Step up people, this is it. Bungie's swan-song and one of the greatest yet. Prep up, this is what Halo is all about.
Now I know you all hate reading walls of texts. This review won't be like that, I promise. before I give you a thorough rundown of what Reach is, I'm going to give you all my personal, unbiased opinion on Bungie's swan-song of the Halo series.
Without a doubt, Halo: Reach is one of the most ambitious and innovative games in the series. Bungie promised to send themselves out with a bang and they delivered. I found the game play to be exceptional and the graphics to be glorious, not to mention the somber music that fit perfectly with the mood. While you may be basking in the glory of Reach, you will inevitably be exposed to its flaws sometime in your career. This game, in my opinion, is one of the best in the series, and 343 will be hard-pressed to manufacture a game that can produce a bigger "bang for your buck" than this.
Rundown:
Campaign: 9/10
The campaign is wonderful, filled with the always welcome, run-and-gun style of play. Right off the bat, the music and the graphics of the game truly hit you. The classic Halo weapons are back with a few new additions, including the Needle Rifle and the Plasma Launcher. While the story seemed lacking to me, the game play made up for it. You'll find yourself infiltrating a communication array, defending a siege in New Alexandria, and even taking the fight to space! (Watch out for the friendly A.I. however! Just don't let the Marines or Kat drive...AT ALL! ;))
The storyline and characterization was bland to say the least. While the game play was fun and exciting, the story was bland to say the least. We all know that Reach fell, but the way the story was told got stale and uninteresting. You are a part of Noble team, consisting of five other members: Carter, Kat, Jun, Emile, and Jorge. While you see glimpses of their characteristics throughout the story, you never really relate to them and are to busy gunning down Covenant to really care.
Overall though, the campaign was great, with a satisfying ending that tied up loose ends and evolved into Halo 1 nicely. The story could use some work and I think this is a major point that Bungie needs to keep in mind while producing their new gaming franchise.
Forge: 9/10
This was a huge feature that fans were clamoring for. Ever since Halo 3, players were tinkering around with Forge, creating amazing spaces and maps, despite the limitations of the system. After listening to the fans, Bungie once again delivered. Forge 2.0 is bigger and better than the original Forge in Halo 3 was in every way, even including a whole new sandbox intended for the sole purpose of creating maps! The controls are smooth and easy to use, and the various new features that were implemented make this feature yet another magnificent part of this game.
Theater: 8/10
Sadly, this was one popular feature from Halo 3 that I felt was downgraded. Aside from a few new useful controls, the ability to few clips with more than one person was removed. Big disappoint; I can only hope Bungie can find a way to implement it back into Theater.
Matchmaking: 9/10
Ah, the epitome of Halo. This is what Halo is famous for after all! The new maps are fresh, the weapons are new and improved, and the armor abilities introduce a whole new element into the game. While TrueSkill is not entirely gone, the ranking system is different. Each player now ranks up by way of earning Credits (Cr). Credits are then used to purchase armor from the Armory (purely aesthetic) to fully customize your Spartan warrior. Ever finding yourself playing aggressively and rushing for the rocket launcher spawn, only to find it taken by someone else and using it against you? No problem! Activate Armor Lock and see that rocket deflect right back into the enemy! With new abilities come new tactics; teamwork is essential if you want to control the map and win the game. The only cons I found were the lack of multiplayer-exclusive maps and the obvious need of tweaks to the game play and armor abilities. Overall, the multiplayer experience is very satisfying and will leave you salivating for more.
Firefight: 10/10
Yes, yes, Firefight is back, new and improved. In Halo 3: ODST, players would have to wait for their friends to get online to play a 4-player session. Now in Reach, matchmaking has been introduced, making finding players to play with much easier. Firefight is now completely customizable, meaning Spartan traits, enemy traits, and even the type and amount of enemies in each round. This feature is a great addition to the game and rivals even Nazi Zombies.
Graphics: 9/10
Once again, Bungie has revolutionized Halo by creating yet another beautiful game. The graphics are simply stunning; I found myself standing still, admiring the vista that stood before me on the second mission while my team was busy fighting off Covenant. You'll be introduced to lush forests, narrow canyons, the expanse that is space, and the urban sprawl of New Alexandria. While the frame rate is quite low, the amazing visuals will entrance you to no end as you fight your way through Reach.
Miscellaneous: 10/10
Right from the beginning, gamers will notice the new menu system. When you load up the game, you are greeted with a view of Reach and two options: Campaign and Main Menu. Opening up the Main Menu category will give players access to Matchmaking, Forge, Theater, and other features. If you press the Start button, you will be introduced to the menu where you can customize your button settings and the look of your character in-game. The system is clean and efficient and players will have a easy time navigating the game.
Overall score: 9/10
Pros:
~Exciting game play
~Forge 2.0
~Improved Firefight and matchmaking capability
~Stunning graphics
Cons:
~Bland storyline; uninteresting characters
~Horrible friendly A.I.
~Theater is a disappointment