Halo comes back for one last round under Bungie and this time it's a keeper for years to come.
First off lets start with the graphics:
Now many like to claim that the effects are the biggest change here and they would be right bullets, plasma rounds, and muzzle flashes never looked this good, or had this intense detail. You will run for cover every time you see a Wrath plasma round fly into the air. Nades, and other weapons kick up dust and dirt, as well as bodies and skidding vehicles now kick up high detail dust, and dirt effects.
The vehicles, and texture work are top notch the art style has been changed to closer match the look of the first Halo game and it shows, Char models even the AI models and Troopers/Marines now look great and show off what this platform can do. Many times it's good in this game to stop and look out over the big sky and into the distance after a fight, this is where this game shines the draw distance is amazing and the fact that many times you don't just have AI fighting you, but also your buddies, and even way off into the distance will all the action on screen the game never drops in frame rate, or takes a dump.
The Animations are also top notch, and so is the lighting.
AI changes:
Allied AI: Great on foot for drawing fire, exelent at shooting when in the gunner seat, and more over the standard non Spartian allies are much smarter, can handle heavy weapons like Spartan Lasers, and Rocket Launchers with ease, and last but not least they call out enemy locations to the player mid combat. They also make great active use of cover, and side stepping.
The only problem is they are kinda dumb when it comes to driving, but that could be fixed via a patch.
Enemy AI:
When they say the new enemy AI is unforgiving they mean it. Even on Easy mode the game is not nice when the player makes a bad move, or uses the wrong weapon, or Armor ability in combat. They take full advantage of the players mistakes every time and it only gets harder as you bump up the difficulty.
They know where everything on the battle field is, they call out your location, and even the location of your allies. They flank, and doge your heavy weapon rounds, and take full advantage of their weapons.
Bungie even took it a step farther and made it so the enemy AI has their own armor abilities. Elites, and brute minors will use their Armor lock if they can't get out of the way in time, they will also doge your attacks every chance they get and they are not bad shots anymore.
They will even steal your own vehicle if you leave it for them to grab mid combat. Plus if they have a heavy weapon they will do their best to stay at a good distance before letting it loose on you.
Voice overs:
OK this area is the only place I can find some issues with, first off the VOs for your squad, and the other people you meet are great sounding, the only thing that can get annoying is the one troop commander that helps you out in tip of the Spear he sounds over done, and some times robotic. But one bad voice over won't suck you out of the mood this time.
Sound:
The sound in this game is incredable. from the explosions, to the sound of incoming plasma mortors, or the distance sounds of bullets being fired at will. Everything sounds great and feels right, even the plasma weapons sound beefy, and deadly in combat. None of them sound annoying or out of place.
Gameplay:
While the campigan dose tend to barrow from other shooters: IE the Hawk Gunner missions, the air drops, and even some space combat tossed into the mix. They always mix it in with good old fashioned Halo gameplay. Even the gunner missons of which there are 2 in Tip of the spear are open ended, while the AI takes the same route each time you can choose to go on the left, or right door gun, and if you just sit there and not shoot, or the Hawk takes to much damage you will die right there on the spot.
The space mission is in 3 parts, the first 2 are new to Halo fans, flying a Saber in space combat sounds, looks and feels great, it also still looks, and feels like a Halo game. It's in both ways a nod to starfox, and a Screw you to Nintendo for not making another one with their awsome Wiimote.
The last part is classic Close combat in a Covenant space ship, with a nice twist, ever wonder what it's like to play in no air with almost zero gravity? Halo Reach can give you the answer bullet shell casings will float around you ingame, dead enemies will bounce around and get knocked for a loop, and all the sound is heavly muffled which adds extra challange for hardcore gamers.
Plus they even give your enemies Jet packs, and space suits.
As fare as the vehicle combat goes it's standard halo 101, same controlls, however some vehicles have been tweeked a bit so it will take a bit longer to get back into it again.
IE for starters the Wrath no longer boosts as fast as it did in Halo 3, but it's great for getting around, the Ghost also is not as fast but it's guns pack more of a punch. While on the human side the Warthog is a bit faster and easyer to turn in those tight corners, but your in air controll for all vehicles is less then in Halo 3. The biggest change is the fact that the Banshie now has a different controll set, and has a rechard timmer like most of the secondary speed boost, or features on vehicles now. The Hogs mini gun can overheat, the Scorpion no longer has a mini gun turret, and that can overheat, the Ghost has limited boost, and so dose the Wrath, and Ravenant, even the Banshie now has limited boost, and doge abilities instead of unlimited.
Also guns now get less accurate the more you hold the trigger down, this counts for all weapons now. from the AR to DMR, over to the Plasma rifle, and new Plasma Repeater/Needle rifle.
The Armor abilities add a much needed tactical element to Halo Reach that was not in other Halo games, useing the right equipment in the right map can make all the difference.
In short Reach is a masterpeace, and a template for Halo games to come.