Halo: Reach
Producer: Microsoft Game Studios/Bungie Software
Release Date: September 14, 2010
Platform: Xbox 360
Rating: Mature
Genre: First-Person Shooter
Back to Where it Began
Written by Albert Marrero, Jr.
Halo: Reach is exactly the kind of game that elicits gamers standing outside of a Game Stop at 11:45pm in anticipation of a midnight launch. If you’re reading this, you already know what I’m talking about, so let’s jump right in!
The first thing players notice about Halo: Reach is the absence of Master Chief. Instead you get to play as Noble 6, a member of an elite Spartan team. The story takes place before the events of the previous Halo games and sets the stage for what we’ve all come to love and loathe about the Covenant vs. Human war. The graphics are intense, and the gameplay starts out as a slow-burning ember and gradually explodes into full-fledged battles, which is pure bliss. The story is deeply involved, taking one from ground war to air combat and everything in between. As with previous games, you can drag a friend along to be a part of the campaign fun too. I highly recommend this (unless you’re going for the A Monument To All Your Sins achievement), because the AI on the computer players? Let’s just say that they can sometimes be… aloof. Word of advice, don’t ever let them drive a vehicle. You may be able to get by being the Warthog gunner on Normal, but on Legendary, you’ll get driven right into a swarm of enemies every time. (Sad face)
Luckily, we have Multiplayer. If you can’t find a friend to play campaign with, there’s a matchmaking option for campaign, which is cool. Multiplayer has received a slight overhaul, but all for the best. The menus are incredible, and it puts everything right at your fingertips. Check out everything your friends are doing in Halo: Reach without having to hit the Xbox button and bring up the menu. They’ve actually reduced the number of competitive lobbies, which is eh… I dunno yet. When trying to play Slayer, you can end up with Zombies, or SWAT, instead of old school, peck-that-face Team Slayer, so you decide. There’s also a ranked competitive division that assigns you a value based on play during “seasons”. Sounds like fun to me. Oh, and check out the levels. Nostalgia anyone?
Introduced in Halo 3: ODST, Firefight is back, and it’s a load of fun. Again, players can select which particular game they want, ranging from standard to Rockets, but it’s a vote, so let democracy rule! Ok, so now the major change to multiplayer… New to the game is the introduction of “perks”, if you will. You can select different starting perks ranging from sprint to jet-pack. Jet-pack? I won’t spoil the fun, but each has it’s own strengths and weaknesses, so play around with each until you find one that you really like, and then pwn. There’s a new credit system which is awesome too. Unlock armor tweaks, voices, and effects for your character. Complete daily challenges to earn even more points and soon you’ll be on your way to a black visor with cool shoulder pads. (I know, it’s easy to get geeked out when thinking about how L337 my guy will be.)
I won’t elaborate too much on Forge, because if you’ve tried it in other Halo games, you’re familiar with it already. It’s a level-designer’s playground, so give it a shot if you haven’t. Create custom maps and tweak existing ones. I don’t have that much free time, but it’s a neat aspect of Halo: Reach and definitely contributes to that overall “complete package” moniker.
Ultimately, Halo: Reach is the perfect swan song for the folks at Bungie. Microsoft Games will now take over the future of the franchise, and I must say it’s been a memorable run. From the magnum handgun in Halo: Combat Evolved to dual-wielding to jet-packing with a DMR, this game has helped to define a genre, and break records in the process.