The Official Halo Reach thread. Because no one else wanted to make one.

Halo Reach

The Official Thread

I called it a monument at the start, and that's just it. Reach is an encore, a victory lap, a crowd-pleasing last hurrah for a series that most definitely won't end here, but will just as definitely never be the same again. Halo deserves another game this good, and Reach is a deserving tribute.EUROGAMER

It's here folks, Midnight launch and yet no one cares enough to make an official thread.

No one, but yours truly. Ironic, isn't it.

I will update the thread when I come back from picking up the game from BlockBuster at midnight. Till then, just enjoy these reviews. :P

Reviews:

1UP A+

GamePro 5 out 5 Stars

Joystiq 5 out 5 Stars

G4 5 out 5 Stars

Gaurdian UK 5 out 5 Stars

IGN UK 10

Telegraph 10

Planet Xbox 10

Destructoid 10

IGN 9.5

GameInformer 9.5

Machinima 9.5

360 Achievements 9.4

Gametrailers 9.3 Caution: THese bastards spoil everything.

CVG 9.2

Eurogamer 9

Video Gamer 9

Gamezone 8.5

GamesRadar 8

GiantBomb 4 out 5 Stars

Kotaku Thumbs Up

Shack News Very Positive

Trailers:

Deliver Hope Commercial

The Battle Begins Trailer

Debut Trailer

Features: More Features than your mom!

• Campaign 1-4 players.
• Multiplayer 2-16 players.
• Theater Mode
• Firefight
• File Sharing
• And Forge World!

Forge World

Matchmaking:

If you want you can list your GamerID and I will add it in a list here, to make it easier for us to get a game going.

-TheNegativeDude (S0lidSnake)

This is where I wish I was East Coast right about now :P

Ah man, I should have said something earlier. I was planning on making the Reach thread by tomorrow if nobody else was going to do it. That's what I get for making last second decisions.

This is where I wish I was East Coast right about now :P

Ah man, I should have said something earlier. I was planning on making the Reach thread by tomorrow if nobody else was going to do it. That's what I get for making last second decisions.

_Dez_

You can still make one. This thread only has one reply. We can lock it and use yours as the official official one. Or you can let me know what else to add, send me the links and i will add them. Will give you credit of course. :P

Anyway, just came back from Blockbuster. I was out of there byb 12:01 while all the suckers at the Gamestop store around the corner were still waiting. THere must have been some hundred people there, they said the line started at 8:30PM. There were only two of us at BB renting the game. I just dont get why people love Gamestop so much.

People here in Australia have had it for...14 hours :P Sadly I'm not one of them...I have to wait until my birthday :(

I can probably stick some info for anybody that's curious. I'll use my two posts and stick em there.

[QUOTE="_Dez_"]

This is where I wish I was East Coast right about now :P

Ah man, I should have said something earlier. I was planning on making the Reach thread by tomorrow if nobody else was going to do it. That's what I get for making last second decisions.

S0lidSnake

You can still make one. This thread only has one reply. We can lock it and use yours as the official official one. Or you can let me know what else to add, send me the links and i will add them. Will give you credit of course. :P

Anyway, just came back from Blockbuster. I was out of there byb 12:01 while all the suckers at the Gamestop store around the corner were still waiting. THere must have been some hundred people there, they said the line started at 8:30PM. There were only two of us at BB renting the game. I just dont get why people love Gamestop so much.

Preordering from Gamestop gets you some kind of exclusive in-game armor. Not too sure of the details but I'll soon find out =)

I pre-ordered it a few months ago because of the Amazon $20 gift card thing. I guess it shows up today? I might have to take a break from Starcraft 2 to play it.

It's a good thing people have a hard drive for this game, I hear you won't be able to play online co-op or firefight if you don't have one, same as Halo 3.

Anyway, I'm really excited. I still have to wait for the game to come in the mail (Amazon), but I'll go and pick up my brother's copy at the store since I have the day off today. Really looking foreword to the campaign. Going to start it on Heroic this time.

The thing I'm looking more forward to is the story. We already know what happens to Reach, but not many details. I'm looking for some very poignant moments after hearing Seven Samurai and Magnificent Seven mentioned.

The thing I'm looking more forward to is the story. We already know what happens to Reach, but not many details. I'm looking for some very poignant moments after hearing Seven Samurai and Magnificent Seven mentioned.

Ghost_Face

if you're looking for a decent story, you're picking up the wrong game. If you're looking for headshots, grenade sticks and teabagging well, come right in, you'll feel right at home.

Heck yeah! Got my (brother's) copy of the game with a $20 gift card. Installing it now. Gonna play around with Forge for a little and get a feel for all the changes made since the beta and feast upon some single player. Hopefully my own copy will make it later this evening.

I believe there's an Invasion Theme available on the marketplace for free, so now's the chance to grab one unless you like micro-transactions. Also, I read that installing the game significantly reduces the loading times for Reach, so if you have the space, then go for it!

Campaign- Excellent

Competitive Multiplayer- Freakin Fantastic

Firefight Co-op- Superb

Campaign Co-op- ???? Can't get into any with my friends :cry:

Campaign- Excellent

Competitive Multiplayer- Freakin Fantastic

Firefight Co-op- Superb

Campaign Co-op- ???? Can't get into any with my friends :cry:

speedfreak48t5p

Yeah, unfortunately you need a Harddrive. Sucks that they still haven't upgraded their coop netcode 3 years after halo 3 came out with the same netcode.

Heck yeah! Got my (brother's) copy of the game with a $20 gift card. Installing it now. Gonna play around with Forge for a little and get a feel for all the changes made since the beta and feast upon some single player. Hopefully my own copy will make it later this evening.

I believe there's an Invasion Theme available on the marketplace for free, so now's the chance to grab one unless you like micro-transactions. Also, I read that installing the game significantly reduces the loading times for Reach, so if you have the space, then go for it!

_Dez_

Oh no, i hate your brother! Let's try to get some online games going tonight, I will be out till like 9PM EST, but I'm free after that.

Can anyone point me to a primer on competitive multiplayer? ie: Ideal settings, tactics, etc? I have good instincts but I'm new to really being into Halo.DarkCatalyst

[QUOTE="DarkCatalyst"]Can anyone point me to a primer on competitive multiplayer? ie: Ideal settings, tactics, etc? I have good instincts but I'm new to really being into Halo.Archangel3371

MLG would definitely have some helpful information, but for better or worse, they tend to strip out some elements of the multiplayer that others might enjoy.

This isn't really relevant anymore, but I used this little guide for Halo 3 to help give me some pointers on weapon use, map control and objective strategies. I'm certainly not an expert on the ultra competitive aspect of Halo multiplayer but I think the best advice anybody can give you is to make use of headshot weapons.

DMR, Needle Rifle, and the Pistol are very important tools in the Halo multi that will probably get the most use. DMR and Pistol take 4 shots minimum to strip shields, and one more for a headshot or two for the body. Needle Rifle fires faster, but takes a few more shots. Also keep in mind the targeting bloom when fighting, so get a good rhythm with the gun. It's all about control with Rifles, map control and keeping the power weapons out of enemy hands. I'm sure there are more useful tips around, but I mainly stick to a support role when playing online, rather than leading the charge. If you can handle the weapons that require aiming, you'll do a lot better, and probably get more enjoyment out of the game as well.

On a side note: I finally got my actual copy! Time to get back into the things. Right now my impressions are: God damn! ****ing love it!

I got the Limited Edition console and game last night at a midnight launch and it's awesome!

I fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu'd when I logged on and saw this:

Got the game last night but was too tired to play. Played a little this morning. Very impressed so far. Haven't gotten very far, but coming from someone who hasn't liked a Halo game since Halo 1, I can say I'm pleasantly suprised.

The armor abilities add so much to the game... some much needed variety, for one. And the new weapons are great (not to mention the awesome modification to the Battle Rifle), The visuals also deserve praise. I was disappointed with Halo 3 and especially ODST visually, but this game is on a whole different level from those.

And the stealth kills.... HELL YEAH! :P

I don't wanna say too much because I haven't gotten too far, but I'm digging it. :)

if you're looking for a decent story, you're picking up the wrong game. If you're looking for headshots, grenade sticks and teabagging well, come right in, you'll feel right at home.

Dire_Weasel

I'm not looking for Halo to change anything about FPS games, but from the reviews I've read, this game does have a good campaign mode and storyline. If it's better than the other 3 Halo games, that will be fine.

I am soooo tired right now, i just cant get myself to play it.

but after reading Dez and Jbul's impressions, i think i might just play for an hour or so.

Can anyone point me to a primer on competitive multiplayer? ie: Ideal settings, tactics, etc? I have good instincts but I'm new to really being into Halo.DarkCatalyst

Edit: power weapon control is also very important, and at high levels of play you do timings on weapon and power up spawns. Teamwork and proficiency at using head shot weapons will get you far though. A good sniper is one of the greatest things to have on your team.

I am soooo tired right now, i just cant get myself to play it.

but after reading Dez and Jbul's impressions, i think i might just play for an hour or so.

S0lidSnake

Don't strain yourself if it's going to affect you at work. Besides there are other days where we can get together and shoot you in the face :P

I have finished 3 stages of the campaign so far. Technically the game tells me that I've completed 4, but the first stage is an introductory level with no shooting, so that doesn't really count. Each stage has taken me around 30-40 minutes to complete on Heroic, and this setting definitely feels much harder than, say, Halo 3's hard mode. Everything up to that point has been very challenging and incredibly fun to play.

From the moment this game boots up, everything about it, from the menu interface, visuals, the amazing soundtrack, the combat... it all feels supremely polished to a mirror-like shine. While I don't think I can call this the best looking game ever, the visuals, particle-effects and such look phenomenal. The combat is explosive and intense. Bungie said they were trying to make the Covenant appear much more alien and intimidating, and I think they've succeeded so far. All the enemies speak in their own native tongue, and even the Grunts can appear to be fearsome foes. Well... they're still ammo fodder, but the all of your enemies put up a great fight. Still, that doesn't compare to the Elites' triumphant return as the main antagonists.

To be frank, the Elites will probably beat you down. They're incredibly aggressive, very fast and very powerful You need to use every advantage you can when locked in battle, cause these guys don't fool around when attacking and I love it. They don't even have much of a wind-up time for tossing grenades, so you need to keep strafing if you want to avoid a stick to the face.Skirmishers, a variant of the Jackal, is also a great new addition. They move blistering pace and can run circles around you if you let them. Thankfully, I've dealt with most of my encounters long range, so they haven't been a problem.

The sandbox gameplay Bungie has always delivered feels fantastic around here, and my initial impressions are that this trumps all the previous Halo games as far as the single player goes. I still have some more to go, but I'm expecting things to get better from here.

Yeah, I'm on the hype train right now, but Reach is living up to my expectations, and I can't wait to play more.

If you would of preordered from BestBuy you get a $20 gift card , i got one today so its an awesome deal.

If you would of preordered from BestBuy you get a $20 gift card , i got one today so its an awesome deal.

telefanatic

Yeah, it seems like a lot of places are competing for your hard-earned dollars. Some nice deals going around. I stuck with Amazon for their $20 card, but it's nice to see more places offer deals like this.

[QUOTE="S0lidSnake"]

I am soooo tired right now, i just cant get myself to play it.

but after reading Dez and Jbul's impressions, i think i might just play for an hour or so.

_Dez_

Don't strain yourself if it's going to affect you at work. Besides there are other days where we can get together and shoot you in the face :P

I have finished 3 stages of the campaign so far. Technically the game tells me that I've completed 4, but the first stage is an introductory level with no shooting, so that doesn't really count. Each stage has taken me around 30-40 minutes to complete on Heroic, and this setting definitely feels much harder than, say, Halo 3's hard mode. Everything up to that point has been very challenging and incredibly fun to play.

From the moment this game boots up, everything about it, from the menu interface, visuals, the amazing soundtrack, the combat... it all feels supremely polished to a mirror-like shine. While I don't think I can call this the best looking game ever, the visuals, particle-effects and such look phenomenal. The combat is explosive and intense. Bungie said they were trying to make the Covenant appear much more alien and intimidating, and I think they've succeeded so far. All the enemies speak in their own native tongue, and even the Grunts can appear to be fearsome foes. Well... they're still ammo fodder, but the all of your enemies put up a great fight. Still, that doesn't compare to the Elites' triumphant return as the main antagonists.

To be frank, the Elites will probably beat you down. They're incredibly aggressive, very fast and very powerful You need to use every advantage you can when locked in battle, cause these guys don't fool around when attacking and I love it. They don't even have much of a wind-up time for tossing grenades, so you need to keep strafing if you want to avoid a stick to the face.Skirmishers, a variant of the Jackal, is also a great new addition. They move blistering pace and can run circles around you if you let them. Thankfully, I've dealt with most of my encounters long range, so they haven't been a problem.

The sandbox gameplay Bungie has always delivered feels fantastic around here, and my initial impressions are that this trumps all the previous Halo games as far as the single player goes. I still have some more to go, but I'm expecting things to get better from here.

Yeah, I'm on the hype train right now, but Reach is living up to my expectations, and I can't wait to play more.

[QUOTE="Archangel3371"][QUOTE="DarkCatalyst"]Can anyone point me to a primer on competitive multiplayer? ie: Ideal settings, tactics, etc? I have good instincts but I'm new to really being into Halo._Dez_

MLG would definitely have some helpful information, but for better or worse, they tend to strip out some elements of the multiplayer that others might enjoy.

This isn't really relevant anymore, but I used this little guide for Halo 3 to help give me some pointers on weapon use, map control and objective strategies. I'm certainly not an expert on the ultra competitive aspect of Halo multiplayer but I think the best advice anybody can give you is to make use of headshot weapons.

DMR, Needle Rifle, and the Pistol are very important tools in the Halo multi that will probably get the most use. DMR and Pistol take 4 shots minimum to strip shields, and one more for a headshot or two for the body. Needle Rifle fires faster, but takes a few more shots. Also keep in mind the targeting bloom when fighting, so get a good rhythm with the gun. It's all about control with Rifles, map control and keeping the power weapons out of enemy hands. I'm sure there are more useful tips around, but I mainly stick to a support role when playing online, rather than leading the charge. If you can handle the weapons that require aiming, you'll do a lot better, and probably get more enjoyment out of the game as well.

On a side note: I finally got my actual copy! Time to get back into the things. Right now my impressions are: God damn! ****ing love it!

[QUOTE="S0lidSnake"]

I am soooo tired right now, i just cant get myself to play it.

but after reading Dez and Jbul's impressions, i think i might just play for an hour or so.

_Dez_

Don't strain yourself if it's going to affect you at work. Besides there are other days where we can get together and shoot you in the face :P

I have finished 3 stages of the campaign so far. Technically the game tells me that I've completed 4, but the first stage is an introductory level with no shooting, so that doesn't really count. Each stage has taken me around 30-40 minutes to complete on Heroic, and this setting definitely feels much harder than, say, Halo 3's hard mode. Everything up to that point has been very challenging and incredibly fun to play.

From the moment this game boots up, everything about it, from the menu interface, visuals, the amazing soundtrack, the combat... it all feels supremely polished to a mirror-like shine. While I don't think I can call this the best looking game ever, the visuals, particle-effects and such look phenomenal. The combat is explosive and intense. Bungie said they were trying to make the Covenant appear much more alien and intimidating, and I think they've succeeded so far. All the enemies speak in their own native tongue, and even the Grunts can appear to be fearsome foes. Well... they're still ammo fodder, but the all of your enemies put up a great fight. Still, that doesn't compare to the Elites' triumphant return as the main antagonists.

To be frank, the Elites will probably beat you down. They're incredibly aggressive, very fast and very powerful You need to use every advantage you can when locked in battle, cause these guys don't fool around when attacking and I love it. They don't even have much of a wind-up time for tossing grenades, so you need to keep strafing if you want to avoid a stick to the face.Skirmishers, a variant of the Jackal, is also a great new addition. They move blistering pace and can run circles around you if you let them. Thankfully, I've dealt with most of my encounters long range, so they haven't been a problem.

The sandbox gameplay Bungie has always delivered feels fantastic around here, and my initial impressions are that this trumps all the previous Halo games as far as the single player goes. I still have some more to go, but I'm expecting things to get better from here.

Yeah, I'm on the hype train right now, but Reach is living up to my expectations, and I can't wait to play more.

This. 100% This.

I came here to post exactly that. Everything from the intro, the title screen, the enemy design, the gorgeous gorgeous graphics, and firefights feel perfect. Halo 3 had a pretty disappointing first level, well this one is no GoW3, but fantastic nonetheless. Loving it so far. :D

[QUOTE="speedfreak48t5p"]

Campaign- Excellent

Competitive Multiplayer- Freakin Fantastic

Firefight Co-op- Superb

Campaign Co-op- ???? Can't get into any with my friends :cry:

S0lidSnake

Yeah, unfortunately you need a Harddrive. Sucks that they still haven't upgraded their coop netcode 3 years after halo 3 came out with the same netcode.

There are still people that don't have hard drives?

And yes, the game is amazing.

Well, MLG rules are still a reality I'm going to have to get used to, since I'm in this primarily for the competition and MLG is a big piece of that competition. I didn't do any multi today, just a bunch of Heroic single-player. Generally speaking, I'm finding most weapons to be highly lacking in terms of stopping power. My aim is good for the most part - not sure if I should be turning sensitivity up or down to refine it - but I'm taking too long chewing through shields and that's not helped by the fact that dual-wielding is gone. Or is this just something I'm encountering because I'm starting off in single-player? I'm glad to know I'm gravitating toward the right guns, though.DarkCatalyst

Enemies in the campaign have a considerable boost in health and shields when compared to what you'll encounter in the multiplayer. One thing you should keep in mind when selecting your loadouts are that covenant plasma weapons are much more effective at stripping an enemies shields and human weapons work better against unshielded opponents. It's usually a good idea to go in with a Plasma Rifle and DMR so you can pop the shields and finish with a clean headshot. Of course, it's easier said than done, given how fast Elites move, plus they have more shields than usual.

One very effective combo that been used since the beginning of the series would be the Plasma Pistol / any headshot weapon. Charge the PP and fire to completely remove the shields and follow up with the DMR. Also keep in mind that a charged plasma pistol shot can disable vehicles and turrets as well. I haven't been using it this time around so I don't know how effective the tracking is in this game. Halo 3, in comparison, had reduced the homing considerably.

There are still people that don't have hard drives?

ANGERMAX

Pretty crazy, yeah? To think there are some people that get this system without a hard drive. What are the odds of meeting such an individual?

Seriously though, aren't some of those new 360 Slims only 4GB without a HD? I heard you actually can't put an HD in those systems, which if true, it's going to screw a lot of people over.

there's already a sticky thread for halo in system wars....

I've read a lot of reports that the AI is insanely good in this one.

MasterBolt360

I've read a lot of reports that the AI is insanely good in this one.[QUOTE="MasterBolt360"]

Travo_basic

I haven't. Not yet anyway. The reviews give Halo glowing, but this is not a surprise. Halo, in my opinion, has been one of the more overrated and overhyped FPS series in gaming history.

It's more than likely that I'll be renting it instead of buying it if it ever comes down to that. But who knows? I may just cave in and buy it. Haven't decided yet, since I have other games that are coming out this year that I need to pick up.

There are still people that don't have hard drives?

And yes, the game is amazing.

ANGERMAX

Practically everyone with an Arcade....

I've read a lot of reports that the AI is insanely good in this one.

Travo_basic

Oh it's freakin brilliant. In the first level when you get dropped in the courtyard, a few marines show up to help you out. I saw that they were taking almost all the enemy fire, and decided to go up this ramp and flank the covenant. I peaked over the railing, one of the new enemies (those cool looking silver dudes) actually turned and looked up at me, threw a grenade and got the **** out of there. It wasn't just the AI routine that was excellent, the whole animation system made the moment a lot more realistic and believable.

there's already a sticky thread for halo in system wars....

PcGamingRig

Does this look like System Wars to you?

[QUOTE="ANGERMAX"]

Practically everyone with an Arcade....

[QUOTE="Travo_basic"]

I've read a lot of reports that the AI is insanely good in this one.

Oh it's freakin brilliant. In the first level when you get dropped in the courtyard, a few marines show up to help you out. I saw that they were taking almost all the enemy fire, and decided to go up this ramp and flank the covenant. I peaked over the railing, one of the new enemies (those cool looking silver dudes) actually turned and looked up at me, threw a grenade and got the **** out of there. It wasn't just the AI routine that was excellent, the whole animation system made the moment a lot more realistic and believable.

[QUOTE="Travo_basic"]

I've read a lot of reports that the AI is insanely good in this one.

S0lidSnake

Oh it's freakin brilliant. In the first level when you get dropped in the courtyard, a few marines show up to help you out. I saw that they were taking almost all the enemy fire, and decided to go up this ramp and flank the covenant. I peaked over the railing, one of the new enemies (those cool looking silver dudes) actually turned and looked up at me, threw a grenade and got the **** out of there. It wasn't just the AI routine that was excellent, the whole animation system made the moment a lot more realistic and believable.

[QUOTE="PcGamingRig"]

there's already a sticky thread for halo in system wars....

S0lidSnake

Does this look like System Wars to you?

Some Xbox 360s Won't Do Halo: Reach Online Co-Op

You can't play Online Co-Op with the new 4GB slims... hopefully they patch it in.

I've never understood why SW people come in here to say that we should be posting in the SW thread. Not to be a negative nancy, but did anyone see this news:

Some Xbox 360s Won't Do Halo: Reach Online Co-Op

You can't play Online Co-Op with the new 4GB slims... hopefully they patch it in.

rragnaar

I cant believe this is only just making the news. Both Halo 3 and Halo 3 ODST had this problem. When I *****ed and moaned about this a couple of months ago, I was told to go buy a HDD (which if bought new wouldve cost me $80-$100). Luckily, argianas sent me his harddrive, but if it wasnt for that, i wouldn't be able to play Halo Reach, Halo 3, Halo ODST cooperatively. Believe it or not, i didnt find a single article for ODST and Halo 3 that talked about this issue.

the AI is great, but the story is a bit overhyped, I have one level left now, and you don't get too much time to connect with any of the characters. Don't get me wrong, its not a bad story, just not the best in the series imo. Haven't started the multiplayer yet, but im sure it will be improved from the beta, its an awesome game for sure, but not the goty imoKeredsBlaze

nooooooooo! THat kinda sucks. Though at the same time, the first mission had more cutscenes than the whole of Halo 3, and that first person cutscene was just awesome! :D