Halo: Reach

Developer:	Bungie Software
Publisher:	Microsoft Game Studios
Release date:	North America - September, 2010 Europe - September, 2010 Japan - TBA Australia - September, 2010
Genre:	First-person shooter
Game modes:	Campaign Mode, Online Matchmaking, Custom Games, Forge, Theater
ESRB rating:	Mature (M)
Platform:	Microsoft Xbox 360
Media:	DVD-DL

Halo: Reach is Bungie's latest installment in the Halo series. As a prequel to Halo: Combat Evolved, it follows a team mostly comprised of SPARTAN-III's and one SPARTAN-II known as Noble Team as they attempt to save the planet Reach from the onslaught of the Covenant.

[edit] Setting

The setting of the game takes place on Planet Reach in the year 2552 just prior to the events of Halo: Combat Evolved. The game takes place during a galactic war between Humans and an alien species known as the Covenant. The Covenant finds out about the planet Reach and sets out to conquer Reach and obtain information to further their galactic conquest. As this is a prequel, the planet has long been destroyed in any of the other games and is even noted in Halo 3: ODST and the book of Halo: Fall of Reach. Also, there was one female Spartan to which became missing once Reach was destroyed by the covenant and it was rumored that she escaped and would make an appearance in one of the later Halo installments but never did. Also according to Bungie Jun-A266 survived and may be seen in other games.

[edit] Plot

As the story opens, an unknown SPARTAN puts on his helmet. A Warthog is then seen driving down a long dusty road. It eventually arrives at a small outpost, and SPARTAN-B312 is seen stepping out of the Warthog. As he enters the building, both Emile-A239 and Jun-A266 can be seen. Emile is sharpening his combat knife while Jun is placing rounds into his sniper magazine. B312 is stopped by Catherine-B320, who tells her superior officer, Carter-A259 that someone has arrived. Jorge-052 then asks "This our new number six?". Carter confirms this, and then Noble Team then leaves the building, with their newest replacement member, into a Falcon.

[edit] Characters

[edit] Human

• Noble Team
  • Commander Carter-A259
  • Lieutenant Commander Catherine-B320
  • Chief Warrant Officer Jorge-052
  • Warrant Officer Emile-A239
  • Warrant Officer Jun-A266
  • Lieutenant SPARTAN-B312 (Also known as "Noble Six")

[edit] Covenant

[edit] Weapons

[edit] Human

• Assault Rifle
• Combat Knife
• Designated Marksman Rifle
• Fragmentation Grenade
• Grenade Launcher
• Magnum
• Rocket Launcher
• Shotgun
• Sniper Rifle
• Spartan Laser
• Target Locator

[edit] Covenenant

• Concussion Rifle
• Energy Sword
• Focus Rifle
• Needle Rifle
• Needler
• Plasma Grenade
• Plasma Launcher
• Plasma Pistol
• Plasma Repeater

[edit] Vehicles

[edit] Human

• Scorpion
• Warthog
• Falcon
• Mongoose
• Pelican
• Sabre
• UNSC Frigates

[edit] Covenant

• Banshee
• Ghost
• Wraith
• Scarab
• Troop Carrier
• Covenant Supercarrier
• Covenant Corvette

[edit] Graphics

The Graphics of Reach improve on what Halo:3 already did very well. Not the best game graphically for the 360 but above average, and certainly not low enough to warrant questioning on whether or not to purchase the game itself.

[edit] Campaign

Below is a listing of missions in Campaign mode. Missions that may pose difficulty for players in Normal Mode are linked with to a dedicated page with strategies/walkthrough information. Missions that are not linked are either straightforward enough that you don't need help, or have not yet been written up.

• Noble Actual- Welcome to Reach
• Winter Contingency- There’s a disturbance on the frontier.
  • NOBLE Team
  • Rebels Don’t Leave Plasma Burns
  • Skeleton Crew
• ONI: Sword Base- Covenant are attacking a vital ONI base. Drive the bastards off.
  • The Best Defense…
  • Get the Hell Off My Lawn!
  • Office of Naval Intellingence
• Nightfall- Move in behind enemy lines and evaluate the opposition.
  • …Too Quiet
  • Let Sleeping Dogs Lie
  • I’ll Just Leave This Here…
• Tip of The Spear- Two massive armies clash! Time to go to war against the Covenant.
  • Tempest Perimeter
  • Hand Over Fist
  • The Spire
• Long Night of Solace- Move up the beach and secure the launch facility. Take the battle to the Covenant Super Carrier.
  • First Floor: Aliens, Beaches, Secret Launch Stations
  • Operation: Upper Cut
  • And the Horse You Flew In On
• Exodus- All is not lost. Evacuate civilians from an occupied city.
  • The Devil His Due
  • Too Close to the Sun
  • I Should Have Become A Watchmaker
• New Alexandria- Provide air support in a forest of crumbling skyscrapers.
  • Fly By Night
  • Emergency Missions
  • Last One Out…Turn Out The Lights
• The Package- Your orders are to destroy Sword Base... Or are they?
  • Torch and Burn
  • Latchkey
  • This Cave is Not a Natural Formation
• The Pillar of Autumn- Deliver Halsey's data package to the Pillar of Autumn.
  • Once More unto the Breach
  • This Town Isn’t Big Enough
  • Keyes
• Lone Wolf- Spartans never die. They just go MIA…
  • There’ll be Another time..

[edit] Multiplayer

[edit] Multiplayer Maps

Competetive

• Boneyard
• Overlook
• Powerhouse
• Sword Base
• Spire
• Zealot
• Countdown
• Reflection
• Forge World
• Anchor 9
• Breakpoint
• Tempest

Firefight

• Beachhead
• Corvette
• Courtyard
• Holdout
• Outpost
• Overlook
• Waterfront

[edit] Gametypes

• Capture the Flag
• Generator Defense - may or may not be in final release
• Headhunter
• Invasion Slayer
• Invasion
• Oddball
• Slayer
• Stockpile

[edit] Beta

See article: Halo: Reach Multiplayer Beta

[edit] Rankings

[edit] Ranking System

Halo:Reach has taken a new Ranking System instead of the one from Halo 3. This Ranking System is based on Credits or cR. These Credits are earned through all play lists, this includes Firefight, Multiplayer, Forge and Campaign matches. Earning Medals, Commendations, Daily Challenges and Weekly Challenges give out more Credits at the end of the game. Credits do not just unlock a new Rank. They can also be used to unlock armour from The Armory. Players can see some Armour that they can't purchase at their current rank, but cannot see all of the Armour available.

[edit] Ranks