So here we have it; Bungie’s last ever Halo game. What’s that? “ODST?” No this is really the last game. Really.
Regardless of whether this is indeed the studio’s last foray into the Halo universe, Bungie have clearly attempted to go out with a bang in what is undoubtedly the most complete, well-rounded and polished entry into the series to date.
In a surprising move, for what was to be the final Halo instalment the developers decided upon a prequel to the events of the main trilogy that follows the journey of Master Chief and humanity’s last stand against the alien Covenant forces. Anybody familiar with the lore of the franchise will instantly recognise Reach as the human planet that came under attack - and eventually decimated - by the Covenant and that the Pillar of Autumn ship was escaping from at the opening to the original Halo: Combat Evolved, as well as being the place both Master Chief and the A.I. Cortana originate from.
The campaign mode of Halo: Reach puts you in the metallic boots of Noble Six, a new recruit to the elite Spartan squad known as Noble Team. You are called out to investigate a downed communications relay, but what starts out as a basic investigative operation quickly turns into a fight for survival when it becomes apparent that the Covenant have made it to Reach and begin their attack. The story is probably the best so far in the series, with a lot more emphasis on characters and their emotions over its 6-8 hour run time, and that ever-looming sense of dread in knowing that at some point the planet is going to be overrun and the battle lost can get pretty intense towards the end, especially in a fantastic after-credits sequence. This is helped by graphics upgraded heavily from Halo 3: ODST and another superb musical score by Martin O’Donnell, just don’t expect it to hold up very well against the storylines and narrative presentation of titles such as Heavy Rain or Metal Gear Solid.
Anyone who has played Halo games in the past – or any FPS for that matter – will feel right at home gameplay-wise here, with many of the game mechanics remaining the same as previous titles, just sporting some extra polish. However, what new features are available go a long way to make this a highly enjoyable and somewhat fresh experience. The most prominent of these are armour abilities, which are power-ups that can be used to aid you in the heat of battle. They range from sprinting, to bubble shields, to jetpacks, and most of these are very useful and very fun to use, especially online, but there are a couple that leave a fair bit to be desired. Namely, Armour Lock, which prevents you from taking damage while you try and allow your shield to recharge but usually just ends up with an awkward moment where your enemy – be it human or A.I. – hovers around you waiting to strike. Sprint also seems like a bit of a cop-out, as most shooters allocate the ability to sprint to its own button that can be used at any time, so being restricted like this seems like a step back from the competition; the same can be said for the lack of iron sights.
Another new feature, and probably the most anticipated, is the inclusion of space battles. About halfway through the campaign, you find yourself strapped into a space fighter and launched into Reach’s orbit in an effort to take down a super-size Covenant battleship. This section is fun and a welcome change from the usual FPS gameplay, and while some people have complained at its brevity, I feel that it is just the right length and would become stale had it gone on any longer. Unfortunately these battles do not appear in any multiplayer capacity, and one can only hope that this is rectified in future downloadable content.
Campaign is really just the beginning to the full Halo: Reach experience, with returning modes like Firefight and Forge (now with a huge open-world to play about in) bulking up the package, but multiplayer is where the true meat of the game lies, with potentially hundreds of hours of gameplay to be had. There are countless modes here, from the familiar Slayer, Team Slayer and Capture the Flag to the borderline absurd Oddball and Head Hunter. For the most part each of these are highly enjoyable, but there are some that I found to be more infuriating than anything else. Most notable of these is SWAT, which involves two teams running around with infinite ammo DMRs and permanently enabled auto-aiming headshots; as you can imagine there’s not a lot of skill needed in this game type and it becomes quickly annoying due to how luck-based it is. This wouldn’t be so bad except that this mode is included in the same playlist as all the Slayer-type matches, so it is nigh-on unavoidable if it is voted for when you attempt matchmaking in that list.
You will be playing these matches over thirteen different maps, which are all well designed, but thirteen is a rather small number when you consider that some of these are remakes of older Halo stages. Also, there are a few new weapons like the excellent Needler Rifle that add to the fun, and they (unlike the armour abilities) are all welcome additions.
A major change to the multiplayer aspect of the game is the rank-progression system. The “get so much experience, gain a rank” mentality is built upon, in that experience points are replaced with credits that not only accumulate to rank up but can be spent to purchase new armour pieces, unfortunately this only for aesthetic value and adds no extra stats to your character. Credit earning is not restricted to online play either, and you will find yourself being awarded credits for every little thing you do, from completing levels in campaign to watching a movie in theatre mode. There are also now daily and weekly challenges that can be completed to win huge credit bonuses, which add major replay value.
With a relatively long campaign compared to most FPS games, hugely in-depth multiplayer and the best aspects of the series’ gameplay all brought together and given a polish, this is the definitive Halo experience that no one with an interest in shooters should pass up.
Rating: 4 out of 5
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