Same here, I remember before Halo 1 came out that there was lot of hype about it, it was supposed to be on PC I think and to be one of the first game with really big environnement or whatever.
Then microsoft bought the licence or something, and it took ages to come out.
I've never played an XBox yet so I've never played the game and can't talk about i much, particularly 'bout the gameplay, but the designs and universe look quite dull, or at least unoriginal to me. Just some troopers with a polarized visor killing whatever aliens...
Is the fact that the world is a "halo" even prominant in the storyline ?

Same opinion about Nihei's part on the Halo novel, I prefere Zeb Noid for instance...