HALO: REACH
Bungie had a strong presence at this years E3 with Halo Reach, the prequel to the HALO series. At first glance this new Halo title seems no different from any other Halo game released in the past, this is where you are greatly mistaken. On it’s surface it still holds true to the past Halo titles, but at its core this game is a fresher take on the franchise and deviates from what we are used to into uncharted territories. This has potential to be the greatest Halo game released thus far.
The game engine has been completely rebuilt from the ground up in what has become the most ambitious project ever worked on at Bungie. They showed the audience a mission called “The Long Night of Solace” which takes place half way through the campaign. The mission starts with Noble team (made up of 5 Spartans) taking the fight to the covenant. The graphics look beautiful, this is at least the prettiest Halo title ever made. It is clear that the focus of this game is teamwork. You hear your fellow Noble team members when they are low on ammo or give a warning of an incoming enemy. The Spartans continue into a rain of Covenant drop ships as they fight to get into a compound of some kind.
The fighting system is pretty much the same except for a few added features, my favorite being the new melee attack. Instead of just bonking your enemy upside the head you now stab them to death, break their necks, or knock them down and leap onto their necks to break it. It appears much more satisfying and shows this game is not afraid to be a little more hardcore than the previous Halo titles . Also remember how annoying it was when you would play the online multiplayer and some noob would run everyone down with the covenant cycle? Well now you can smash you fist to the ground, plant yourself, increase your shields and if they try to run you over they will only crash into you destroying the bike and getting themselves killed. The evidence is clear that Bungie has been listening to the online community with what they want out of the Halo games.
After slaughtering all the covenants that stand in their way, the Spartans finally make it into the compound which is revealed to be a launch pad. The lights in the facility go on to reveal a large battleship known as “The Saber”. Two Spartans buckle up and launch into orbit and begin what looks like the funnest new feature in the game, Halo starfox. Covenant forces are closing in and you need to take them all out using the Saber. You will need to fire on enemy ships, roll to evade enemy fire, and protect the USMC ship in an epic battle never before seen in a Halo game.
Well it may look like any other Halo game I can guarantee this is anything but that. The improvements are welcomed and a breath of fresh air into the franchise. For a while I thought the Halo series was over with, I cannot be happier I was wrong.