I haven't play the game, and I am not familiar with any lore of the world. However, storytelling in movies or in TV shows are completely different from the gameplay and the storytelling in the games. So I don't see it necessary to force such insignificant element to affect the entire show, plus the writers probably don't keep many other game related elements in the show. I understand how that is bothering the hard core fans, but I don't agree that it has to influence the TV show.

The show needs to be judged on the merits of writing, acting and production value. And this show is not as bad as the game fans say it is. It's not perfect, obviously, and the writing is average at best, but it's still entertaining enough and most action scenes were done really well. The first episodes of season 2 even improve on all these aspects, I think just from the perspective of the TV sci-fi viewers that are not gamers, the show is very decent entertainment. As for Master Chief exposing his face and removing the armor in general, I think it would be impossible to do a show without that. It is not realistic that he would constantly go around in the armor, that's just stupid. And we saw how stupid that is in the Mandalorian, completely idiotic justification in the show for little children. Halo tries to be more mature and violent, so it's necessary to be realistic for the drama and the conflicts. And again, what is important in the games is not necessarily important in the TV show.

"I haven't play the game, and I am not familiar with any lore of the world." -- Translation to a "hardcore fan": I don't know what I'm talking about but I have opinions that will be completely pointless, and vacuous in this review forum.

"I haven't play the game, and I am not familiar with any lore of the world. However..." -- Translation to a "hardcore fan": Everything after this point will emphasize I have no idea where the strife is coming from and thus anything I say will be doubly pointless and dubious at best.

"So I don't see it necessary to force such insignificant element to affect the entire show, plus..." And there it is. It's the bane of not only your ignorance, but the point of the majority to fan criticism: the absence of INTEGRITY.
It is the total lapse or absence of integrity of the writers to the story. Criticism would not be so harsh if this story were unknown. If it were brand new and original, then "creative license" by the studio and writers would not be looked at twice...BUT the story is known. And it does have what is needed that made the game such a hit, and this travesty of show dispised.

It has FANS.

And fans love the story and the characters; especially the main character with "such an insignificant element." If you knew what you were talking about, which you self-admittingly acknowledged you do not, then you would have the same outlook in disliking this streaming show too. And to put a cherry on top of all this, the story is old enough, known enough, that it's fanbase has small children of their own. They can literally tell this story (the game story, not this trash show) to their children to get them interested. Or did you think Star Wars, before Disney, stood the test of time off of merchandising alone?? The writers nor the producers have any loyalty to the story. And that is why they can't make this streaming show work. Their way doing things is pretty much akin to a ballerina getting a harvesting combine and using hope to try and start the vehicle without a key. If they had kept the integriy of the story intact and thereby shown loyalty to the fanbase, then this show would have had multiple hit seasons. And that criticism goes even without the DEI parameters that really put significant nails in the shows' coffin. (To be perfectly honest, I can't recall ever seeing an ugly Asian woman on Tv, ever. But this show managed it with ease. Wait!! Scratch that. There is Akwafina... >shivers in revulsion< smh)
Think I'm being too critical or unecessarily bias? Then here are some examples when producers & studios are not loyal to the story nor characters, the known lore: She-Hulk, Birds of Prey, Black Widow, Hawkeye, Echo, Batgirl, Star Wars, Castlevania, Invincible, the Boys, the Witcher, Willow, Dragon Age(VDG), Works & Lore of Tolkien, Captain Marvel, Spiderman, Superman, Batman, All the Avengers, and Doctor Who to name a few familiar properties. One and all failures because the studio was or did not remain loyal to the lore or characters, the known story!

@DallasBob said: Blah, blah, blah.

I am not reviewing the game, and you are not playing the game. This is a TV show and a different media format than the games, same way you don't compare a theatre play and a movie. These are two different formats with different rules. Not exposing the face of the main protagonist is not a plausible thing to do in a visual media that is based on drama and conflict. Do not underestimate your own ignorance.

but the point of the majority to fan criticism: the absence of INTEGRITY.

Are you a small child? What integrity? Do you mean Randy's weed farm in South Park? It's time to realize that there is no such thing, as well as there is no such thing as justice or fairness. If you are looking for such artificial human constructs, you will be very disappointed. The translation between mediums should not be 1 to 1, it can be adopted and changed per need. The changes can be good and can be bad for the new medium, but it's completely stupid to expect completely accurate transition, as well as dismiss something just because the creators changed some detail. Are you saying that Invincible is a bad show because they changed something in the costume or something like that? Even if the creators changed the ring to a square, which would undermine the whole purpose of adaptation, is not that significant when evaluating the merits of a TV show. Big studios use big names with established fan base as a marketing trick. If they changed some elements, maybe they were not any good to begin with. Frankly, not removing the helmet in the game sounds more stupid than removing the helmet in the show.