Meeting Master Chief - Halo 4 Trailer Introduces Character Backstory

He's the helmeted hero that has battled alien forces and entertained millions. Now gamers are getting a sneak peek under the armour of the galaxy's toughest space trooper in this new Halo 4 trailer.

Whether you know him as 'Master Chief' or 'John-117', you probably don't know much more about him. The man who spear-head the human counter-attack against vicious invading extra terrestrials is an enigma to gamers.

After saving the earth and settling down to a well-earned cryogenic sleep at the end of Halo 3, Master Chief looks set for a rude awakening in Halo 4. He and holographic assistant Cortana will be back in action fending off another round of space baddies in the latest installment of the series.

But it's not the grenade-flinging carnage that's got fans sharing this game trailer. It's the tantalising glimpse into the Chief's past. Gamers have always know that there's a man of flesh and blood under all that battle-damaged armour, but this trailer offers the first hints at who that man may be. 

The clip does a great job of whetting fan's appetites with a mix of ripping action and soft shots of a young John on a beach with his family. Master Chief is held captive by the alien enemy, and as they scan his memory, we get to see the young boy kidnapped from his family.

Interspersed with footage of explosive combat, the story shows the young lad transformed into the world's favourite super-soldier.

Directed by Tim Miller of Scott Pilgrim vs. The World fame, the clip builds on the storyline introduced in Birth Of A Spartan for Halo 3 by agency twofifteenmcann. This latest clip may lack the same emotional kick, but unlike Spartan it leaves no doubt that we're watching the story Master Chief, and not just any old intergalactic grunt.

With over 980,000 views in just 6 days, gamers have been sharing the clip quicker than they can rip through a plasma rifle magazine. With over 40,000 shares, the trailer has leveraged the Halo series' most important asset, the no-nonsense hero and his mysterious past.

This live-action ad is sure to keep fans excited until the game's release in two weeks' time.