Halo Reach
SCORE: 59
The final chapter of a good book is often sad and rewarding at the same time - even more so when the book is the last in a franchise of great books. That is the feeling of millions of gamers worldwide as Bungie wraps up its tenure as the gatekeeper of Halo. Bungie has been the development force behind the Halo brand since its inception in 2001. Halo started with a video game on the original Xbox console and has grown into an entire brand of games, toys, comics and even the talk of a major motion picture. Halo: Reach is the final chapter in Bungie’s involvement with the franchise, as they are moving on to develop other titles. Was Bungie able to deliver a masterpiece, or will gamers be glad to turn the page.
Halo: Reach perhaps does more for the franchise than any of the previous titles. The lore and fictional story of Halo now has a more clear and solid beginning. Halo: Reach tells the story of the last stand on planet Reach by the squad of Spartan solders referred to as Noble Team. This epic battle is the last hope humanity has of keeping the evil Covenant from Earth. The sheer scope of the story telling and interactive environments is breath taking. This story is darker than the previous titles in the Halo franchise. Gamers will be drawn in by the story and feeling that the battles around them loom large over every mission.
In Halo: Reach gamers will follow the story of Noble 6. Gone is Master Chief, the main character in the first 3 Halo titles. Noble 6 is the newest member of the Noble Team, and joins them as they fight off the Covenant. For those not familiar with the Halo franchise, Halo is considered one of the best in the first-person shooter genre. Halo: Reach is no different, and even improves the genre regarding fluidity and ease of movement within environments.
One major difference in Halo: Reach compared to the previous Halo titles is the customization options for your character. Gamers can create the character from helmet to boots. And the most impressive part of this new feature is that the customized characters appear as you created them in the cut scenes. That is quite an accomplishment for Bungie. This gives the gamer a real sense of ownership of the story. And speaking of ownership, gamers will enjoy the plethora of weapons and armor available. Depending on the mission and the gamers’ specific fighting style, some will find certain weapons to be more effective. I appreciated the control of and interaction with the various weapons during gameplay. Changing and picking up weapons is as simple as pressing one button.
The camera work and overall presentation in Halo: Reach is Hollywood like. You feel as though you are a small part in a grand story telling experience. The dialogue is creative and keeps the story interesting. The story telling in Halo: Reach is much improved over the previous installments of Halo. I found myself feeling bad for the characters that lost loved ones like I would watching a good movie. A great story is often only as good as the music supporting it– and Bungie provided some of the best game music to date. The music itself would provide a sense of anticipation. Gamers will find themselves on the edge of their seats with intense music sequences. The sound effects and voice acting are fantastic. Characters are developed and have their own personalities reflected in their dialogue. I even noticed the voices and sound effects come from the area in which the person is located in reference to your character. So if the person is to your left and you walk past them, you can hear the voice change from the left side to the right.
Halo: Reach includes the solo Campaign, Firefights and online modes. The solo campaign will take about 8 to 10 hours. Gamers will be able to play with other Halo fans online using Xbox Live or with up to four friends using split screen. The online and local modes will keep gamers busy for hours and hours. Also available in Halo: Reach is the ability to create your own levels, which I found very entertaining.
Even with all of these great developments, new features and top notch story telling, Halo: Reach is not without flaws. Due to the magnitude of the environments there is some slow down from time to time, but this is will not take away from the gaming experience. Also, whenever a checkpoint is reached the game pauses for a split second. Again, nothing major, but a little annoying.
As great as Halo: Reach may be as a first person shooter and story telling marvel, this is not a game for kids or teens. The content in Halo: Reach is violent and for adult audiences only. Death is abundant throughout the game (which brings down the Graphics rating), but that is to be expected as the game follows humanity and its fight for its own existence. There is also some language in the dialogue. Perhaps some teens are already fans of the franchise from playing Halo at a friend or relative’s home. That being said, if this type of game is not one you want your teen playing (at home or otherwise) then I recommend renting the game and reviewing with them why you feel that way. There may also be some young adults who have played Halo through the years and now have young children. Remember to use the family settings on the Xbox 360 so children cannot access it. Games can be enjoyable and fun when they are age appropriate, and Halo: Reach should be left for the adults.
If looking for real life application regarding the story in Halo: Reach, look no further than the main character. The commander’s first words to Noble 6 are to stay and work with the team. When playing through the campaign it is imperative to stay with the Noble Team and work together. Also, parents can discuss war, violence and age appropriate gaming.
Bungie did a fantastic job of wrapping up their part of the Halo
franchise. The graphics, presentation and awe-inspiring environments are
second to none. Halo: Reach will be a huge hit this fall and into the
2010 holiday season, but parents should make educated purchase regarding
their children’s gaming options. Just because kids like the Halo
franchise or have played it at their friends’ house, does not mean it is
appropriate for your home. Adults that are first person shooter and Halo
fans will enjoy Halo: Reach. Others should find alternative gaming
options to pass their time.
- Alan
Graphics: 50%
Sound: 62%
Replay/Extras: 68%
Gameplay: 69%
Family Friendly Factor: 47%
System: Xbox 360
Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
Rating: 'M' for Mature
{Blood, Violence}
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