Microsoft E3 press conference spotlights Halo 4, gameplay footage revealed

"Wake me when you need me." Halo 3's gut-wrenching ending, marked by those famous words, seemingly ended a marvelous run for Master Chief and maker Bungie. Though Halo's initial developer has officially handed the torch off to 343 Industries, Chief has indeed been awakened, and if 343's initial gameplay trailer at today's Microsoft E3 press conference has taught us anything, he means business.

As the press conference began, we were instantly reunited with Chief himself, battling through forrest-like terrain against swarms of enemies. Chief swiftly picked off foes with the series' beloved, yet revamped battle rifle, which picked off fan-favorite grunts instantly. Chief proved to be an overwhelming force through most of the initial gameplay video until he was introduced to an all-new enemy, one that 343 has been calling the most threatening to date. The threat quickly intensified as Chief battled through waves of these eerie, yet powerful bad guys who clearly posed a significant amount of intelligence, as they countered Chief's every move. Using an arsenal of old and new weapons, Chief fought of the oncoming threat and contacted his sexy side-kick. Yes, we are talking about Cortana, who has received major graphical enhancements since her last Halo appearance.

The lengthy gameplay video ended with Chief rightfully asking Cortana who the new kids in town are. Though she never fully unveiled the new enemy race's identity, she did confirm that they're an ancient evil who stand apart from the well-known Covenant race. The screen then faded to black, followed by massive applause from the E3 crowd. Chief is back and is onto something much bigger than ever before; at this point the Halo franchise seems to be in great hands as Halo 4 lines up to be one of this year's most anticipated titles.

Check out the gameplay footage below!