New Halo: Reach multiplayer details

By Oli Welsh Published 6 April, 2010

Load Outs, Armour Abilities, jet packs.

Bungie has posted a detailed preview of multiplayer game mechanics in Halo: Reach, ahead of the game's beta test on 3rd May.

The principal new info concerns the new Armour Abilities. These are the persistent special skills that replace Halo 3's one-shot Equipment. You can only have one equipped at a time, but can use it as much as you like, although it takes time to recharge.

You'll select your Armour Ability as part of a Load Out at the beginning of each round or match and every time you respawn. These are playlist and game specific - you can't define your own - and set your Armour Ability and starting primary and secondary weapons.

The Armour Abilities themselves are detailed. Active Camo grants invisibility but is less effective the faster you move. Armour Lock makes you invulnerable, deflecting projectiles and destroying vehicles that touch you, but you're unable to move.

Evade gives you a quick jump in any direction and sheds locks and tracking. The Jet Pack shoots you into the air, either holding down the button for a sustained boost or feathering to float; you can aim and fire while flying, but you're an easy target. Sprint gives you a burst of speed, but means you can't use your weapons.

Some Abilities are specific to Spartans, and some to Elites.

There's a ton more information on weapons, melee kills and the like in the weekly update. Bungie has previously discussed matchmaking changes and leagues and the new ranking system.

Halo: Reach is due out this autumn exclusively for Xbox 360.

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About Oli Welsh

Oli is Eurogamer's acting deputy editor and reviews editor and likes to take things one word at a time. He is among the best dressed people in South London.

Read more articles from Oli by visiting the Oli Welsh archive page.

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Comments (13) Latest comment 2 years ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • GaryHoward #1 2 years ago

    Why do I get the feeling there is already so much limitation in the game's multiplayer assets? Armour Lock? No Bubble Shield? I suppose I can live with that, let me just run into the corner and shout out 'NO' until my throat goes sore. Ok, the tantrum aside, I still cannot wait for the beta and the Jet Pack seems to be the only cool feature that interests me and I cannot wait to propel back and forth owning all with thou Battle Rifle.
    Edited by GaryHoward at 06/04/10 @ 09:23

  • metalangel #2 2 years ago

    Active Camo sounds like it'll be Reach's martyrdom.

  • thenastypasty #3 2 years ago

    Umm there is no BR in Reach.
    Edited by thenastypasty at 06/04/10 @ 09:28

  • GaryHoward #4 2 years ago

    @thenastypasty - Ohh. There were so many weapons shown in the multiplayer trailer, I assumed the BR was in it like everything else thrown in. No matter, I will rephrase my last statement, "I cannot wait to propel back and forth owning all with thou ASSAULT rifle."
    Edited by GaryHoward at 06/04/10 @ 09:37

  • CaptainQuint #5 2 years ago

    The Armor Lock ability will provide dozens of strategic opportunities... and video replay hilarity, a little imagination on my part tells me that. This game is going to be huge, especially the multiplayer.

  • nichotshoter #6 2 years ago

    I can't c wat all da hype about halo is I've played it n it's rubbish.

  • thenastypasty #7 2 years ago

    ^^^^^^^^^^^^

    What?

  • Apostle #8 2 years ago

    Tempted to get ODST for a beta code, it should be cheap by now, do the new copies still have codes? Anyone know?

  • icematt12 #9 2 years ago

    ODST didn't have a code, you probably just need the disc somewhere. I think I saw it somewhere under £20, but definetely seen it new for under 25.

    Armor Lock sounds right up my street, Heavy is my class of choice in TF2 moving slowly and gunning everything down. Just need to find a gun with an enormous clip.
    Edited by icematt12 at 06/04/10 @ 11:20

  • RedSparrows #10 2 years ago

    It won't play so much like a class system I think. More just H3's equipment tired to choices, rather than what you happen to get to on the map.
    Edited by RedSparrows at 06/04/10 @ 11:23

  • TOOTR #11 2 years ago

    Eagerly looking forward to the beta.

    It's very fashionable to rage against Halo (and for some - COD too) for being so popular (aka uninspired, milked, unoriginal, lowest common denominator etc etc). Also fanboys froth at the mouth so you have the other extreme there.

    For me, and my mates online it is (maybe Left 4 Dead aside) THE most fun to sesh. And much less laggy for me than any other live game bar none.

    I was so pleased when Bungie made the 'mute idiots' feature so easy to use. (That is what is was called wasn't it?) and playing team slayer with your mates tactically is a joy.

    But with enough mates available - custom matches is where it's at - and being able to change so many settings:

    One example that's useful : Ensure anyone leading a match has their speed,shield, damage power %ages affected (either handicapped or improved - up to you) . Kind of like introducing the 'rubber band' effect that they do in racing games to make games closer.

    BTW I don't understand why 'pew pew pew' is bandied about as a derogatory term (maybe by those that are rubbish at aiming and firing?) - shooting has been a large part of gaming since Space Invaders. And there is a lot of skill involved in knowing maps, weapon management, strategy and tactics, knowing when and where to engage or not etc

    Should we call MMO's 'grind grind grind'? RPG's 'inv inv inv' or 'talk talk talk'? RTS's 'click click click'?

    All games are awesome (apart from Farmville)

    Sesh on!
    Edited by TOOTR at 06/04/10 @ 12:03

  • TelexStar #12 2 years ago

    @TOOTR

    I completely take your point and it's valid. However, while I really enjoyed all the Halo games (and I'll likely be picking up Reach), they do tend to attract a rather large following of abusive fucktards who ruin the game (at least for me). My main problem with Halo online is that they all start off fun online, until someone works out an exploit that ruins the game; button glitches in H2, router re-set glitch in H3 (i think, though might have been H2?), poor netcode handling of melee hits in H3 etc.

    None of my other preferred games online seem to suffer from these sorts of fundamental problems (MW, L4D, BC2). I'm not saying they're not without their own problems but I guess I find them easier to get around.

  • RedSparrows #13 2 years ago

    H3 hardly ever has glitching.

    Melee netcode was altered in the patch.

    The game isn't perfect ERROR

    GAME IS PERFECT, CEASE AND DESIST YOUR BASELESS SLURS

    LONG LIVE BUNGIE, OUR GLORIOUS LEADER