanded over the years to five mainline titles and countless spin-offs, and while the newer entries in the series developed by 343 Industries aren’t quite as adored as Bungie’s classic trilogy, Halo still has a legion of passionate fans. With Halo Infinite finally set to release this December after many tests and delays, the hype for the franchise is understandably as high as it has been for quite some time.
With Halo-mania back in full swing once again, many fans are finding ingenious ways to celebrate the beloved franchise. A Reddit user named manneerik has shared a video from a Twenty One Pilots concert filmed in Denver on September 8th, 2021. In the clip, the duo and their backup musicians perform a short rendition of the iconic main Halo theme, complete with thundering drums, searing guitar riffs, and a few interesting changes, like trumpets playing the lead in certain parts. The crowd seems to love the band’s adaptation, with plenty of members excitedly cheering along to the music.
The post has been a hit on Reddit, too. The short clip has earned over 2.4 thousand upvotes on the Halo Subreddit and garnered heaps of praise for Twenty One Pilots’ unique version of the esteemed theme. Other Reddit users are remarking on the nostalgia the classic song inspires and how it truly feels like Halo is back as a cultural phenomenon once again.
A memorable video game soundtrack can go a long way towards enhancing a titles’ biggest moments, and Halo’s quintessential anthem is as grandiose and monumental as they come. The games' impressive scale and larger-than-life moments are perfectly matched by the game’s incredible score, which was composed by Martin O’Donnell.
Of course, Halo isn’t the only franchise with an extraordinary soundtrack. Bungie’s first Destiny title also featured O’Donnell as one of its composers and Woody Jackson’s remarkable work on Red Dead Redemption 2’s original score has also been very highly regarded. Still, it’s hard to deny just how iconic and memorable Halo’s classic theme is to players and fans like the Twenty One Pilots, even 20 years after its creation.
Halo Infinite is set to release on December 8, 2021, for the PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series S/X.