Halo: Reach

Below is my written Halo Reach review. My campaign series: Halo Reach [Arbaaz]

Halo: Reach Image

Published • 25 August 2022

Halo Reach is a first person sci-fi atmospheric story-driven shooter...

And it takes you on a fantastic journey across the planet. The game events happen on the planet Reach, and covers the story of Noble Team's last days there, fighting to protect humanity and military assets from the Covenant invasion. This group of Spartans features a new recruit Noble 6 - the character you play as - a highly skilled lone wolf who is courageous and strong. Find powerful alien weapons or unique armour abilities to gain advantage over crowds of enemies in your way. Ride Scorpion tanks and Warthog trucks and work with allies to get the job done. (I'm bias towards this game as it was a fun experience in my childhood).

Gameplay

The gameplay is compelling and rhythmic, seeking cover when enemies swarm the area, and picking targets off in a quiet moment is the way to go. Halo Reach balances fights to keep you on edge whilst carrying a fun energy in each scenario. Sometimes there are times where you are guaranteed to die which feels unfair but allows you to adjust your strategy. The game feels good on a controller since that is the main scheme for Xbox, but shooting feels more accurate and comfortable for me on PC with a mouse and keyboard. The campaign is great to experience but the objectives boil down to moving and shooting rather than puzzle solving and platforming which can feel dull in large quantities. There are multiple game modes like Forge and Firefight with lots of customisability so you can play your way. Cosmetic armour pieces can be unlocked which gives your Spartan more personality. There are a variety of multiplayer map types and modes to try - the golf one is quite wacky.

Audio Visual

I never grasped the story of the game when I was younger, but now I can understand its emotionality and depth. The environments are cool and unique, ranging from military bases to cities, fields, and space. The crosshair's lowered position is an interesting choice Bungie made so that players could aim and shoot enemies while gaining a larger view of the sky and open surroundings rather than the floor, where there would be no targets. A lot of UNSC weapons have visual indicators of ammo, and heat levels or needles for Covenant weapons which is a nice touch. The soundtrack is definitely characterful, and each weapon has a distinct sound. The Covenant also talk in their own language in this game which I think is cool. The cutscenes feel grounded yet cinematic. If you ever have the chance, turn the Grunt birthday party skull on and enjoy.

Pros

  • Great campaign
  • Variety of weapons and abilities
  • Character customisation

Cons

  • Gameplay can be monotonous
  • Random deaths
  • NPC allies not very helpful

Conclusion

Halo Reach is a really good sci-fi shooter which plays succinctly while having the aura of a movie. I score it 9/10.


Information

  • Release date: 2010
  • Developer: Bungie Inc.
  • Platforms: PC, Xbox