Halo Anniversary Figures Wave 2 from McFarlane

These had been talked about previously and have been up for pre-order at Play.com for a while, but today is the first time we've seen pics. It's an interesting set of figures for sure, with the long awaited miniature plastic arrival of Jacob Keyes and Guilty Spark of particular interest.

A very young looking Capt. Jacob Keyes is my personal favourite from this series. 

 Take the jump for more:

Halo Anniversary vs. CE Soundtrack Comparison

Following my review of the Halo Anniversary vinyl soundtrack I thought it might be worthwhile doing a short side-by-side comparison of the original soundtrack and the remastered Anniversary soundtrack. Take a listen, tell me what you think.

- Cowboy Out.

Serenity – A Halo Music Video

YouTube user ShottySnipa417 has put together this lovely music video using clips he captured from Halo Anniversary, Halo 2, Halo 3 and Reach. Grab a cup of tea, sit back, relax and soak it up.

Lovely.

- Cowboy Out. 

A Fistful of Arrows

Ok.. wow.. just wow.

Every now and then something pops up that you weren't expecting, something that leaves you lost for words and slack jawed at how alarmingly good it is. This is one of those things.

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REVIEW -- Halo Combat Evolved Anniversary Edition Vinyl Soundtrack

Microsoft are always on the look-out for new ways to monetise Halo. With 9 Halo albums being released in the franchise's 10 years it's actually surprising they hadn't pressed one to vinyl sooner.

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REVIEW -- Halo: The Great Journey - The Art of Building Worlds

Halo's artwork has always been some of the best in the industry and this book represents the latest in an increasingly impressive series of Halo art books, this time brought to us by Titan Books and 343Industries.

Take the jump for the full review:

McFarlane to produce Halo Avatar figures

Well, after my faux-shock over McFarlane's announcement this morning, this one genuinely did take me by surprise. In a weird combination of my two previous news posts McFarlane have announced a range of small (2.5") collectible figures which feature interchangeable parts so you can craft your own personal avatar. No UK price yet, but they're $3 across the pond so expect to pay £2-3 over here. 

Hit the jump for more.

New Avatar Items on Marketplace Now!

The avatar marketplace was today updated with new Halo themed goodies. There's a sexy looking Cortana statue at 320points, it's for lady avatars only though which is a little disappointing.. I'm sure it wouldn't have suited me anyway.. 

Also added today at 240points was my favourite of all the Halcyon class cruisers - The Pillar of Autumn.

More through the jump.

*SHOCK NEWS* McFarlane to continue making Halo figures

McFarlane Toys and 343 Industries today announced that they will be continuing their line of Halo action figures into 2013.

In a double announcement over on Halo.Xbox.com McFarlane confirmed that they will be making toys for Halo 4 and Halo Universe.

Take the jump for more info:

This is not a real Sniper Rifle

Amazingly this has been intricately constructed from LEGO. Flickr user Nick Brick has shared these impressive shots of his Sniper Rifle. I like to pretend I'm handy with LEGO, but Nick has taken it to another level here.

More after the jump:

Halo Theme from a disused oil chamber

Few places on earth could produce acoustics this perfect for a rendition of the Halo theme. YouTube user JDM525 recorded and shared this beautiful moment of spontaneous Halo love for us to enjoy.

I'm planning a pilgrimage to South Wales in the summer to give this a go for myself.

- Cowboy Out.

Optican: Health care on demand.

Prop maker Shawn Thorsson has crafted a very accurate replica of Halo: Combat Evolved’s health Pack.

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343i Weekly Halo Bulletin

This week’s Halo bulletin focuses on everyone’s favourite sociopathic Forerunner AI construct – 343 Guilty Spark.

There’s a lengthy interview with Tim Dadabo, the voice of Guilty Spark, as well as a 25 minute preview of the Halo Primordium audiobook read by Dadabo himself.

More after the jump. 

Awesome Fan Art

Well this seems like as good a place as any to start. Artist Toby Lewin has produced this gallery of stunning artwork. It's difficult to put into words quite how good his work is, so it may be easier if you just take a look yourself. Toby is currently working as a freelancer - with portfolio pieces like these I don't imagine he'll be struggling for contracts.

More after the jump:

Hello and welcome to my Little English Halo blog. I really should have started this sooner as I feel as though I have a world of content to add. This blog will be regularly updated with news, reviews and opinions on all things Halo.

Over the coming months there will be a healthy mix of news on upcoming Halo books, games and merchandise in what promises to be a stellar year for the Halo universe, but I’ll also be looking to bulk up the site’s catalogue by adding features about earlier Halo releases.

Expect reviews and synopsis of all the Halo games, books and comics to act as a quick reference for both veteran halo fans and new players wanting to fill in gaps in their knowledge of the canon.

For now feel free to add a comment and say Hi, if I get enough readers I’ll look at adding a forum too.

- Cowboy Out.