Halo: Reach

By Johnny Minkley Published 30 July, 2010

Who's laughing now?

"You are a cybernetic warrior in the future." Who can forget the words of Bungie, introducing Halo during the first Xbox E3 press conference in 2001? And, oh, how we sneered. Could you make it sound any more generic? What's that? You're "fighting with a small group of human soldiers against the group of aliens"? Next!

It's easy to forget just how hostile the reaction from a great many was to Microsoft joining the console market back then. And so, like a textbook study in confirmation bias, detractors seized on every word of that uncertain E3 debut and spat it back in the face of this hubristic American interloper.

In the case of Halo: Combat Evolved, neither Microsoft nor Bungie helped the cause with a disastrous live demo of the game on the show floor, the code possessed of a framerate so appalling it should never have been allowed anywhere near the press.

You don't need me to fill in the rest of the story. Suffice to say, nine years on and one of the most successful franchises not just in gaming, but all entertainment, is now so synonymous with Xbox that there's a limited edition console coming that plays actual Halo sound effects.

Dear cybernetic warrior in the future: I'm sorry.

Thoughts turn to Halo's (Xbox) origins as Bungie nears the end of its long journey through the universe. Reach, of course, is the studio's Halo swansong as it flees Microsoft's nest and heads out into the less certain world of multi-platform, new-IP development.

As community manager Brian Jarrard walks the press through the latest demo, we learn just how close to the end we are. "The game's going into certification this week," he says. "Things are winding down very quickly."

In what's likely to be our final good look at the game before the review stage, we're served a hands-on with new multiplayer maps and modes and a detailed look at Forge World; given an early glimpse of the stunning new trailer; and, best of all, guided through the opening 15 minutes of the Campaign.

Firefight we've seen before, and it stands proud on the main menu screen alongside Campaign, Matchmaking, Custom Game, Forge and Theater. Jarrard is keen to highlight the "incredible amount of customisation options" in Firefight, and takes us through a range of them to prove the point.

The composition of squads can be defined (all Hunters, all Elites and so on); what comes in the initial wave; which skulls are activated. Three custom skulls can be created from scratch, with traits that can be made to apply to a specific squad. Jarrard suggests doubling shield strength or running speed - or the negative opposites - as examples.

Next, we're shown how AI behaviour can be tweaked, right down to what Bungie calls, delightfully, "shootiness". Settings for this are Normal, Marksman and Trigger Happy, self-evidently determining how often and how accurately AI will fire at you.

In a twist to the standard Firefight formula, a Versus option has been added where players take runs as Spartans and Elites, switching at the end of each round. And two further new Firefight modes are available to try out: Rocket Fight and Gruntpocalypse.

As you might imagine, the former arms everyone with a rocket and infinite ammo and the experience is as raucous, breathless, ludicrous and cathartically entertaining as it sounds. Gruntpocalypse, meanwhile, is enormous fun. You must defend against wave after unremitting wave of beefed-up Grunts, which, at point of expiry, burst into a fluttering cloud of confetti and the sound of children cheering.

Forge, Halo's map-editing facility, first appeared in Halo 3. For Bungie's finale this becomes Forge World: in Jarrard's words, "exponentially larger than Sandbox" and - in a fitting gesture to fans - "based on a Halo ring itself", which will once again dominate the skybox.

And that's far from the only nod to the series' roots. Part of the custom map is a recreation of classic Combat Evolved multiplayer map, Blood Gulch. Now, of course, you are at liberty to rebuild as you see fit. Similarly, Halo 2's Sanctuary map has been reconstructed to the "exact same dimensions", as has Ascension, also from the second instalment.

Jarrard promises the editing tools are far more flexible and user-friendly than Halo 3's, which he describes as "a house of cards" - get one bit wrong and everything collapses. He then zooms out with the camera, high above Blood Gulch, to show the vast scale of the map, all of which is accessible, all of which can be built upon.

Five pre-designed Forge maps will be available out of the box. Beyond that, it's up to your imagination and credit haul, with cash exchanged for countless items and effects that will no doubt be added to extensively post-launch. The community, as Jarrard sees it, will "shape the future of the experience months and years after release".

Finally, Bungie's lead mission designer Niles Sankey seizes the controller and launches into the opening of the main campaign. A good chunk of the opening cinematic has already been released, as the player joins Noble Team on the planet's surface and quickly embarks on a mission to investigate a distress beacon.

Start the finished fight.

If the myriad trailers haven't already convinced you, Halo: Reach is breathtakingly beautiful at times, its in-engine cut-scenes produced with cinematic flair, underpinned early on by the haunting restraint of Marty O'Donnell's masterful score.

I won't spoil the details of the set-pieces, but the verdant carpet of life rolled out across Reach is teeming with indigenous wildlife, most notably weird ostrich-like creatures which charge around in isolation or in groups.

You will also encounter a civilian population throughout the campaign. Its narrative purpose is to highlight the tragedy of Reach through their experiences as the story unfolds; but there's a wider impact on gameplay, too. The example we see is an abandoned civilian vehicle which Noble Team discovers and quickly adapts into a makeshift Warthog.

The mechanics of Halo, even viewed as a spectator, are now so back-of-hand familiar there's little concern over the core experience, which Bungie has refined now for the best part of a decade. Similarly, the multiplayer is a largely known quantity and nothing among the new features has to this point suggested they will do anything other than enrich and deepen that part of the experience.

But for many Halo fans, including myself, the Campaign is king. Bungie has explicitly and repeatedly linked the experience of Reach to that of the original and unforgettable Combat Evolved. Having delivered the strangely empty and incoherent ODST in the interim between Halo 3 and Reach, there's a palpable sense that, acutely aware this is its well-deserved but final encore, the team has pushed itself to include everything it has always wanted to.

Whether that approach has energised Bungie to produce another masterpiece, or tipped it towards nervous over-elaboration, we'll know for sure in a little over a month.

But if one thing's clear, it's that nobody's laughing at Bungie's cybernetic warriors now.

Picture of Johnny.

About Johnny Minkley

Eurogamer TV's Johnny Minkley is a veteran journalist with a lifelong passion for games and the games industry. He uses Twitter more than most people use air.

Read more articles from Johnny by visiting the Johnny Minkley archive page.

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Comments (73) Latest comment 2 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • bdc #1 2 years ago

    It's going to be awesome.

  • drumbaby #2 2 years ago

    Anyone know when Resistance 3 is coming out?

  • barrylyndon #3 2 years ago

    looks good but just far too bored of halo now.

  • adamantium #4 2 years ago

    Great article. Been following halo since it was first announced as a 3rd person shooter on PC.. Cant wait for Reach

  • George-Roper #5 2 years ago

    This will be a corker, no doubt.

  • Vyggo #6 2 years ago

    This all sounds very tempting. I never buy "pure" shooters, but this could be the one. Or I could just rent it to play through the campaign...hmmm

  • barnettbeans #7 2 years ago

    Most anticipated game of 2010???

    Anyone heard of Starcraft 2 or Cataclysm perhaps? What about Final Fantasy 13 or God of war 3?

    I am looking forward to this but its not my most anticipated.

  • Nephirion #8 2 years ago

    All aboard the hype train, last stop dissapointmentville.

    I hope that Reach will make up for ODST which like felt like half a game, sure firefight was fun but if none of your friends where playing it you were screwed. Full HD support would be awesome but I won't be holding my breath.
    Edited by 1 at 30/07/10 @ 17:31

  • Skooch #9 2 years ago

    The beta was awesome (once I got into it); it felt weird and odd at first with the abilities but then you realise it opens up a world of opportunity and it just gets better and better....

    woohoo, can't wait!!!

  • CaptainQuint #10 2 years ago

    Gimme some sugar baby.

    This isn't a game. This is an event.

  • MaFlippinHeadHurts #11 2 years ago

    It's been a long while since I've looked forward to a game as much as I'm looking forward to this.

  • Drpwnage #12 2 years ago

    "I never buy "pure" shooters, but this could be the one"

    ""Pure" shooters don't involve bouncing around like bunnies."

    Neither do they involve ridiculous 'grind' based perks, and unlocks.

    At least Halo puts some fun into shooting, which is more than most popular FPS franchises can achieve these days.

  • clearblue #13 2 years ago

    Rock n roll. Lock n load.

  • MiniAmin #14 2 years ago

    Whether you love Halo or hate it, you must admire Bungie's passion towards their franchise. It shines through in every preview, interview and vi-doc. They come across as a group of people who care about the product and more importantly, the mythology they've created and they've always had exceptional communications with the Halo community.

    I'm certain this game will be a wonderful swan song and a breathtaking goodbye to the developers of one of the greatest series in gaming.

  • Markitron #15 2 years ago

    Halo MP is not my bag so I tend to look forward to SP in halo games and iv been disappointed in every one of them except for the first. I do think the setting for reach has potential to deliver the best campaign yet.

  • HoriZon #16 2 years ago

    Looks good but its not the 'Most anticipated game of 2010' there talking pure shit on that respect.

  • Drpwnage #17 2 years ago

    "Looks good but its not the 'Most anticipated game of 2010' there talking pure shit on that respect."

    There are must be a dozen titles this year that fit the 'Most anticipated game of 2010' title, depends what you like-n-all innit.
    Edited by 1 at 30/07/10 @ 18:51

  • miiiguel #18 2 years ago

    Who the fuck decides what's the most anticipated game of 2010 anyway? It's probably not Bungie, but I'm sure is not Horizon or barnettbeans as well (sorry bud, figure of speech). So, lighten up, to each its own.

  • Drpwnage #19 2 years ago

    "Halo and COD are the cancer of online gaming."

    Don't forget WoW and Farmville.....

  • ziggy_played_guitar #20 2 years ago

    My most antecipated game of 2010.

  • CaptainQuint #21 2 years ago

    @Astro boy

    Tell me, which games do you think constitute as good, healthy online shooters?

  • DUFFKING #22 2 years ago

    Hope they get the single player right this time. Halo 3 had flashes of what it should be (levels 6+7) but Bungie always seem to fall short. ODST was on the right track, but they've never really gotten close to the first game which wasn't perfect itself.

    Still, high hopes.

  • RedSparrows #23 2 years ago

    OMG MARKETING HYPE IS DELIBERATELY PROVOCATIVE

    you people really are boring sometimes.

    Gonna be sweet.
    Edited by 1 at 30/07/10 @ 18:26

  • Shrike #24 2 years ago

    Wooooooooooooooooooooo.

  • coolbritannia #25 2 years ago

    Most anticipated xbox 360 game of 2010.
    Edited by 1 at 31/07/10 @ 00:28

  • Fatum #26 2 years ago

    One thing to be sure about: No matter what score a reviewer gives, you can sit back, grab the popcorn and enjoy the uproar.

  • Simonkey75 #27 2 years ago

    @ Astro-Creature

    "I never buy "pure" shooters, but this could be the one"

    "Pure" shooters don't involve bouncing around like bunnies.

    Quake III Arena says Hi!

    Then tells you to f**k right off back to CoD
    Edited by 1 at 30/07/10 @ 18:44

  • Dizzy #28 2 years ago

    GOTY

  • Emmit_Assassin #29 2 years ago

    I played Halo: Combat Evolved, thought it was alright, but got bored pretty quick. Played Halo 2, liked it more, but same; got bored pretty quick. I hated Halo 3, I thought it was awful. Didn't play ODST because I knew it would be more of the same and who wants that?

    I vowed to never buy another Halo game. But I just pre-ordered this.

    Why? Because its Bungies swansong, because of the promise of Forge World and because I wanna fly a spaceship! The big franchises always have stuff left out forthe next installment, they're never the full whack because they want things in the next to make money. But this is different, they're going to put everything into this last game, every last little idea any of them have had, everything will be tweaked to within an inch of its life, and everything will look and play amazingly.

    And that has my interest more than piqued.

    I just wish they'd make it impossible for 13 year old American twats to play, then I'm sure I'd love it more.

  • RedSparrows #30 2 years ago

    You'll probably dislike it, you realise. It's not a different game entirely.

    If I had a penny for every time people buy a game cos of hype, and then wonder why they didn't like it when they didn't like the prequels...

  • Emmit_Assassin #31 2 years ago

    @RedSparrows
    Don't get me wrong, I'm not a hype person. I bought MW2 on hype and look where that got me: bored within two weeks. (And I had it 5 days early)

    I've gone for the preorder on the promise that if I don't like it, I'll get my money back from sellin its ass on ebay.

  • Dylbot #32 2 years ago

    I unfortunately could not give a shit about this. Unless they're going to make some significant changes to the multiplayer from what I saw in the beta (i.e. change it from being exactly the same as Halo 3/Halo 2 with a couple of new weapons) then I'll pass on it. I'm far more interested in seeing what Bungie will come up with outside of Halo. My favourite times with Halo 3 involved games that took it beyond just a fairly generic FPS and into something much more fun (I can't have been the only one mourning the loss of Rocket Race from the MP playlist, can I?).

  • The_Bloody_Kettle #33 2 years ago

    Shame I don't have an Xbox 360 anymore.. Not my fault. Damn thing broke.

    Oh well. Halo was fun for a while, and this doesn't look tired at all, but I can't help but feel that the franchise has gone too far already..

    Still, I hope it's good. For all those who buy it. For me, I'll stick with God of War :)

  • yoomazir #34 2 years ago

    "Gruntpocalypse" ROFLMAO, can't wait to try that mode.

  • RedSparrows #35 2 years ago

    ' (i.e. change it from being exactly the same as Halo 3/Halo 2 with a couple of new weapons)'

    waitwat

  • Geordiemp #36 2 years ago

    Getting my fix from transformers at the moment....

    If it brings something different other than Halo 3 / ODST then maybe...

    Most anticipated game, not really....look at the crackdown 2 hype, its OK, but after a few days its tranformers getting played...

  • Yossarian #37 2 years ago

    "Pure" shooters don't involve bouncing around like bunnies.

    Reach's jump height is the lowest in the series! But it does have jetpacks! Swings and roundabouts! You're an idiot, btw.


    I just wish they'd make it impossible for 13 year old American twats to play, then I'm sure I'd love it more.

    In Reach, you can tell matchmaking to prioritize connections closer to you geographically (it will also build a map of hosts and peers that suit you best over time in any case). You can also enter other preferences to help match you with players who are chatty, for instance, or quiet, or who play for fun, or who are competitive. You can also mute other players in-game instantly by pressing the back button and then selecting gamertags from the player list. You can also set chat to Friends & Party only, so you can't hear the enemy team. You could also use Xbox Party Chat, like everyone else does in the games that don't have Reach's matchmaking features (i.e. all games). Or you could just become more tolerant and loving.


    (I can't have been the only one mourning the loss of Rocket Race from the MP playlist, can I?).

    Probably not, but Reach now has a dedicated Race gamemode with speedometers, lap timers, etc. (not to mention an expanded gametype editor and Forge for whole new wacky community gametypes no one has even thought of yet). I doubt you really care, though.

  • Xardan #38 2 years ago

    I'm not a Halo fan but im interested to see if the campagin in Reach will be something special.

  • Emmit_Assassin #39 2 years ago

    @Yossarian
    They day I become more tolerant and loving of idiot teenage Americans is the day hell freezes over. For the thrid time. After Heaven has melted. For the third time.

    Having said that, however, I never realised there were so many options to get rid of them. Thanks for the heads up. I might just enjoy it more, then.
    Edited by 1 at 30/07/10 @ 19:50

  • haubitzer #40 2 years ago

    The sheer weight of this title is astounding. It offers so much. With all the talk about gaming intertwining with social networks and so on, you don't need to look further than Halo. It deliver somewhat arcane, skill based combat alongside an incredibly comprehensive suite of editing/sharing tools in a package that simply is not matched on the market these days. How 343 is going to follow this one up I do not know, and I'm quite confident that Halo: Reach will be the ultimate FPS title this year.

  • Red-Moose #41 2 years ago

    @haubitzer: I agree, but I have misplaced my marketing booklet, could you remind me again how much Halo: Reach is going to make me it's beeatch?

  • MaoZedong #42 2 years ago

    Post deleted at 09:40:08 17-12-2011

  • Malek86 #43 2 years ago

    I loved the first Halo, but haven't bought any other game in the series, after the disappointment of Halo 2.

    But Reach looks like it has the potential to make me shell out again. Bring it on, Bungie.
    Edited by 1 at 30/07/10 @ 20:42

  • Climhazzard #44 2 years ago

    Still think the multiplayer sucks, but if they can top combat evolved in the campaign stakes then it will be worth the buy.

  • afghan_jones #45 2 years ago

    This will be the game of games. The king of shooters. All shall gaze upon Reach and drop to their knees in rapture.

    And anyone who comes out with the usual mindless 'bunnybouncingpowerrangerstoocolourfulboredofitafterthefirst oneitsfullofamericankidslol' deserves a big punch in their stupid ignorant face.

    You will never need another game after this one.

  • Golgo #46 2 years ago

    Wow, the negs in this thread are brutal. Any sniff of any anti-Halo sentiment (even if meant as an affectionate joke) and your headin' for the minus 30s! Lol!

  • man.the.king #47 2 years ago

    @Emmit_Assassin

    "I bought MW2 on hype and look where that got me: bored within two weeks"

    Tell me about it. I actually went ahead and had pre-ordered the MW2 Hardened Ed (with metal case and all - still cringing whenever I look at it) and I still play MW1 more often when I get together with friends (even though all of them have MW2).

  • lucky_jim #48 2 years ago

    Every Halo single-player campaign is brilliant up to the point where the flood turn up. Then it nosedives spectacularly, but I always play through them as I love my cheesy schlocky sci-fi.

    Not fussed about multiplayer as in my experience Halo is right up there with MW for having a community of totally dickish American kids who think "faggot" is an insult. As an Englishman (mostly), to me it's a pork offal product.

    EDIT: Is this set before the first game? I don't follow the Halo timeline closely enough to be sure, but I'm sure I read somewhere that it was. That should mean no Flood, right? Please say yes, someone.
    Edited by 1 at 30/07/10 @ 21:55

  • Yossarian #49 2 years ago

    That should mean no Flood, right? Please say yes, someone.

    There were no Flood on Reach, and there will be none in Halo: Reach.

  • lucky_jim #50 2 years ago

    \o/ cheers Yossarian. Suddenly this is my most anticipated game of 2010!

  • Negotiator #51 2 years ago

    Biggest game of the year.

  • CHAZBIGPOTATO #52 2 years ago

    Master Chief, Please save us from Kinect!
    Edited by 1 at 30/07/10 @ 23:58

  • Badassbab #53 2 years ago

    The jealous haters just have to make their feelings well known. You still won't feel better about it, if anything just coming to this page has probably made life worse for you. My advice is to just steer clear of anything Halo- resist the temptation to click on a link to something you will dislike,you can do it. Practice makes perfect!

  • WizenWolfBain #54 2 years ago

    It amazes me how some people say things like "Halo has gone on far too long already". When Reach comes out, there will have only been 4 proper Halo titles. That's not much at all when you look at the biggest and most popular games of all time on all consoles/PC. Not much at all.

    Fact is, Halo is a trend setter. It brought FPS games to Xbox. It then brought competitive gaming to the 360 over the PS3 (with MLG, ECL, XL, WCG ect). Halo has done more for the FPS genre then haters would like to admit. They made "rankings" and "intelligent matchmaking" a standard since Halo 2 back in 2004. They added 4 player Co-op. Then a map editor. Then recordable, editable and easy to share theatre functions with fileshare. The Campaign may not have been the best in H2/3. But one can't deny the massive impact this franchise has made. Especially in multiplayer, where it has dominated Xbox Live for 6+ years (with the exception of Gears and COD). Halo online, to me personally, is a balanced experience that relies on teamwork, skill and strategy to win. Unlike most other shooters *cough* COD *cough* (where you can run around with an M60 as a mere grunt and destroy the prestige rank 3 millions who play it all day and still can't aim)

    Haters gonna hate.

    Reach will be GOTY and will highlight the end of the 360's console generation.
    Edited by 1 at 31/07/10 @ 01:15

  • RedSparrows #55 2 years ago

    The campaigns from H2/H3 still outshine anything Call of Duty, Battlefield or half a dozen other shooters have to offer - if what you're looking for is scale, replayability and options. Other games like Half Life 2 et al outdo them in certain ways, and so on.

    To say they are rubbish is to say that coming second at the Olympics is a poor effort.
    Edited by 1 at 31/07/10 @ 02:11

  • Bulbatron #56 2 years ago

    I enjoyed ODST more than Halo 3, strangely enough. I enjoyed all the Halo games, but ODST made a nice change.

    Saying that though, Halo Reach looks great! I think I might have to play through the other Halo games in anticipation.

    So, should I include Halo Wars? No reason why not I suppose.

  • penhalion #57 2 years ago

    Just not feeling this after Halo 2 and 3 left me so disappointed. More of the same just seems like a waste of money.

  • Kerome #58 2 years ago

    Meh. Think I will go play shadow complex instead.

  • kinky_mong #59 2 years ago

    I love how Halo comment sections provoke the "rehashing the same crap over and over" comments when this is only the 5th game, yet the Worms news article a bit further down the page has people gushing over the thought of another identical game in a series that hasn't changed in 15 years.

  • irrelevanthuman #60 2 years ago

    Looks to be another fantastic package from Bungie with an extended suite of great features.

  • SaberEdge #61 2 years ago

    Halo Reach is truly looking fantastic. I absolutely can't wait to play it.

  • tachometer #62 2 years ago

    Looks like Bobby's backed a winner!

  • barnettbeans #63 2 years ago

    Eurogamer = Console fanboys.

  • Xinch #64 2 years ago

    Please, could everyone neg anyone who says anything bad about this and plus anyone who says anything good regardless of the context of their comment.


    edit - 4 hours later counting -4karma. What's the matter readers, don't like the truth? EG should adopt Facebook's format then it would be possible to dismiss other comments much more comprehensively than just minusing them.

    As you were.
    Edited by 1 at 31/07/10 @ 20:40

  • DoctorFraud #65 2 years ago

    Wonder if Reach will outsell the majority of the PS3 exclusive catalogue combined, just like Halo 3 did.

  • Yossarian #66 2 years ago

    No Halo game has used any version of the Unreal engine in any form.

  • theiceman #67 2 years ago

    MEH!!!!
    Next....

  • SpaceMonkey77 #68 2 years ago

    Not sure if I'll be investing in it from day one. I've enjoyed previous Halo single player games, but the multiplayer always breaks it for me, because its heavily based in selfish one man army attitudes. When it has the kind of co-op kick I get from Bad Company 2, I'd be more excited. The feel of MC's floaty feather control gets to me, and puts me off.

    Forge will be a great reason to buy though, and ensure its status for years to come.

    However, I too am eager to see what else Bungie can dream up, as its been years since the likes of Oni. New IP is needed.

  • Moz #69 2 years ago

    Never really played Halo CE as I was a staunch anti MS geek back when the XBox came out, but late came around and loved Halo 2 and feverishly pre-ordered Halo 3 and loved it too.

    But there's something about Reach that just isn't sitting right with me, the graphics are nice but seem to fall short of the cream of crop.

    And playing the MP Beta the game play felt a little out dated and not moved on from Halo 3 as much as it could have done.

    I keep my fingers crossed that there's something I've not seen yet that will relight that spark that stirs the emotions in the same way the Halo 1 - 3 theme music does every times i hear it but maybe that's the problem no master chief no wailing guitar to stir soul and help you see past the visual flaws in the game engine that allow for a more open vast world to play in.

    It's worked in ODST because you new all the while that some where nearby Master Chief Was kicking ass. Where as Reach is before the awesomeness happens it lacks the magic, maybe if there was a hint that MC was around, a going to play apart in the game even if only in the final couple of levels then I'd get excited about it.

  • Bluetooth #70 2 years ago

    I like how the main shooters are coming back with a Horde type experience... I miss the days of multiplayer, but with bots a la Perfect Dark... I find the bots + horde feature in GoW2 one of its biggest plus points, and if in HR Firefight you can control the types of enemies you have per wave, then this will take it back into the single player arena.

  • Tinrib72 #71 2 years ago

    There's a specific race game mode and forge-able? Sweet Lord of Awesome, I shalll not need another game it seems.

  • swissorc #72 2 years ago

    Halo now the second best game to shoot at aliens on your xbox.

  • BadDevotions #73 2 years ago

    @WizenWolfBain plus fucking 1 mate