Halo Reach

Spoiler alert! Don't read the review if you haven't finished the Story Campaign to Halo Reach.I consider myself a "seasoned" Halo fan who started late: I borrowed a friend's copy of Halo: Combat Evolved so that I could march through Halo 2 (before the Halo 3 launch). Halo 3 was good. Halo ODST is what I call "Halo 3.5". If I've read right, ODST was developed simultaneously with Reach.I generally go through single player campaigns before touching Multiplayer. Reach wasn't an exception. For those who don't know, Halo: Reach occurs before the events of Halo: Combat Evolved. This is about the Fall of Reach if I've been told correctly (I never read the Halo novels). So, naturally, it probably isn't going to end well for humanity. But as Noble Six, you'll set things in motion for the future (i.e. Master Chief, et al.)Personally I thought that the campaign was excellent. It was well paced with a few "oh sheet!" moments (reaching the base with the spacecraft you'll eventually pilot was one of them). I really like the utility of the updated/new Covenant firearms now.The cinematics are refined: Bungie now mastered use of handheld camera movements and wide shots, with really excellent lighting in cutscenes. The score is more somber than whimsical. It's not "space age" futurism a la Halo: ODST. Martin O'Donnell and Michael Salvatori shifted gears just a tad to make Reach a darker experience. It works perfectly.I can't say I was a huge fan of Master Chief. He may have been awesome in the novels, I'll never know. But, really, he barely said anything in the Halo games! With Noble Team I just enjoyed meeting a cast of characters (like ODST) who TALKED. And they played their parts well.Most underappreciated line in the game: "I know we're losing. I want to know if we lost." - Kat, Noble Team.I generally avoid Multiplayer in a lot of FPS', or I'll just hook up my headset and let it sit to the side - I don't pay a yearly subscription on Xbox Live to hear a bunch of people talk about human body parts, sexual orientations they really know nothing about and the like. Heck, I can't stand this on ANY online service.Thankfully, it's pretty easy to adjust Muting options. I've played Reach a ton thanks to muting everyone or just having Party or Team chat enabled. Yes, they had this in Halo 3 and Halo ODST. Having it in Reach, though, is icing on the cake: the amount of game types and playlists is still abundant enough. I find myself trying some new game mode or variation every night with a party of friends online. It's awesome and a heck of a lot of fun.Bungie puts ragequitters on probation, or tries. "Quit *enough* times and you won't be able to join Matchmaking for 15 minutes". Good riddance. I've played a bunch of games where people have simply quit because it wasn't the game type they liked. That's too bad, it doesn't hurt to try to get better at a game type or level you can't particularly handle. Accept your losses and have fun playing!All the components of Reach make for a great game. I can say that this is the best Halo game I've played, and I look forward to continue playing online. Bungie's "last Halo" (?) is a great one. Don't miss out.

I have not enjoyed a Halo game since the first one. The Halo scene completely changed with Xbox Live and the absence of health packs. Too many times the opposing player would hide behind a rock and completely regenerate his health. The inclusion of duel weapons seemed enticing until everyone held a plasma gun and a pistol to shoot a charged shot followed instantly by a head shot. When it comes to Reach, it goes back to what made the first game so great along with a few welcomed inclusions. You have the regenerating shield, but you do take damage that must be healed via health packs once the shield is gone. You can now choose a perk before each time you spawn. They include a couple of shields, a distraction clone, a jet pack, and the ability to run. It seems a bit silly that you can not run unless you choose the perk, but it is still very useful and a welcomed perk. There is also the inclusion of assassinations. It is as simple as going for a beat down by meleeing an opponent behind the head and instead holding the melee button until the animation starts. It is just a gnarly way to kill an opponent. It does take longer to do than just beating them down however. The single player, like Wars and ODST, does not have the player assuming the role of Master Chief. Instead, you take control of Noble 6. The newest member of Noble team. You make Noble 6 your own with many cosmetic armor adjustments. The female players have not been left out. Noble 6 can be either male or female. Although as a male player, I chose to be female. I find it gives a slight edge in multiplayer. I doubt it actually reduces the hitbox as it is normally a separate object within a character model, but it does make you a slightly smaller target. This along with a very slimming choice of armor, makes me a harder target. Also if I hear a male running voice, I know there is another player behind me attempting to assassinate me. So I can quickly evade and attack. The campaign takes place before the original Halo game about the invasion and loss of the human settlement planet Reach. Although the fate of the planet and the Spartans are known, you do feel like there is a chance they might make it mission by mission. In the end, the developers give a dedication to its fans that helped them along with this series and that the player, just like Noble 6, made it possible for the success of the series and the end of the war the series depicts. It truly is a great game and by far the best in the series. It definitely makes you want to play with your friends on split screen more so than any other Halo game since the original. That is my personal preference to online play any day. I hope you find this review helpful and insightful. Take care with your shopping and purchase choices. :)