Cue the ominous vocalization track; its Halo time. That’s right folks Bungie’s brainchild turned Microsoft’s cash cow is back and goddamn it looks good. This time around we’re playing Halo: Reach; set before the downfall of the Elites, rise of the Brutes, deaths of the Prophets and the destruction reigned down upon all of their terror-filled bodies by the one and only Master Chief John-117. This will be Bungie’s second Halo game without neither hide nor hair of the Chief and one can only speculate its success.
Reach should be at least somewhat familiar to those who have read the best-selling book by Eric Nylund: The Fall of Reach in which you see the beginning of a hero; John-117. It’s a planet in Epsilon Eridani system, and the birthplace of the Spartan-II’s.
We see Halo: Reach though the eyes of Noble Team who are assembled after a teammate goes MIA (Spartans are never listed as KIA) and the seemingly silent “Rookie” type character. As far as the campaign goes that’s all that I really know.
The multiplayer on the other hand has been completely revamped. There are so many differences between this game and all the past titles. Here are just a few:
Adversarial balance between Spartans and Elites – The Elites are now bigger and faster, they also have better shields and also regenerate health without health packs; they can also evade (a roll). The Spartans have better aim with more precise weapons as well as the ability to sprint and are definitely the teamwork unit.
There are Armor Abilities now; kind of like a loadout in most other FPS games. For instance you get the assault rifle with the jetpack and sprint with the DMR (Dedicated Marksman Rifle). Not a real customization feature but definitely not reminiscent of the BR/AR combo and pick up as you go. It does offer the possibilities of expanding gameplay in the sense that you, as a jetpack trooper can nick the sniper rifle and boost to a perch almost out of harms way, if it’s within your boost range of course (falling damage is back).
Armor Lock is a timed invincibility that also lets out an EMP burst that’s strength is dependant on the time it’s held for. It leaves you immune to vehicular and melee as well as guns but renders you immobile. Just imagine you’re the lone defender of your flag and your teammates are at the respawn screen. Give the other team a run for their money by Armor Locking and bursting just as your teammates sprint and fly to your rescue.
Assassinations aren’t really new to the Halo scene but the way they’re conducted in this game definitely is. There’s still the typical button mashing silliness equated with trying to beat someone down before they get you but if you are lurking around the map in a blindspot, you can hold down the melee button to trigger a third person assassination animation, which in my opinion, is totally worth the time it take to execute it.
Weapons have been overhauled. No more do they look like little toy guns. Now the weapons look mean. And the new ones aren’t pulling punches either. On the Covenant side there’s a plasma grenade launcher and something called the “Focus Rifle”. For the Spartans though, there’s a nifty little grenade launcher that, if you hold the fire button, will cook the grenade, seemingly indefinitely and then blow up in your enemy’s face.
There’s going to be a lot of Shriekers on Day 1…..I think I might just play with my speakers muted for a few days. This brings back memories of when the Halo 3 beta went live….not only did I thoroughly enjoy lasering people, I enjoyed the mute option for all the 11 year olds that somehow conned their mothers into buying them Crackdown. Let’s hope they didn’t buy their kids ODST huh?
-Armand
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