Remember Reach.
As I am sure you are aware, this is a prequel to the original Halo: Combat Evolved. You are most likely equally aware that this foray into the Halo-verse effectively marks Bungie's fond farewell to the franchise. As far as we know, at least.
You play as Noble Six, the sixth (and newest) member of Noble Team. Hostilities with the Covenant are in full swing, but have not yet spread to planet Reach where you are stationed. This all changes within the first five minutes as your team is dispatched to investigate a remote civilian outpost that has gone silent. It is not the intent of this reviewer to spoil the plot for those who has yet to experience the game. Suffice to say, this initial investigation escalates into full-blown havoc before too long.
It is obvious from the get-go that Bungie overhauled pretty much everything during the years since Halo 3/ODST. The most obvious improvement being graphics and animations that push the limit beyond what I thought the Xbox 360 was capable of. The same care and consideration has also been given to landscapes and environments, ensuring that no two levels/chapters feel like a rehash.
In terms of mechanics, Reach is a bit of a mixed bag. Not good and bad, mind you - old and new. You are no longer able to dual-wield weapons and the health gauge returns to the spartan HUD after a long hiatus. A few new weapons are added, but most of them are the classics that we've come to learn and love. The most interesting novelty is the armor abilities which enable you to jet-pack, sprint, turn invisible, project a hologram and last but not least become impervious to damage. You may, however, only equip yourself with one of these abilities at any given time and its effects are strictly temporary. These player is for the most part free to choose ability at will as none of them are essential to progression (save for one instance where you need to jet-pack yourself across several chasms.)
I myself found reach to be an incredibly polished and more worthy of the moniker "combat evolved" than the original Halo ever was. The plot is dark yet engaging, the graphics phenomenal, the sound equally so and last but not least a full-on blast to play. Sure - there are times when I could have used another plasma grenade or two, but these instances are few and far between. The only real drawback - if you want to call it that - is that the abundance of weaponry and armor abilities makes finding a potent combination an exercise in good ol' trial-and-error. And trust me - you WILL NEED a potent combination for this one. the enemy AI may not be the sharpest ever devised, but it sure is enough to spring a few nasty surprises on you.
In conclusion, Halo: Reach is fantastic. The people at Bungie know their trade and I wish them well in their future endeavors. We can only hope that 343 Industries will exhibit the same skill, care and love as they guide the Halo franchise into the future.