Gamertell

The second episode in Halo Legends, the new series of animated shorts based on the Halo universe, debuted last Saturday, November 21st on Xbox Live. These episodes will be appearing on selected Saturdays on Halo Waypoint - Live’s new channel for all things related to the Halo universe -  and will be available for a period of 24 hours.

The new episode is called The Duel and it explores the world of the Sangheili - the Elites in Halo - as well some of their traditions and culture. It takes place on Sanghellion, the planet of origin of the Elites where we can see how they had a culture reminiscent of feudal Japan, with a strong emphasis on honor and social classes.

The short has a beautiful visual style that makes every frame look like a watercolor painting. The story is presented in a non-linear fashion, with flashbacks that intermingle with the main thread. Although this is already getting some criticism on the internets I found it a very interesting way to change the pacing of the story and if you put a little attention on what’s going on the screen, the plot is easy to follow. Throughout the story we find out a little more about the origin of the title of The Arbiter and how it became what we know today.

The Duel was directed by Mamoru Oshii, the acclaimed director of the anime classic Ghost in the Shell. In contrast to the first episode, The Babysitter, this short is mostly based around action sequences, which could be expected with Oshii on the helm.

The Duel will be available along with other short films on the Halo Legends Blu-ray and DVD on February 9, 2010.

Read [Kotaku] Also read [Blast Magazine] Site [Halo Legends]